Power to the Pixel Concludes its 2008 London Forum Events
With the 2008 live events finished, the London Forum will now continue its virtual life on the Power to the Pixel website. Over the weeks to come, the site will present a video archive of the presentations and panels, as well as publish additional speaker interviews, articles and related information. These resources will document key ideas and innovations, providing further discussion on how the film community can efficiently fund, produce and distribute independent projects.
Although 400 people had the opportunity to participate in the London Forum, its direct impact was far greater. As a result of Kinura’s webcast, more than 10,000 tuned in to the Power to the Pixel website to view the Conference live. The world watched as innovators, filmmakers and entrepreneurs came together to present ideas about emerging business models and the ways independents can successfully navigate the transforming digital media landscape. Those fortunate enough to attend the event also had the opportunity to participate in a question and answer session and network with the speakers and other guests at the closing party.
Also recorded on video, the second day Workshops will offer online audiences a chance to see the discussions that emerged at this sold-out event. An addition to last year’s Forum, this new event gave participants the ability to interact with the speakers in a more intimate setting. With four simultaneous sessions running throughout the day and more than 30 events in total, the Workshops also offered participants the opportunity to create a schedule tailored to their specific interests. Choices ranged from filmmaker case studies to small group meetings with the experts, making the Workshops more than just another day of presentations and panels.
After the close of the Workshops, the Project Forum Launch opened the door for a new arena in the London Forum. Four innovating filmmakers presented cross-media film projects to guests and leaders in the industry, including representatives from BBC, Sony, YouTube, MySpace, Amazon, Channel 4, The UK Film Council. These projects, in various stages of production, all called upon unique methods of collaboration and distribution, illustrating how cross-media design can help projects reach greater audiences and offer possibilities to push the boundaries of stoytelling. This year’s launch offered a sampling of what’s to come, creating a platform for next year’s programme, which will help connect twenty cross-media projects with interested partners and financiers.
The Forum concluded last Friday with a private Think Tank that included many of the speakers and a few special guests. The dynamic exchange of ideas that emerged will ultimately take the shape of an interactive mind map. The Power to the Pixel website will host this tool in an effort to expand on the foundation established from the Think Tank and other Forum events. Ultimately, the goal is to help the film community create a sustainable system for independent production and distribution. The testimonies provided at this year’s events indicate that we are a getting closer to achieving this dream – if we are willing to work together. We’ll keep you posted.
