Filmmakers Explore the Art of Blending Practical and Digital Effects at SXSW 2025

Angie Vasquez 
SXSX 2025 - SJMC Student Media Coverage

(The following content is a preview of a SXSW 2025 panel from a member of the SXSW Content Team, a group of 26 SJMC students who will partner with SXSW marketing professionals to cover the event from March 7-15. This is the 10th year of this collaboration between SJMC students and SXSW.)

In an industry increasingly reliant on CGI and digital effects, Fon Davis, the founder of Fonco Studios, believes practical effects still have a critical role to play. This mindset took root when he worked on "The Nightmare Before Christmas" with director Henry Selick, who emphasized in-camera effects and avoided computer-generated technology.

His career—marked with works like “The Mandalorian”, “Interstellar” and “Guardians of the Galaxy”— has been defined by merging traditional art with technology through techniques such as forced perspective, models and stop-motion.

 At the “Crafting Quality: Mastering Hybrid Storytelling” panel, Davis plans to highlight the importance of maximizing technology's potential while still preserving traditional cinematography and visual effects techniques. Meanwhile, Whitney Rowlett, a visual effects producer and senior project manager, will focus on bridging the gap between the resources available to independent filmmakers compared to high-budget productions.

“I think that this sort of filmmaking panel is extremely important,” Rowlett said. "It can be very overwhelming for someone as an independent filmmaker to have an amazing idea for something, get to the budget stage and think to themselves, ‘There's no way that I'm ever going to adequately put what I want to see onto screen.’”

Independent filmmakers may not always have access to cutting-edge technology, but according to these panelists, there are ways to minimize costs, reframe shots and creatively approach visual storytelling without exceeding a budget.

SXSW as a Platform
Davis expressed enthusiasm with attending SXSW for the first time, noting its significance in the industry, especially for independent filmmakers. For Davis, connecting with others seems more relevant now than ever before.

 “It's been, you know, as everybody knows, a very, very difficult couple of years for the world, but also the film industry specifically... with the strikes and the slowdowns and everything else,” Davis said. “I think we're just starting to get out of that, so it's exciting. I feel like it's going to feel normal for the first time in a while.”

SXSW provides a collaborative space for people in the field to share their work, experiences and achievements—an aspect these panelists find highly valuable. Rowlett, who has only ever attended SXSW to support friends, now hopes to share her filmmaking
expertise and offer attendees practical strategies on how to minimize post-processing
costs.

 “The panel is about how to locate and integrate low-cost or free technology and more traditional filmmaking solutions at the intermediate and low budget level,” Rowlett said.

 While Rowlett aims to help filmmakers get the most bang for their buck in terms of VFX or CGI, Davis looks forward to imparting the tricks he’s learned from his three decades in the industry to the next generation of visual storytellers.

 “What I'm hoping to do is kind of inspire people to pick up some of these traditional photography techniques and traditional filmmaking techniques, and bring those back around, and integrate those into technology-driven productions more,” Davis said.

Rowlett and Davis are excited to join their co-panelists in conversation to encourage storytelling beyond financial constraints and the creative limitations of mainstream projects.

 "Every single other track that they've added has just added complexity and depth to what we offer here,” Rowlett said. “It brings up this feeling of a connected ecosystem.”

Be a Part of the Ecosystem
This panel is ideal for filmmakers, content creators and storytellers looking to enhance production quality while preserving creative authenticity. It is scheduled to take place from 2:30-3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11 in Room 13AB of the Austin Convention Center.

 “I am absolutely delighted to be able to actually contribute this year and give back,” Rowlett said. “South By is so incredibly special because as it's grown to encompass so many things outside of just music.”

Be sure to add this panel to your schedule - and check out the full SXSW schedule for more information.