FOCUS 2023 Announces First Wave of 150+ Speakers
Join thousands of screen professionals at the only free, end-of-year event for the whole screen sector, returning to the Business Design Centre London on 5-6 December. Apply for a Complimentary Delegate Badge and enjoy a packed programme of conference sessions, meetings and networking opportunities.
150+ Speakers, 60+ Sessions
We're busy lining up a wide range of speakers from film, TV, advertising, games and immersive. The full programme will be revealed very soon, but here's a quick taster of speakers confirmed this year:
DE-RISKING FINANCE IN THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY
This session examines the rising pressure on funders and producers facing a highly stressed content industry value chain. While Studio-Streamers battle with challenging budgets and business models, the independent sales and distribution sector is being squeezed each and every way. The panel will explore the critical pressure points and highlight risk management strategies to cope with these challenges.
In association with MediaXchange
Speakers
Fredrik af Malmborg - Co-Founder, Eccho Rights
Steve Clark-Hall, Producer
Serena Cullen - Producer/Founder, Serena Cullen Productions
Angus Finney - Film and Entertainment Business Specialist/Author/Executive
CAN’T BUY MY SILENCE' with ZELDA PERKINS
For the 'Sue Hayes Lecture', we are delighted that Zelda Perkins will talk about her ground-breaking work. Zelda was the first woman to break an NDA in 2017, signed decades earlier, with Harvey Weinstein. She brought the systematic abuse of NDAs to the attention of the British Government and international press and has been campaigning for legislative and regulatory reform in the UK since then. She launched the global campaign Can’t Buy My Silence with Canadian Co-Founder, Professor Julie Macfarlane in September 2021. They are working with Government in the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Canada and Australia to change legislation and regulation around the misuse of NDA’s.
CROSS-BORDER COLLABORATIONS: A “NAPOLEON” CASE STUDY
In association with the British Film Commission, an insightful masterclass on Ridley Scott’s forthcoming Apple TV+ epic movie Napoleon
Speakers - Mark Huffam, Producer
Samantha Perahia MBE - Head of Production UK - British Film Commission
CO-PRODUCTION IN THE CURRENT WORLD MARKET
In a challenging world economic climate, we take a look at how to put together a cross-border co-production, using a recent large scale European drama series as a case study, exploring the development process, financing, distribution arrangements, rights ownership and key commercial terms.
In association with MediaXchange
Speakers
Kate Bennetts - Managing Director, Ringside Studios
Gub Neal - Founder/Creative Director, Ringside Studios
Leona Connell - Chief Commercial Officer, Newen Connnect
Jeremy Gawade - Consultant, Film & TV, Lee and Thompson
Lee Stone - Partner, Film & TV, Lee & Thompson
THE INDIE JOURNEY: SECRETS TO SUCCESS
How do we measure success? Festival wins? Box office returns? A-list network? Celebrity status? Bankability? Sustainability? Has the time finally come to speak openly about what we mean by success and how we perceive failure? What really motivates these independent producers to invest their own valuable resources and convince countless others to do the same with time, talent, energy and cold hard cash?
With Producers Ameenah Ayub Allen, Yaw Basoah, Olivier Kaempfer, Tracy O'Riordan, Helen Simmons
ANIMATED UK: STORIES, TALENT AND INNOVATION
In the rapidly evolving landscape of animation, recent years have witnessed a remarkable surge in animated film production, with a tally of over 20 + new animated features coming to life. We will showcase recent successes and explore the exciting possibilities that lie ahead, as we anticipate the impact of the new Audio Visual Expenditure Credits and increased benefits from January 2024 .
In Association with UK Screen Alliance & Animation UK
Speakers
Sean Clarke - Managing Director, Aardman
Camilla Deakin, Joint MD - Lupus Films
Ralph Kamp - Chairman/CEO, Timeless Films
Julie Lockhart - Co-founder/President of Production, Locksmith Animation
“MEET THE PRODUCER” PODCAST: JASON SOLOMONS WITH ALEX BODEN
The Production Guild of Great Britains's podcast series, hosted by film critic, presenter and film producer Jason Solomons, talks to inspirational producers of film and TV to find out the many ways to do this most mysterious of jobs. For this edition, Jason will be talking to Alex Boden, award-winning UK film and TV producer specialising in international productions and co-productions (TOKYO VICE, CURSED, SENSE8, CLOUD ATLAS).
Introduced by Lyndsay Duthie, CEO, PGGB
TACKLING THE CURRENT FINANCIAL ISSUES IN ADVERTISING
Does the decline in client budgets mean that creativity has suffered? Post-pandemic there was a flush of big production budgets. Subsequently, however, economic pressures on advertisers has meant that these budgets have declined with agencies and producers expected to do the same – or more – for less. Can producers better balance smaller budgets with creativity and if so how?
Speakers
Mark Eaves – Founder, Gravity Road
Will Harrison, Group Brand Director, The AA
David Prys-Owen – Founder, Focus on Film
Larissa Vince – CEO TBWALondon
FROM REVOLUTION TO EVOLUTION: WHAT THE STREAMERS ARE LOOKING FOR
This Stage 32 professional panel will demystify where the streamers are at today, what they are looking for and how you can work with them moving forward.
Speakers
Stacey Carr - Entertainment Consultant, Stacey Carr Consulting
Elizabeth Kormanova - Head of Business & Legal Affairs, Rocket Science Industries
Tom Sherry - Managing Director, Headline Pictures
Sam Sokolow - Executive Producer/Director of Education
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
Speakers
Bianca Gavin – Chair, The Production Guild of Great Britain
Sara Putt - Managing Director, Sara Putt Associates
Barry Ryan - Head of Production/Chair of HETV Skills Fund, Ink Factory Films/ScreenSkills
Claire Tavernier - Chair of Trustees, Film & TV Charity
TAKE ONLY FOOTAGE, LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS
Best practices on location and through the supply chain, how to manage the challenges and unintended consequences of working in the natural world and how productions can not only preserve our landscapes and biodiversity but support nature recovery.
In association with BAFTA albert
Speakers
Harriet Lawrence - Supervising Location Manager, The Key Location
Chantelle Lindsay - Presenter/Coordinator, Nature in Mind, London Wildlife Trust
Kirstie Shirra - Campaigns consultant/Chair, Biodiversity Working Group
STREAMER OR ARTHOUSE: HOW TO FINANCE AND RELEASE YOUR DOCUMENTARY
Leading documentary filmmakers and commissioners will discuss which types of films are working, why and how in a crowded marketplace.
With documentary producers Kat Mansoor, Al Morrow and Lisa Marie Russo.
The conference programme has been developed in consultation with a Content Advistory Board including Pact, The Production Guild, BFI, BFC, UK Screen Alliance, ScreenSkills, Advertising Producers Association, Directors UK.
Content Programme Sponsor
