South by Southwest (SXSW), one of the most renowned experiences in Austin, Texas, features a variety of the most groundbreaking innovations in film, interactive media, music, education, and culture. With involvement at several levels of the event, the work of GDAD students, faculty, and alumni was showcased to thousands of attendees as multiple mentors, panelists, film directors, and volunteers represented UT Game Development and Design.
On Saturday, March 9th, guests attended a panel featuring the Assistant Dean of the School of Design and Creative Technologies (SDCT), Doreen Lorenzo, as she discussed both the nature and future of immersive wonders like the sphere. A few blocks away, guests could find Dr. Paul Toprac, head of the GDAD program, volunteering as a mentor for professionals in the game design field. In addition, guests could experience two documentaries – An Army of Women and Sing Sing – and several short films by Radio-Television-Film students, faculty, and alumni.
On Sunday, March 10th, Moody College of Communications Professor Erin Reilly, alongside representatives from Arizona State University, the University of Colorado – Boulder, and the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, announced her newest initiative: the Immersive Experience Alliance. The Immersive Experience Alliance, a collaboration with several universities, works to bring educational institutions together to focus on Extended Reality programs that blur the line between physical and digital spaces to best use technology for social good. In addition to Professor Reilly’s showcase, RTF participated in the Texas Short Showcase, and MFA Production alum, Monique Walton, mentored attendees in narrative filmmaking and production.
SDCT Assistant Dean, Doreen Lorenzo, stated that after 27 years of attending SXSW, “SXSW continues to be a place where ideas are introduced and shared,” and that this year, she appreciated that the “Major topic was Artificial Intelligence and how it will impact our lives.” With guests attending discussions on Artificial Intelligence ranging from Chat GPT to in-progress automatons, there was a wealth of discussion on the future; but as Dr. Paul Toprac commented when discussing his mentoring experience, “Part of what makes SXSW so rewarding is being inspired by the youngest generation’s ideas, and seeing that the future is not just several years away, but also right here, right now… And as GDAD ranks number one in undergraduate game design programs in Texas, we’re excited to continue cultivating premier talent for many years to come.”
The Game Development and Design (GDAD) Program at The University of Texas at Austin is an interdisciplinary undergraduate program between the departments of Arts and Entertainment Technologies, Computer Science, and Radio-Television-Film. The program produces graduates ready to design, develop, and provide leadership for the exploding growth in game, metaverse applications, and creative media agencies and studios in Texas and around the world.
