Film Disruptors Podcast

A relentless innovator in film, John Gaeta is best known for his defining work on The Matrix trilogy, including the invention of bullet time, for which he won the Academy Award for Visual Effects. More recently, John co-founded Industrial Light and Magic’s Virtual Reality division ILMX lab and has held the role of SVP Creative Strategy at Magic Leap. Drawing on all of his deep knowledge and understanding about new storytelling technologies, this conversation takes us from the Matrix to the future of filmmaking via XR and Artificial Intelligence. In what is one of the most fascinating conversations I’ve had on the show, John explains his vision for where media is heading, why he believes that there will also be a space for linear storytelling (or 'sculptural form' as John calls it) in this world and why the future of our civilisation rests on a knife edge between creativity and control. See more at www.futureoffilm.live

Visionary storyteller Sam Barlow's work blends traditional filmmaking techniques with gaming mechanics to create new forms of interactive films. He is known largely for the pioneering works HER STORY and more recently the Annapurna-produced TELLING LIES which is a hugely ambitious interactive thriller told from multiple points of view. In this conversation we explore Sam’s creative process and his vision for the future of interactive filmmaking. In particular, how his work differs from the "Choose your Own Adventure" style adopted by Black Mirror's Bandersnatch . We also touch on Sam’s career and get into the business model and distribution strategy for this kind of work - which although it looks like films has a very different release and revenue cycle. Although we talk primarily about interactive filmmaking, Sam is first and foremost a storyteller and we cover a lot of the fundamentals of this. He is also a a deep thinker about his craft and the episode is densely packed with ideas, concepts and strategi

Matt Workman is at the forefront of the realtime filmmaking revolution - pioneering the uptake of the technology for independent filmmakers. Following a successful career as a DP of high profile music promos and commercials, Matt developed the hugely successful Cine Tracer app/game, built for filmmakers to learn, experiment and design in realtime. Now, Matt is driving forward virtual production, combining traditional cinematography techniques with realtime graphics using Unreal Engine - and in the process making these tools and workflows accessible to directors and cinematographers worldwide. In this interview Matt takes us through his creative journey to this nexus of technology and cinematographer and why he is so passionate about democratising virtual production technology. Matt is recognised as a leader in the virtual production community, including by Epic Games CTO Kim Libreri who recently said on this show “Matt Workman is incredible”. To find out more about Matt and his prolific and inspirational

In this episode we get the inside track on the creative and technological revolution that is Virtual Production, with the CTO of Epic Games, Kim Libreri. Kim has a long and auspicious career in the film industry, digital technology and visual effects that spans over 20 years. He has credits on more than 25 films including ‘The Matrix' trilogy and is a two-time Academy Award winner to boot! Prior to joining Epic, Kim headed up Lucasfilm’s strategy where he was responsible for the company’s Star Wars technology. Now he is driving the adoption of Unreal Engine across the Entertainment industry with the techniques and systems known as Virtual Production and in-camera visual effects - showcased so brilliantly in Disney and Lucasfilm’s 'The Mandalorian'. Kim shares his thoughts on how virtual production and Unreal Engine will redefine the creative process and how the tools can be used for projects across a wide range of budget levels. More at www.futureoffilm.live

"Franchises are a way for the creator and creative to have long term sustainability in a crowded marketplace" Diana Williams In this episode we are delighted to welcome storyteller extraordinaire Diana Williams to the show. Diana is Executive Vice President of Creative at Maddison Wells Media's 'Universe' division. Twice named on Fast Company's Top Ten Most Innovative Companies list, MWM have built their reputation in working across multiple formats including interactive, live events, television and, yes, even film! MWM Universe is devoted to developing IP and in her role, Diana is responsible for building creative content strategy, world-building, content production, and data analytics across multiple formats. In this episode we learn about Diana’s unique approach to storytelling, creative collaboration and developing IP with the potential to work on different platforms. This leads us to what Diana refers to as the ‘F word’ - franchises and she explains how this way of thinking can unlock new opportuniti

What is the future of film marketing? This episode provides answers with an expert panel of guest speakers from film, tech and entertainment. Some of the topics we cover in the conversation include: - digital marketing strategies - developing a direct to consumer strategy - how to test your digital marketing's effectiveness and measure attribution - what we film learn from other industries such as games and retail - launching film as a digital product - the impact of Covid on film marketing This episode originates from the usheru Future of Film Marketing Series and includes the following speakers: Catherine Downes: CMO and COO of usheru Ciaran O'Herlihy, a Digital Strategist and Google Product Partnerships manager Wendy Bernfeld, Founder and Managing Director RIghts Stuff Lucy Johnston, Founder of Bread and Butter Marketing Derren Sequeira, Client Partner Entertainment Facebook Ben Johnson: Founder and CEO of Gruvi See www.futureoffilm.live for more information.

Naysun Alae-Carew is Founder and Managing Director of Blazing Griffin, the pioneering Glasgow-based entertainment company which uses a format-agnostic approach to tell stories across film, games and TV. Speaking at the 2020 Glasgow Film Festival (just before the whole world changed), Naysun shares his insights on telling stories as both films and games - and the commercial and creative process that Blazing Griffin use to do this. He also shares the powerful personal story behind the making of the zombie-musical-comedy, Anna and the Apocalypse and provides unique insight on building an entertainment company ground up for today’s multi-platform digital age. With many thanks to Glasgow Film Festival for making this episode possible. Discover more about this and other podcasts at www.futureoffilm.live

Can tech save the film industry? That's the question posed to three tech founders in this special episode of Film Disruptors, recorded live at the 2020 Berlin Film Festival. Nadira Azermai of Scriptbook, Maria Tanjala of Film Chain and usheru's Catherine Downes discuss their growing businesses and how they are bringing innovative solutions to film development, finance and distribution. This episode was produced during the 21st edition of the FilmTech Meetup Berlin, in collaboration with Filmtech Office www.filmtechoffice.com and EFM Horizon https://www.efm-berlinale.de/en/horizon/home/horizon, the European Film Market's platform focusing on the future of film business and new developments in the media and entertainment worlds Nadira Azermai Nadira Azermai is Founder of ScriptBook, a high-tech company that provides artificially intelligent screenplay analysis and box office forecasts. ScriptBook was conceived when Nadira wrote her Master’s thesis on using artificial intelligence to quantify story-paramete

In this episode, I am joined by immersive media expert, Michel Reilhac. In a wide ranging conversation about storytelling and media, Michel provides deep insight into the current state of VR, both artistically and commercially, and shares his optimistic vision for where it is heading. Michel is Head of Studies at the Venice Biennale College and VR competition curator for the Venice Biennale International Film Festival. Between 2002-2012, Michel was Head of Cinema & Film Acquisitions at Arte France and executive director of Arte France Cinema, co-producing around 30 international independent feature films each year. Michel is a regular speaker on XR and immersive storytelling at international events, including the Cannes International Film Festival, SXSW, Tribeca Film Festival, TEDx, CPH:DOX, Power to the Pixel, FEMIS etc. Discover more about this and other podcasts at www.futureoffilm.live

This very special episode was recorded live at the New Cinema Conference 2019 at the EYE in Amsterdam. From across film and media I am joined by experts in their field to discuss the future of cinema and its place in the wider culture and industry. My esteemed guests are: - international VOD expert and Rights Stuff Founder Wendy Bernfeld - innovator, teacher and MD of the German Producers Association Erwin Schmidt - Acclaimed storyteller (and producer of one of my favourite films in recent years THE LUNCHBOX) Anurag Kashyap - Internationally recognised pioneer of VR and curator of Venice VR Days, Michel Reilhac In this conversation we look ahead to the next 5 years and explore the challenges and opportunities for cinema over that time. Drawing upon the guest's wide ranging experience and backgrounds, we discuss the innovations that could benefit the industry and how it can prosper in the wider context of the shifts in VOD, Production, Storytelling and Immersive Media. This episode was made possible wit

Janet Brown is EVP Distribution at Gunpowder and Sky, the fast growing independent studio that is creating and distributing content across multiple formats and platforms. In this conversation from their New York offices, Janet describes how the young studio is designed ground-up for today’s shifting consumer landscape - and the new routes to market that now exist for storytellers. We also discuss the future (and recent history) of distribution as well as Janet's entrepreneurial journey at Film Buff, the company she co-founded and built that Gunpowder and Sky acquired in 2016. Discover more about this and other podcasts at www.futureoffilm.live

Yasmin Elayat is an Emmy-award winning storyteller and entrepreneur whose work pushes the boundaries of immersive narrative and participatory experiences. Yasmin began her career in computer science but, as she describes in this interview, pivoted to become a storyteller and then co-founder of the tech-production company Scatter. At Scatter, Yasmin is now pioneering the emerging language of Volumetric Filmmaking, a process that can transform 2D capture of the real world into hologram like imagery which can be viewed from any angle and is being used in immersive storytelling, documentaries and films. In 2017 Yasmin used Scatter's Volumetric filmmaking techniques to make ZERO DAYS VR which won the Emmy for Outstanding New Approach to Documentary. Discover more about this and other podcasts at www.futureoffilm.live

Adam Myhill is Creative Director for Unity's Media & Entertainment Innovation Group. In this episode, Adam addresses how realtime technology is transforming the filmmaking process and some of huge opportunities - and challenges - that this brings about. A former photographer and DP, Adam explains how he has used this experience to build new virtual cinematography tools that give filmmakers significantly more control and creative options. We also discuss the future of film and media and Adam provides some powerful advice for emerging filmmakers. If you enjoyed this episode, do check out [Future of Film] Summit, London 26/11/19 https://www.futureoffilm.live Adam Myhill has spent two decades in film and video game worlds, working as a Director of Photography and CG supervisor at Electronic Arts and Blackbird Interactive. Using his experience on multiple titles and as a film DP on a number of feature-length movies, Myhill created a ground-breaking Emmy award-winning procedural cinematic and in-game camera syst

My guest today is Neon's VP of Marketing, MIke WInton. Neon of course is one of the hottest distribution companies around, known for their astute acquisitions and eye catching marketing. And they have caught the eye in recent years not just with their cool campaigns (which Mike masterminds). At a time when the challenges faced by independent distribution have been well documented, Neon have achieved notable box office success with titles like THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS, APOLLO 11. In this episode, Mike discusses Neon’s strategy and how distributors - and storytellers - can cut through in the wake of streaming and the increasingly polarised theatrical market This interview is part of the BAM Disruptors series recorded recently at the Bogotá Audiovisual Market (or BAM) which takes place there in July. BAM is the essential event for anyone serious about engaging with the Latin American market in film or tv and this episode would not have been possible without them. You can find out more about BAM at bogotama

Brian Newman is founder of Sub-genre, the leading consultancy on connecting brands and filmmakers with audiences. A hugely respected veteran of the US Independent Film industry, Brian was previously CEO of the Tribeca Film Institute and serves on the advisory board of the Camden International Film Festival. In this episode, we discuss brand funding and discover how Brian is working with major brands like Patagonia and Stripe to successfully invest in feature films. We also talk about how filmmakers can succeed in the age of super abundance and how to get noticed in the Attention Economy - and Brian reveals the most common mistake he sees being made by filmmakers. This episode was recorded live at this year's Bogotá Audiovisual Market www.bogotamarket.com. Discover more about this and other podcasts at www.futureoffilm.live

Liam Young is a speculative architect who operates in the spaces between design, fiction and futures. He is cofounder of Tomorrows Thoughts Today, an urban futures think tank, exploring the local and global implications of new technologies and Unknown Fields, a nomadic research studio that travels on expeditions to chronicle these emerging conditions as they occur on the ground. He has been acclaimed in both mainstream and architectural media, including the BBC, NBC, Wired, Guardian, Time Magazine and New Scientist, is a BAFTA nominated producer and his work has been collected by institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum and MAAS in Sydney. He has published several books including the recent Machine Landscapes: Architectures of the Post Anthropocene and has taught internationally at the Architectural Association, Princeton University and now runs the ground breaking MA in Fiction and Entertainment at Sci Arc in Los Angles. Liam's narrative approach sits between docume

Recorded live at the recent Bogotá Audio Visual Market (BAM), this conversation explores the future of production with Netflix and Annapurna Pictures with Jennie Yamaki and Kwame Parker of Netflix and VP of Annapurna, Stephen Wolf. From how Netflix plan their productions to the latest on Annapurna’s strategy, this episode also covers the future of storytelling - from AI to interactive - as well as some powerful advice for emerging storytellers. We also hear from Kwame about his experience exec-producing the 2019 Academy Award Best Picture Winner, Green Book. KWAME PARKER: Over the course of two decades, Kwame Parker has successfully developed a career working with the top talent in the film industry on numerous critically acclaimed projects, his acumen as an executive producer was recognized when GREEN BOOK won the Best Film in the most recent edition of the Academy Awards. JENNIE YAMAKI: is a production executive with experience in companies and projects ranging from new media to film, and is currently th

What is the future of distribution in an age of unprecedented content, competition and connectivity? Find answers in this special episode of Film Disruptors, recorded live at the 2019 Glasgow Film Festival where I was joined by a panel of experts: Mia Bays, Director at Large of Birds' Eye View year round agency that campaigns for gender equality in film. Ben Johnson runs Gruvi, a mediatech company that helps entertainment businesses reach and engage online audiences. Lee Shelton, responsible for all digital marketing activity across the Curzon group which is a leading boutique cinema, digital platform and distribution here in the UK. Eve Gabereau, Founder and CEO of the new female-led distribution company Modern Films. With audiences increasingly overwhelmed by a vast proliferation of content, from short form to box sets, the challenge to capture attention and engagement for films other than the biggest blockbusters is ever increasing. Yet with these changes, also comes the opportunity to target consumers w

What is the future of distribution in an age of unprecedented content, competition and connectivity? Find answers in this special episode of Film Disruptors, recorded live at the 2019 Glasgow Film Festival where I was joined by a panel of experts: Mia Bays, Director at Large of Birds' Eye View year round agency that campaigns for gender equality in film. Ben Johnson runs Gruvi, a mediatech company that helps entertainment businesses reach and engage online audiences. Lee Shelton, responsible for all digital marketing activity across the Curzon group which is a leading boutique cinema, digital platform and distribution here in the UK. Eve Gabereau, Founder and CEO of the new female-led distribution company Modern Films. With audiences increasingly overwhelmed by a vast proliferation of content, from short form to box sets, the challenge to capture attention and engagement for films other than the biggest blockbusters is ever increasing. Yet with these changes, also comes the opportunity to target consumers w

Rikke Ennis has been at the forefront of the international film business for more than two decades, most recently as CEO of the market leading Nordic sales company, Trust Nordisk. In 2018, Rikke founded REinvent Studios, a new mini-studio specialising in the packaging, sales and finance of films and television for the global market. And in 2019 Rikke has also launched a new pay-per-view digital streaming service called NutAlone. In this episode, we discuss the current international business, new financing strategies and how and why NutAlone is reimagining the business of video on demand. This episode was recorded live at the 2019 Berlin Film Festival and is brought to you in collaboration with Berlin based FilmTech Office and EFM Horizon. The FilmTech Office is a Berlin based co-working space for creatives & entrepreneurs in film, storytelling and tech. Find out more at: www.filmtechoffice.com. EFM Horizon is the conference and networking programme of the European Film Market of the Berlinale focussing