Films at all budget levels are now expected to be multi-faceted experiences, with audiences moving away from ‘passive viewing’, to becoming fully engaged and participatory in narratives. Games, social media, apps and interactive platforms all provide new spaces and viewing experiences, but with all the competing ‘noise’, how can filmmakers find their audience, create communities and build sustainable careers?

Aimed at filmmakers and other content producers open to innovative ways of telling stories and building audiences.

Presented by Lighthouse in partnership with Talking Point, and supported by Creative Skillset, this is a chance to explore the creative potential of new technologies when developing different kinds of film stories. We will be asking how filmmakers can be empowered to create active communities around their work and beyond, helping to build sustainable careers.

Tickets are available on Eventbrite

Speakers confirmed so far include:

Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard – co-directors of 20,000 Days on Earth
Visual artists Iain and Jane pioneered the use of re-enactment in contemporary art and became known for their recreations of highly-charged cultural moments. Music plays a significant role in their work, which includes many notable collaborations, such as a sound installation with Scott Walker at Sydney Opera House, experiments with subliminal sound with Jason Pierce (Spiritualized) and a video art work featuring the first ever on-screen appearance of rapper Plan B aka Ben Drew.

Iain and Jane will be discussing 20,000 Days on Earth, their first feature film, and its digital partner project, a groundbreaking user generated museum, which launches in September. With startlingly frank insights and an intimate portrayal of the artistic process, the film examines what makes us who we are, and celebrates the transformative power of the creative spirit. Backed by Film4, BFI, Corniche Pictures and Pulse Films, the film features Nick Cave alongside Kylie Minogue and Ray Winstone, with an original score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. Premiered at Sundance in January 2014, the film won the Directing and Editing Awards.

Anna Higgs, Commissioning Executive – Film4
Anna joined Film4 at the end of 2011 to head up groundbreaking innovation work. The first feature from her slate was Ben Wheatley’s film A Field In England, quickly joined by Ken Loach’s The Spirit of ‘45, Shynola’s Dr. Easy and Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard’s Sundance award-winning film with Nick Cave 20,000 Days on Earth among others. Anna was recently named as one of Time Out’s ‘Culture 100’, described as “the innovators, visionaries and pioneers behind what’s now and what’s next” alongside Danny Boyle, Barbara Broccoli and Steve McQueen.

Matt Locke, Founder – Storythings
Before starting Storythings, Matt worked in digital media for over 15 years, including 7 years as Head of Innovation at BBC New Media, were he led many ground-breaking open data projects. He then went to Channel 4 in 1997 to lead their Education dept, and later, as Head of Multiplatform, ran the team that developed projects including Million Pound Drop, Big Brother, Skins and Misfits.

Hugh Garry, Director – Storythings
Hugh worked for 15 years as Senior Digital Producer for BBC Audio & Music, leading digital and social strategy for Radio 1 and other BBC Radio projects, including Radio 1 Big Weekend and A History Of The World in 100 Objects. He has worked with Storythings on projects for Google Creative Labs, Diesel, Channel 4, and most recently developed and delivered the social strategy for Jon Ronson’s film Frank for Film4.

Storythings is a company established to experiment with new ways of telling stories, through consultancy and production on major projects with new and established talent; through events and annual conferences looking at storytelling in a wide range of contexts and media; and through a series of objects and publications produced with some of the most innovative storytellers around.