WCSFP

MONDAY, DECEMBER 5

10:00 AM
Editorial Committee On-Site Nominations

10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Registration & Information Desk

10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Innovation Zone
A new addition to WCSFP, the Innovation Zone is your opportunity to learn, inspire, partner with and experience the most exciting next-generation technologies through interactive exhibits, live demonstrations and technology-focused display tables. Presenting Partner: Wellcome. Additional support provided by Bell Fund.

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Immerse: Capturing the Real World—Leaving CGI Behind
Sophisticated new scanning technology now allows us to capture photographic impressions of real people, objects, buildings and places in 3D, allowing us to create Hollywood-quality VFX for television budgets. In this session, we will demonstrate how this technology works and show how it will transform documentary production. Additional support provided by Bell Fund.

Session Producers
Mark Atkin, Director, Crossover Labs (UK)
Ian Baverstock, Chairman, Focal Point VR (UK)

Speakers
David Herman, CEO, Metapixel (UK)
Daniel Sproll, CXO, realities.io (Germany)
Nathan Saucier, New Media Researcher, MIT (USA)

1:15 PM - 1:45 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: SBS
Close Encounters are small group meetings with commissioning editors and media executives who either commission programs from independent producers outside their own territories or provide significant funding. Sign-up required. Closed to media

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speaker
Joseph Maxwell, Head of Documentaries, SBS (Australia)

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Immerse: New Model Indies
How should you structure your company to make the most of the creative and commercial opportunities that new platforms offer? Where do you go to finance new projects and how is the role of the producer changing? Additional support provided by Bell Fund.

Session Producer
Mark Atkin, Director, Crossover Labs (UK)

Moderator
Michael McMahon, Executive Producer, Primitive Entertainment (Canada)

Speakers
Christian Beetz, CEO, gebrueder beetz filmproduktion Berlin GmbH & Co KG (Germany)
Richard Bradley, Managing Director, Lion Television (UK)
Cédric Bonin, Producer, Seppia (France)

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: CuriosityStream

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speaker
Jorge Franzini, Producer, CuriosityStream (USA)
Devin Cheema, General Counsel & Head of Business Affairs, CuriosityStream (USA)

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
China—Open for Business?
Five years ago it seems like every indie was heading east, looking to make partnerships with Chinese companies and pitching projects to Chinese broadcasters. Since then things seem to have gone rather quiet on the eastern front. So is China still open for business? And if so, what are the tricks to co-producing successfully in this most fascinating country? Get the inside track on what the real opportunities are in China, and discover how to succeed there from those who have been co-producing with Chinese partners for years.

Session Producer
Liz McLeod, Creative Director, Meridian Line Films (UK)

Speaker
Melanie Wallace, Senior Series Producer, NOVA/WGBH (USA)
Bill Locke, Director of Specialist Factual, Lion Television (UK)
Charles Tremayne, President, Production, Cineflix Media Inc. (USA)

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Meet the New Look France 5
Find out about the newly launched long-form science documentary strand on France 5, what they are looking for and how international and French producers are encouraged to submit their ideas.

Session Producer
Perrine Poubeau, Commissioning Editor for Acquisitions and International Co-Productions, France Télévisions (France)

Moderator
Dan Chambers, Co-Owner, Blink Films (UK)

Speaker
Caroline Behar, Head of Documentaries/Head of Acquisitions, France 5/France Télévisions Group (France)

2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Immerse: Taking Your Audience to the Most Inaccessible Places in the Universe
There are extreme and hostile environments that the audience can only experience closely through the latest technology. From Syrian prisons to outer space, VR and other innovations can give a special quality of a feeling of presence. What are the challenges of creating these experiences and how do you tell a story in 360 degrees in these environments? Additional support provided by Bell Fund.

Session Producer
Mark Atkin, Director, Crossover Labs (UK)

Speakers
Ana Naomi de Sousa, Filmmaker, Forensic Architecture (UK)
Adi Lavy, Director, Sun Kissed Productions (Israel)
Johannes von Kirschbaum, Producer, GoPro (Germany)

2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Meet the New Look BBC
The world's most famous producer and broadcaster is changing the way it makes and commissions content—and that should mean more opportunities for independent producers. This is a unique chance to meet some of the BBC's key commissioning teams, find out who they are, what they want and how you can work with them.

Session Producer
Emma Parkins, Executive Producer, 360 Production (UK)

Moderator
John Farren, Creative Director, 360 Production (UK)

Speakers
Tom McDonald, Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Specialist Factual, BBC (UK)
Craig Hunter, Commissioning Editor, Natural History & Specialist Factual Formats, BBC (UK)
Diene Petterle, Commissioning Editor, Specialist Factual, BBC (UK)
Cassian Harrison, Channel Editor, BBC Four (UK)
Lisa Opie, Director of Factual, BBC Studios (UK)

2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Co-Production in the Era of Big Ambition and Tighter Budgets
In this session, we meet the key broadcast players in the world of co-production, discussing why co-productions are still in demand and what subjects work best. Ambitious projects with big budgets are desirable but, with commissioning funds diminishing, the only way to get them into production is via co-production. Come and find out about which subjects channels are looking for 2017-18 and what they have been up to in 2016. Sponsored by PBS, PBS International and NOVA

Session Producer & Moderator
Lilla Hurst, Managing Director, DRIVE (UK)

Speakers
Joseph Maxwell, Head of Documentaries, SBS (Australia)
Bill Gardner, Vice President, Programming & Development, PBS (USA)
Caroline Behar, Head of Documentaries/Head of Acquisitions, France 5/France Télévisions Group (France)
Robert Coldstream, Commissioning Editor, History, Channel 4 (UK)
Georg Graffe, Head of Department Terra X, ZDF (Germany)
Yuri Sudo, Senior Producer, International Co-Productions, NHK (Japan)

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Getting to Know You
Calling all Congress first timers! This is the session where you get to meet a selection of Congress veterans and we get to meet you. You'll get to know broadcasters, producers and distributors, hear about success stories born from this event, and learn valuable tips, tricks and tactics that will help you make the most out of your visit to the WCSFP.

Session Producer
Leila Monks, Co-Founder, Antidote Productions (UK)

Speakers
Joseph Maxwell, Head of Documentaries, SBS (Australia)
Thierry Mino, Deputy Head Of Documentaries & Acquisitions, France Télévisions (France)
Wayne Abbott, Producer/Director, Northern Sky Entertainment (Canada)
Bill Gardner, Vice President, Programming & Development, PBS (USA)
Justina Hemperek, Manager, Factual Acquisitions UK & Europe, Entertainment One Television International (UK)
Margie Bryant, Managing Director, Serendipity Productions (Australia)
Perrine Poubeau, Commissioning Editor for Acquisitions and International Co-Productions, France Télévisions (France)
Rosario Lopez, Content Editor, Cabala Producciones (Chile)
Richard Bradley, Managing Director, Lion Television (UK)
Patrick Carr, Founder, Mandarin Film (China)

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Fewer, Bigger, Better: Meet the New Look National Geographic
National Geographic has recently embarked on a bold new strategy of "premium programming." Yes, they're taking bigger swings and are investing more into innovative factual and drama content, such as the ground-breaking six-part global-event series MARS. Come and see the kind of shows that are starting to roll out, meet key members of the commissioning team and find out how you can work with them.

Session Producer & Moderator
Sally Ingleton, CEO/Executive Producer, 360 Degree Films (Australia)

Speakers
Carolyn Payne, Commissioning Editor, National Geographic (UK)
Charlie Parsons, Vice President, Development, National Geographic Channel (USA)
Simon Young, Senior Director, Development & Production, National Geographic Channel (UK)
Hamish Mykura, Executive Vice President, Programming and Development, National Geographic Channel (UK)

7:00 PM - 08:30 PM
A Nobel Tradition
City Hall, Hantverkargatan 1, please enter through the big arch from Hantverkargatan, into the courtyard and main entrance.

Take advantage of this special opportunity and celebrate the first evening of Congress with a Nobel tradition: Stockholm City Hall is the heart of celebrations after Nobel recipients have been awarded their prizes. Find old friends, meet new ones and join us for a welcome reception in the magnificent, glittering Golden Hall. Adorned with a stunning mosaic of more than 18,000,000 tiles depicting Swedish folklore, the Golden Hall is the perfect place to begin the 24th edition of Congress. This reception is generously hosted by the City of Stockholm.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6

8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Registration & Information Desk

9:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Welcome & What's the Buzz?
The buzz has turned into a deafening roar! Thanks to new technology and new platforms, just about anyone can be a broadcaster, producer, presenter or distributor these days, creating literally millions of hours of factual content. But don’t despair! You only have to sit through 90 minutes of the very best. From epic blue-chip network specials to Facebook videos, we’ll explore how media is adapting to new and non-traditional realities, challenging creators to tell even more innovative and powerful stories that are relevant, immersive and interactive. As storytellers begin breaking all the rules, we’ll break a few of our own. The BUZZ is on fleek! Produced by Great Pacific Media. Additional support provided by Bell Fund

Featured programs: Wildfire Rescue (KWTV News 9; YouTube/Facebook), Safari Live (Barcroft Media/Wildearth; YouTube/Facebook), Rio: Beyond the Map (Google Arts and Culture), Vietnam's Transgender Underground (Viceland), How China is Changing the Internet (Jonah M. Kessel/Paul Mozur; The New York Times), Stephen Hawking's Favorite Places (Bigger Bang; Curiosity Streaming), Frontier: Take the Shot (Discovery Canada/Netflix), The Ivory Game (Terra Mater Film Studios, Vulcan Productions; Netflix), Making a Murderer (Synthesis Films; Netflix), Best VR So Far!! (Pewdiepie, YouTube), Glass Explosion (The Slo Mo Guys, YouTube), How Earth Moves (VSauce, YouTube), Channel Trailer (Simone Giertz, YouTube), Gross Science: The Science of Skunk Spray (WGBH NOVA/PBS Digital Studios), Braincraft: Can you Taste With Your Ears (PBS Digital Studios), Science of Laser Hair Removal (Veritasium, YouTube), The Story of God (Revelations Entertainment; National Geographic Channel), Inside Porton Down: Britain's Secret Weapons Research Facility (ArtLab Films; BBC4), Attenborough's Life That Glows (Ammonite, Terra Mater Factual Studios; Servus, BBC, Curiosity Stream), Attenborough's Rise of Animals (Atlantic Productions; BBC), Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur (BBC Earth, PBS, Thirteen Productions LLC; BBC), Pripyat: A Ghost Town in 360 (WDF), Valcanos (Faber Courtial; ZDF), #Uploading_Holocaust (Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion, BR), #MyEscape (Berline Producers Film GmBH & Co. KG; WDR), Exodus: Our Journey to Europe (KEO Films, BBC2); Planet Earth (BBC Studios - Natural History Unit, BBC America, SDF and France Télévisions; BBC1), Hell Blade - Senua's Sacrifice (Epic Games, Ninja Theory, Cubic Motion, 3Lateral), Mars (Imagine Entertainment/Radical Media; National Geographic Channel), Savage Kingdom (Icon Films, Natural History Film Unit Botswana; Nat Geo Wild), Guy Martin's Wall of Death: Live (North One; Channel 4), How to Build a Human (Little Gem Media Ltd.; Channel 4), Welcome to the Future (CCTV Creative Media; CCTV1), Harley and the Davidsons (Raw; Discovery), After Hitler (Cinétévé; France 2), First Flight: Conquest of the Skies (Artemis International Production; ZDF), Black As (Rebel Films; ABC | View), First Contact, Series 2 (Blackfella Films; SBS), Man Up (Heiress Films; ABC), The Experiments (SVT), True Selfie (Anti TV; NRK1), Heavy Rescue 401 (Great Pacific Media; Discovery Canada), Doping: Top Secret (WDR/ARD), Solar Impulse (Gedeon; France 5), Computer Says Show (Wingspan Productions Ltd.; Sky Arts)

Session Producer
Paul Lewis, President, Great Pacific Media (Canada)

Speakers
Victoria Dyring, Host of The World of Science, SVT (Sweden)
Derek Muller, Science Communicator, Filmmaker & Presenter, Veritasium (Australia)

10:45 AM - 05:00 PM
Innovation Zone
A new addition to WCSFP, the Innovation Zone is your opportunity to learn, inspire, partner with and experience the most exciting next-generation technologies through interactive exhibits, live demonstrations and technology-focused display tables. Presenting Partner: Wellcome. Additional support provided by Bell Fund.

10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
Coffee Break

11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
From Food Facts to Health Hacks: Is Food and Health TV Enlightening or Frightening the Audience?
Food and health shows are everywhere and so are the vast amounts of opinions on what’s good and what’s healthy. Lifestyle personalities promote the next super food, but can that do more harm than good? What messages should a cooking show send? Should baking shows warn about diabetes? What about dedicated health shows? Can they really say what’s good for you or are they doomed to be over-simplistic and unable to convey the necessary complexities and ambiguities that the audience should know. This all leads to the ultimate question: What is our responsibility as TV producers regarding food and health TV?

Session Producer
Alyssa Skiba, Development Producer, Story House Productions (Germany)

Session Producer & Moderator
Andreas Gutzeit, Co-President & Chief Creative Executive, Story House Productions (Germany)

Speakers
Philipp Mueller, Commissioning Editor ZDF Zeit, ZDF (Germany)
Craig Hunter, Commissioning Editor, Natural History & Specialist Factual Formats, BBC (UK)
Michael Mosley, Executive Producer, BBC (UK)
Beth Hoppe, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming, PBS (USA)
Emi Ozawa, Staff Producer, NHK (Japan)

11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
The Vikings Are Coming
We are endlessly fascinated by the Vikings, but how much of what is portrayed in popular culture is actually true? The name “Viking” has been used to conjure up images of brutes and barbarians, but the truth is very different. Vikings were warriors; more precisely “Viking” is the common term for Scandinavian sea-borne raiders of the early medieval period. Even before the earliest Viking raids on monasteries, the Anglo-Saxons used an Old English word “wicing,” meaning pirate or piracy, not just for Scandinavian raiders but for all-comers.

In this session we discuss the fantasy and reality of the Vikings and how they are portrayed on television. We welcome Michael Hirst, creator, executive producer and writer of History Channel's hit drama Vikings, now in its fifth season and the fifth biggest show in the world, including from Russia and South East Asia to Scandinavia and North America. We also welcome archaeology professor Neil Price from the University of Uppsala, Sweden. A leading specialist in the Viking Age and the pre-Christian religions of the North, Price is a frequent contributor to archaeological television and radio, and was the historical consultant for History's Real Vikings documentaries, supporting their successful Vikings drama series. They are joined by Swedish journalist and historian Kristina Ekero Eriksson, who hosts the SVT version of the BBC/PBS documentary series The Vikings Uncovered, to help us distinguish between Viking fact and fiction. We'll also take a look at what it takes to create a massive hit like Vikings, what the new documentary series have to say, and how faithful you can be to the truth and how much we really know in any case. Kim Shillinglaw asks these questions and more.

Session Producers
Clare Birks, CEO, Oxford Scientific Films (UK)
Alice Keens-Soper, Head Of Specialist Factual, Oxford Scientific Films (UK)

Moderator
Kim Shillinglaw, Director of Factual, Endemol Shine (UK)

Speakers
Michael Hirst, Writer, Producer, Creator, Vikings
Neil Price, Distinguished Professor of Archaeology, University of Uppsala (Sweden)
Kristina Ekero Eriksson, Journalist (Sweden)

11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Discovery Canada

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speaker
Lindsay Cowan Dotchison, Director of Programming, Discovery (Canada)

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Lunch

12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: PBS

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speakers
Bill Gardner, Vice President, Programming & Development, PBS (USA)
Bill Margol, Sr. Director, Programming & Development, PBS (USA)

12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
Immerse: Making TV for Me
Now live TV is being watched less and less, how can we react to audience demand and create TV that adapts to the needs of the viewers? Find out how perceptive media can automatically adapt to the audience watching it and join us on the world’s first chat show where the entire audience are active participants. Additional support provided by Bell Fund.

Session Producer
Mark Atkin, Director, Crossover Labs (UK)

Speakers
Ian Forrester, Senior Producer, BBC (UK)
Will Smith, Creator & Host, The Foo Show (USA)
Daniel Sproll, CXO, realities.io (Germany)

1:15 PM - 1:45 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: NHK

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speaker
Takeshi Shibasaki, Senior Producer, Science Programs Division, NHK (Japan)

1:15 PM - 1:45 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Channel 4

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speakers
John Hay, Commissioning Editor, Arts, Channel 4 (UK)
Robert Coldstream, Commissioning Editor, History, Channel 4 (UK)

1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: France Télévisions

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speakers
Thierry Mino, Deputy Head Of Documentaries & Acquisitions, France Télévisions (France)
Caroline Behar, Head of Documentaries/Head of Acquisitions, France 5/France Télévisions Group (France)
Perrine Poubeau, Commissioning Editor for Acquisitions and International Co-Productions, France Télévisions (France)
Catherine Alvaresse, Head, Documentaries and Cultural Magazines, France 2 (France)
Joanna Pozzo, Head of Business Affairs, Documentary Acquisitions, France Télévisions (France)

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Sparks of Inspiration: Winning the War on Carbon - The Facts From the Frontline with Jeremy Leggett
According to a top British broadcaster, only the shortage of good stories keeps climate change off TV. Jeremy Leggett, founder of the UK’s largest solar company, chair of Carbon Tracker and author of five books on climate change, has 10 new stories that broadcasters will want.

Jeremy says that energy in society is like a global civil war, with light and dark forces at battle—and light has just got the upper hand. There’s a “winning narrative” created by the Paris Conference last year, and an insurgency of revolutionary new technologies spreading faster than we realize. Meanwhile, the forces of established energy are under threat from all sides. Jeremy’s stories of hope will challenge what you think you know about climate change, and may even turn it into a ratings winner! Sponsored by Tangled Bank Studios.

Session Producer
Dinah Lord, Founder/Creative Director, Caravan (UK)

Moderator
Anna Schytt, Head of Science, SVT (Sweden)

Speaker
Jeremy Leggett, Founder, Solarcentury and SolarAid (UK)

2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
The Game Changers: SVOD and Beyond Ten years ago, Amazon was a struggling online bookseller and Netflix sent you the latest blockbuster film or art house documentary on DVD (and you had to send it back before you got another one). Today, it seems as if almost all the most exciting, original and innovative films, series and documentaries are coming from the SVOD players, leaving the broadcasters in the dust. If you want your curiosity satisfied, you can log in 24/7 and stream the secrets of the universe on your phone, tablet or TV. It’s the SVODs putting the money on the table and scooping up everything from Top Gear to the latest Werner Herzog film. Find out what they are looking for, how you get commissioned and more.

Session Producer
Richard Melman, Managing Director, Spring Films (UK)

Moderator
Paul Heaney, CEO, TCB Media Rights (UK)

Speakers
Walter Köhler, CEO, Terra Mater Factual Studios GmbH (Austria)
Sophie Robinson, Producer/Director, Sunshine Pictures (UK)
Steve Burns, Chief Programming Officer, CuriosityStream (USA)
Vesna Cudic, Head of Sales and Acquisitions, Dogwoof (UK)

2:45 PM - 3:15 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: CANAL+/Planete

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speakers
Christine Craqueline, Managing Director, Factual and Documentary, CANAL+ (France)
Delia Baldeschi, Program Manager, CANAL+ (France)
Isabelle Antraygue, Head of Acquisitions, CANAL+/Planete (France)

2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Immerse: Social Entertainment—How To Make Your Project Work for the Whole Family
How do you create content that appeals to all members of the family, unites friends and engages communities? In our multi-screen homes, how can everyone connect with the wider world and each other? Meet producers working across all platforms to find out just how social the new world of entertainment can really be. Sponsored by All3Media International.

Session Producer
Mark Atkin, Director, Crossover Labs (UK)

Speakers
Richard McKerrow, Creative Director, Love Productions (UK)
Alan Toner, Digital Creative Director, Lime Pictures (UK)
Lucy McDowell, Factual Development Manager, Wellcome (UK)

2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
To Boldly Go
Storytelling is changing, and this session is your guide to the most exciting, innovative and challenging new ways to tell science and history narratives. We’re showcasing creative projects that think outside the box and examining how they came to be. Bringing not only television, but theatre, immersive experiences, games and apps, To Boldly Go will find new ways to tell stories, make sure we stay fresh and relevant, learn how to break the rules successfully and discover how to bring new audiences to our stories.

Session Producer & Moderator
Thomas Viner, Creative Director, Pioneer (UK)

Speakers
Will Byles, Creative Director, Supermassive Games (UK)
Karen Palmer, Multi-Disciplinary Immersive Filmmaker, Interactive Film (UK)
Debbie Manners, CEO, Keo Films Ltd (UK)
Archie Baron, Founder, Wingspan Productions (UK)
Georg Tschurtschenthaler, Senior Producer Film & Cross Media, gebrueder beetz filmproduktion (Germany)

3:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: ARD

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speaker
Claudia Schreiner, Head of Department History, Society and Wildlife, ARD (Germany)

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Tea Break

4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Nordic Buzz
Scandinavia is known as the home of trendsetters and early adopters. Sweden, Denmark and Norway smugly top the UN’s World Happiness rakings every year. They’re also world leaders in innovation, sustainability and even pop music. And they do it all with impeccable style. So how does this all translate to factual television? Our panel of commissioners and program makers from Sweden, Norway and Denmark discuss why factual TV is so popular here and what’s working well locally and abroad, from formats to Slow TV to Nordic Noir. We’ll take an in-depth look at some of the region’s most buzz-worthy programs, as well as how Scandinavia is dealing with the challenges of digital transformation and bringing world class programming to smaller domestic markets. Sponsored by Terranoa.

Session Producer
Tiffany Orvet, Independent Producer, Orvet Stockholm AB (Sweden)

Speakers
Elisabeth Stabell, Producer, Anti (Norway)
Beate Hårstad Jensen, Factual Commissioning Editor, NRK (Norway)
Lars Beckung, CEO, Nexiko (Sweden)
Peter Nyrén, Commissioning Editor, Drama, Entertainment, Lifestyle, SVT (Sweden)
Martin Sundstrøm, Science Editor, DR (Denmark)

4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Different Platforms, Different Voices
As media platforms evolve, new forms of storytelling have emerged. Traditional broadcasters are embracing the growing demand in the online space, using social media platforms to tell their stories and resonate with new audiences. In this panel, we discuss two case studies. Heiress Film’s Man Up for ABC Australia is a modern tale of how an impact campaign took on the biggest challenge of them all—to change the behaviour of the stoic Aussie male. Their content reached 8.8 million on Facebook and Twitter over eight weeks, all before the TV series was launched, and that was precisely the plan. PBS’ NOVA is building audiences across Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and iPad apps. They’ve had 4.9-million views for a single Gross Science video about tonsil stones, 6.8 million for a pyramid in 360 degrees and 11 million for a Secret Life of Scientists profile. This session will inspire you to reach a new audience in numbers that old fashioned tele folk just dream of.

Session Producer & Moderator
Vanessa Hill, Creator, BrainCraft (Australia)

Speakers
Anna Rothschild, Digital Producer, NOVA (USA)
Jennifer Cummins, Company Director, Heiress Films (Australia)
Jackie Turnure, Digital Strategist, Producer, Heiress Films (Australia)

4:30 PM - 5:30 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 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. Closed to media.

Session Producer
Madelaine Russo, Industry Programmer, Hot Docs Deal Maker, Hot Docs (Canada)

5:00 PM
Editorial Committee On-Site Nominations Close

7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Discovering Sunken Treasure
Vasa Museum, Galärvarsvsvägen 14

Immerse yourself in the hidden stories of the Vasa with a reception that celebrates one of Sweden’s national treasures. Rescued just beyond the Stockholm harbour, this beautiful ship was salvaged almost in its entirety, miraculously intact. Grab a drink and join us for an evening that is sure to take your breath away. Cocktail Sponsor: National Geographic. Host Broadcaster: SVT and Kunskapskanalen.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7

7:45 AM - 08:45 AM
Breakfast With… NHK
Time to prepare for Tokyo 2020! Now the Rio Olympics are over, it’s the perfect time to prepare for the next Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020. In the lead-up to Tokyo-related projects that will liven up the event, we’ll see what works and what doesn’t and how we can collaborate. Invitation only.

8:30 AM
Editorial Committee Voting Opens

8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Registration & Information Desk

8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Innovation Zone
A new addition to WCSFP, the Innovation Zone is your opportunity to learn, inspire, partner with and experience the most exciting next-generation technologies through interactive exhibits, live demonstrations and technology-focused display tables. Presenting Partner: Wellcome. Additional support provided by Bell Fund.

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Making Murders: The Craft of Making Real-Time Storytelling
Murder has always fascinated documentarians. Notable standouts like The Thin Blue Line, The Staircase and The Central Park Five have seen leading filmmakers make breakthough documentaries. One of this year’s big time trends has been to revolutionize this formerly passé storytelling to produce an unfolding crime investigation in real time and centre it around revealing interviews. The Jinx, Serial and Making a Murderer have all found enthusiastic audiences. Grierson Award-winning series The Murder Detectives from Channel 4 was one of this year’s stars, and its BAFTA success celebrated its achievements. This session is lucky enough to have three of its makers join the panel to study what it takes to produce a first-rate piece of work. We will also discuss why commissioning executives are falling over themselves to commission their own version of this genre.

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

Speakers
David Nath, Director, Story Films (UK)
Amy Flanagan, Deputy Head of Factual, Channel 4 (UK)
Richard Bradley, Managing Director, Lion Television (UK)
Ben Brown, Freelance Film Editor, (UK)
Hamish Mykura, Executive Vice President, Programming and Development, National Geographic Channel (UK)

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
#Uploading_Holocaust - Live Presentation
Dancing in Auschwitz? Filming in gas chambers? Snapping selfies on graves? Bad taste or no problem at all? #Uploading_Holocaust is an immersive video-based questionnaire tracing how teenagers deal with the remembrance of the Holocaust today. In a live session, the audience becomes part of the storytelling: each person attending the event can log into the project via mobile device and participate in the project. Participant data is collected anonymously and presented in a real-time visualization at the end of the session.

The related documentary by Udi Nir and Sagi Bornstein premiered in competition at DOK Leipzig, and is the first documentary composed entirely of YouTube material. Thousands of young Israelis join The Journey to Poland each year to learn about the Holocaust. Looking into the journey through the videos they upload on YouTube reveals a moving and troubling image of the Israeli narrative and the way collective memory is formed in the digital age.

Session Producer & Moderator
Georg Tschurtschenthaler, Senior Producer Film & Cross Media, gebrueder beetz filmproduktion (Germany)

Speaker
Christian Beetz, CEO, gebrueder beetz filmproduktion Berlin GmbH & Co KG (Germany)

09:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: CBC

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speakers
Sandra Kleinfeld, Senior Director of Documentary, CBC (Canada)
Sue Dando, Executive in Charge of Production, The Nature Of Things, CBC (Canada)

9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
The Ideas Salon
We all know that the birth of great productions begins with impassioned conversations. Six pioneers at the cutting edge of some of the hottest topics in science today will share the very latest buzz in their respective fields. You are invited to join them in round-table discussions hosted by the presenters and producers of some of the world’s top science programs. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to stay ahead of the game. Sparks will fly, thoughts will run wild and the next big productions will be born....

Session Producer
Maia Krall Fry, Producer, Pioneer Productions (UK)

10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Sparks of Inspiration: Liza Marklund
Liza Marklund is one of the new wave of Swedish crime writers who broke into the international market in the ’90s. She quickly became an inspiration and a role model for other female crime writers in Scandinavia and the heroine in eight of her books, tabloid journalist Annika Bengtzon, set a trend for other female characters in crime novels and TV series. Liza has strong views on why the seemingly idyllic life in the Nordic countries is a perfect backdrop for gruesome murder stories and nasty conspiracies. And she has entertaining stories to tell about why it is not always so easy to turn a Nordic Noir novel into a good film or TV series in another country.

Session Producer
Malcolm Dixelius, Project Manager, Deep Sea Productions (Sweden)

Speakers
Sam Barcroft, CEO, Barcroft Productions (UK)
Liza Marklund, Author, Piratförlaget (Sweden)

10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
Coffee Break

11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Reinventing TV in the Digital Age
Have we reached “Peak TV?” What do you think the future holds for television? What keeps you awake at night? Now is your chance to hear how the major broadcasters see the future, and to check your hopes and fears against their strategies. In a provocative crowd-sourced session, key international players reveal how they are planning for the future. But do their strategies for survival in the digital world add up? Sponsored by All3Media International.

Session Producers
Richard Bradley, Managing Director, Lion Television (UK)
Emma Parkins, Executive Producer, 360 Production (UK)

Moderator
John Farren, Creative Director, 360 Production (UK)

Speakers
Sam Barcroft, CEO, Barcroft Productions (UK)
Andy Taylor, CEO, Little Dot Studios (UK)
Tim Pastore, President, Original Programming & Production, National Geographic Channel (USA)
Hanna Stjärne, CEO, SVT (Sweden)
Beth Hoppe, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming, PBS (USA)

11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Immerse: 360 Video Production Workshop
An introductory how-to for TV producers who are considering establishing a VR division or are thinking about making their first VR documentary. How is it different from television production? What are the pitfalls and the benefits? What does and doesn’t work? What does the workflow look like? What cameras do you use? How do you “stitch” images into 360 degrees? How much does it all cost? How do you distribute the finished work? Additional support provided by Bell Fund.

Session Producer
Mark Atkin, Director, Crossover Labs (UK)

Speakers
Loic Bailliard, VR Trainer, GoPro Alps (France)
Phil Harper, Creative Director, IMRGE (UK)

11:15 AM - 11:45 AM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: ProSieben

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speaker
Neele Hirner, Commissioning Editor Factual, ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE (Germany)

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Lunch

12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
Lunch With… The JJ Charitable Trust

The Seven Dimensions of Climate Change: Reframing the world's toughest problem

Climate change is seen as "green"—a turn-off for audiences. But it’s not just an environmental issue. Its unfolding impacts are the setting for a range of human stories. This session, led by Dr. Jonathan Rowson, will explore human aspects of seven dimensions of climate change: science, behaviour, technology, culture, law, economy and democracy. It will demonstrate how to present the world’s toughest problem in ways that capture, entertain and inspire audiences. Pre-registration is required.

1:15 PM - 1:45 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: NOVA

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speaker
Melanie Wallace, Senior Series Producer, NOVA/WGBH (USA)

1:15 PM - 2:00 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: ARTE

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speakers
Marie Beuzard, Commissioning Editor, ARTE (France)
Anne Grolleron, Commissioning Editor, ARTE (France)
Hélène Ganichaud, Deputy Head Specialist Factual, ARTE (France)
Fabrice Puchault, Director, Society and Culture Department, ARTE (France)
Hélène Coldefy, Head of Science & Factual Department, ARTE (France)

1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: ZDF

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speakers
Jens Monath, Editor Department Terra X, ZDF German Television (Germany)
Annette Köhler, Commissioning Editori, ZDF (Germany)
Ralf Rückauer, Vice President ZDFE.factual, ZDF Enterprises GmbH (Germany)

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Sparks of Inspiration: Bernard L. Feringa
The Congress is thrilled to welcome Nobel laureate Bernard L. Feringa. A research scientist with a PhD in Organic Chemistry, he, along with two others, received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2016 for “the design and synthesis of molecular machines.” Sponsored by ORF and ORF Enterprises.

Session Producer
Dinah Lord, Founder/Creative Director, Caravan (UK)

Moderator
Stephen Hunter, Managing Director, Double Shot Films (USA)

Speaker
Bernard L. Feringa, Jacobus van't Hoff Distinguished Professor of Molecular Sciences, University of Groningen (Netherlands)

2:45 PM - 3:15 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Science Channel

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speaker
Marc Etkind, General Manager, Science Channel (USA)

2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Nature Documentary in the Age of YouTube
Producing nature documentary for today’s digital audience requires you to be small, nimble and social. You have to fit all your gear into a few backpacks, research and produce on the ground, use social media to take fans behind the scenes in real time, document every giant spider lurking in your bunk on Snapchat and Instagram, and deliver web-ready episodes in just weeks for your eager audience. Next generation scientists and wildlife filmmakers are using a number of digital platforms and lightweight production methods to share their travel experiences with their audiences up close and sweaty. Hear from digital producers who work in the field using YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram to share the entire journey with their audience in multiple formats from the moment they arrived.

Session Producer & Moderator
Lauren Saks, Director of Programming, PBS Digital Studios (USA)

Speakers
Anna Rothschild, Digital Producer, NOVA (USA)
Jorge Franzini, Producer, CuriosityStream (USA)
Josh Cassidy, Digital Media Producer, Deep Look, KQED/PBS Digital Studios (USA)

2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Belief Trumps Facts: Winning Hearts, Minds and Ratings
We are drowning in a tsunami of disinformation. Trump makes up facts on a whim, and a pro-Brexit British minister says the people have had enough of experts. This is the seismic political year when facts were finally trumped by belief. Where does that leave us factual program makers? How can we educate the voting public about evolution, global warming, nuclear power or vaccination if they are sick of our experts and don’t believe them anymore? Meet Dan Kahan, professor of Law and Psychology. He thinks a lot of us have got it wrong and his research demolishes conventional wisdom about how and why people watch our films. The session debates Dan’s ground-breaking views and presents the secrets of attracting the hidden “scientifically curious” audience, for Dan believes that if we change our ways we can even boost our ratings.

Session Producer
Ash Potterton, Executive Producer, Arrow Media (UK)

Speakers
Melanie Wallace, Senior Series Producer, NOVA/WGBH (USA)
David Dugan, CEO, Windfall Films (UK)
Sonya Pemberton, Creative Director, Genepool Productions (Australia)
Dan M. Kahan, Professor, Yale Law School (USA)

2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Immerse: Virtual Reality Commissioners
With virtual reality stealing the headlines at Sundance and being showcased at the Cannes Film Festival, it is now clear that VR is no flash in the pan. Broadcasters, such as Sky, National Geographic, Discovery, BBC and ARTE have moved into commissioning VR. What are they looking for? How do they work with indies? Does VR content need to relate to what’s shown on TV? How does a broadcaster distribute VR content? How do they assess the impact? And who are some of the other players commissioning VR? Additional support provided by Bell Fund.

Session Producer
Mark Atkin, Director, Crossover Labs (UK)

Moderator
Iain Dodgeon, Head of Broadcast Games and Film, Wellcome (UK)

Speakers
Annina Zwettler, Programme Coordinator & Digital Media, ARTE Deutschland GmbH (Germany)
Tom Burton, Interactive & Technology Lead, BBC (UK)
Richard Nockles, VR Creative Director, Sky (UK)

3:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: SVT

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speakers
Mikael Österby, Head of Factual, SVT (Sweden)
Anna Schytt, Head of Science, SVT (Sweden)

3:45 PM - 4:15 PM
Tea Break

4:15 PM - 5:30 PM
8K and Cosmic Rays
Just when you thought you knew everything about the latest state-of- the-art imaging, along comes a raft of cutting-edge technology that revolutionizes everything that’s gone before. In this session, we discover Muon Tomography, a technology used after the Fukushima nuclear meltdown, which uses cosmic-ray muons to scan the inside of the Pyramids, revealing secret chambers hitherto unknown. We discover how innovative underwater imaging is enabling us to see shipwrecks as never before. Ever wondered what the human body looks like in 8K? Turn up and find out. Sponsored by NHK.

Session Producer
Philip Armstrong-Dampier, Creative and Managing Director, 1212 Productions (UK)

Speakers
Lars Henrik Ostenfeld, Producer and Host, Danish Broadcast Corporation (Denmark)
Guy Knafo, President, noKzeDoc (France)
Chihiro Furukawa, Staff Producer, NHK (Japan)
Sophie Parrault, Producer, Bonne Pioche Television (France)
Stéphane Millière, President, GEDEON Programmes (France)
Valerie Abita, Producer, ZED (France)
Takeshi Shibasaki, Senior Producer, Science Programs Division, NHK (Japan)
Steve Burns, Chief Programming Officer, CuriosityStream (USA)

4:15 PM - 5:30 PM
The Trial: Living History - Dead or Alive?
Until Elon Musk finally works out how to build a time machine, history producers must come up with new and innovative ways to bring the past to life… and living history remains one of the most popular. In recent years, we’ve seen ordinary people and celebrities forced to live and work in Victorian slums, World War I factories, coaching inns and Wild West ranches. In each case, elaborate sets are constructed, costumes are donned and wigs coiffed before the cameras step back and wait for the tears to flow and someone to declare that our ancestors probably had it a lot tougher than we do. But do these shows offer a genuine insight into the lives of people in the past or is everyone just playing dress up? Are these shows bringing engaging history content to broader audiences or taking money away from more meaningful documentaries? It’s time to put living history on trial. Defending the sub-genre will be presenter of BBC’s Victorian Slum Michael Mosley, whilst 72 Films’ David Glover will be mounting the case for the prosecution before our honourable judge Caroline Behar. They’ll call upon a wide range of witnesses and illustrate their arguments with inspiring clips from around the world. Then it will be up to our judge to declare living history dead or alive. Sponsored by Great Pacific Media.

Session Producer
Joe Myerscough, Producer/Director, Windfall Films (UK)

Judge
Caroline Behar, Head of Documentaries/Head of Acquisitions, France 5/France Télévisions Group (France)

Defense
David Glover, Founder, 72 Films (UK)

Prosecution
Michael Mosley, Executive Producer, BBC (UK)

Witnesses
David Dugan, CEO, Windfall Films (UK)
Tom McDonald, Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Specialist Factual, BBC (UK)
Hamish Mykura, Executive Vice President, Programming and Development, National Geographic Channel (UK)
Leanne Klein, CEO, Wall to Wall (UK)

Session Producer
Madelaine Russo, Industry Programmer, Hot Docs Deal Maker, Hot Docs (Canada)

5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Immerse: Augmented Reality—Beyond Pokémon GO
Financial predictions show that augmented reality (AR) is set to leapfrog virtual reality and overtake TV within 10 years. Pokémon GO was the first sign that there might be something to this. What is AR, why are people excited by it and how can it be used to create documentary? Additional support provided by Bell Fund.

Session Producer
Mark Atkin, Director, Crossover Labs (UK)

Speakers
Paul Georges, Creative Developer (Canada)
Alexander Poulson, CEO, INDE (UK)
Ram Devineni, President, Rattapallax (USA)
Salvador Fragoso Davila, Director of Product, INDE (Hungary)

9:30 PM - 11:59 PM
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!

What trip to Stockholm would be complete without an ode to ABBA? Get ready to be a Super Trouper and party into the wee hours as you share your best renditions of Dancing Queen and Take a Chance on Me. Sure, other pop songs will be available, but just know that The Winner Takes It All. Sponsored by SVT and Kunskapskanalen.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8

8:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Registration & Information Desk

8:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Innovation Zone
A new addition to WCSFP, the Innovation Zone is your opportunity to learn, inspire, partner with and experience the most exciting next-generation technologies through interactive exhibits, live demonstrations and technology-focused display tables. Presenting Partner: Wellcome. Additional support provided by Bell Fund.

10:00 AM
Editorial Committee Voting Closes

9:15 AM - 10:30 AM
The Urgent Path to 'Factfulness'
We’re all astonishingly ignorant about the world, not because we’re stupid but because we’re biased, outdated and misinformed (not least by the world’s factual producers). So say Stockholm’s Gapminder Foundation, headed up by stats guru and Internet legend Hans Rosling and his son Ola, inventor of some of the world’s favourite infographics, who have spent a decade helping to nurture the alternative: a fact-based world view. With stats, facts and experts ever more ignored or even derided, this session measures Congress’ ignorance and reveals a route map towards the goal of global “factfulness.”

Session Producer
Cat Gale, Producer/Director, (UK)

Speakers
Anna Rosling Rönnlund, Head of Design & User Experience, Gapminder (Sweden)
Ola Rosling, President & Co-Founder, Gapminder (Sweden)
Archie Baron, Founder, Wingspan Productions (UK)

9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: ARTE/ZDF

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speaker
Linde Dehner, Commissioning Editor, ARTE/ZDF (Germany)

10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Discovery Networks International

Session Producer
Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

Speaker
Ed Sayer, VP Production & Development, Discovery Networks International (UK)

10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Coffee Break

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
The "Noble Prize" for Explaining the Impossible
Many of the biggest brains at Congress have nobly gone where most producers fear to tread in their attempts to bring the meatiest, chewiest, mind-blowingest topics in science—think gravitational waves, strange particles and horizontal gene transmission—to a mainstream audience. Congress will award the “Noble Prize” (a free registration for the 2017 WCSFP) to the show that best explained the impossible in three minutes or less. You, the audience, will be judge and jury.

Session Producers
Jasper James, CEO & Founder, Screen Glue Ltd (UK)
Will Aslett, Development Executive, Screen Glue Ltd (UK)

Moderator
Stephen Hunter, Managing Director, Double Shot Films (USA)

Speakers
Marc Etkind, General Manager, Science Channel (USA)
Martin Durkin, CEO, WAG TV LTD (UK)
Diene Petterle, Commissioning Editor, Specialist Factual, BBC (UK)
Daniele Jörg, Series Editor/Commissioning Editor, WDR (Germany)

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Lunch

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
WCSFP Members Plenary
Members are invited to join the WCSFP Board of Directors and the newly formed 2017 Editorial Committee for a special farewell. Editorial Committee election results will be announced at the start of this session.

2016 Schedule