FROM NAPSTER TO NETFLIX TO WORLD DOMINATION:

HOW THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY BECAME THE FRONTRUNNER FOR THE PLATFORMIZATION OF THE WORLD

Platforms are everywhere and increasingly regulate all aspects of our life. How did we get here? Despite all the talks about Surveillance Capitalism and the rise of Apple and Google, it really started with us sharing pop songs via the internet. Napster was a watershed moment in the development of digital platforms that led eventually to Netflix and the streaming phenomenon in the entertainment industry.

But it didn't stop there. Platforms have introduced a new paradigm into the economy that is utterly different to the capitalist regime we are used to. In this talk Michael Seemann will tell the story of how digital platforms first facilitated the loss of control over information and then changed themselves into an infrastructure of control, thereby making us dependent on their access regimes to almost everything.

Verification vs Manipulation:

How MediaTech Transforms the Ethical Framework of Society

From film to social media platform to apps, we use media technologies to connect and communicate, be entertained and have fun. But there is a darker side to this coin — where fake images and deliberately false information create barriers, polarise and divide. This discussion examines how our basic social contract of trust and ethics can be affected by media technologies and their applications.

Consumerism:

The Rules Have Changed

We live in an age of “surveillance capitalism”: major online retail platforms are massively ramping up their ability to predict what we'll buy and to deliver the goods fast. We're moving from "town centres” to “fulfillment centres”. The surge in global logistics comes with a shift in the skills required by this business model and friendly sales advice is no longer needed. So how can we leverage our individual online persona to consume — and produce — responsibly and ethically? Our panelists take a look at these and other factors influencing what we buy, how, where and why we buy it, and how in the process we ourselves have become an item of value.

Virtual Reality for Future Industries – A Disputation

The possibilities of Virtual Reality for Future Industries are a much-discussed topic. In this debate, Head of Lab & Tech Assessment at VDC Fellbach, Vitor Macedo, and artist and designer Robin Treier, will present their respective positions on existing and future horizons for Virtual Reality, seen from very different perspectives. This promises to be a lively and visionary discussion.

XR in Future Industry - Use Cases

Get to know different use cases directly from industry and how immersive technologies can help in smart production and smart products to boost business and efficiency.

Experience ...

... a VR-tool that allows to create, share and track training modules in 360° and Virtual Reality,

... a VR-tool to help paint shops of automotive manufacturers to reduce defects,

... a VR-tool that visualises content directly on the product itself.

Financial Services: Put Your Money Where Your Smartphone Is

In the financial services sector, technologies such as blockchain are impacting payment systems, insurance, “green” investments and more. Apps turn your smartphone into an always-on stock trading tool, and let you buy your insurance policies from the remotest places in the world. And what about cryptocurrencies — will they take over from fiat currency (€, $, £, ¥ etc.), and who stands to benefit? In this session, our experts will talk about what the future of finance might look like and how we’re getting there.

Managing Green Energy with MediaTech

Producing green energy needs smart management — energy suppliers need to centralise systems, industry needs to automate, integrate and control processes, while companies need AI-based solutions to reduce energy consumption. And as long as renewable energy is not 100% available, one will need to calculate emissions. This session introduces new ways on how MediaTech-driven solutions are enabling smart energy management for industry.

Energy: How Smart is Your Consumption?

The discussion around energy is more visible and democratised than ever before. But merely questioning the system isn’t enough. We have to optimise every aspect of the energy supply and demand spectrum, from power generation and new storage technologies to managing end-user consumption. What will the energy cycles of the future look like? Will today’s technologies allow us to tread the planet more lightly?In this session, we examine these and other questions.

Equipped for The Future: Using Cognitive Science & Practical Technologies to Increase Authentic Human Awareness

Since the start of the pandemic, the scramble to digitalise learning at all levels and migrate it online has pushed this topic to the fore. But in fact, across the spectrum, learning has been undergoing transformation for many years, aided by the development and application of a wide range of technologies. In this session, our experts will illustrate some of these techniques, from individually-tailored training for industry through health-related kinesthesis and technology-driven lifelong learning. Their motto: Stay Curious!

Learning Journeys Enabled by XR

New media technologies are being adapted in order to enhance learning experiences. In this context, it is worth taking a closer look at the potential that comes with XR solutions. In this session, we will give you an overview of where XR technologies are already a commodity — besides the entertainment industry — while three entrepreneurs will tap into their recent projects to highlight how XR can be applied in the context of learning. This session scrutinises the potential of immersive learning journeys and takes a closer look at how XR solutions can be adapted across different industries. 

Serious Games:

If This Is Learning, Give Me More!

From cave drawings to myths and legends told around the campfire to game world narratives, storytelling has always been central to passing on human knowledge to future generations. But in Serious Games, the learning experience is embedded in interactive, story-driven gameplay. Our closing keynote session looks back on playful learning and its function as probably the least-known, most overlooked secret weapon in our education armoury, while giving us a glimpse into the future of “games with a purpose”. 

Next Level Tech:

From Efficient Workflows to Enhanced Creativity

Film and television productions are incredible exercises in collaboration and cooperation, all facilitated by complex, interconnected workflows. But now it seems that we need to take it to the next level: from direct camera-to-cloud workflows up to the newest tech tools, production processes in Hollywood as well as in Europe must become much faster and more efficient. Will this also push creativity? This session brings two leading experts to share their insights based on real case studies in Film, TV and serial production.

The Tech Dilemma:

How German Productions Can Use Tech for Success

What does the future of film technology mean for German film production? Collaborative pre-production tools, smart data management, AI-driven audience forecasting, metadata workflows and further tech tools have drastically impacted production processes and distribution business models. However, German producers are still often sticking to traditional ways of creating content. What do we need to change in Germany to be a part of  — and also shape — the future of media? 

High End Virtual Production – How does it work?

Since “Mandalorian” there is a new game changer in film production and we are at the beginning of a new era in studio production as well. Dark Bay, the largest Virtual Production Stage in Europe working directly at Babelsberg Studios, will give in depth insights in how that new technology works. From turnable sets in a LED Volume, over Tracking Systems, Lightning Set Ups to Render Farms – working in a Virtual Production Studio needs complex planning, new skills and a common language for all involved. This session explains how High End Virtual Production works and why it is the “next big thing” in film production.

Survive and Thrive: Why Virtual Production Is (R)evolutionary for Small & Medium Producers

Virtual production is often framed as an adaptive solution to the challenges posed to film by COVID-19, and as a complex technology only for expensive productions. But virtual production may be the “next big thing” for small and medium-sized studios as well. This session explores how virtual production can be used in daily businesses by small and medium enterprises, and how it serves environmental and financial sustainability goals in the long term. In particular, Tech, Know-how and Workflows will be explored by top researchers and practitioners in the field.

VFX versus VP? How Virtual Production Impacts Post

What is the impact of Virtual production on postproduction? How much VFX do we still need? Is Post production turning to Pre-production, and how do the processes change for the best? 2 experts will discuss how far Virtual production and VFX are working together ... or cannibalising each other.

Supercharging Advertising: How AI Ad-Insertion & In-Stream Shopping are Changing the Game

In the history of film and television, product placement has proven itself to be a powerful, lucrative form of embedded marketing. Targeted advertising has further revolutionised marketing in the digital age. But not only AI may take advertising to the next level as leveraging user analytics and metadata is making targeted product placement and in-stream shopping a real possibility. Linking Metadata from Production to Distribution is enabling new ways of monetising content and could be the “next big thing” in business models, especially for platforms. This session discusses the technologies and business options behind the advertising of tomorrow.

The Future of Superintelligence: What Do We Want from AI in Film & Television? 

With Artificial Intelligence (AI) opening up so many radical possibilities for audiovisual media, how often do we stop and ask ourselves: What do we actually want from AI? This session will explore the need for a mission-oriented AI, backed by ethics, interdisciplinary collaboration and purposeful design, to help us discern between what is merely possible, and the innovations that would make a real difference. 

Cult Classic or Viral Hit? Independent & International Film in the Streaming Age

Streaming platforms have been a blessing or a curse for indie and international productions, depending on whom you ask. Between the demand for original content by streaming giants, and the continuing rise of niche streaming platforms on the one hand, and the increasing pressure to optimise stories to fit the algorithmic criteria of streaming platforms on the other, what are the opportunities and challenges that forward-thinking, unconventional filmmakers face in today’s digital media markets?

Matchmaking Stories, Storytellers & Audiences: How Tech Helps Win Viewers’ Hearts

For any movie to be a success, it must attract an audience. A deep understanding of viewer preferences ensures films give audiences what they want — or at the least, like what they get. Starting with an exploration of the data science of how emotional arcs drive viewer preferences, we will then dive into the inner workings of a powerful universal search engine that leverages AI to connect the right audiences with the right content. Finally, we will close the loop by investigating how talent discovery and financing help match content development with distribution platforms.

Team Germany:

In the Race for Streamers

In the international race for streaming platforms, Germany is on the losing end. But all is not lost. ARD and ZDF are massively investing into their media libraries, and in the private sector, new on-demand platforms such as Joyn and RTL Now are on the rise. While content continues to play a big role in the battle for the viewers’ attention, the impact of platform technologies can not be ignored. How far is Team Germany? What is the vision, and what are the consequences for producers and film makers?