SXSW is still the only event of any scale that lets potential attendees decide the programming for the festival (well, 30% of the decision), which is why it’s totally our fault (or at least 30% our fault) if people end up complaining that they didn’t like the panels. I haven’t made it through many at all of this year’s proposals yet, but here are some early ones that look like they’ll be good, simply because the panel creators are super-smart and worth seeing speak anywhere, and they won’t do the same panel you’ve seen ten other times before. 

Advertising is Entertaining (Felicia Williams)

Ask anyone who knows her — Felicia is YouTube’s secret weapon and a rising superstar, and this one’s going to be a must-see.  

Sex, Lies and Online Video (Zadi Diaz)

I’ve been on a few panels with Zadi now, and she’s so awesome and inspirational. I’m sure there are people who go to SXSW just to be around her and her partner Steve — I’m one of them. 

Narcissism or Necessity? The New Economics of Storytelling (Sarah Szalavitz)

Sarah’s had this narcissism idea since last year, and even if I can’t tell what it is, it’s going to be interesting, if only because she knows all the most interesting people. Expect crazy smart panelists and a truly original, non-boring conversation.

Making Whuffie: Raising Social Capital in Online Communities (Tara Hunt)

Tara Hunt is brilliant and a guru to the online gurus, and has a book coming out on this whole Whuffie idea I’ve already pre-ordered — you can check out some of her ideas in the meantime at her site.  

I’m sure there are lots more good ones in there — I’ve only started looking, so no offense to anyone who I haven’t found or mentioned — so I’ll post more good ones I find, since it’s impossible for anyone to go through all 1201 submissions. Vote for them — SXSW needs good panels. And of course, please check out mine, The Seven Habits of Highly Successful Web Video. It’s the sequel to Quit Your Day Job and Vlog, which was a pretty big hit and a lot of fun. Like that one, the plan is to have a killer lineup of web video superstars who actually know what they’re doing — in other words, way more interesting people than me.