WCSFP

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29

8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Editorial Committee On-Site Nominations

8:00 AM - 06:00 PM
Registration & Information Desk Open

8:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Innovation Expo & Member Lounge Open
The Innovation Expo features interactive exhibits, live demos and displays by:

Booth 1001: British Pathé
Booth 1003: NHK, in association with Dell Technologies
Booth 1005: Reel Archive
Booth 1007: Showcase of American Digital Media Projects
Booth 1100: Forest Creatures Foundation, INPUT 2018
Booth 1102: HTC VIVE
Booth 1104: Screenocean

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Getting to Know You
Calling all Congress first-timers! This is your chance to meet broadcasters, producers and distributors, hear success stories from past events, and learn valuable tips, tricks and tactics for making the most of the WCSFP. Plus it will be an opportunity for regular delegates from traditional TV to make contact with digital content companies and digital specialists.

Session Producer
Clare Birks, CEO, Oxford Scientific Films (UK)

Moderator
Jennifer Cummins, Principal, Heiress Films (Australia)

Speakers
Sarah Chow, Producer, Sarah Chow Productions (Canada)
Bill Gardner, VP, Programming & Development, PBS (USA)
Isabelle Graziadey, Head Of International Sales And Acquisitions, Terranoa (France)
Paul Heaney, CEO, TCB Media Rights (UK)
Jonathan Hewes, CEO, Pioneer Productions (UK)
Joseph Maxwell, Head of Documentaries, SBS (Australia)
Thomas von Hennet, VP Int. Co-Production & Documentaries, ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE (Germany)

9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
The Ideas Salon: Technology of Tomorrow
We all know that great productions are born from impassioned conversations. Pioneers at the cutting edge of some of the hottest topics in technology today will share the 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, Windfall Films (UK)

Speakers
Michelle Atallah, PhD Candidate, Stanford University (USA)
Joaquin A. Anguera, Assistant Professor, Director of Clinical Program, Neuroscape | UC San Francisco (USA)
Lishan AZ, Game Designer in Residence, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) (USA)
Jeremy Blum, Head of Electrical Engineering, Shaper Tools, Inc. (USA)
Katja Grace, Researcher, AI Impacts, Machine Intelligence Research Institute (USA)
Maynard Holliday, Senior Engineer, RAND Corporation (USA)
Debbie G. Senesky, Assistant Professor, Stanford University (USA)

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
Digital Partnership Exchange
The Digital Partnership Exchange connects digital content producers and digital specialists with traditional television producers and broadcasters in the science, history and factual programming space. You will have the opportunity to meet with over a dozen different companies to begin building working relationships with. Program participants will be supported in connecting with broadcasters and producers during the session.

Session Producer
Mark Greenspan, Founder, The Digital Growth Lab (Canada)

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
One Strange Rock: The Intersection of Hollywood and Science
As more Hollywood filmmakers migrate to television, how can documentary producers utilize this talent to reimagine factual programming? With the upcoming global event series, One Strange Rock, National Geographic is partnering with Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa Pictures (Mother, Requiem for a Dream) and Jane Root’s Nutopia (America: The Story of Us, The 80s) to tell the amazing story of our planet through the only people to have ever left it: astronauts. Hear directly from the creatives behind the series as they discuss how it happened, and how they reimagined a scientific spine with unique storytelling devices and a Hollywood vision to unpack the science behind the complexities of our planet. The result: an epic series that is entertaining, fun and provocative. Drawing on the staggering extreme locations, creatures, people and cosmic events that make our planet so special and rare, One Strange Rock will lead viewers to realize "there’s no place like home."

Session Producer
Simon Willgoss, Head of Development, Nutopia (UK)

Moderator
Simon Nasht, Director, DNX Media (Australia)

Speakers
Ari Handel, Protozoa Pictures (USA)
Matt Renner, VP Production, National Geographic Channel (USA)
Jane Root, CEO, Nutopia (UK)

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Coffee Break

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Learning from Silicon Valley: How to Boost Your Creativity
Silicon Valley is arguably the most creative place on Earth. So what can we as non-fiction program makers learn from their approach to nurturing ideas and imagining a radically different future? Obi Felten leads start-up projects at X (formerly known as Google[x]), the team behind self-driving cars, delivery drones and Internet from balloons. She’s responsible for getting “moonshots” from the lab into the real world, or ensuring they fail fast. Jane McGonigal is a games designer, best-selling author and director of Game Research and Development at the Institute for the Future, where her current research focuses on the relationship between creative thinking and the far future. Obi and Jane will share fascinating insights into how to think more creatively, and offer techniques that will lead to more effective and imaginative ways to tell stories.

Session Producer
Anna Davies, Producer, Arrow Media (UK)

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

Speakers
Obi Felten, Head of getting moonshots ready for contact with the real world, X, the moonshot factory (USA)
Jane McGonigal, Director of Game Research and Development, Institute for the Future (USA)

12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Nat Geo WILD
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. The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.

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

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Lunch

12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: PBS
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. The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.

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

12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: ARTE
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. The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.

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

1:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Micro Meeting: France Télévisions
France Télévisions is comprised of five channels featuring generalist, national, regional, youth, family, transmedia, factual and overseas programming. They are a public service company and the leading broadcasting group in France. Every day, eight out of 10 viewers tune into their five channels. With satellite, DTT, ADSL, Internet, mobile, VOD, and HDTV, France Télévisions anticipates and adapts to new technologies to meet the expectations and future needs of its viewers. Invitation only.

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM
More Ideas, Better Ideas—A Tactical Workshop
How do we tap into a continuous flow of fresh topics? Hone in on engaging new angles? Open our mindsets to the new opportunities in content delivery? This workshop has been developed to help you and your teams answer these questions. We will guide you through a fun, practical method of cultivating creativity in order to come up with more ideas and better ideas. By the end of the session, each participant will have at least one fresh new concept to take with them into pitch meetings, and new methodologies for sparking creativity to bring back to their development teams at home.Seating is limited.

Session Producer & Moderator
Tiffany Orvet, Development Consultant, Orvet Stockholm AB (Sweden)

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM
Working With Creators
YouTube creators represent a seismic shift in science communication. Not only are they able to engage directly with their audiences, they bring a fresh approach to creating and funding science content. Find out from some of the top science creators who discuss their process of producing and evolving for multiple platforms, and monetizing science content that resonates and educates.

Session Producer
Lauren Saks, Director, PBS Digital Studios, PBS (USA)

Session Producer & Moderator
Mike Rugnetta, Internet Professional, PBS Digital Studios (USA)

Speakers
Trace Dominguez, Producer, Writer, Host, Seeker (USA)
Joe Hanson, Host/Producer, PBS Digital Studios (USA)
Vanessa Hill, Host & Producer, PBS Digital Studios (USA)
Matt O'Dowd, Professor/Writer-Host, City University of New York/PBS DS (USA)

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM
Finding Opportunity in Chaos: The Changing Landscape of Science and Non-Fiction in the USA
In a land where entire cable networks are disappearing, cord-cutters and cord-nevers are increasing, traditional networks are facing new pressures and digital disruption on all fronts. How are traditional non-fiction networks responding? How do their new strategies (consolidation, budget cuts, premium content) and partnerships impact your business, production and future? On the flip side, there are more content buyers than ever. Who are the key digital disrupters in non-fiction? And how do viewers, networks and producers navigate this hyper-fragmented mess and turn chaos into opportunity?

Session Producers & Moderators
Paul Heaney, CEO, TCB Media Rights (UK)
Bridget Hunnicutt, Founder, Creative Director, Hunni Media (USA)

Speakers
John Ford, General Manager, NPACT (USA)
Jim Louderback, CEO, VidCon (USA)

2:15 PM - 2:45 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: National Geographic
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. The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.

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

2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: France Télévisions
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. The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.

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

3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Break

3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
Walking on Mars with NASA
Always light years ahead of the curve, NASA has been using immersive storytelling tools for the past decade in order to convert mission data into thrilling shared experiences that are lapped up by their millions of fans on Earth. In this session we will see how the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been engaging avid audiences with its robotic missions, from the Curiosity rover on Mars to the Juno spacecraft at Jupiter, and beyond, using Web360, VR headsets and augmented reality technologies. Meet the producers behind the projects, see the tools for yourself, learn where to find resources to create your own space VR/AR and 360 videos, and join us in augmented reality as we walk together on the surface of Mars without ever leaving San Francisco.

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

Speakers
Veronica McGregor, News and Social Media Manager, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (USA)
Stephanie L. Smith, Digital & Social Media Supervisor, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (USA)

3:45 PM - 5:15 PM
The Ideas Salon: The Biggest Breakthroughs
We all know that great productions are born from impassioned conversations. Pioneers at the cutting edge of some of the hottest topics in science today will share the 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, Windfall Films (UK)

Speakers
Colin Bailie, CEO, Iris Photovoltaics (USA)
Tim Downing, Assistant Professor, UC Irvine (USA)
Kara Nelson, Professor, Univeristy of California, Berkeley (USA)
Sydney Schreppler, Dr., University of California, Berkeley (USA)
Indre Viskontas, Professor, San Francisco Conservatory of Music (USA)
Geoffrey Woo, CEO, HVMN Inc. (USA)
Moriel Zelikowsky, Neuroscientist, Caltech (USA)

3:45 PM - 5:30 PM
New Deals, New Partnerships
A plethora of new platforms and streaming services is opening up a whole new world of collaboration. Producers and commissioners from traditional and online will share their insights on how to navigate the new opportunities.

Session Producer & Moderator
Sarah Chow, Producer, Sarah Chow Productions (Canada) Lilla Hurst, Managing Director, DRIVE (UK)

Speakers
Xavier Aaronson, Producer/Director, VICE Media (USA)
Jonathan Chinn, Co-Founder, Lightbox (USA)
Simon Chinn, Co-Founder, Lightbox (USA)
Mark Greenspan, Founder, The Digital Growth Lab (Canada)
Ryan P. Hall, Head of Development, Rooster Teeth (USA)
Simon Nasht, Director, DNX Media (Australia)
Brian Pendergast, Head of Development, Seeker (USA)

4:00 PM - 5:00 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. We do some preliminary matchmaking, and then decision makers pre-select projects they find interesting—but they won’t know who they came from until their face-to-face meeting. Pre-registration required. Closed to media.

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

4:45 PM - 5:30 PM
Science on Netflix
A look at original science programming on the world's leading streaming service.

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

Speakers
Jeff Orlowski, Founder and Filmmaker, Exposure Labs (USA) Jason Spingarn-Koff, Director, Original Documentary Programming, Netflix (USA)

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Congress 25th Anniversary Celebration
Location: San Francisco City Hall, 1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Place
Join us as we celebrate the 25th edition of Congress at the beautiful San Francisco City Hall. Rebuilt after the Great Quake of 1906, this architectural gem designed as a Beaux-Arts monument is the tallest dome in the United States and serves as one of San Francisco’s most iconic landmarks.

(For pop culture buffs, the breathtaking rotunda is also famed for hosting the wedding of Marilyn Monroe to Joe Di Maggio!)

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30

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

9:00 AM - 10:45 AM
What's the Buzz?
It’s that time of the year again! What’s the Buzz? presents what has been new, surprising and outstanding in the world of science, history and non-fiction media in 2017. From little gems to massive co-productions, great content comes in all shapes, sizes and, yes, platforms. And the good news is that in spite of all the competition from live streaming—from interactive to virtual reality to augmented reality to mixed reality—quality long-form content is alive and well, and much in demand. We will show you some of the most successful, innovative and talked-about projects and productions of the past year. Be prepared for a fun and entertaining session presented by the new MythBusters Brian Louden and Jon Lung. Sponsored by Wellcome

Session Producers
Andreas Gutzeit, Co-President & Chief Creative Executive, Story House Productions (Germany)
Swantje Oppermann, Development Manager, Story House Productions (Germany)

Speakers
Brian Louden, Co-Host, MythBusters (USA)
Jon Lung, Co-Host, MythBusters (USA)

10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Editorial Committee On-Site Voting

10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
Coffee Break

11:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Innovation Expo & Member Lounge Open
The Innovation Expo features interactive exhibits, live demos and displays by:

11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
VR or PR
Translating the acronyms and debunking the myths, this session will take a reality check and expose the genuine opportunities the VR sector has to offer science content producers.

Session Producer
Kirstie McLure, Co-Pro Consultant, Freelance (UK)

Moderator
Derren Lawford, Creative Director, Woodcut Media (UK)

Speakers
David Brady, CEO, Cream Productions Inc. (Canada)
Mike Davis, Creative Director, Atlantic Productions (UK)
Malvina Martin, Executive Producer, Black Dot Films (USA)
Vinay Narayan, Executive Director of VR, HTC VIVE (USA)

11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Unnatural History
We are living in the age of the Anthropocene. Every day, we see reports of plastic pollution in the oceans, entire habitats and ecosystems destroyed, seriously depleted fish stocks and wildlife populations decimated to critically endangered levels. Rarely are these stories included in natural history programs on television. In the context of what scientists are calling the sixth mass extinction, are natural history programs becoming increasingly Disneyesque—showing the world as we wish it to be, and not as it actually is? Sponsored by HHMI Tangled Bank Studios

Session Producer
Clare Handford, Executive Producer, Handy Films Ltd. (UK)

Speakers
Paul R. Ehrlich, Emeritus Professor; Bing Professor; President, Center for Conservation Biology, Stanford University (USA)
Bill Gardner, VP, Programming & Development, PBS (USA)
Karina Holden, Head of Factual, Northern Pictures (Australia)
Tom McDonald, Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Specialist Factual, BBC (UK)
Jeff Orlowski, Founder and Filmmaker, Exposure Labs (USA)

11:15 AM - 11:45 AM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: CuriosityStream
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. The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.

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

11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
A Question of Trust
They place the stories of their lives in our hands. As documentary filmmakers, we all know the responsibility we hold when we ask our subjects to give us their trust. But in some cases that trust—and the incredible access it allows—comes at a premium. Never more so than when a family allows us inside the harrowing life or death of a son and the decision to donate his organs, or when scientists for the first time let us film the effects of experimental drugs that may backfire and kill. Trust can also be a powerful film subject, the ultimate betrayal being when a town sacrifices its citizens’ health for the dollar. Hear from three leaders in our craft as they give in-depth insight into the decades and the dedication it took to produce some of this year’s most influential films. Featuring First in Human (Discovery), Poisoned Water (NOVA, PBS) and Memento Mori (ID Productions). Sponsored by Terranoa

Session Producer & Moderator
Jonica Newby, Producer/Director, Jenuine Productions (Australia)

Speakers
John Hoffman, Director, First in Human, Discovery (USA)
Llewellyn Smith, Director/Writer/Producer, BlueSpark Collaborative, LLC (USA)
Niobe Thompson, Science Host & Filmmaker, (Canada)

11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: ZDF
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. The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.

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

12:30 PM - 01:00 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: NHK
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. The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.

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

12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Discovery
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. The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.

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

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Lunch

12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Science Channel
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. The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.

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

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Micro Meeting: Vulcan Productions - Impact Storytelling
Imagery is powerful, and stories can change the world. From ground-up development to co-producing and amplifying films in production, this session will explain how Vulcan Productions works with producers and directors to create catalytic projects. Learn more about Vulcan’s development process, outreach and impact work, and view current content, with plenty of time for questions and discussion.

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM
The Drive for Live: The Opportunities and Pitfalls of Going Live
Live TV is all the rage, and this year Live Science is having its moment. We explore the opportunities (and the pitfalls) through an in-depth case study of the August Eclipse, probably the most spectated event in human history, as broadcast by Science Channel, NOVA and NHK, with everyone from producers on the ground to heads of channels, as well as exploring other live science events this year and where we can go from here. Sponsored by NHK

Session Producer
Thomas Viner, Creative Director, Pioneer Productions (UK)

Moderator
David Dugan, CEO, Windfall Films (UK)

Speakers
Paula S. Apsell, Senior Executive Producer, NOVA/WGBH (USA)
Al Berman, Executive Producer, Berman Productions, Inc. (USA)
Steve Bibb, Head of Factual, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Australia)
Mark Etkind, General Manager, Science Channel, Discovery Communications (USA)
Bill Gardner, VP, Programming & Development, PBS (USA)
Jonathan Hewes, CEO, Pioneer Productions (UK)
Craig Hunter, Commissioning Editor, BBC (UK)
Yoshinori Tsutsui, Producer, NHK (Japan)

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM
It Ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)
Discover how different media can provide different opportunities to bring confronting subjects to an audience. This session looks at acclaimed approaches to mental health storytelling, using gaming, drama, reality and documentary lenses. Sponsored by Realscreen

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

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

Speakers
Tameem Antoniades, Co-Founder & Chief Creative Ninja, Ninja Theory (UK)
Steve Crabtree, Editor, Horizon, BBC (UK)
Paul Fletcher, Bernard Wolfe Professor of Health Neuroscience, University of Cambridge (UK)
Jonathan Murray, Founder, Bunim/Murray Productions (USA)
Suzie Philippot, Director – Academic Program, Elysium Bandini Studios (USA)

2:00 PM - 2:30 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. The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.

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

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM
Platform Intentional Programming: The Secret Sauce of Digital?
More than ever, social platforms are dictating not just how content is distributed, but how that content gets produced in the first place. Whether you’re a broadcaster or independent producer, platform-intentional content is a necessity in today’s digital landscape. How do you decide which platform is right for you? How do adapt your content to make it resonate with those audiences? We’ll answer those questions and more.

Session Producer
James Williams, Digital Video Strategist, JW Digital Strategies (USA)

Speakers
Tiffanie Darke, Editor-In-Chief, A&E Networks (USA)
Ethar El-Katatney, Executive Producer, AJ+ (USA)
Caroline Smith, Chief Content Officer, Seeker (USA)
John Zhang, EVP Marketing, Indigenous Media (USA)

2:15 PM - 2:45 PM
Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: NOVA
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. The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.

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

3:15 PM - 3:30 PM
Break

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
A View From the Bridge, Presenting American History Where Race is at the Heart of the Story
Four years ago this month, Tabitha Jackson crossed the pond from London, where she was a commissioning editor at Channel 4, to take up the position as director of the Documentary Film Program at Sundance Institute. Tabitha has a unique perspective on the challenges of telling stories about American history where race is at the heart of the conversation. Through her choice of documentaries, we explore a timely challenge for all content creators: "What if the world we think we know is only a tiny, myopic fraction of it?...We imagine that wanting to be inclusive and cosmopolitan makes us so, but…if there is no space for the visions of the most talented among us no matter where they come from…what possible future can we really have but the most ordinary?" (Charles King, Hollywood agent and producer)

Session Producer
Margie Bryant, Managing Director, Serendipity Productions (Australia)

Speaker
Tabitha Jackson, Director, Documentary Film Program, Sundance Institute (USA)

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Anything You Can Do, AI Can Do Better
AI has made inroads into every aspect of our lives, but can it really make a dent in creative industries like broadcasting? From AI composers and editors to scheduling by algorithm, this session will catapult us into a future that’s already here. Sponsored by Great Pacific Media

Session Producers
Jasper James, CEO & Founder, Screen Glue Ltd (UK)
Shaminder Nahal, Commissioning Executive, Topical Specialist Factual, Channel 4 (UK)

Moderator
Ana Matronic, Presenter, Disco Devotion, BBC Radio2 (UK)

Speakers
Catherine Gale, Producer/Director, Wingspan Productions/Freelance (UK)
Philippe Pasquier, Professor, Simon Fraser University (Canada)
Sharath Prasad, Media Industry Architect, IBM (USA)
Mathews Thomas, Executive IT Architect, IBM (USA)

3:30 PM - 4:30 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. We do some preliminary matchmaking, and then decision makers pre-select projects they find interesting—but they won’t know who they came from until their face-to-face meeting. Pre-registration required. Closed to media.

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

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
The Power of Gaming
Games aren’t just for fun. They are a powerful form of interactive storytelling and knowledge dissemination. As games become more accessible to wider audience, so do the forms and purposes they take. Hear from top game designers on how games can be used to elevate popular discourse and to educate.

Session Producer
Merit Jensen Carr, President, Merit Motion Pictures (Canada)

Speakers
David Condon, Editorial Director, NOVA Labs, WGBH/Boston (USA)
Steve Crabtree, Editor, Horizon, BBC (UK)
Steele Filipek, Executive Editor, Lead Transmedia Producer, Starlight Runner Entertainment (USA)
Josette D. Normandeau, President & Producer, Ideacom International (Canada)
Khaled Shariff, CEO, Project Whitecard Inc. (Canada)

4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
In Conversation With Mark Thompson
The New York Times Company CEO and president Mark Thompson discusses the challenges the digital world presents to the media, the strategy he has put in place at The New York Times and how to stay ahead in the era of fake news. Sponsored by SVT

Session Producer
Dinah Lord, Managing Director, Caravan (UK)

Moderator
Sara Ramsden, Creative Director, Love Productions (UK)

Speaker
Mark Thompson, President and CEO, The New York Times Company (USA)

9:30 PM - 11:59 PM
Congress Karaoke: American Bandstand
Join us for the quintessential Congress dance party. Unwind, get down and get ready to sing and groove to the best tunes at American Bandstand—Congress style. Cue: Bandstand Boogie.

**FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1** *8:00 AM - 4:00 PM* **Member Lounge Open**

*8:30 AM - 11:00 AM* **Editorial Committee On-Site Voting**

*8:30 AM - 4:00 PM* **Registration & Information Desk Open**

*9:30 AM - 10:45 AM* **The Future of Fake News & Factual Fight-Back** We are all rightly scared about fake news and how it can spread through social platforms. But the scariest is yet to come. New technology is being developed that will allow us to literally put words in people’s mouths and expressions on their faces, allowing us to rewrite history and create fiction from fact. It can liberate producers, enabling them to get presenters to speak face-to-camera in any language in perfect sync, or to raise Einstein from the dead and allow him to talk to us. But in the wrong hands it could make presidents say, literally, anything, with potentially world-altering consequences. Hao Li, the developer of this technology, will show us what it can do. And then it’s up to you to debate the consequences of living in a world where we can no longer distinguish between fact and fiction. Meanwhile, meet some of the people who are rewriting the rules of factual storytelling in the era of fakery. Nonny de la Peña is the pioneer of a growing movement referred to as Immersive Journalism. She uses the power of virtual reality to place you as a witness on scene at an event that you experience for yourself. Gabo Arora is the director and producer of The Last Goodbye, a VR documentary that takes you to the Majdanek concentration camp in the company of a Holocaust survivor. Both are starting to rewrite the rules of factual storytelling in the era of fakery. **Session Producer & Moderator** Mark Atkin, Director, Crossover Labs (UK) **Speakers** Gabo Arora, Founder & Creative Director, LightShed (USA) Hao Li, CEO/Assistant Professor & Director of USC Institute for Creative Technologies, Pinscreen/University of Southern California (USA) Nonny de La Peña, Founder & CEO, Emblematic Group (USA) *9:30 AM - 11:00 AM* **How to Change the World and Get Paid Doing It** It’s time to shatter the illusion that if you want to produce content that will change the world, you need to take a pay cut. More and more opportunities are arising for producers to work on projects that can educate and drive change—as foundations, companies and not-for-profit organizations realize how powerful film can be to draw attention to big subjects such as health, climate change and education. From feature documentaries with a cinema release which are then acquired by channels like Netflix and Amazon, to powerful short campaign films going viral on social media, we meet the filmmakers and the organizations who are leading lights in the impact production world. **Session Producer** Nicky Huggett, Head of Development, Sundog Pictures (UK) **Moderator** Debbie Manners, CEO, Field Day Productions (UK) **Speakers** Greg Boustead, Program Director, Science Sandbox, Simons Foundation (USA) Katie Dallas, Senior Manager of Advocacy Communications, Global Citizen (Canada) Iain Dodgeon, Head of Broadcast, Games and Film, Wellcome (UK) Sara Edelson, Head of Development, Vulcan Productions (USA) Dennis Liu, Head of Educational Media & Outreach, HHMI Tangled Bank Studios (USA) Janet Tobias, CEO, Ikana Health + Media (USA) Johnny Webb, CEO, Sundog Pictures (UK) Doron Weber, Vice President, Programs and Program Director, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation (USA)

*10:00 AM - 10:30 AM* **Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: A&E*** 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. *The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.* **Session Producer** Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

*10:15 AM - 10:45 AM* **Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: BBC** 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. *The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.* **Session Producer** Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

**Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Discovery Canada** 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. *The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.* **Session Producer** Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada) *10:45 AM - 11:15 AM* **Coffee Break**

*11:15 AM - 12:30 PM* **How to Change the World and Get Paid Doing It - continued** Come and meet the decision makers of the impact filmmaking and production world in person. Our panelists will be available to answer any questions at this informal meet-and-greet session. Joining them will be other leading lights from this world, who are keen to hear your ideas, give advice and help delegates make the first steps towards producing some world-changing content. **Session Producer** Nicky Huggett, Head of Development, Sundog Pictures (UK)

*11:15 AM - 12:30 PM* **Hollywood: Bringing Science to Fiction** How do movies use science to reach entertainment-hungry audiences? Get behind the scenes of films such as Guardians of the Galaxy, Dark River, Hidden Figures and Journeyman, movies with science at the heart of the creative process. Hollywood screenwriters and their collaborating scientists discuss the role of science in inspiring storytelling, the limits of poetic licence and the portrayal of science on screen. Hear insights into working with the movie industry, from organizations which connect scientists with feature film creatives. Closed to media. **Session Producerss** Lucy McDowell, Factual Development Executive, Wellcome (UK) Maia Krall Fry, Producer, Windfall Films (UK) **Moderator** Rick Loverd, Program Director, National Academy of Sciences (USA) **Speakers** Iain Dodgeon, Head of Broadcast, Games and Film, Wellcome (UK) Stephany Folsom, Screenwriter, (USA) Ann Merchant, Deputy Director, Communications, US National Academy of Sciences (USA) Nicole Perlman, Screenwriter, (USA)

*11:15 AM - 12:30 PM* **Dragons' Den: Who Will be Content King in 2022?** Five of the most innovative producers in the world lay open their business models to you, our Congress Dragons. Each of them believes they have a strategy to make them one of the world’s top 10 richest content producers by 2022. But to succeed they need the audience to "invest" in their model and choose to back them. You’ll be able to ask them anything you want; if they want to win your backing, they’ll have to share their secrets. **Session Producer** Emma Parkins, Alleycats TV (UK) **Moderator** Richard Melman, Managing Director, Spring Films (UK) **Speakers** Ulla Streib, Director of Operations, Talesmith (UK) Andy Taylor, CEO, Little Dot Studios (UK) Blake De Pastino, Chief Content Officer, Complexly (USA) Philip Morrow, CEO, RETìníZE (UK) Jim Louderback, CEO, VidCon (USA)

*11:15 AM - 11:45 AM* **Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Smithsonian** 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. *The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.* **Session Producer** Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

*11:30 AM - 12:00 PM* **Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Discovery Canada** 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. *The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.* **Session Producer** Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

*12:30 PM - 1:00 PM* **Close Encounters of the Funding Kind: Channel 4** 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. *The WSCFP thanks the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada for their support.* **Session Producer** Stephanie McArthur, Industry Programs Manager, Hot Docs (Canada)

*12:30 PM - 2:00 PM* **Lunch**

*2:00 PM - 3:15 PM* **Will Silicon Valley Save the World?** Five of the six most valuable companies on the planet are high-tech firms. Without pausing to consider the cost, the world has rushed to embrace the products and services of Silicon Valley. We shop with Amazon, socialize on Facebook, turn to Apple for entertainment and rely on Google for information. Their wealth stems from their control of the inescapable digital infrastructure on which much of the rest of the economy depends—mobile phones, social networks, the web, the cloud, retail and logistics, artificial intelligence, and the data and computing power required for future breakthroughs. Disruptive technologies are reshaping our economic, social and political landscapes; the power to determine our futures is in the hands of an unelected few. Can Silicon Valley make the world a better place or is the concentrated wealth and power of its tech companies a threat to our society? **Session Producer** Erin Mary Griffin, Director/Producer, Human Capacity (USA) **Session Co-Producer** Christoph Jorg, Founder/Producer/Director, Pumpernickel Films (France) **Moderator** Stephen Hunter, Managing Director, Shunter Media (USA) **Speakers** Leslie Berlin, Project Historian for the Silicon Valley Archives, Stanford University (USA) Quentin Hardy, Head of Editorial, Google Cloud (USA) Dylan Hendricks, Program Director, Ten-Year Forecast, Institute for the Future (USA) Arend Hintze, Dr. rer. nat., Michigan State University (USA) Hannah Kuchler, San Francisco Correspondent, Financial Times (USA) Tim O'Reilly, Founder and CEO, O'Reilly Media (USA)

*2:00 PM - 3:00 PM* **Like, Follow, Share: Audience Engagement Strategies** Digital platforms and technologies provide a great opportunity for content producers to connect with audiences and build more meaningful properties. Hear from an assortment of interesting case studies of how digital audience building has shaped content projects from the earliest stages of development to the latest. Refine your audience-building strategies to create more compelling and impactful content. **Session Producer & Moderator** Madeleine Hetherton, Producer/Director, Mediastockade (Australia) **Speakers** Matthew Gielen, Founder, Little Monster Media Co. (USA) Peter Hamilton, Founder, Publisher, Editor, DocumentaryBusiness.com (USA) Gavin McGarry, President of Social Media, Jumpwire Media (USA)

*3:15 PM - 4:15 PM* **Fake News Quiz** Attention, crème de la crème of the world’s factual production community! Join Congress’s bravest, wittiest and most eminent panelists and try to sort truth from “alternative facts.” You might think you can sniff out fake news cunningly crafted to sway the ill-informed and gullible. But you might not be feeling so smug after testing yourself, as Congress comes to a hilarious/sobering close with its very first Fake News Quiz. Then join in round two, the blame game. Is it all Trump’s fault? Or should the much maligned mainstream media, Silicon Valley’s profit-driven algorithms, the education system, the Russians or narcissistic and shallow individualism shoulder the responsibility for the mess we’re in? And finally commit yourself to the fight back! A century ago, in 1917, just a few hundred Bolsheviks brought on the Russian Revolution. So why shouldn’t a few hundred members at Congress 2017 re-dedicate themselves to integrity and truth and Make the World Great Again! **Session Producer** Catherine Gale, Producer/Director, Wingspan Productions/Freelance (UK) **Session Producer & Moderator** Archie Baron, Creative Director, Wingspan Productions (UK) **Speakers** Caroline Behar, Head Of Documentaries/Head Of Acquisitions, France Télévisions Group (France) Patrick Hörl, Founder and Managing Director, Autentic (Germany) Justine Kershaw, Executive Producer, Blink Films (UK) Paul Lewis, President, Great Pacific Media (Canada) Ana Matronic, Presenter, Disco Devotion, BBC Radio2 (UK) Phillip Smith, Senior Fellow, Mozilla (USA) Seema Yasmin, Knight Fellow, Stanford University (USA)

*4:15 PM - 5:00 PM* **WCSFP Members Plenary** Members are invited to join the WCSFP Board of Directors and the newly formed 2018 Editorial Committee for a special farewell. Editorial Committee election results will be announced at the beginning of this session.

2017 Schedule