WCSFP

TUESDAY, NOV. 29

12:00 pm - 09:00 pm
Registration and Information Desk Open
Registration and information desk open for pass pickup and general inquires.

12:00 pm - 09:00 pm
WCSFP Member Lounge Open
WCSFP Member Lounge

12:00 pm
Steering Committee Nominations Open On Site
Nominations for the Steering Committee are handed in to the Registration and Information Desk beginning Tuesday, November 29, at 12:00pm. Nominations for the Steering Committee can be submitted up until the deadline of 6:30 pm on Wednesday, November 30. Nomination forms are available at the Registration and Information Desk. Completed forms must be submitted to the box provided.

03:30 pm - 05:30 pm
Meet the French Producers
International producers pitch their ideas and concepts for French/international co-productions to a group of French producers, with a view to forming co-production partnerships and together pitching their ideas to the broadcasters attending WCSFP.

The session will be run on a speed dating model. Attendance by pre-selection only.

To participate in this session, international producers must be registered for this year’s Congress and must submit a one pager with story summary, program length, indicative budget, and partners on board to date. All of the concepts should include French and/or international content. Submissions will be accepted via email at [email protected] until October 31.

Session Producer:
Valérie Abita, Producer, ZED (France)

Speakers:
Ann Julienne, Head of International Development, France Télévisions (France) Christine Reisen, Commissioning Editor, Specialist Factual Department, ARTE France (France)

04:30 pm - 05:30 pm
Micro Meeting: Wellcome Trust
This meeting will be an informal and interactive drop-in session where producers can find out about the Wellcome Trust’s funding opportunities and hear about the different ways the Trust works with producers to create the most engaging science content. The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation dedicated to achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health. In addition to funding biomedical research, the Trust actively works to engage the public with science. The Wellcome Trust has a broadcast and gaming strategy which aims to promote and contribute to the best science programs and is interested in a broad range of projects.

05:30 pm - 06:30 pm
First Timers Meet and Greet
So little time, so many people to meet. Seasoned WCSFP regulars will be on hand to share - with first timers and those seeking firsthand insider information - some helpful tips on who’s who and what’s what at WCSFP, and how to enjoy Congress and get good outcomes.

Session Producer:
Margie Bryant, Executive Producer, Serendipity Productions (Australia) Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

06:30 pm - 09:00 pm
Welcome Cocktails
Join us at the host hotel for the congress kick-off event. Say hello to old friends and meet new ones at this relaxing opening reception. Perfectly located in the heart of Paris and overlooking the Seine, this is the ideal location for a glass of champagne, some great food and fabulous networking. A perfect meeting point to get your Congress off to the right start.

Presented in partnership with France Télévisions

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30

08:30 am - 06:30 pm
WCSFP Member Lounge Open
WCSFP Member Lounge

08:30 am - 06:30 pm
Registration and Information Desk Open
Registration and information desk open for pass pickup and general inquires.

09:15 am - 11:00 am
Welcome and What’s The Buzz
The ABCs of the Buzz.

A is for authenticity, B is for Brian Cox, and C for character character character! These standout trends mark this annus horribilis, the year when the world got even more scary and the recession started to bite. How did audiences react? They watched more TV and chose programs that offered escape from their own troubled lives. E is for entertainment – science with a smile – and F stands for feel good. The stock market has crashed again? No worries. Let’s live vicariously through the guys wrestling snakes and alligators in the Florida swamps, or marvel at the glories of the cosmos (it’s “amazing!”). Or let’s just bake some more cupcakes. H is for history - however horrible - with humour, and for Hitler, still pulling in the punters. L is for live, M is multiplatform everything, and T is for topical, with fast turnarounds becoming staple fare. And W? Well W, of course, stands for What’s the Buzz? Don’t miss the annual round up of the year’s outstanding programs and trends from around the world, plus hot tips on what’s to come in 2012.

Session Producer:
Robert Salvestrin, VP of Presales and Co-Productions, Gedeon Programmes (France)

Presenter:
David Lowe, Nuclear Physicist and Presenter of France 5’s On n’est pas que des cobayes/So You Think We’re Just Guinea Pigs (France)

Presented in partnership with France Télévisions

11:00 am - 11:30 am
Coffee Break
Join your fellow members for a break with refreshments outside the session rooms.

11:30 am - 01:00 pm
TV Science: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
How effective is TV at communicating complex science to the public? Rock star scientist, particle physicist and TV presenter Brian Cox and geneticist and broadcaster Steve Jones ask how TV can reflect the skeptical nature of science without playing into the hands of the fringe, and question the range of subjects covered by TV while having a look at what presenters can bring to the party.

Session Producers:
Clare Handford, Specialist Factual Executive, Nutopia (UK) Celia Lowenstein, Director/Producer (USA)

Session Moderator:
David Dugan, Chairman, Windfall Films (UK)

Speakers:
Professor Brian Cox, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester (UK) Professor Steve Jones, Professor of Genetics, University College London (UK)

Presented in partnership with France Télévisions

11:45 am - 12:15 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Yvonne Body (Beyond TV)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Elizabeth Radshaw, Forum and Market Director, Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival (Canada)

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

12:30 pm - 01:00 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Linde Dehner and Ann-Christin Hornberger (ZDF/ARTE) 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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Dawn Porter, Founder/Producer/Director, Trilogy Films (USA)

Speakers:
Linde Dehner, Commissioning Editor, Culture and Science, ZDF/ARTE (Germany) Ann-Christin Hornberger, Commissioning Editor, ZDF/ARTE (Germany)

01:00 pm - 02:30 pm
Lunch

01:30 pm - 02:15 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Georg Graffe (ZDF)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Hoda Elatawi, Senior Producer, GAPC Entertainment (Canada)

Speaker:
Georg Graffe, Deputy Head of History and Society Department, ZDF (Germany)

01:30 pm - 02:15 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Caroline Behar (France 5)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Bettina Hatami, DocLab (Italy)

Speaker:
Caroline Behar, Head of Acquisitions and International Co-productions, France 5 (France)

01:30 pm - 02:30 pm
Micro Meeting: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Why would one of America’s largest philanthropies set out to fund and produce cutting edge science content? To find out, join this hour-long session, where you will meet the principals of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s new film production unit. After a brief introduction, HHMI speakers will outline the film unit’s goals, which include partnering with exceptional producers around the world to create event-level specials for television as well as films for theatrical release. The team will also provide guidance for potential partners on how to work with HHMI, leaving plenty of time for questions and discussion.

Speakers:
Sean Carroll, VP Science Education, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (USA) David Elisco, Director of Development, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (USA) Michael Rosenfeld, Head of Television and Film, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (USA)

01:30 pm - 02:15 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Brad Kohlenstein and Michael Sorensen (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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Barbara Barde, President/Executive Producer, Up Front Entertainment (Canada)

Speaker:
Brad Kohlenstein, Senior Director of Development, Discovery Channel (USA) Michael Sorensen, Senior Director, Program Development, Discovery Channel (USA)

01:30 pm - 02:15 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Cassian Harrison and Kim Shillinglaw (BBC)
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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Anne Pick, VP & Executive Producer, Real to Reel Productions (Canada)

Speakers:
Cassian Harrison, Commissioning Executive Producer, Specialist Factual, BBC (UK) Kim Shillinglaw, Commissioning Editor, Science and Natural History, BBC (UK)

02:30 pm - 04:00 pm
The Best of Pariscience - A Show and Tell
Pariscience is a unique science doc festival: it is run solely by French science producers, yet it is international in scope, eclectic in its choices, and distributes sizeable cash prizes! It is also a great window into the new worldwide trends for science docs content and formats. Come and look at clips of the 2011 selection - you’ll see the winners and losers and hear what our panel of broadcasters has to say about them.

Session Producer:
Christine Le Goff, Producer, Crescendo Films (France)

Session Moderator:
Melanie Wallace, Senior Series Producer, NOVA/WGBH TV (USA)

Speaker:
Paula Apsell, Senior Executive Producer, NOVA/Director, Science Unit, WGBH (USA) Andrew Cohen, Head of Science, BBC (UK) Christine Reisen, Commissioning Editor, Specialist Factual Department, ARTE France (France) Claudia Schreiner, Head Of Programme, Culture & Science, MDR/ARD (Germany)

02:30 pm - 03:00 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Andrew Solomon (ORF)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Betsy LeBlanc, Senior Sales Manager, PBS International (USA)

Speaker:
Andrew Solomon, Head of Natural History Unit, ORF (Austria)

02:30 pm - 04:00 pm
New Ways of Telling Old Stories
From the Roman Empire to the U.S. Civil War, from 9/11 to the Damn Busters, filmmakers are constantly coming up with new angles for old stories and new stylistic techniques to freshen them up. This session will deliver a pick of the latest crop, analyse their new storytelling tools, and try to uncover what trends are driving these innovations.

Session Producer and Moderator:
Rudolph Herzog, Producer/Director (Germany)

Speakers:
Sylvie Barbe, DOCSIDE Production (France) Richard Bradley, Managing Director, Lion Television (UK) Ian Duncan, Company Director, Windfall Films (UK) David McNab, Creative Director, Wide-Eyed Entertainment (UK)

Presented in partnership with Sunny Side of the Doc

02:45 pm - 03:15 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Tom Ziessen (Wellcome Trust)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer: Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Kylee Ingram, Head of Production, Australian Documentaries (Australia)

Speaker:
Tom Ziessen, Broadcast Grants Advisor, Wellcome Trust (UK)

03:30 pm - 04:00 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Sabine Holzer (Terra Mater Factual Studios)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer and Moderator:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Speaker:
Sabine Holzer, Head of TV, Terra Mater Factual Studios (Austria)

04:00 pm - 04:30 pm
Tea
Join your fellow members for a break with refreshments outside the session rooms.

04:30 pm - 05:30 pm
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Distributor’s World
So what is your science format worth in South Korea? How much will Denmark cough up for your disastertainment show? What will the Aussies pay for that great archaeological scoop? As distributors are increasingly making up the shortfall in production budgets, it’s time for a reality check as to what your productions are worth. Some of the world’s leading distributors of specialist factual television take us on a global tour of their successes and horror stories. Is it worth fighting over rights? Are some territories just not worth it? We discover what sells where, where you might find that final funding, how you might squeeze the gap funding from less traditional territories, and the sort of ideas that might build your international reputation and maybe even your fortune.

Session Producer:
Paul Heaney, President and Managing Director, Cineflix Rights (UK)

Session Moderator:
Richard Bradley, Managing Director, Lion Television (UK)

Speakers:
Carl Hall, CEO & Chairman, Parthenon Entertainment (UK) Paul Heaney, President and Managing Director, Cineflix Rights (UK) Judy Levenson, Associate Director, Global Co-Productions and Content Sales, National Geographic Channel (USA) Celine Payot Lehmann, Head of Distribution and Acquisitions, ZED (France)

Presented in partnership with ITV Studios

04:30 pm - 05:00 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Bob Culbert and Frances-Mary Morrison (CBC)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Veronica Fury, Joint Managing Director, Wild Fury (Australia)

Speaker:
Bob Culbert, Executive Producer, Documentary and Science Unit/Executive Producer, The Nature of Things, CBC (Canada) Frances-Mary Morrison, Senior Producer, Documentary Science and Natural History Unit/The Nature of Things, CBC (Canada)

04:30 pm - 05:30 pm
Who Do You Think WE Are: Inside French TV
With over 2,000 hours of documentaries produced in 2010, France is by no means a small village of indomitable Gauls still holding out against the rest of the world. This session will guide you through a land of opportunities for international co-production and reveal what’s working in the French market. It will also highlight some of the hidden gems that may surprise and delight the international market.

Session Producer and Moderator:
Mathieu Béjot, Executive Director, TV France International (France)

Speakers:
Caroline Behar, Head of Acquisitions and International Co-Productions, France 5 (France) Christine Cauquelin, Head of Documentaries, CANAL+ (France) Hélène Coldefy, Head of Specialist and Factual, ARTE France (France) Clémence Coppey, Commissioning Editor, France 3 (France) Fabrice Puchault, Director, Documentary Unit, France 2 (France)

Presented in partnership with CANAL+

04:45 pm - 05:15 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Paul Lewis and Ken MacDonald (Discovery Channel Canada)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Véronique Bernard, President, Iliad Entertainment (USA)

Speaker:
Paul Lewis, President and General Manager, Discovery Channel Canada (Canada) Ken MacDonald, Vice-President, Programming, Discovery Channel, Discovery World HD, Animal Planet, Discovery Science, Investigation Discovery (Canada)

05:30 pm - 06:30 pm
Speed Dating
Speed Dating is a great way for independent producers to have a one-on-one chat with decision makers to whom they wouldn’t otherwise have easy access. Congress staff conducts some preliminary matchmaking 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 decision makers to pre-select the projects that they find interesting - but they won’t know who or where they came from until their face-to-face meeting.

Pre-application required.

Session Producer:
Stephanie McArthur, Forum and Market Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Additional support provided by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture of the Government of Ontario

05:30 pm - 06:30 pm
Encounters with China: CCTV9 and CICC
In this informal session, two unique funders from China will introduce members to the kinds of projects they are interested in co-producing, with independent producers, for the international market. China Intercontinental Communication Center (CICC) is a funding body which has co-produced series set in China with international broadcasters on topics as different as engineering, archaeology, travel, food and the Olympics. CCTV-9 is the brand new documentary-dedicated channel of China ’s state broadcaster, CCTV. This session will include clips of recent and current projects, as well as details on funding availability.

Session Producer/Moderator:
Liz McLeod, Executive Producer, ITV Studios (UK)

Speakers:
Yuan Tian, Head, CCTV Documentary Channel (China) Yuanyuan Wang, Supervising Producer, CICC (China)

05:30 pm - 06:30 pm
The Story Behind Brain Games (Or How to Mess with Your Audience's Mind)
It’s the end of the day and you’re ready for a drink; but first, let National Geographic mess with your mind a bit. Let them play a few tricks on you as they tell the story behind Brain Games, the successful and strange three-part series that amazed audiences worldwide and proved shows about the brain don’t have to be dull.

Session Producer and Speaker:
Allan Butler, Executive Producer, National Geographic Channel (USA)

06:30 pm
Steering Committee Nominations Close
Nominations for the Steering Committee can be submitted up until the deadline of 6:30 pm on Wednesday, November 30. Nomination forms are available at the Registration and Information Desk. Completed forms must be submitted to the box provided.

07:00 pm - 09:00 pm
AST and SSD Boat Cocktail Party
All WCSFP members attending the Congress in Paris are invited to a reception onboard Le Maxim’s sur Seine at the foot of the Eiffel Tower! Hosted by Association Science & Télévision in celebration of their tenth anniversary, and Sunny Side of the Doc who are launching the upcoming Asian Side #3 in Tokyo in March 2012, this cocktail reception will take place on “a real floating palace” that will be docked alongside the Seine just a short walk from the host hotel. Details will be sent to members via email. RSVP required.

Please RSVP to your email invitation before November 29.

Vessel will remain docked for the duration of the reception.

09:30 pm - 01:00 am
Karaoke Night
Now a ‘must-attend’ event, the tradition continues as Congress once again plays host to an outrageous night of karaoke and dancing. A modern and spacious venue filled with shimmering colours, Tout Le Monde en Parle is the perfect location to sing, dance and let loose with your colleagues.

Presented in partnership with ARTE

THURSDAY, DEC. 1

08:00 am - 09:00 am
Breakfast with Discovery Channel/EPI
Now in its 17th season, Daily Planet is Discovery Channel Canada’s most successful long-running series. A daily one-hour science magazine show that is a huge hit with viewers and advertisers, it is seen by almost three million Canadians a week and audiences continue to grow. Now available in HD, Daily Planet has an exciting and contemporary new look; its team of producers travel the world for the coolest, most quirky and incredible science and technology stories. Come meet the network and production executives behind Daily Planet and learn how the show can be reversioned for your market. Whether you are looking for individual magazine segments, format rights or a full show with your own hosts, Daily Planet’s studio and production facilities offer an incredible opportunity for broadcasters to create their own unique program.

08:30 am - 06:30 pm
WCSFP Member Lounge Open
WCSFP Member Lounge

08:30 am
Steering Committee Voting Opens
Voting to fill 2011 WCSFP Steering Committee vacancies will open Thursday, December 1 at 8:30 am. A list of candidates will be posted at the Registration and Information Desk and ballots will be distributed to any attending member who intends to vote.

To avoid any voting irregularities, each ballot will be numbered to correspond with the number on the voting member’s pass. Votes can only be cast in the sealed ballot box located at the Registration and Information Desk. Only members attending the conference are allowed to vote.

Voting closes at 10:00 am on Friday, December 2. The ballots are then counted and the result is verified by a Steering Committee representative. Results are announced at the Members Luncheon and Plenary at 1:00 pm on Friday, December 2.

08:30 am - 06:30 pm
Registration and Information Desk Open
Registration and information desk open for pass pickup and general inquires.

09:00 am - 10:30 am
Visions of the Future
With so many old certainties - economics, politics, science, society, work - in flux, how do we help our viewers make sense of where the world is headed, especially when “The Future” is one of those topics commissioning editors fear doesn’t rate? Two global heavy-weights - theoretical physicist and futurist Dr. Michio Kaku, and writer, economist, and one-time special advisor to President Mitterand, Dr. Jacques Attali - meet for an explosion of surprising and inspiring ideas about what comes next.

Session Producer:
Liz McLeod, Executive Producer, ITV Studios (UK)

Session Moderator:
Stephen Hunter, Vice President of Development and Production, National Geographic Channels International (USA)

Speakers:
Dr. Jacques Attali, President, Planet Finance Group (France) Dr. Michio Kaku, Theoretical Physicist, Futurist and Author (USA)

Presented in partnership with CANAL+

09:00 am - 12:30 pm
Collaborate to Innovate
A networking opportunity for selected producers to meet digital media and gaming specialists.

Taking linear projects multiplatform is a must in today’s market. Producers should be factoring in online, apps, games and social media from the outset. The key to all media projects is collaboration and multi-disciplinary teams. Meet some of Europe’s foremost digital experts who will present their top tips for traditional media producers. They will then be available individually for project surgeries - 15 minute sessions - full of targeted advice and potential collaboration.

This is a closed session.

Selected producers will be notified a week before the Congress starts.

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

Speaker:
Mark Atkin, Director of Crossover Labs and Head of the Documentary Campus Masterschool (UK) Mathieu Détaint, Producer, Inflammable Productions (France) Jonathan Drori, Changing Media Ltd (UK) Kirsty Hunter, Managing Director, The Project Factory (UK) Gregory Trowbridge, Head of Production, Upian (France)

09:00 am - 09:30 am
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Jennifer Collins (ABC)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Producer:
Dawn Porter, Founder/Producer/Director, Trilogy Films (USA)

Speaker:
Jennifer Collins, Head of Factual, ABC Television (Australia)

09:15 am - 09:45 am
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: David Hooper (Espresso TV)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer and Moderator:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Speaker:
David Hooper, Managing Director, Espresso TV (UK)

10:00 am - 10:30 am
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Clémence Coppey (France 3)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Bettina Hatami, DocLab (Italy)

Speaker:
Clémence Coppey, Commissioning Editor, France 3 (France)

10:30 am - 11:00 am
Coffee Break
Join your fellow members for a break with refreshments outside the session rooms.

11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Tales from the Casting Couch
How do you find characters that “pop?” You can’t sell a show without a fantastic character (or three) and a top notch reel these days. The buzz word is “authentic” - what does it take to cut through? How important is the sizzle reel? Hear inside stories from broadcasters and producers about getting the right talent and creating a winning pitch reel.

Session Producer and Moderator:
Véronique Bernard, President, Iliad Entertainment (USA)

Speakers:
Kathleen Cromley, Executive Producer, National Geographic Channel (USA) Florian Falkenstein, Vice-President, Documentaries & Factual Events, ProSiebenSat1 Deutschland TV (Germany) Ralph Lee, Head of Specialist Factual, Channel 4 (UK) Debbie Myers, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Programming, Science Channel (USA) Ife Okwudili, Head of Global Casting, Cineflix Productions (UK)

11:00 am - 11:30 am
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Chris Hoelzl (Smithsonian Networks)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Veronica Fury, Joint Managing Director, Wild Fury (Australia)

Speaker:
Chris Hoelzl, Vice President for Program Development, Smithsonian Networks (USA)

11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Respect for Old Geezers (les vieux schnocks)
Younger viewers. Every commissioner wants them. Advertisers say they are the only audience worth getting, and for the past decade we’ve obsessively chased them. But has it worked? What is the core audience for factual, really? And what if the next big opportunity is (shudder) OLD PEOPLE. A provocative discussion about ratings, ageism in advertising and how 60 might be the new 30.

Session Producer/Moderator:
Steve Gamester, Director of Development, Specialist Factual, Entertainment One Television (Canada)

Session Co-Producer:
Michael Kot, Senior VP Factual Entertainment, Entertainment One Television (Canada)

Speakers:
Michael Cascio, Executive Vice President, Programming, National Geographic Channel (USA) Martin Davidson, Commissioning Editor, History and Business Programming, BBC (UK) Fabrice Puchault, Director, Documentary Unit, France 2 (France)

11:15 am - 11:45 am
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Shin Yasuda (NHK)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Betsy LeBlanc, Senior Sales Manager, PBS International (USA)

Speaker:
Shin Yasuda, Producer, International Co-productions, Programming Department, NHK (Japan)

12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Thomas Von Hennet (ProSiebenSat.1 TV)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Dawn Porter, Founder/Producer/Director, Trilogy Films (USA)

Speaker:
Thomas von Hennet, Vice President International Co-Production & Documentaries, ProSiebenSat.1 TV Deutschland (Germany)

12:30 pm - 02:00 pm
Lunch

12:45 pm - 01:45 pm
Micro Meeting: BBC Worldwide - Co-Producing for Prime Time
When producing big international factual television, there is often one huge challenge to overcome: landmark content requires coproduction funding. But the prime time slots in the big TV markets that can afford the most ambitious projects have the most demanding local audiences—and they require content tailored to their specific expectations. In this micro meeting session we want to discuss with content makers and commissioners how you can overcome this contradiction of making international projects while delivering on very local audience needs.

Session Chair:
Philipp Schmid, Co-Production Manager, Factual, BBC Worldwide (UK)

Speakers:
Alexander Hesse, Head of History and Society, ZDF (Germany) Mike Kemp, Former MD, Dangerous Films (UK) Kim Shillinglaw, Commissioning Editor, Science and Natural History, BBC (UK)

01:00 pm - 01:45 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Paula Apsell, Evan Hadingham, Melanie Wallace (NOVA) 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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Elizabeth Radshaw, Forum and Market Director, Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival (Canada)

Speaker:
Paula Apsell, Senior Executive Producer, NOVA/Director, Science Unit, WGBH (USA) Evan Hadingham, Senior Science Executive, NOVA, WGBH (USA) Melanie Wallace, Senior Series Producer, NOVA, WGBH TV (USA)

01:00 pm - 01:45 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Allan Butler, Stephen Hunter and Pamela Caragol Wells (National Geographic)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Barbara Barde, President/Executive Producer, Up Front Entertainment (Canada)

Speakers:
Allan Butler, Executive Producer, National Geographic Channel (USA) Pamela Caragol Wells, Executive Producer, National Geographic Television (USA) Stephen Hunter, Vice President of Production, National Geographic Channels International (USA)

01:00 pm - 01:45 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Fabrice Puchault (France 2)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Véronique Bernard, President, Iliad Entertainment (USA)

Speaker:
Fabrice Puchault, Director, Documentary Unit, France 2 (France)

01:00 pm - 01:45 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Hélène Coldefy (ARTE France)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Anne Pick, VP & Executive Producer, Real to Reel Productions (Canada)

Speaker:
Hélène Coldefy, Head of Specialist and Factual, ARTE France (France)

01:00 pm - 01:45 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: David Glover and Ralph Lee (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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Hoda Elatawi, Senior Producer, GAPC Entertainment (Canada)

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

02:00 pm - 02:30 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Beth Hoppe (PBS)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Betsy LeBlanc, Senior Sales Manager, PBS International (USA)

Speaker:
Beth Hoppe, Vice President, Programming, PBS (USA)

02:00 pm - 03:30 pm
From the Horse’s Mouth
Telling the most important stories of our times requires the participation of the main players, world leaders and other masters of the universe. What’s in it for them? Why would they respond when a TV producer comes knocking? In this panel we hear from producers who have achieved the apparently impossible access to the inaccessible.

Norma Percy has documented the world-changing events of the 20th and 21st centuries. Her list of interviewees not only includes the world’s most powerful heads of state, but also bloodstained dictators, terrorists and hit men. How does she gain access to the key decision makers in the world? How does she get them to tell their stories with real candour and, more importantly, in a way that offers genuine insight into the events in which they played a key role.

Norma Percy will be joined by colleagues from France and Russia, Arnaud Xiante and Tania Rakhmanova, who will discuss their recent films on Gaddafi and Putin.

Session Producer:
Margie Bryant, Executive Producer, Serendipity Productions (Australia)

Moderator:
Martin Davidson, Commissioning Editor, History and Business Programming, BBC (UK)

Speakers:
Allan Butler, Executive Producer, National Geographic Channel (USA) Norma Percy, Executive Producer, Brook Lapping Productions (UK) Tania Rakhmanova, Producer/Director, Wilton Films (France) Arnaud Xainte, Producer/Distributor, Illegitime Defense (France)

02:00 pm - 03:30 pm
Tsunami Docs - Is First Best?
How did we respond and how will we respond? We trace how the science TV community raced to transmission with the first wave of fast turn arounds - what were their priorities and what obstacles did they face? Now, as the first anniversary approaches, what is top of the agenda for the next wave of programming?

Session Producer:
Tom Brisley, Creative Director, Arrow Media (UK)

Session Moderator:
Dan Chambers, Joint MD, Blink Films (UK)

Speakers:
Paula Apsell, Senior Executive Producer, NOVA/Director, Science Unit, WGBH (USA) Caroline Behar, Head of Acquisitions and International Co-productions, France 5 (France) Stuart Carter, Managing Director and Executive Producer, Pioneer Productions (UK) Michael Cascio, Executive Vice President, Programming, National Geographic Channel (USA) David Glover, Commissioning Editor, Science, Channel 4 (UK) Cassian Harrison, Commissioning Executive Producer, Specialist Factual, BBC (UK) Stephan Lamby, General Manager, Eco Media TV Produktion (Germany) Aiden Laverty, Series Producer, BBC (UK) Ken MacDonald, Vice-President, Programming, Discovery Channel, Discovery World HD, Animal Planet, Discovery Science, Investigation Discovery (Canada) Dirk Neuhoff, Head of Documentaries, NDR (Germany) Takeshi Shibasaki, Program Director, Science Programs, NHK (Japan) Kim Shillinglaw, Commissioning Editor, Science and Natural History, BBC (UK) Shin Yasuda, Producer, International Co-Productions, Programming Department, NHK (Japan)

Presented in partnership with NHK

02:15 pm - 02:45 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Valentine Kass (National Science Foundation)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Kylee Ingram, Head of Production, Australian Documentaries (Australia)

Speaker:
Valentine Kass, Program Director, Informal Science Education, National Science Foundation (USA)

03:00 pm - 03:30 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Riitta Jalonen and Nina Tuominen (YLE)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Veronica Fury, Joint Managing Director, Wild Fury (Australia)

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

03:30 pm - 04:00 pm
Tea
Join your fellow members for a break with refreshments outside the session rooms.

04:00 pm - 05:00 pm
The XX Factor - The Pitch
What’s holier than the holy grail when it comes to finding talent for a new science show? Answer: FEMALE talent. WCSFP has searched far and wide on behalf of our talent hungry members and international commissioning editors. We have found a bunch of wonderfully clever women in science with stories to tell and qui ont du bagout (the gift of the gab). The best of the bunch will expose themselves to the glare of your merciless scrutiny and will aim to convince you that they are the next TV science phenomenon.

Session Producer:
Andrea Cross, Independent Producer/Writer/Director (Germany)

Coaches:
Patricia Boutinard Rouelle, Producer, Nilaya Productions (France) Chris Haws, International Media Consultant (USA) Sara Ramsden, Independent Executive Producer (UK)

Speakers:
Caroline Behar, Head of Acquisitions and International Co-Productions, France 5 (France) Jill Fullerton Smith,Commissioning Editor, Specialist Factual, Channel 4 (UK) Beth Hoppe, Vice President, Programming, PBS (USA) Debbie Myers, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Programming, Science Channel (USA) Kim Shillinglaw, Commissioning Editor, Science and Natural History, BBC (UK)

Participants:
Rachel Brooksby, Independent Consultant (UK) Christiane Helling, Lecturer in Astrophysics, St. Andrews University (UK) Sarah Jarvis, PhD Student, Bernstein Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg (Germany) Leonor Medeiros, Independent Researcher, Archeology and Heritage (Portugal) Jeanine Olsen, Professor, Department of Marine Benthic Ecology & Evolution, Centre for Ecological & Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen (The Netherlands) Anais Rassat, Physicist, Labratory of Astrophysics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Switzerland) Tali Sharot, Neuroscientist, Cognitive, Perceptual and Brain Sciences, University College London (UK) Catherine Simoneau, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, European Commission (Italy) Mette Sørensen, Senior Scientist, Environment and Cancer, Danish Cancer Society (Denmark)

Presented in partnership with CBC TNOT

04:00 pm - 04:30 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Nicola Andrews and Paul Heaney (Cineflix Rights)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Bettina Hatami, DocLab (Italy)

Speakers:
Nicola Andrews, Head of Acquisitions, Cineflix Rights (UK) Paul Heaney, President and Managing Director, Cineflix Rights (UK)

04:00 pm - 05:00 pm
Reasons to be Cheerful
So, how are you all making lemonade from 2011’s lemons? Are you cheerful or fearful for 2012? Chief cheerleader John Farren invites you to come and hear all - and only - the positives of being involved in the most creative sector in the world as we head into 2012.

So the Incan calendar says we’re all going to die next year? Who cares - only three weeks until Christmas parties start. Mystery guests bring the good news from the TV world in France, Germany, Canada, the USA, Japan, and the UK, as well as presenting new possibilities for advertising, online, mobile, and new tech too. Hear heartwarming, first-person stories of creative success from industry leaders, hear some compellingly cheerful statistics, win spot prizes and be cheerful. “The sun will come out tomorrow…”

Session Producer and Moderator:
John Farren, Creative Director, 360production (UK)

04:15 pm - 04:45 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Diarmuid Jeffreys (Al Jazeera)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer and Moderator:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Speaker:
Diarmuid Jeffreys, Editor, Programmes, People & Power, Al Jazeera English (UK)

05:00 pm - 05:30 pm
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Charles Schuerhoff (PBS)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Bettina Hatami, DocLab (Italy)

Speaker:
Charles Schuerhoff, Director of Acquisitions, PBS (USA)

05:15 pm - 06:15 pm
Preview Hour: Interactive
Includes world premiere of Farewell Comrades! Interactive

Project Factory’s UK managing director Kirsty Hunter previews some of the best multi-platform projects in 2011-2012. Kirsty will also provide an overview of the emerging Touch Doc market, such as VPRO’s Money and Speed and Al Gore’s Our Choice, plus show how TV series can become platforms for change as with Channel 4’s new property campaign.

Farewell Comrades! Interactive is the web component of a multi-platform history media event that will go live online during this session at the WCSFP. It takes the audience on an interactive journey into the countries of the former Soviet Union, offering unique insight into day-to-day life beyond the Iron Curtain and the dynamic behind the collapse.

Manipulations, a French Story: The Web Experience is a totally alternative angle to treating the subject of a documentary series. Indeed it is playful, journalistic, and geeky – drawing on internauts’ curiosity and desire to get behind the closed doors of, in this case, what’s really been going on in the French government. Totally hybrid, it’s part web doc, part video game, part database exploration. Visit 20 years of what’s been happening in the history of the government, through archives, interviews, documents, unpublished diaries. As soon as you log on to the website, you start your own personal investigation, reconstructing the links between the protagonists: the power-brokers in the industrial and financial spheres, and government officials. As you progress, your comprehension of the issues broadens, like the “wall” of a police investigation, giving you access to new elements as you go.

Session Producer:
Lara Velho, Executive Producer/Director, Terra Brasilis Filmes (Brazil)

Session Moderator:
Kirsty Hunter, Managing Director, The Project Factory (UK)

Speakers:
Christian Beetz, Author, Director, Executive Producer and Managing Director, Gebrüder Beetz Media GmbH (Germany) Martin Pieper, Commissioning Editor and Head of the Department Culture & Science Programmes/ARTE, ZDF (Germany) Boris Razon, Head of New Stories and Transmedia, France Télévisions (France)

05:15 pm - 06:15 pm
Preview Hour: The Fabric of the Cosmos
The Fabric of the Cosmos is the ambitious new four-hour NOVA series, created in co-production with ARTE France and National Geographic International, and based on the book of the same name by acclaimed physicist Brian Greene. The series takes viewers on a mind-bending reality check and journey to the frontier of physics to see how scientists are piecing together the most complete, yet surprising, picture of space, time and the universe. The NOVA team, working with digital animator and visual design studio Pixeldust Studios, make visible an alternative reality steeped in physics in order to show off our universe as it has never been seen before. With more than 1000 animations and effects to convey visual metaphors for concepts like bending, twisting, and rippling of “empty space” and the inner workings of subatomic particles, the series combines live action with animation to create elaborate visual environments. In this session, we will provide a behind-the-scenes look and deconstruct some of the most unique digitally-created scenes.

Session Producer:
Melanie Wallace, Senior Series Producer, NOVA, WGBH TV (USA)

Session Moderator:
Matthew Barrett, Creative Director, World Media Rights (UK)

Speakers:
Ricardo Andrade, Creative Director, Pixeldust Studios (USA) Paula Apsell, Senior Executive Producer, NOVA/Director, Science Unit, WGBH (USA) Hélène Coldefy, Head of Specialist and Factual, ARTE France (France) Stephen Hunter, Vice President, Development and Production, National Geographic Channel (USA) Joe McMaster, Series Executive Producer, The Fabric of the Cosmos (USA) Jonathan Sahula, Senior Producer and Creative Director, The Fabric of the Cosmos (USA)

Pre-application required.

Session Producer:
Stephanie McArthur, Forum and Market Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Additional support provided by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture of the Government of Ontario

09:30 pm
Soirée Dansante
Step inside Maxim’s and you will be transported back to the ‘Belle Epoque’ of Paris. This cultural institution is quintessentially Parisian with a romantic opulence sure to wow. Join us for a private event above the iconic restaurant for an evening of music and dance. Owned by Pierre Cardin, Maxim’s de Paris has welcomed the likes of Brigitte Bardot and Barbra Streisand with a kitchen once manned by Wolfgang Puck.

Presented in partnership with CANAL+

FRIDAY, DEC. 2

08:30 am - 09:30 am
Breakfast with NHK
Come and meet the NHK science team as they share their latest projects currently in development. Hosted by Toshihiro Matsumoto, Head of NHK’s science and environmental programs, this breakfast will showcase never before-seen footage from NHK’s most ambitious program yet, The Cosmic Shore. You will get a new look at our planet through images of the earth at night as seen from the International Space Station—views that were previously available only to the astronauts on mission. Wake up, smell the coffee, and immerse yourself in breathtaking images that are sure to stimulate your creative minds!

08:30 am - 03:00 pm
WCSFP Member Lounge Open
WCSFP Member Lounge

08:30 am - 02:00 pm
Registration and Information Desk Open
Registration and information desk open for pass pickup and general inquires.

09:30 am - 11:00 am
Tech on the Run
Innovative technologies allow us to push the boundaries and capture reality with spectacular images that are ever more beautiful and astounding. NHK’s latest compact ultra-high sensitivity HD camera, loaded on to the International Space Station has captured images of the earth and other optical phenomena in the earth space/boundary zone that have only been seen previously by astronauts.

Now 3D offers further opportunities for us to (re)discover our universe and to create genuine and immersive filmmaking experiences. Documentary producers are developing lighter and more precise cameras on the run to shoot science, discovery and factual in different ways. Witness a breath taking scientific expedition in the heart of the tropical forest, filmed in 3D with mobiles cameras; learn how the heart of flowers from Kew Gardens were captured in 3D with optical fibers; and follow a perilous mountain climbing expedition - all projects that use remarkable techniques and technologies in order to give their audience an engaging, larger-than-life visual experience.

Session Producers:
Marie-Pierre Aulas, Producer, Gedeon Programmes (France) Stéphane Millière, President, Gedeon Programmes (France)

Session Moderator:
Phil Fairclough, Executive Vice President Development and Production, NHNZ Group (USA)

Speakers:
Anthony Geffen, CEO, Atlantic Productions (UK) Stéphane Millière, President, Gedeon Programmes (France) Jens Monath, Editor, History and Society, ZDF (Germany) Hideki Tazuke, Senior Producer, Special Content Development Center, NHK (Japan)

Presented in partnership with Discovery Channel and EPI

09:30 am - 11:00 am
The Arab Spring - Breaking the Mould or a Flash in the Pan?
The flood of stories pouring out of the Middle East this year is presenting the rest of the world with a startling, exciting and confusing array of new narratives, technologies, audiences, and voices. They are bursting into the arena using techniques the rest of us are still talking about at conferences. As satellite channels spring up all over the Middle East, producers in the West face a number of challenges from activist Arab filmmakers desperate to exercise new found freedoms. Safety, ethics and authentication are all matters of consideration, but the crucial issues are how to keep the non-Arab world engaged with this unfinished and complex story, and discovering the potential consequences for Westerners who under estimate the changing paradigms.

Session Producer:
Judy Rymer, Producer & Director, Rymer Childs (Australia)

Session Moderator:
Hamish Mykura, Head of Documentaries, Channel 4 (UK)

Speaker:
Serge Gordey, Producer, Alegria Productions (France) Beth Hoppe, Vice President, Programming, PBS (USA) Diarmuid Jeffreys, Editor, Programmes, People & Power, Al Jazeera English (UK) Alex Szalat, Deputy Director of the Society and Culture Department, ARTE France (France) Florence Tran, Filmmaker, Joparige Films/Marianne Lere (France)

09:45 am - 10:15 am
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Dr. Kristina Hollstein (ZDF Enterprises)
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 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 in the Members Lounge one hour before the start time of each Close Encounter session.

Session Producer:
Meg Villarreal, Director, US Independents (USA)

Session Moderator:
Anne Pick, VP & Executive Producer, Real to Reel Productions (Canada)

Speaker:
Kristina Hollstein, Director Documentary Co-Productions and Development, ZDF Enterprises (Germany)

10:00 am
Voting for Steering Committee Closes
Voting closes at 10:00 am on Friday, December 2. A list of candidates will be posted at the Registration and Information Desk and ballots will be distributed to any attending member who intends to vote.

2011 Schedule