WCSFP

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Poms, Frogs and “Strine”
Ten things (but who’s counting?) that you need to know about Australia, from how to identify the fauna - koalas, snakes, possums, crocs and shark eggs - to essential tips on understanding what the hell anyone in the country is talking about. And last but not least: how to make the most of Congress if you’re a first timer.

Session Producers
Gillian Mosely, Producer, medialab (UK)
Tony Wright, Managing Director, December Films (Australia)

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm
Meet the Networks: National Geographic
Starting on Tuesday afternoon and continuing throughout the Congress, a number of broadcast executives will present overviews of their networks. These informative Meet the Network sessions are open to all registrants.

Session Producers
Diana Ingraham, Managing Director/Conference Director, US Independents/SILVER DOCS (USA)
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Moderator
Alan Lindsay, Managing Director, Vue Group (Australia)

Speakers
Janet Vissering, Senior Vice President, Development and Co-Finance, National Geographic Channels International (USA)
Bridget Whalen, Vice President, Development, Co-productions and Acquisitions, National Geographic Channel (USA)

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm
Meet the Networks: BBC
Starting on Tuesday afternoon and continuing throughout the Congress, a number of broadcast executives will present overviews of their networks. These informative Meet the Network sessions are open to all registrants.

Session Producers
Diana Ingraham, Managing Director/Conference Director, US Independents/SILVER DOCS (USA)
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Moderator
Judy Rymer, Producer, Rymer Childs (Australia)

Speakers
Martin Davidson, Commissioning Editor, History and Business Programming, BBC (UK)
Kim Shillinglaw, Commissioning Editor, Science and Natural History, BBC (UK)

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm
Meet the Networks: France
Starting on Tuesday afternoon and continuing throughout the Congress, a number of broadcast executives will present overviews of their networks. These informative Meet the Network sessions are open to all registrants.

Session Producers
Diana Ingraham, Managing Director/Conference Director, US Independents/SILVER DOCS (USA)
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Moderator
Ann Julienne, Head of International Development, France Télévisions (France)

Speakers
Caroline Behar, Head of Acquisitions and International Co-Productions, France 5 (France)
Patricia Boutinard Rouelle, Head of Documentary and Factual Units, France 2 (France)
Hélène Coldefy, Head of the Specialist and Factual, ARTEFrance (France)
Fabrice Puchault, General Secretary Program and Programming, France 2 (France)
Christine Reisen, Commissioning Editor, Specialist Factual, ARTEFrance (France)

2:30 pm - 3:15 pm
Meet the Networks: Channel 4
Starting on Tuesday afternoon and continuing throughout the Congress, a number of broadcast executives will present overviews of their networks. These informative Meet the Network sessions are open to all registrants.

Session Producers
Diana Ingraham, Managing Director/Conference Director, US Independents/SILVER DOCS (USA)
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Moderator Ruth Berry, Science Editor, Cicada Productions (UK)

Speakers
David Glover, Commissioning Editor, Science, Channel 4 (UK)
Ralph Lee, Head of Specialist Factual, Channel 4 (UK)

2:30 pm
Screen Australia Information Session
WCSFP sponsor Screen Australia will provide insight into their operations and various roles within the science and factual community.

3:30 pm - 4:15 pm
Meet the Networks: NHK
Starting on Tuesday afternoon and continuing throughout the Congress, a number of broadcast executives will present overviews of their networks. These informative Meet the Network sessions are open to all registrants.

Session Producers
Diana Ingraham, Managing Director/Conference Director, US Independents/SILVER DOCS (USA)
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Moderator Tony Wright, Managing Director, December Films (Australia)

Speakers
Mika Kanaya, Producer, International Co-Production, NHK (Japan)
Hideki Tazuke, Senior Producer, Science Programs, NHK (Japan)

3:30 pm - 4:15 pm
Meet the Networks: Discovery
Starting on Tuesday afternoon and continuing throughout the Congress, a number of broadcast executives will present overviews of their networks. These informative Meet the Network sessions are open to all registrants.

Session Producers
Diana Ingraham, Managing Director/Conference Director, US Independents/SILVER DOCS (USA)
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Moderator
Simon Nasht, CEO, Real Pictures (Australia)

Speakers
Doug Bailey, Director of Development, Discovery Channel (USA)
Paul Gasek, EP/Senior Science Editor, Discovery Channel (USA)
Debbie Myers, General Manager - Science Channel, Discovery / Executive Vice President, Programming, Discovery Emerging Networks (USA)

4:30 pm - 5:15 pm
Meet the Networks: Australia
Starting on Tuesday afternoon and continuing throughout the Congress, a number of broadcast executives will present overviews of their networks. These informative Meet the Network sessions are open to all registrants.

Session Producers
Diana Ingraham, Managing Director/Conference Director, US Independents/SILVER DOCS (USA)
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Moderator Alex West, Head Of Factual, Renegade Films (Australia)

Speakers
Denise Eriksen, Manager, Production and Development, SBS Corporation (Australia)
Alan Erson, Commissioning Editor, Science, History and Natural History, ABC Television (Australia)
John Godfrey, EP Factual, SBS Corporation (Australia)
Brad Lyons, Program Manager, Seven Network (Australia)
David Mason, Head of Development, Nine Network (Australia)
Stuart Menzies, Head of Documentaries, ABC Television (Australia)
Barbara Uecker, Head of Programming and Acquisitions, ABC3 (Australia)

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Welcome Cocktails at The Royal Botanic Gardens
Kick off Congress at an outdoor cocktail reception at the stunning Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, recognized as one of the finest botanical gardens in the world. With its breathtaking scenery of rolling hills, landscaped gardens, lake views and spectacular vistas, this stunning space is the ideal setting to reconnect with old colleagues and make new acquaintances.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2

8:00 am - 8:45 am
Meet the Networks: Germany
Starting on Tuesday afternoon and continuing throughout the Congress, a number of broadcast executives will present overviews of their networks. These informative Meet the Network sessions are open to all registrants.

Session Producers
Diana Ingraham, Managing Director/Conference Director, US Independents/SILVER DOCS (USA)
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Moderator
Stuart Scowcroft, Executive Producer, Intomedia Limited (Australia)

Panelists Alexander Hesse, Head of Development History and Society, ZDF (Germany)
Michael Schedl von Brockdorff, Editorial Head of Information Department, ProSieben Television (Germany)
Patricia Schlesinger, Controller Factual, NDR (Germany)

8:45 am - 10:30 am
Welcome and What’s the Buzz?
It’s been the year of the Global Financial Crisis. But has GFC also been the Great Factual Challenge? Grim and chaotic times have been good for current affairs and for the glitz and glam of distracting entertainment. But how did science and history fare? How could programs about the past and the future make themselves noticed in such a turbulent present? As all our Darwins came and went, was the well-told one-off edging close to extinction, while we dumb down to survive? Is there a shift towards Bigger, Darker, Apocalyptic – with spectacle, disaster and big big visuals capturing the global mood? Are presenters – whether celebs or new talent – moving ever more to the fore? And what about the fate of the classic wildlife strand? Your survey and our session will clarify the issues and face us forward in uncertain times. Sponsored by ABC

Session Producer
Jennifer Cummins, Producer, Heiress Films (Australia)
with support from ABC-TV

Host
Bernie Hobbs, Science Writer and Broadcaster, ABC (Australia)

Co-Hosts
Steve Burns, Executive Vice President, Content, National Geographic (USA)
Martin Davidson, Commissioning Editor, History and Business Programming, BBC (UK)

10:30 am - 11:00 am
Coffee Break

10:30 am - 11:00 am
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Diane Rankin (Cineflix)
Throughout the week WCSFP offers small group meetings with individual commissioning editors and media executives who either commission science and history programs from independent producers outside their own territories or who provide significant funding. Designed to be intimate and interactive, the numbers will be strictly limited and advance sign-up is required to attend this session. Sign-up forms will be available at the registration and information desk one hour before the start time.

Session Producers
Diana Ingraham, Managing Director/Conference Director, US Independents/SILVER DOCS (USA)
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Moderator
Andrea Nemtin, Partner/Executive Producer, PTV Productions (Canada)

Speaker
Diane Rankin, Head of Acquisitions, Cineflix International (UK)

10:30 am - 11:00 am
Meet the Delegation: Asia
Take a break, pick up a coffee or tea and come meet fellow delegates from Asia. This is a grand opportunity to gather in an informal setting, network, establish connections, and exchange the all important business cards. The Meet the Delegation sessions have been scheduled during the coffee and tea breaks - there are no conflicts in the schedule, so plan to participate.

11:00 am - 12:30 pm
The Upside Down and Inside Out of Co-Producing and Co-Financing with Australia and New Zealand
Australian producers made an art form of co-producing and co-financing long before the GFC. Reduced budgets and higher costs are now driving more and more producers and broadcasters to engage with multiple partners. Leading Australian production companies plus some of their international financing partners will present a number of successful and some not-so-successful projects, contrasting finance models ranging from treaty co-productions to multiple co-financing. Their compelling stories and varied experiences illustrate and illuminate the hard but generally rewarding path of working with international partners. Sponsored by ABC

Session Producer
Penny Robins, Executive Producer/Producer (Australia)

Moderators
Kevin Dawson, Head of Corporate Communications, RTÉ (Ireland)
Pat Ferns, President and Executive Producer, Ferns Productions (Canada)

Speakers
Stephen Amezdroz, Executive Producer, December Films (Australia)
Pat Ferns, President and Executive Producer, Ferns Productions (Canada)
Mark Hamlyn, Head of Specialist Factual, ScreenWorld (Australia)
Chris Hilton, CEO and Executive Producer, Essential Media and Entertainment (Australia)
Christine Le Goff, Consultant, Doc Services (France)
John Luscombe, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Beyond Production (Australia)
Andrew Ogilvie, CEO and Executive Producer, Electric Pictures (Australia)
Marco Visalberghi, Managing Director, Doclab (Italy)

11:00 am - 12:30 pm
How Did We Shoot That?
In a world of reality shows, distorted reality shows and recreated, computer-generated reality shows, REAL images can still amaze us and have the power to be more incredible than anything that can be cooked up by special effects. The luxuries of time and money needed to create eye-popping footage within the constraints of reduced budgets are ever harder to come by, but luckily the gear is getting better, smaller and more user friendly. Gena McCarthy, SVP of Development and Production at Discovery Channel, broadcaster of the groundbreaking Time Warp “high speed” show oversees a panel of film makers who are using some of the latest and greatest “REAL” imaging techniques to bring to life the world we can’t see with the naked eye and devising ingenious solutions to highly specialized sequences. With the help of NHK, world leaders in the field of scientific and technical imaging for television production, we will conduct a live demo of some of the latest high speed cameras.

Session Producer
Jeremy Hogarth, Writer/Director, GulliverMedia (Australia)

Moderator
Jeremy Hogarth, Writer/Director, GulliverMedia (Australia)

Panelists
Jeremy Hogarth, Writer/Director, GulliverMedia (Australia)
Kazuhiro Kitano, Senior Producer, NHK (Japan)
Junichi Yamazaki, Chief Engineer, Production Engineering Development, NHK (Japan)

11:00 am - 11:30 am
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Riitta Jalonen and Nina Tuominen (YLE)

Moderator
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Speakers
Riitta Jalonen, Commissioning Editor, YLE (Finland)
Nina Tuominen, Acquisition Executive, YLE (Finland)

12:00 - 12:30 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Leila Monks (TVF)

Moderator
Diana Ingraham, Managing Director/Conference Director, US Independents/SILVER DOCS (USA)

Speaker
Leila Monks, Director, TVF International (UK)

12:30 pm - 2:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Lunchtime Briefing: Doing Business in China
With a wealth of untold stories, centuries old culture, ancient traditions spanning thousands of years and a growing reputation as a modern economic powerhouse, China is a natural magnet for filmmakers. The 2008 Beijing Olympics generated colossal interest in the world’s newest super power. That interest, according to NHNZ Managing Director Michael Stedman, has not waned. And he should know. NHNZ has been making films in China for ten years, runs a production office in Beijing and is currently shooting five documentaries in a country once firmly placed in the ‘too hard’ basket for production companies.

While Michael attests that China can be a challenging and at times frustrating workplace for documentary makers, it can also be a hugely rewarding environment for those who do their homework. In this briefing Michael will chronicle NHNZ’s journey through China as the Kiwi production company successfully scales the Great Wall to reveal unforgettable insights into this fascinating and alluring nation.

Speaker
Michael Stedman, Managing Director, NHNZ (New Zealand)

1:15 pm - 1:45 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Bridget Whalen (National Geographic)

Moderator
Bettina Dalton, CEO, Content Mint/Absolutely Wild (Australia)

Speaker
Bridget Whalen, Vice President, Development, Coproductions and Acquisitions, National Geographic Channel (USA)

1:15 pm - 1:45 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: ARTE

Moderator
Dawn Porter, Principal, Trilogy Films (USA)

Speakers
Hélène Coldefy, Head of the Specialist and Factual, ARTEFrance (France)
Christine Reisen, Commissioning Editor, ARTEFrance (France)

1:15 pm - 1:45 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Junichi Katayama (NHK)

Moderator
Mary-Ellen Mullane, Investment and Development Manager, Documentary, Screen Australia (Australia)

Speaker
Junichi Katayama, Executive Producer, International Co-Production, NHK (Japan)

1:15 pm - 1:45 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Ralph Lee (Channel 4)

Moderator
Veronica Fury, Company Director, Fury Productions (Australia)

Speaker
Ralph Lee, Head of Specialist Factual, Channel 4 (UK)

2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Bang Goes the Doco!
Smart, entertaining formats are everywhere dispensing information in bite-sized easy-to-consume portions. Meanwhile audiences are voting with their channel changers and science and history documentaries are fighting for their lives. Has the time come to put the traditional documentary out of its misery and pronounce it dead, or is there life in the old doc yet? Sponsored by BBC

Session Producer and Moderator
Richard Bradley, Managing Director, Lion TV (UK)

Speakers
David Glover, Commissioning Editor, Science, Channel 4 (UK)
Steve Hewlett, Writer, Broadcaster and Media Consultant (UK)
Michael Hoff, President and Executive Producer,Hoff Productions (USA)
Debbie Myers, General Manager - Science Channel, Discovery / Executive Vice President, Programming, Discovery Emerging Networks (USA)
Kim Shillinglaw, Commissioning Editor, Science and Natural History, BBC (UK)
Thomas von Hennet, Head of Documentaries & International Co-Production, ProSieben Television (Germany)

2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Iron Curtain Iron Fist
One of the most significant anniversaries of World History this year is the 60th birthday of the People’s Republic of China. But what have the Chinese themselves to say about the impact of modernization on their lives? In a series of films commissioned by Discovery Channel Asia Pacific, thirty “first-time“ filmmakers have created a unique archive of change in contemporary China. Their collective vision covers themes such as entrepreneurship, infrastructure, ancient traditions, environment, lifestyle and spirituality, and provides an intriguing take on the Chinese success story, through Chinese eyes.

Session Producer
Werner Vennewald, Producer, Monaco Film (Germany)

Moderator
Diana Ingraham, Managing Director/Conference Director, US Independents/SILVER DOCS (USA)

Speakers
Vikram Channa, Vice President - Content, Discovery Networks Asia (India)
Kristian Kähler, CEO, Fernsehbuero (Germany)
Werner Vennewald, Producer, Monaco Film (Germany)

2:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Yvonne Body (Beyond Distribution)

Moderator
Hoda Elatawi, Producer, GAPC Entertainment (Canada)

Speaker
Yvonne Body, Head of Co-Productions & Acquisitions, Beyond Distribution (UK)

3:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Janet Vissering (National Geographic Channels International)

Moderator
Anne Pick, Executive Producer, Real to Reel Productions (Canada)

Speaker
Janet Vissering, Senior Vice President, Development and Co-Finance, National Geographic Channels International (USA)

3:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Tea Break

3:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Richard Life (ITV Studios Global Entertainment)

Moderator
Bo Zuschlag, Commissioning Editor, DR New Media & TV, DR2; Danish Broadcasting Corporation (Denmark)

Speaker
Richard Life, Head of Factual, Acquisitions, ITV Studios Global Entertainment (UK)

3:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Meet the Delegation: France
Take a break, pick up a coffee or tea and come meet fellow delegates from France. This is a grand opportunity to gather in an informal setting, network, establish connections, and exchange the all important business cards. The Meet the Delegation sessions have been scheduled during the coffee and tea breaks - there are no conflicts in the schedule, so plan to participate.

4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Big Bucks Vs. Broadcaster: The Age of Alternative Funding
With dwindling advertising revenue and frozen budgets, more documentary makers are turning to private funders to finance their films. Is this the future of television? The “alternative funding” phenomenon has been most evident with feature documentary cinema releases including The Cove, The Age of Stupid, The Yes Men Fix The World, Waterlife and The End of the Line. But television is also cashing in - with broadcasters screening documentaries supported by supermarkets, fashion brands and soft drinks - as well as philanthropists, non-government organizations and lobby groups. There are obvious bonuses - the filmmakers exploit innovative business models and can reap bigger budgets. But at what price to editorial control, impartiality and viewer trust? Where do you draw the line between funding and advertising - and what do financiers expect in return?

Session Producers
Nacressa Swan, Producer, Darlow Smithson Productions (UK)

Moderator
Steve Hewlett, Writer, Broadcaster and Media Consultant (UK)

Panelists
Tim Flattery, Executive Producer, Branded Entertainment, Carat Engage (Australia)
Jared Lipworth, Director, Science Programs, Thirteen/WNET New York (USA)
Anne Pick, Executive Producer, Real to Reel Productions (Canada)
Sara Ramsden, Independent Executive Producer (UK)

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Sex, Love & War: The Art of the Intimate Interview
Steve Humphries, managing director of the award-winning and critically acclaimed production company Testimony Films, has conducted over 1000 interviews in a distinguished career producing more than a hundred life-story-based documentaries. His flair for making people open up on camera about their most intimate experiences has led to many compelling films on poignant, controversial and diverse subjects. These include Sex in a Cold Climate, voted by Broadcast Magazine as one of the Top Ten Documentaries That Changed The World, and the inspiration for the feature film The Magdalene Sisters. Here, in conversation with Channel 4’s David Glover, Steve uses clips from some of his films to reveal the secrets of his naturalistic approach to filmmaking and the art of the intimate interview.

Session Producer
Steve Humphries, Managing Director, Testimony Fims (UK)

Moderator
David Glover, Commissioning Editor, Science, Channel 4 (UK)

Speaker
Steve Humphries, Managing Director, Testimony Fims (UK)

4:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Stuart Menzies and Alan Erson (ABC)

Moderator
Diana Ingraham, Managing Director/Conference Director, US Independents/SILVER DOCS (USA)

Speakers
Alan Erson, Commissioning Editor, Science, History and Natural History, ABC Television (Australia)
Stuart Menzies, Head of Documentaries, ABC Television (Australia)

4:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Paul Lewis (Discovery Channel Canada)

Moderator
Ruth Berry, Science Editor, Cicada Productions (UK)

Speaker
Paul Lewis, President and General Manager, Discovery Channel Canada (Canada)

5:00 pm
CSIRO Information Session
WCSFP sponsor CSIRO will provide insight into their operations and various roles within the science and factual community.

5:15 pm - 6:15 pm
Speed Dating 1
Speed dating is a great way for independent producers to have a one-on-one chat with commissioners that they wouldn’t otherwise easily get access to. This year has involved some preliminary match making, to make the encounters more rewarding for both parties. However, in keeping with the spirit of WCSFP, which is more about building networks and contacts than an actual market, we have asked the participating CEs to pre-select the projects that they find interesting - but they won’t know who or where it came from until their face-to-face meeting.

Session Producer
Elizabeth Radshaw, Director, Toronto Documentary Forum, Hot Docs (Canada)

6:30 pm - Midnight
Feast and Foolery
Plaza Ballroom, 191 Collins Street Enjoy cocktails and canapes, followed by a sumptuous three-course dinner and dancing into the night at the magnificent Plaza Ballroom, a beautiful heritage building situated in the very heart of Melbourne on Collins Street, at the famous Regent Theatre. Featuring extraordinary Spanish Rococo architecture, this stunning venue brings together the highest quality culinary experience with unmatched history, grandeur and ambiance. Sponsored by ABC

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3

9:00 am - 10:30 am
Sydney’s View From Melbourne
As the Executive Vice President, Content for National Geographic Channels International, Sydney Suissa is in a unique position to monitor the output of innovative and exceptional factual television programming from all over the world. He brings us his pick of natural history and green programs from this year that he believes are either pushing the genre creatively or technically, or are just simply outstanding. Atop Sydney’s list is one of the most audacious series of the year, Inside Nature’s Giants, which dissects the largest animals on the planet to uncover their evolutionary secrets. Sponsored by Film Victoria

Session Producer
David Dugan, Chairman, Windfall Films (UK)

Moderator
Dione Gilmour, Producer, December Films (Australia)

Speakers
Sydney Suissa, Executive Vice President, Content, National Geographic Channels International (USA)
David Dugan, Chairman, Windfall Films (UK)

9:00 am - 10:30 am
Tales From the Cutting Room Floor
Where do you draw the line? in terms of your ethics as a producer and an individual? In docos and reality shows, should we tell the truth at all costs, for the? sake of storytelling? Should we put individuals into dangerous or humiliating situations to provide audience frisson and drive ratings? Does “informed consent” give us the? right to exploit?? Christophe Nick from Yami 2 is a man with a mission: to expose the extremes of violence and suffering that producers and commissioning editors are prepared to inflict on individuals in the name of reality TV and entertainment. But in order to examine and explain the phenomenon of reality television in his two-part documentary program project Xtreme Zone he and his broadcaster France 2 may have themselves crossed the ethical line.

Session Producer
Ann Julienne, Head of International Development, France Télévisions (France)

Moderator
Richard Life, Head of Factual, Acquisitions, ITV Studios Global Entertainment (UK)

Speakers
Patricia Boutinard Rouelle, Head of Documentary and Factual Units, France 2 (France)
Ralph Lee, Head of Specialist Factual, Channel 4 (UK)
Christophe Nick, Producer, Yami2 (France)
Jennifer Peedom, Producer/Director, Viento Media (Australia)

9:00 am - 9:30 am
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Ninnie Kuller (UR/Swedish Educational Broadcasting)

Moderator
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Speaker
Ninnie Kuller, Head of Program Acquisitions/International Relations, UR/Swedish Educational Broadcasting (Sweden)

9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Skinning Your Cat: A Workshop For Scientists
Having a problem explaining DNA Methylation? Visualizing n-dimensional phase space? Describing magnetic Tokomak plasma confinement? Relax. Your communication problems will be solved in Skinning Your Cat, a workshop for scientists interested in getting their material into film and TV. Hosted by three experienced science program producers/commissioning editors, this half day workshop will offer insight into the minds of the international media gatekeepers. It will alert you to broadcasters’ appetites, desires and aversions. It will prompt you to ask the unthinkable - “does my research really matter?” And if, truthfully, the answer is yes, then this workshop will show you how to convey that significance to a lay audience. It will shed light on the ‘engage and entertain’ aspects of today’s multimedia environment and will show you how to step back from that petri dish and tell a gripping story.

Session Producers
Chris Haws, Senior Science Advisor, The Science Channel (USA)
Robyn Smith, Associate Producer, Australian Documentaries (Australia)

Moderators
Chris Haws, Senior Science Advisor, The Science Channel (USA)
Sara Ramsden, Independent Producer (UK)
Alan Erson, Commissioning Editor, Science, History and Natural History, ABC Television (Australia)

Speakers
Amanda Barnard, CSIRO Virtual Nanoscience Laboratory (Australia)
Mary D’Souza, School of Engineering, University of Queensland (Australia)
Maggie Gentz, PhD Candidate and Postgraduate Research Scholar, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland (Australia)
Scott Hocknull, Curator, Palaeontology & Geology Geosciences, Queensland Museum (Australia) Clive Jones (Australia)
Mark Kendall, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland (Australia)
Evan Kidd, School of Psychological Sciences, La Trobe University (Australia)
Iain McCalman, Department of History, University of Sydney (Australia)

10:00 am - 10:30 am
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: SBS

Moderator
Bo Zuschlag, Commissioning Editor, DR New Media & TV, DR2; Danish Broadcasting Corporation (Denmark)

Speakers
Denise Eriksen, Manager, Production and Development, SBS Corporation (Australia)
John Godfrey, EP Factual, SBS Corporation (Australia)
Peter Newman, EP Factual, SBS Corporation (Australia)

10:30 am - 11:00 am
Coffee Break

10:30 am - 11:00 am
Meet the Australian Funders
Take a break, pick up a coffee or tea and come meet the funders from this year’s host country. This is a grand opportunity to gather in an informal setting, network, establish connections, and exchange the all important business cards. This Meet the Australian Funders session has been scheduled during breaks - there are no conflicts in the schedule, so plan to participate.

11:00 am - 12:30 pm
A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Co-Pro in Asia
What were the key international science and history projects that successfully obtained Asian co financing? And - what were the key projects from Asia that successfully obtained US, UK or European financing? Get a guide to what works on the hitchhiker’s co-production road map in Asia. Sponsored by NHK

Session Producers and Moderators
Tony Chow, Director, Off the Fence Singapore (Singapore)
Ellen Windemuth, CEO, Off the Fence (Netherlands)

Speakers
Vikram Channa, Vice President - Content, Discovery Networks Asia (India)
Miki Mori, Senior Associate Director, NHK Educational Corporation (Japan)
Michael Stedman, Managing Director, NHNZ (New Zealand)
Sydney Suissa, Executive Vice President, Content, National Geographic Channels International (USA)
Hideki Tazuke, Senior Producer, Science Programs, NHK (Japan)
Bridget Whalen, Vice President, Development, Co-productions and Acquisitions, National Geographic Channel (USA)

11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Imaging the Impossible
Mega-beasts, mega-structures, creatures and cosmos - the broadcasters can’t get enough of them. But how to produce the outstanding visual feasts that we’re accustomed to with increasingly less dollars to spend? We go on a digital safari with some of the best of them.

Session Producers
Matt Drummond, Managing Director, Hive Studios (Australia)
Kirstie McLure, Head of Production, Pioneer Productions (UK)

Moderator
Stuart Carter, Managing Director and Executive Producer, Pioneer Productions (UK)

Speakers
Drew Berry, Biomedical Animator, The Walter and Eliza hall Institute (Australia)
Richard Dale, Director of Creative Content, Dangerous Films (UK)
Matt Drummond, Managing Director, Hive Studios (Australia)

11:00 am - 11:30 am
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: David Glover (Channel 4)
Throughout the week WCSFP offers small group meetings with individual commissioning editors and media executives who either commission science and history programs from independent producers outside their own territories or who provide significant funding. Designed to be intimate and interactive, the numbers will be strictly limited and will run on a first come first served.

Session Producers
Diana Ingraham, Managing Director/Conference Director, US Independents/SILVER DOCS (USA)
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Moderator
Alan Lindsay, Managing Director, Vue Group (Australia)

Speaker
David Glover, Commissioning Editor, Science, Channel 4 (UK)

12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Doug Bailey (Discovery Channel)
Throughout the week WCSFP offers small group meetings with individual commissioning editors and media executives who either commission science and history programs from independent producers outside their own territories or who provide significant funding. Designed to be intimate and interactive, the numbers will be strictly limited and advance sign-up is required to attend this session. Sign-up forms will be available at the registration and information desk one hour before the start time.

Session Producers
Diana Ingraham, Managing Director/Conference Director, US Independents/SILVER DOCS (USA)
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Moderator
Annette Scheurich, Author/Producer, Marco Polo Film AG (Germany)

Speaker
Doug Bailey, Director of Development, Discovery Channel (USA)

12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Lunch

12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Food For Thought
There’s no such thing as a free lunch, they say. And they’re right. But this one will be different. Want to discover the next David Attenborough? The next Carl Sagan? The next David Suzuki? Well this is the place. Don’t miss this exclusive first-come-first-served lunch and you’ll be on the inside track to see some of Australia’s best scientists pitch their unique stories to you, schooled by a top international science production commissioning team. You’ll be amazed. Some of you may even salivate. And we’re hoping some of you will bark.

Session Producers
Chris Haws, Senior Science Advisor, Discovery and The Science Channel (USA)
Sara Ramsden, Independent Executive Producer (UK)

Moderators
Chris Haws, Senior Science Advisor, Discovery and The Science Channel (USA)
Sara Ramsden, Independent Executive Producer (UK)
Alan Erson, Commissioning Editor, Science, History and Natural History, ABC Television (Australia)

1:15 pm - 1:45 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Thomas von Hennet (ProSieben)

Moderator
Andrea Nemtin, Partner/Executive Producer, PTV Productions (Canada)

Speaker
Thomas von Hennet, Head of Documentaries & International Co-Production, ProSieben Television (Germany)

1:15 pm - 1:45 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Tom Ziessen (Wellcome Trust)

Speaker
Tom Ziessen, Broadcast Grants Adviser, Wellcome Trust (UK)

1:15 pm - 1:45 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Debbie Myers (Science Channel, Discovery)

Moderator
Bettina Dalton, CEO, Content Mint/Absolutely Wild (Australia)

Speaker
Debbie Myers, General Manager - Science Channel, Discovery / Executive Vice President, Programming, Discovery Emerging Networks (USA)

1:15 pm - 1:45 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Michael Allder (CBC)

Moderator
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Speaker
Michael Allder, Executive Producer, CBC Science and Natural History Unit, CBC (Canada)

2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
RACE: Confronting the Program Makers’ Last Taboo
As diversity takes an increasingly powerful position in the schedule, new questions arise. Are we all now multicultural commentators or do we still come with a set of cultural bifocals? Are there still limits on who should or who can talk on behalf of whose culture? Does On Tour with the Queen take on a different perspective because our tour guide is of African descent? Does the indigenous story CONTACT lose anything because its makers are white? We discuss a number of this year’s films to debate whether some cultural landscapes or sensitive areas of scientific enquiry are still off limits or whether these sensitivities have led in the past to important stories being marginalized. Is diversity the new white in program scheduling?

Session Producer
Judy Rymer, Producer, Rymer Childs (Australia)

Moderator
Susan Moylan-Coombs, Executive Producer, Indigenous Programmes Unit, ABC (Australia)

Speakers
Richard Bradley, Managing Director, Lion Television (UK)
Maryanne Culpepper, Executive Vice President, Development, National Geographic Television (USA)
Darren Dale, Producer, Blackfella Films (Australia)
Bentley Dean, Producer and Director, Contact Films (Australia)
Ralph Lee, Head of Specialist Factual, Channel 4 (UK)

2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Telling Stories Across Platforms
As the next generation abandons the TV set to watch their programs online, program makers have to be ever more creative in attracting their audiences. We showcase some of the most creative science and history cross-platform projects currently in production.

Session Producer
Claire Jager, Investment/Development Manager, Documentary, Screen Australia (Australia)

Moderator
Dan Fill, Principal, Chocolate Liberation Front (Australia)

Speakers
Jennifer Collins, Head of Factual, ABC Television (Australia) Chris Hardy, Business Development Leader, web.alive (Canada)
Chris Hilton, CEO and Executive Producer, Essential Media and Entertainment (Australia)
Paul Lewis, President and General Manager, Discovery Channel Canada (Canada)
Sue Maslin, Producer, Film Art Media (Australia)

2009 Schedule