International Film News
IFG Readers offered 25% off The Media Festival Arts
31/08/2010
The Media Festival Arts, which runs from 8-10 September 2010, promises to address the critical questions facing arts, film and media businesses at a time of widespread change. As the new government beds in, and announces cuts, restructuring and economising of public funding mechanisms, and disruptive technologies continue to radically alter the way in which audiences consume, engage with and share content, the festival will bring together stakeholders from across the industries to discuss and debate the pressing issues faced by all, and find practical solutions to the challenges that lie ahead.
To receive a discount of 25% of the attendance fee, call 0845 056 7566 and quote IFG25.
The Media Festival Arts is the only event bringing together the arts and media sectors to outline the potential for collaboration, skills exchange and partnership.
The Media Festival Arts brings over 40 leading speakers from arts, film and media including:
Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport
Russell Davies, Founder, The Newspaper Club
Roly Keating, Head of Archive, BBC
Fred Bolza, VP, Marketing Services, Sony Music Ltd
Sally Potter, Director, Adventure Pictures
Chris Clarke, Chief Creative Officer, Lost Boys International
James Hunt, Head of Programming, Sky Arts
Tabitha Jackson, Arts Commissioner, Channel 4
Andrew Nairne, Director of Arts Strategy, Arts Council England
Alex Stanhope, Lead Technologist, Technology Strategy Board
David Sabel, Head of Digital Media, Producer NT Live, National Theatre
Toby Barnes, Founder, Mudlark
Clare Reddington, Director, iShed
Alan Yentob, Creative Director, BBC
John Woodward, Chief Executive, UK Film Council
Jamie Schwartz, VP Theatrical Marketing, Momentum Pictures
Mike Stubbs, Director, FACT
Mathew Horsman, Founder, Mediatique
Matt Locke, Acting Head of Cross Platform, Channel 4
Mark Thompson, Director General, BBC
Download our brand new brochure here.
Why attend The Media Festival Arts?
Explore how and why arts, film and media organisations can collaborate
Understand how audiences behave online in order to better engage and communicate with them
Discover what funding and financing opportunities exist for innovation and new forms of partnership
Get to grips with the practicalities of digital, from social networking to search engine optimisation to digital rights
Meet like-minded similar organisations looking for new opportunity in the on and offline world
Over 250 attendees already for the Media Festival Arts including:
Sky Arts / BBC Music and Events / Arts Council England / Fremantle Media Enterprises / Sony Music / Glyndebourne / Hide and Seek / London Philharmonic Orchestra / Mudlark / Momentum Pictures / Nitro / Six To Start / Hide&Seek / aka / Adventure Pictures / Lost Boys International / Newspaper Club / &Co / 422 South / Action Transport Theatre / Actors Centre / Animating Southampton’s Cultural Quarter / Artichoke / Arts and Business / Arts Catalyst / Cornucopia Productions / Arts Marketing Association / ArtSway / ARTSWORK MEDIA / Association of British Orchestras / Audiences Central / Audiences London / Audiences North East / Audiogo Ltd / Axis / BalletBoyz Productions / Barbican Centre / BBC / Belgrade Theatre / Birmingham Opera Company / Blast Theory / Blue Eyed Soul Dance Company / Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra / Bridgeman Art Library / British Film Institute / Broadway Media Centre / V&A / Wales Millennium Centre / Warwick Arts Centre / Watershed Arts Trust / Welsh National Opera / Wem Townhall / Writing East Midlands / Y Touring / York Theatre Royal & Pilot Theatre Company / Channel 4 / London Review of Books / Naked Communication / Royal Court Theatre / Sadler’s Wells Theatre / Royal Opera House and many more...
For more information, go to: www.themediafestivalarts.com.
UK Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt
UK Film Council to be Abolished
28/07/2010
The UK government announced that as part of its cost cutting plans in order to reduce the national deficit, the UK Film Council would be abolished. Along with many other government-related or funded organisations, the Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt called into question the role played by the UKFC, ‘Many of these bodies were set up a considerable length of time ago, and times and demands have changed. In the light of the current financial situation, and as part of our drive to increase openness and efficiency across Whitehall, it is the right time to look again at the role, size and scope of these organisations.’
Tim Bevan, Chair of the UFC, responded, ‘Abolishing the most successful film support organisation the UK has ever had is a bad decision, imposed without any consultation or evaluation. People will rightly look back on today’s announcement and say it was a big mistake, driven by short-term thinking and political expediency. British film, which is one of the UK’s more successful growth industries, deserves better.’ He continued, ‘Our immediate priority now is to press the Government to confirm that the funding levels and core functions that are needed to underpin British film are locked-in, especially at a time when filmmakers and film companies need more support than ever as they make the challenging transition into the digital age. To that end, we will work with the DCMS over the summer to identify how they can guarantee both continuity and safe harbour for British film.’
The decision has sent shockwaves through the industry and has prompted high profile names to sign a petition against what writer and director Christopher Hampton has referred to as a ‘thrashy response’, claiming ‘to just lop somebody’s arm off is not necessarily the best way of improving their tennis. I think discussion would have been better than imposition.’
Power to the Pixel Returns
23/07/2010
Power to the Pixel have announced that they are now receiving applications to find 20 of the world’s best cross-media projects for The Pixel Market, which takes place at the annual Power to the Pixel Cross-Media Forum on 12–15 October, 2010.
The deadline for applications is 6 August 2010.
Selected teams will have the opportunity to compete at The Pixel Pitch for the £6,000 Arte Pixel Pitch Prize awarded by an international panel of judges and will attend the Pixel Meetings – a day of one-to-one business meetings with potential investors and partners.
Entries are invited from international producer-led teams who have projects at an advanced stage of development and a strong track record in film, broadcast, interactive media or other relevant creative industries.
Power to the Pixel Cross-Media Forum is supported by the Media Programme of the European Union, ARTE and The BFI London Film
For more information, go to: www.powertothepixel.com.
Imaginox to Launch in Autumn
23/07/2010
The Imaginox Academy of Creative Arts, an innovative online film platform aimed at creative professionals, is set to launch in autumn. The new venture aims to deliver a unique service focused on mentorship, training and project development within the Film and Television Sector.
Employing live and interactive video technology, members will be able to engage with a vast online library of educational, video-led tutorials that facilitate ‘disruptive learning’ – linking bite size items of media content across different sectors of the industry.
Imaginox has been built to wholly suit an online arena as well as a new mode of collaborative learning.
The site will create content across all the major disciplines within the Film and Television sector, collaborating with the best of the UK’s industry talent.
From directing and editing through to producing and developing cross-platform projects, each member will have direct access to a pool of unique talent. Key industry figures and educationalists, such as Mick Audsley (Editor of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), Brian Tufano (Cinematographer on Trainspotting), Dario Marianelli (Oscar-winning Composer of Atonement) and Ashvin Kumar (Oscar-nominated Director of The Little Terrorist) are just a handful of the names that Imaginox is currently working with.
Additional features of the site include the live broadcast of industry talks, members’ ability to promote their own skills and an array of competitions with tangible sector-specific benefits.
Membership is currently open. To register, go to www.imaginox.co.uk.
