SESSION 14. SOCIAL MEDIA FOR STORYTELLERS: USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO TELL STORIES, CREATE A CONVERSATION AND BUILD AN AUDIENCE

With the advent of new technologies, devices and the emerging real-time aspects of the web, stories can travel and build audiences in new and exciting ways. The confines of a single format are replaced with the ability to move audiences from one experience to another — from one screen or device to another.  There has been a lot of hype around the concept of social media but what does it really mean for storytellers? How can you use free tools and services to tell stories, engage an audience and most importantly, extend the life of your project? This workshop will walk you through the process of getting up and running, understanding how to staff, how to budget, how to engage an audience and how to set realistic goals whilst determining measurements of success.

LANCE WEILER, Filmmaker, Story Architect and Digital Innovator

Lance Weiler is a critically acclaimed award-winning writer / director, recognised as a pioneer because of the way he makes and distributes his work – Wired magazine named him “One of twenty-five people helping to re-invent entertainment and change the face of Hollywood”. He has successfully self-distributed his films The Last Broadcast and Head Trauma to over 20 countries whilst grossing over $ 5 million in the process. Always interested in experimenting with new ways to tell stories and reach audiences, Lance developed a cinema ARG (alternate reality game) around Head Trauma. Over 2.5 million people experienced the game across theatres, mobile drive-ins, mobile phones and online. He is the Founder of the WorkBook Project, the roving conference series DIY DAYS, a Co-Founder of From Here to Awesome and WBP Labs series RADAR. Lance is a partner in Seize the Media, a social entertainment company that focuses on cross-media story architecture. He writes a regular column for Filmmaker Magazine on the impact of tech on entertainment and is currently developing a number of film, TV and cross-media projects.