Screen Producers Australia (SPA) today revealed a taste of the inspiring thought leaders who will help contextualise current trends, and give their predictions on what’s next for our dynamic and evolving screen industry at SCREEN FOREVER 37, 3 – 5 May 2023, Gold Coast.
Leading innovators, narrative designers, visionary creative producers, a global entertainment intelligence research director, and Google Australia’s Head of Research will take to the stages to dissect the disruption and explore how creatives can leverage future technologies to remain competitive.
Predictive AI software is currently helping to develop stories and scripts, in turn feeding the global demand for storytelling, but is this at the expense of the human storyteller?
Industry-leading panellists including Rita Arrigo, a renowned Australian digital strategist, will provide a fresh perspective on the exciting potential and challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in screenwriting, production, and storytelling.
Rita will be joined by Google Australia’s Head of Research Grace Chung. Grace alongside other digital experts in attendance will delve into the latest developments in AI script writing tools, how AI is transforming the creative process, and the ethics surrounding its use.
Delegates will also have the opportunity to hear direct from Kate Armstrong-Smith, Co-Founder & CEO at Othelia. Kate will take part in an interactive panel providing insights, case studies, and thought-provoking discussions for anyone interested in the future of AI in the entertainment industry.
Due to staggering advances in technology audiences are now firmly in control and can access content of the highest calibre from every corner of the globe, anytime and anywhere, making streaming services one of the big winners during the recent pandemic.
MIDiA Executive Vice president and Research Director Tim Mulligan is a specialist on the evolving lifecycle of streaming services. Tim will sit on a panel exploring the factors that lead to the astronomical demand for content across streaming services, and whether this ‘streaming bubble’ is about to burst.
As well as abstract content, the explorative SCREEN FOREVER 37 program, due for release in late March, will also unpick the practical and current hot buttons such as crew shortages, sustainability, and inclusion.
Showrunner Elise McCredie is behind ABC’s star-studded series Stateless and will take part in an important conversation informing delegates about how writers are weaving issues of importance such as the environment, sexuality, racism, and more into the story highlighting awareness without imposing opinions.
Freelance Screen Producer Stephanie Dower, the 2023 SPA Leadership Diversity Mentorship Participant, will produce a session where Australian Paralympian Paul Nunnari and 2022 SPA Ones To Watch program participant Chanel Bowen will explore how the future can be accessible and inclusive for all storytellers and explore what ‘Accessibility‘ really means in the context of production for producers, crews, cast and even audience.
Australian and international screen industry powerhouses will also join to address the current issue of crew shortages, analysing why it is increasingly difficult to find experienced and available production crew, and as high-end television production expands, what can we do about crew shortages, costs, and skills.
Delegates intending on doing business deals can look forward to the return of the SPA Connect Market on 3 – 5 May, and the Online Global Market on 9 – 10 May.
The SPA Connect Market will be home to a wealth of opportunities including Marketplace Roundtables, the Co-Production Forum, Industry Roundtables, and Ready, Steady, Pitch.
The SPA Connect Market is also home to UK Connect, a new competitive and curated co-production market, designed for ten Australian and ten UK-based film and television producers seeking global partners and financing.
The Online Global Market will see buyers, financers, sales agents, and co-production companies from across the globe participate in Global Market Roundtables and Global Ready, Steady, Pitch.
After a completely sold-out event earlier in 2022, delegates are encouraged to register early to secure their spot at www.screenforever.org.au.
More information on SCREEN FOREVER 37 can be found at www.screenforever.org.au. The full SCREEN FOREVER 37 program will be announced in late March 2023.
Link to SCREEN FOREVER 37 registration HERE.
Media Release – SPA