Rishi Coupland

Executive Director of Industry Development and Innovation

BFI

About the Speaker

Rishi Coupland is a UK-based strategist and leader with over twenty years&rsquo experience in delivering research, innovation and strategic programmes. He has been Director of Research and Industry Innovation at the British Film Institute since 2021, where he has lead the Research and Statistics Unit, and Director of Insight at the CoSTAR Foresight Lab. From December 2025 he will be taking on an increased remit as the BFI&rsquos Executive Director of Industry Development and Innovation. Prior to this, he held the roles of Head of Data Intelligence and Head of Audience Strategy at the National Theatre, where he launched and lead the sector flagship Data Studio, and Senior Producer (Buzz-erk Productions). Rishi began his career as an engineer with multinational companies in locations across the UK and Europe. In 2017 Rishi was awarded a Clore Fellowship for Leadership in Arts and Culture.

Matchmaking Information

Attending

Storytellers Briefing

Storytellers Briefing

Monday, Dec 8, 2025
12:40 PM - 1:10 PM
Theatre 2
Storytellers Briefing
Conference

Storytellers Briefing

Monday, Dec 8, 2025
12:40 PM - 1:10 PM
Theatre 2

Speaker's Sessions (1)

Session
Conference
Storytellers Briefing
Monday, Dec 8, 2025
12:40 PM - 1:10 PM
Craft & Innovation
Theatre 2
English

Storytellers Briefing

At the very heart of our business is a desire to tell, share and shape stories which connect. Come and hear from four leaders with a passion for storytelling as they share how they’re using platforms, skills and technologies to tell stories which create emotional connections with audiences.  
  1. Advancing FX and Animation for Magical Storytelling    
  2. Technology and Audience Trends and What they Mean for the Future of Storytelling
  3. Beyond the Tool: How AI Is Rewriting the Rules of Filmmaking
  4. Storytelling between The Lines: The Art of Production Design

Advancing FX and Animation for Magical Storytelling    
Discover how cutting-edge FX and animation are redefining the language of fantasy on screen. Framestore VFX Supervisor Owen Braekke-Carroll shares the groundbreaking techniques developed to visualise magic through light, motion, and emotion to create the world of The Wheel of Time — blending art and technology to create believable worlds beyond imagination. This session explores the evolving craft of digital storytelling, where innovation in effects and animation transforms myth into something tangible, sensory and cinematic.
In association with Framestore

Technology and Audience Trends and What they Mean for the Future of Storytelling

The screen sector feels like it is at crossroads with the legislative questions around AI, and equal amounts of bold and cautionary predictions about its future. But are there other trends under the surface, which need attention? And how might these technology and audience trends collide in the time horizon of the next three years? Rishi Coupland cuts through some of the noise to highlight some key signals of the future.
In association with BFI

Beyond the Tool: How AI Is Rewriting the Rules of Filmmaking   

AI isn’t just another tool in the filmmaker’s kit - it’s changing the language of cinema itself. From cutting down ADR, reshoots, and cutaways to enabling seamless multilingual performances, AI is giving storytellers unprecedented creative control. Tools like Flawless’ TrueSync and DeepEditor are reshaping how stories are told, how performances are refined, and how productions are planned - unlocking new efficiencies while amplifying artistic intent. But with this transformation come new questions. What happens when machines become creative collaborators? How do we balance the creative freedom AI offers with the ethical and legal frameworks that protect human artistry? In this talk, we’ll explore the benefits, the risks, and the responsibilities of embracing AI in end-to-end filmmaking - and what it means for the future of storytelling.
In association with Flawless AI

Storytelling between The Lines: The Art of Production Design

The script is the story. But what about the things that aren’t mentioned, that shape the world the viewer sees? This talk explores how design becomes the silent author of mood, character, and subtext long before an actor speaks a line. Jonathan Paul Green will discuss how colour, texture, scale, and spatial choices quietly guide audience emotion, how environments can deepen a narrative without ever calling attention to themselves, and why the most powerful storytelling often happens in the details no one writes down.  It’s a peek behind the curtain at the invisible craft that turns words on a page into a living, real world. The magic behind the art department.
In association with BFDG





 
Speakers (4)
Owen Braekke-Carroll
VFX Supervisor, Framestore
Rishi Coupland
Executive Director of Industry Development and Innovation, BFI