Kiki Marshall,
Social Media
Manager
Social media has always had the potential to be a space where people find their people. But now, it feels more intentional. People don’t want to be in digital rooms where they don’t feel seen.
There are some experiences that stick with you. Not because they were life-changing, but because they reminded you why you love what you love. That’s what SXSW was for me last year. I had such a great time in 2024 that after the 9-day fest was over, I went ahead and bought a badge for 2025.
This year, I came back with another Film & TV badge to do the exact same thing I did last year: immerse myself in the realm of film & TV. No work obligations, no industry pressure; just me, surrounded by stories, screenings, and people who care deeply about film and television.
And even though I came to SXSW purely for leisure, I left with a head full of observations.
From the themes emerging on screen to the conversations happening in line. Now, over a month later, I’m still thinking about the conversations I had, the films I saw, and the bigger patterns I noticed throughout the festival.
Here are the moments and movements that have stuck with me the most:
1. Generational Divide: Art Imitating Life
One thing that kept showing up across multiple screenings was the theme of generational divides. Films like Death of a Unicorn and Clown in a Cornfield made it impossible to ignore that the tension between generations wasn’t just a background note; it was the heart of the story.
Maybe it resonated even more with me because the generational gap is a big part of my own life. My parents are Boomers, my oldest sister is Gen X, my other siblings are older Millennials, and I’m an older Gen Z. Navigating all those perspectives is something I’ve been doing my whole life. Seeing it portrayed on screen between the misunderstandings, the fear of change, the stubbornness, and the hope felt deeply personal. It’s clear filmmakers aren’t just telling family stories; they’re showing the societal cracks that are growing wider every day.
Out of everything I watched, Clown in a Cornfield was one of my favorites this year.
It perfectly captured the uneasiness between tradition and change, responsibility and rebellion, old ways and new dreams. Plus, it was an incredibly fun watch & I will be seeing it again in theaters.
2. AI in Creative Spaces: “They Didn’t Stop to Think If They Should”
I didn’t go to SXSW to network, attend panels, or chase professional development. I went for the pure joy of watching films and TV, as a fan. But even in line, in post-screening conversations, and just soaking up the atmosphere, I kept hearing the same thing: people are uneasy about AI in creative work.
There’s this underlying tension: yes, AI tools can be helpful. They can speed things up, automate tasks, and assist with the less glamorous parts of the creative process. But at what cost to artistry, storytelling, and actual jobs in creative industries?
To borrow a line from Dr. Malcolm in Jurassic Park, who said it best: “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”
It’s not that people are anti-technology. It’s that we’re in a moment where creativity is being measured against efficiency, and that tradeoff feels like a slippery slope. There’s a growing fear that corporations will continue prioritizing speed and scale over human originality. And worse, that they’ll do it under the guise of “innovation” while undervaluing the very people who make the things we love.
What I kept hearing, and honestly, what I’ve felt myself, is that people want human-made things. They want stories with emotional nuance, strange details, and that beautiful imperfection that only comes from lived experience. Not everything needs to be polished or efficient, it needs to be real.
And when AI starts showing up in the final product, not just behind the scenes, but woven into the thing itself, it’s no surprise there’s pushback. Audiences can feel the difference. At a festival like SXSW, where storytelling is everything, that difference matters more than ever.
3. Social Media Shift: Who’s Missing?
As a social media manager, one of the things that stood out immediately was the list of social platforms promoted before each SXSW screening. Instagram? There. TikTok? Front and center. Threads? Yep. Even Bluesky made the cut. But Twitter, or rather, X (It will always be Twitter to me) was either missing entirely or buried so far down you’d miss it if you blinked.
A few months ago, we jokingly (but kind of seriously) started calling the mass departure from the platform the “Mass Xodus.” On the client side, we were watching in real time as Twitter follower counts started dropping overnight. And it wasn’t just one brand it was happening across the board. There are a few likely reasons:
- Twitter’s purge of inactive accounts
- People are consciously leaving the app in protest of Elon Musk
- The overall chaotic decline of what the platform once was
…or a mix of all three.
But here’s where it gets deeper: I’ve been thinking a lot about Agenda-Setting Theory, and how it’s not just about news we watch or read in newspapers anymore, it’s baked into the social apps we use every day. The platforms we engage with and the content we see actively shape what we think is worth paying attention to. If your favorite creators aren’t posting on X anymore, if your favorite orgs aren’t active, or even if the vibe is off, the app stops feeling useful or joyful.
SXSW not putting Twitter/X front and center wasn’t just a design choice. It was a reflection of a much larger shift. One that’s still unfolding across media, culture, and public discourse.
4. Community-Driven Feeds > Everything Else
One of my favorite sayings pertaining to social media is “I built my FYP brick by brick.”
Funny? Yes.
True? Absolutely.
The TikTok “For You Page” has become more than just a recommendation algorithm. It’s a mirror of identity. What you like, what you skip, what you rewatch, it all shapes your experience. And now more than ever, people care deeply about curating that experience.
But it’s more than just a TikTok thing. Whether it’s niche Instagram communities, hyper-specific Facebook groups, Reddit threads, or even Threads and Bluesky circles people are carving out spaces that reflect their interests and values.
Social media has always had the potential to be a space where people find their people. But now, it feels more intentional. People don’t want to follow pages that don’t resonate. They don’t want to be in digital rooms where they don’t feel seen.
And in a country that’s extremely individualistic, it’s beautiful to see people craving a collectivist culture. That sense of belonging is becoming the new metric of value. Not follower count. Not reach. But: “Do I feel like I’m in the right place?”
As a social media manager, I think about that every time I hit post. Because who we’re posting for and why matters more than ever.
5. Opening the Door for Everyone
One thing I’ve always loved about SXSW is how many people are genuinely excited to be part of it even if they’re not attending in the “traditional” way. Volunteering is a huge part of the festival’s ecosystem, and while it’s often associated with students, it’s not just for students. Anyone can volunteer.
For students, it’s an amazing way to spend spring break. They get to be immersed in a creative, high-energy environment, attend events during their off-hours, and experience a festival that would otherwise be pretty pricey, all while gaining experience and making connections.
But beyond that, a lot of the volunteers I met were locals and lovers of film, music, etc. who simply love the city, love the festival, and want to be part of it without the hefty price tag. It’s about access. Community. Passion.
As someone who funds my own SXSW trip — because this is like a vacation for me — I fully get the desire to cut costs without cutting out the experience. And it’s awesome that there’s a way for people to do that while still being part of the energy, the screenings, and the moments that make SXSW feel so special.
There should be even more opportunities like this, especially for creatives. Because what’s the point of having a festival that celebrates innovation and dreams if you don’t also let people enjoy it fully?
Final Thoughts
SXSW 2025 wasn’t just about movies and panels, it was a mirror reflecting where our society and the industry are heading. It was a reminder that people still crave connection. Those stories still matter. That the conversations happening in line are sometimes just as memorable as the ones happening on screen.