• by Steve McClellan , Staff Writer @mp_mcclellan, March 22, 2015

Robert Rodriguez, the director and screenwriter who is known for films such as “From Dusk Till Dawn” and “Sin City,” will take center stage on Monday morning, March 23, at the 4As Transformation Conference in Austin and deliver the opening keynote address. His subject matter will mirror the theme of the conference itself—Creativity and Collaboration.   

Rodriguez, who is also the founder of El Rey cable network, will expound on building a “collaborative environment, creatively.” After his address he will be interviewed on stage by Stacey Wilson Hunt of the Hollywood Reporter. 

Rodriguez’s Monday presentation, titled, “Living a Creative Life,” will be followed by a panel session,  “Vision and Collaboration Among Uncommon Partners.” According to the conference organizers the session is about “How a non-traditional client, a Hollywood powerhouse and an integrated agency in Austin partner to create award-winning work.” The panel features Jay Russell, EVP, Chief Creative Officer, GSD&M; Mark Crumpacker, Chief Marketing and Development Officer, Chipotle and Jesse Coulter, Co-Chief Creative Officer, CAA.

Separately there's “A Fireside Chat” with New York Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin conversing with Anne Finucane Global Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, Bank of America. 

Other Monday sessions address social movements and their ties to marketing; bridging content and commerce and what that means for brands; CMOs discussing innovation and opportunities in advertising and real-time creativity. 

Attendees will also hear from a group of agency CEOs and creative leaders in a Monday afternoon session, “View From the Top.”