- Download Congress '19 Board Report
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- Download Schedule at a Glance
Start your trip to Japan right with a free city tour to Sensouji Temple (Asakusa) or teamLab Planets TOKYO before Congress officially opens. Learn More & Book
These exceptional city tours are generously supported by Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
Special Exhibit Zone A, 1st Floor
Dome Theatre, entrance on 6th floor
Surround yourself with stunning images at Dome Theatre screenings throughout Congress '19.
NINJABOYS: Quest for the Cosmic Front, Episode 1: Friends in the Solar System
D: Haruna Kimura, NHK, Japan
Three ninja friends from a popular Japanese anime show embark on an adventure into space and find out about the cosmos! This fun science show features spectacular space images recreated with 4K CGI using the latest astronomical data.
Dome Theater Lobby, 7th floor
Enjoy a selection of VR experiences.
Age-Old Cities VR
Ubisoft, France
Journey from Palmyra to Mosul to visit six iconic monuments. Walk through the ancient sites and feel the splendour of places that are our global duty to preserve.
The Antarctica Experience
Whitespark Productions, Australia
Experience a day in the life of Antarctic scientists as they research this mysterious continent.
Capturing the Universe
D: Takumi Hisaizumi, NHK, Japan
"I want to catch a star." A young physicist pursues his childhood dream and endeavours to reveal the unknown structures of archaeological sites using cosmic ray detectors.
Discovery Tour: Ancient Greece
Ubisoft, France
Embark on any of 30 guided tours of Ancient Greece, curated by historians and led by charismatic characters, in the educational mode of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.
Fukushima, the Evacuation Area
NHK, Japan
Some areas of Fukushima remain off limits due to radioactive contamination, but this experience gives you access to the neighbourhood, the nature and what was left behind.
Hiroshima's Dome
NHK, Japan
A survivor tells their story about the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima 74 years ago.
Inside Tumucumaque
D: Ina Krüger, Patrik de Jong, Interactive Media Foundation, Germany
Travel to Tumucumaque, in the midst of the Brazilian rainforest, to explore more than 400 hectares of virtual rainforest filled with authentic plants, exotic animals and a diverse landscape.
Move On Cycling VR, Fly Over Pompeii Ruins
D: Takumi Hisaizumi, NHK, Japan
Take a bike tour to Pompeii and enjoy an aerial view of the ancient Roman city. You choose the route and an audio guide provides historical insights.
Notre Dame VR Experience
Ubisoft, France
Discover, or rediscover, this architectural jewel that has been closed to the public since the dramatic fire of April 2019 in this virtual tour, based on the 3D model developed for the game Assassin’s Creed Unity.
We Are Stars
NSC Creative, UK
Connect life on Earth to the evolution of the universe, in this companion piece to Wednesday's Dome screening.
Saturn, 7th floor
We all know the birth of great productions begins with impassioned conversations. Pioneers on the cutting edge of some of the hottest topics in technology today share the very latest buzz in their respective fields and you’re 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 as sparks fly, thoughts run wild and the next big productions are born.
Invite only. Closed to media.
Session Producer
Maia Krall Fry, Head of Knowledge & Creative Communities, Wellcome (UK)Maia Krall Fry is an independent producer/director, having moved from fiction film into science documentaries after studying Earth Sciences. Recent independent doc commissions include shorts for BBC Four and Guardian Documentaries. These projects are produced alongside her full-time work on longform content at Windfall Films. Previous independent work, including the feature film Ebony Road, has been supported by Film 4, The Guardian, the BFI, and BBC. Targeting her experience to entertaining fiction and academia was a conscious decision to break into factual content production with the widest applicable expertise. In 2015, Maia attended WCSFP as part of the Wellcome Trust Mentoring Program for Emerging Talent. In 2016 and 2017, as session producer of The Ideas Salon. She was named as a Broadcast Magazine Hotshot in 2017.
Speaker
Kanako Harada, Associate Professor, The University of Tokyo (Japan)Kanako Harada is an Associate Professor of the Department of Bioengineering and the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Japan. She obtained her M.Sc. in Engineering from The University of Tokyo in 2001, and her Ph.D. in Engineering from Waseda University in 2007. She worked for Hitachi Ltd., Japan Association for the Advancement of Medical Equipment, and Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italy, before joining The University of Tokyo. She also served as a Program Manager for the ImPACT program of the Cabinet Office (2016 - 2019) and led more than 150 researchers and students. Her research interests include surgical robotic systems, automation of surgical robots, surgical skills assessment, patient models, virtual-reality simulators and regulatory science.
Speaker
Sean Bonner, Director, Safecast (Japan)It’s rather difficult to explain what Sean Bonner does exactly, though he’s often referred to as an entrepreneur, publisher, journalist, activist, photographer and enthusiast. He simply calls himself a misanthropologist.
Sean Bonner is co-founder and global director of Safecast, an Associate Professor at Keio University, a visiting researcher with the MIT Media Lab’s Center for Civic Media, sits on the board of CicLAvia and holds advisory/mentor roles with both the Highway 101 Incubator and Singularity University. He previously co-founded Coffee Common and Crash Space and was a founding collaborator to the multimedia art/music collective CMHHTD and Saturday Night Massacre. He has been a regular contributor to BoingBoing as well as written editorials for MAKE, Al Jazeera and others. He maintains a regular link filled newsletter and became a Shuttleworth Fellow in 2014.
The book Don’t Go Outside, a collection of Sean’s street photography from Tokyo was published in 2017. He’s been an Artist In Residence at the MuseumsQuartier in Vienna, a Hacker In Residence at Sparkfun in Colorado, and a Entrepreneur In Residence at The Groop in Los Angeles. A selected artist CV can be found here.
Over the last 10 years he’s spoken at events in Geneva, Hamburg, Berlin, Palo Alto, New York City, Austin, Vienna and others, though he’s currently taking a break from speaking.
Previously, as co-founder of Bode Media Inc, Sean helped create Metblogs, the first global network of local media sites. He built the first version of Shepard Fairey’s Obey Giant website and helped Suicide Girls create their newswire. As a designer Sean has done work for Die Antwoord and Bad Brains.
Prior to all this, Sean helped build the groundbreaking contemporary art gallery sixspace exhibiting artists such as Glen E. Friedman, Shepard Fairey, Space Invader, Coop, Chad Robertson and others. He also ran a record label and produced several records by Hot Water Music and Less Than Jake among others. He’s managed his own design firm and designed things at Playboy and Victory Records, where he was the Creative Director during the mid 90’s. Way before that he was a dishwasher.
Speaker
Mitsuaki Takemi, Project Researcher, The University of Tokyo (Japan)Mitsuaki Takemi is a project researcher at the University of Tokyo. He studies the mechanism of motor skill learning in humans using various techniques, such as behavioral experiments, brain stimulation and imaging, and computational modeling. He is currently belonging to Prof. Nozaki Lab for Human Movement Control and Learning in the Graduate School of Education. Before he joined Nozaki Lab in April 2017, he had worked at the Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance in Copenhagen for two years as a postdoc.
Speaker
Chacha Suriajaya, Associate Professor, Kyushu University (Japan)Ade Irma Suriajaya, known as Chacha, works in academia as a mathematician, a profession she never thought to exist in this world, not before making her first step out of my motherland, Indonesia. She went for college in China as an aeronautical engineering student and later ended up doing pure mathematics in Japan.
Chacha is crazy about this thing called the “zeta function”, a special but very important mathematical object. She hopes to share her excitement working on this subject. Thanks to these adventures she experienced, she became multilingual and naturally developed a deep interest in language learning. It is surely because she like talking to people.
Speaker
Bektur Ryskeldiev, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Digital Nature Group, University of Tsukuba (Japan)Bektur Ryskeldiev is a Kyrgyzstani-born multidisciplinary researcher and creative technologist, focused on spatial and social computing, human-computer interaction, immersive media, and digital art. He is currently doing his postdoc at Digital Nature Group, University of Tsukuba, where he investigates how advances in handheld and wearable technologies are changing the ways we interact and perceive each other online. His ultimate goal is to build systems and applications that reform the traditional social media interfaces towards a better form of interaction, communication, and a sense of being together.
Outside of his main work, Bektur is an educator, organizer, and content producer at ACM SIGGRAPH—world's leading society on computer graphics&mdas;as well as a creator and runner of different tech, art, and science communities around the globe, including one of the largest meetups on mechanical keyboards in Japan, first computer graphics conference in Kyrgyzstan, and one of the first AI+XR hackathons in Tokyo.
Immersive Studio, 7th floor
Experience the astonishing image and sound quality made possible with Dolby Vision™ and Dolby Atmos® audio system.
Venus, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Speaker
Marita Hübinger, Senior Commissioing Editor, ZDF/ARTE (Germany)Marita Huebinger studied german literature, bibliology and comparative linguistics from 1978 to 1985. From 1985 on she has been working for ZDF, Hessischer Rundfunk, Südwestfunk, 3sat and ARTE. Her main focus are cultural and scientific topics. She was responsible for Kulturzeit/3sat, Volle Kanne/ZDF, Lesen and Abenteuer Wissen/ZDF. Since May 2011, she has served as senior commissioning editor for science and head of ZDF department Wissen/ARTE.
Miraikan Hall, 7th floor
Britain’s top decision makers talk about one of the biggest factual markets on the planet and what they’re looking for in content.
Sponsored by ITV Studios
Session Producer
Lucie Ridout, Executive Producer, Arrow Media (UK)Lucie’s portfolio includes some of Arrow’s highest profile true crime shows including two seasons (22 hours) of Investigation Discovery’s hit summer show American Monster as series producer, and Season 5 and 6 (36 hours) of Investigation Discovery’s top show See No Evil as Executive Producer. On her science slate includes National Geographic's Rookie Moonshot: Budget Mission to the Moon, a fast turnaround, access led film following Israel’s bid to land on the moon.
Lucie was the series producer of the team creating the pioneering first season of America in Color to deliver America’s history, a decade at a time, in pure archive and then colorize it. She was also heavily involved in the BAFTA- and RTS-winning Live from Space: Lap of the Planet for Channel 4. Away from Arrow, Lucie was series producer for Season Two of National Geographic Channel’s Nazi Megastructures which is still a returnable series.
Moderator
Sara Ramsden, Creative Director, Love Productions (UK)Formerly Head of Science and Education at Channel 4, Sara was later Controller of Sky One and Head of Factual at Endemol. She is now Creative Director at Love Productions where she has just completed Who Are You Calling Fat? for BBC2.
Speaker
Jo Clinton-Davis, Controller of Factual, ITV (UK)Jo Clinton-Davis is Controller of Factual at ITV. Her commissions include 63Up, The Queen's Green Planet, Long Lost Family, Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, Paul O’Grady for the Love of Dogs, The Real Full Monty, Joanna Lumley’s Silk Road Adventure, Trevor McDonald and the Mafia, and the Crime and Punishment strand. Previously Jo was Head of Commissioning for UKTV's ten channels having been Head of Independent Commissioning at the BBC where she commissioned Masterchef, Grumpy Old Men and The Hairy Bikers. She directed and series produced Making Babies with Robert Winston and The Shop About Selfridges for BBC One, as well as directing many single films for the award-winning strands 40 Minutes and Inside Story.
Speaker
Simon Young, Commissioning Editor, History, BBC (UK)Simon Young is a Commissioning Editor in the Specialist Factual Department at the BBC, commissioning series such as A Dangerous Dynasty: The House of Assad and Rise of the Nazis, as well as feature docs such as Untouchable: The Rise and Fall of Harvey Weinstein. He has experience on both the channel and production sides for British, US and Global broadcasters. Before taking up his present position Simon worked at National Geographic and started out in independent production, making films such as the award-winning Richard III: The King in the Car Park.
Speaker
Fatima Salaria, Head of Specialist Factual, Channel 4 (UK)As Head of Specialist Factual, Fatima Salaria is responsible for History, Science, Natural History, Arts and Adventure. The department produces everything from SAS, Grayson Perry, Guy Martin and critically acclaimed single films like 100 Vaginas and Three Identical Strangers. Prior to joining Channel 4, Fatima was Commissioning Editor for Religion at the BBC. She commissioned award-winning Muslims Like Us, Abortion on Trial, We Are British Jews and The Pilgrimage, and curated the Black and British and the Partition seasons for BBC2, along with many other series and single films across BBC One, Two and Four.
Innovation Hall, 7th floor
Come experience 8K like you've never seen it before. Thanks to NHK, this is an opportunity to not just experience 8K but 8K in virtual reality!
2:00 PM, 4:00 PM
8K: Compilation film (40 min)
This showcase of NHK’s latest 8K films offers a new way of storytelling, creating the ultimate immersive viewing experience. Enjoy a sky-high view of the Tibetan Plateau in magnificently brilliant colours or dive into the crystalline waters of Mexican cenote caves. See how these ultra-high-definition images can unlock the Mayan mystery of a lost jade mask or tell the epic story of Okavango in its full aesthetic glory through the eyes of Indigenous river people.
3:00 PM, 5:00 PM
8K:VR: Aoi–Sakanaction and Tokyo Victory
The world's first content for 8K:VR theatre, Aoi–Sakanaction presents a live performance by Japanese band Sakanaction (complete with extravagant laser show) that makes it feel like the band is in front of you without the use of head-mounted display.
Created in 2016, Tokyo Victory was the world's first 8K motion ride, which takes viewers on a tour of the Tokyo skyline to the soundtrack of Southern All Stars' hit song "Tokyo Victory." Produced by NHK Enterprises and NHK Technologies, with Recochoku Labs and WONDER VISION TECHNO LABORATORY.
3:30 PM
8K:VR: Alice and the World of Sorrow
This story of a girl escaping Tokyo and the complexities of society illustrates the possibilities for immersive environments as ultra-high-definition entertainment. Created in 2018, the project was presented at Ars Electronica Festival as part of Beyond the Frame: 8K Future Projects, a joint research project between the Ars Electronica Futurelab and NHK.
3:30 PM
8K:VR: Starry Skies in the Uyuni Salt Flat
When the wind stops, the surface of the salt flat turns into a glassy mirror, reflecting the stars and the galaxy. This 8K:VR version will take you on the lake and surround you with stars from ceiling to floor.
Venus, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Saturn, 7th floor
We all know the birth of great productions begins with impassioned conversations. Pioneers on the cutting edge of some of the hottest topics in technology today share the very latest buzz in their respective fields and you’re 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 as sparks fly, thoughts run wild and the next big productions are born.
Invite only. Closed to media.
Session Producer
Maia Krall Fry, Head of Knowledge & Creative Communities, Wellcome (UK)Maia Krall Fry is an independent producer/director, having moved from fiction film into science documentaries after studying Earth Sciences. Recent independent doc commissions include shorts for BBC Four and Guardian Documentaries. These projects are produced alongside her full-time work on longform content at Windfall Films. Previous independent work, including the feature film Ebony Road, has been supported by Film 4, The Guardian, the BFI, and BBC. Targeting her experience to entertaining fiction and academia was a conscious decision to break into factual content production with the widest applicable expertise. In 2015, Maia attended WCSFP as part of the Wellcome Trust Mentoring Program for Emerging Talent. In 2016 and 2017, as session producer of The Ideas Salon. She was named as a Broadcast Magazine Hotshot in 2017.
Speaker
Don Warren, Research Scientist, RIKEN (Japan)Don Warren is a research scientist with the iTHEMS program at RIKEN. He earned his Ph.D. at NC State University in 2015, and has worked in theoretical astrophysics ever since. His primary research focus is high-energy phenomena, such as cosmic rays, supernovae, and gamma-ray bursts (though he is branching out into virtual reality and virology). He lives in Tokyo with his wife, his daughter, and their collection of more than a hundred board games. He is also very passionate about American food, like Chex Mix and novelty burritos.
Speaker
Christine Houser, Assistant Professor, Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan)Dr. Christine Houser did her undergraduate at Rice University (USA) looking at the boundary between Earth’s crust and mantle. Houser’s work went deeper in graduate school at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego (USA) developing seismic data processing tools to map 3D structures from the surface to the Earth’s core-mantle boundary. As a post-doc and researcher at the University of California Santa Cruz (USA), she worked across disciplines (seismology, mineral physics, geodynamics, and geochemistry) to interpret these deep mantle structures to understand the evolution of plate tectonics. Now at the Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan), she works to apply what we know about the Earth’s interior to planetary interiors in general to constrain planet formation models and track the deep-water cycle. Her collaborations at ELSI explore the diversity of planets to inform future exoplanet observations.
Speaker
Margaret Mars Brisbin, PhD Candidate, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (Japan)Margaret Brisbin received her M.Sc. from Stony Brook University (New York) and is now a PhD candidate at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (Japan). She investigates interactions between marine microbes and how these interactions have influenced the evolution of plants and animals by using DNA and RNA sequencing paired with advanced imaging techniques. Margaret is also interested in how humans interact with marine ecosystems, especially coral reefs, on small and large scales—from altering microbial communities to building cement seawalls. A recent study she co-authored investigated the effect of terrestrial run-off during typhoons on coastal bacterial communities; run-off is exacerbated by coastal concretization. Maggi advocates for public education, engagement, and involvement in addressing marine conservation issues; she is the chapter founder and host of Nerd Nite Okinawa and is active in encouraging plastic-waste reduction.
Speaker
Rei Akaishi, Unit Leader, RIKEN Center for Brain Science (Japan)Rei Akaishi obtained his PhD from Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo. He did his post-doctoral jobs in University of Oxford, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, University of Rochester, Center for Information and Neural Networks and conducted research projects on decision making of humans and animals. He is currently a Unit Leader in RIKEN Center for Brain Science.
Uranus, 7th floor
The essential guide for all first-time attendees: what to expect from Congress and how to get the most out of it! This is your chance to meet broadcasters, producers and distributors, hear success stories from past events, and learn valuable tips, tricks and tactics for getting the most out of the next few days.
Session Producer
Clare Birks, CEO, Oxford Scientific Films (UK)Clare Birks has spent her career working in the production, co-production and distribution business. She has been running Oxford Scientific Films since 2004 transforming the business into a company with a reputation for creative excellence and innovation combined with commercial acumen. OSF’s output has increased considerably and the range of program has expanded beyond natural history to include science, history, archaeology, arts and culture, and most recently documentaries. Her experience of the international market has enabled OSF to produce award-winning high-end series such as Richard Hammond’s Miracles of Nature and Wild Weather in co-production with Terra Mater Factual Studios. Giant screen experience followed with Meerkats 3D and Pandas: The Journey Home both for National Geographic and Sky. New projects include high-end natural history series with the BBC, Terra Mater, ABC, PBS and CJ E&M Korea.
Session Producer & Moderator
Lucinda Axelsson, Executive Producer, Oxford Scientific Films (UK)Lucinda Axelsson is a multi-award winning executive producer with Oxford Scientific Films, and former BBC Commissioning Editor and BBC NHU producer. She executive produced Serengeti a pioneering wildlife-meets-drama series for Discovery and the BBC where she created the complex interwoven storylines that are it's hallmark.
As a series producer Lucinda was responsible for co-creating the Emmy Award–winning Meerkat Manor with OSF, where for the first time the dramatic narrative techniques of the soap opera were used to reveal the intricate social lives of animals.
She breathed new life in the Blue Chip landmark space with highly rated series on Brazil, Japan, New Zealand, Patagonia, Mexico, Thailand and Alaska. She commissioned highly rated shows including Spy in the Wild, Snow Chick and Pets Wild at Heart for JDP, the BAFTA-nominated Attenborough's Life that Glows, and Tribes, Predators and Me , featuring Gordon Buchanan with the NHU.
Speaker
Claudia Zenkert, Head of Science and Nature, taglicht media Film- und Fernsehproduktion GmbH (Germany)Dr. Claudia Zenkert is a multi-award-winning producer and Head of Science and Nature at taglicht media. She is responsible for the development and financing of documentary series, one-offs and formats for the German and international market. Within taglicht media’s portfolio, Claudia is mainly focused on science, natural history and the set-up and development of a new scripted department. For taglicht media, Claudia produced the award-winning Naked Mole Rat – Nature’s Weirdest Superhero (ZDF/arte, Nat Geo Channels, Smithsonian Channel) and Mystery in Yellowstone (arte, WDR, Smithsonian Channel) among others. Since the beginning of 2018, Claudia is part of the Management Board focusing on strategic development and financing.
Speaker
Paul Heaney, CEO, TCB Media Rights (UK)Paul Heaney launched TCB Media Rights in October 2012 with a mission to achieve four things: to sell and pre-sell at a high rate, to help producers co-create IP, establish a global commercial and creative network by facilitating international buyer’s briefs and to act as an agent where applicable. Heaney and his 22-strong team now work with some of the most highly regarded production companies in the business and leverage their network of co-production, broadcaster and pre-sales relationships across the globe to help them realise their programme-making ambitions. The company was acquired by the Kew Media Group in October 2017 significantly increasing Kew’s ability to broaden its distribution activity in the non-scripted arena.
With more than 300 titles in its rapidly expanding portfolio, TCB Media Rights’ works with producer-partners from around the world. Their broadcast clients include all the major factual broadcasters and platforms and their relationships span from acquisition to commission.
Paul has in-depth market intelligence and insider knowledge of what the global content industry wants and where and how it wants to watch it, all of which has contributed significantly to TCB’s content slate and corporate development. Prior to launching TCB as a one-man operation, Heaney served as President and Managing Director of Cineflix Rights, which he started in 2002. Over the next decade, he built up the business from a boutique operator into a major distributor, posting double- or triple-digit growth year-on-year. TCB has made Broadcast magazine’s peer poll of most loved distributor in the last four years and is again one of the fastest growing distributors in the UK, 5 years in a row. Prior to Cineflix, Heaney was Commercial Director at BSkyB, working with the UK broadcaster’s joint-venture channels. Before this, he served as Head of Sales at Southern Star. He also has 13 years of experience in advertising and media sales which he describes as “brutal but fun."
Speaker
Caitlin Saks, Producer, NOVA | WGBH (USA)Caitlin Saks is a producer for the science series NOVA on PBS. She is currently producing and co-hosting the digital series Polar Extremes Antarctica, as well as hosting the companion online game, the Polar Lab. Caitlin’s other climate-related production credits include co-producing NOVA's Emmy-nominated two-hour television special on climate change, Decoding the Weather Machine, and the virtual reality experience Greenland Melting. Previously, as science editor for NOVA, Caitlin developed the story content for the series, including the Emmy-nominated and Kavli Award–winning film Poisoned Water. Before joining NOVA, Caitlin worked on award-winning films for FRONTLINE, including League of Denial, The Choice 2012, and Money, Power, and Wall Street.
Speaker
Joseph Maxwell, Head of Documentaries, SBS (Australia)Joseph Maxwell is head of Documentaries for SBS, Australia. Joseph started at SBS as Commissioning Editor in January 2012. Prior to this, Joseph developed, directed and produced high end prime time documentaries for most of the major broadcasters in Britain. He also set up and ran his own production company, securing major international co-productions in France and USA. In April 2016, Joseph became Head of Documentaries at SBS.
Speaker
Fabrice Esteve, Producer, YUZU Productions (France)Fabrice Esteve is an experienced French independent producer with a strong track record in international co-productions. Since 2012, he's served as head YUZU Productions together with Christian Popp. In seven years, YUZU Productions produced more than 30 hours of documentaries, most of them in international co-productions, with broadcasters such as ARTE, France Télévisions, Smithsonian Networks, Showtime, CBC, ZDF, CCTV10, Al Jazeera Networks, RTS, RTBF, VRT, SVT, TVC, TVE, YLE, S4C, TG4, UR, RTP, Ceska Televise, and ERT.
Recent productions include Microbiota: The Fabulous Power of the Gut, Weed, Greed and Legalization, The Race to Dope, Brains in Danger, Cyborgs Among Us, Becoming Cary Grant, Free to Run (theatrical), The E-Waste Tragedy, and The Bloody Truth. Between 1994 and 2011, he worked at Tele Images, VM Group, Ampersand, Gedeon Programmes, and Docside (now Zed).
Fabrice is one of the co-founders and the current president of the French Association Science & Television gathering 53 production companies, and of the Pariscience International Film Festival.
Venus, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Miraikan Hall, 7th floor
Museums and science centres from around the world, including Japan, present their future plans and reach out to factual producers for an entirely new type of content—the museum exhibit. This is an exciting match making opportunity to collaborate. Don’t miss out!
Session Producer
Yuri Sudo, Senior Producer, NHK (Japan)Yuri is the Senior Producer of the Unit focusing on Non-linear Content Development and creating New Media Services on Emerging Media Platforms. Prior to that, he was Senior Producer to the International Co-Productions Team at NHK, with assignments as developing and coordinating various international co-production projects, many of which winning various awards and prizes. Yuri has over 20 years of directing/producing experience at the in-house production team of the network, credited for the development of nationally renowned documentary series and new history formats.
Session Producer
Yuta Tanimura, Manager of Learning and Collaboration Development Division, Miraikan - National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Japan)Yuta Tanimura studied biochemistry and engineering at Kyusyu University (1996-2002) and obtained his Master degree in Engineering. In 2002, Mr. Tanimura started to work at Miraikan – The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo, Japan, as a Science Communicator.
He was Secretary General of Japan Science Museum Association from 2014-2019. From 2015-2016, Mr. Tanimura joined the ESOF 2016 Delivery team in Manchester, UK. He then returned to Miraikan in 2016 and took the position of Manager of Learning and Collaboration Development Division, to aid in delivering the Science Center World Summit in 2017 and TICAD7 Official Pre-Event –ICREP-NTDs International Symposium in 2019.
Mr. Tanimura is active in promoting science communication and STEAM programmes in collaboration with science centres, academia, and schools.
Speaker
Maholo Uchida, Curator, Miraikan - National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Japan)Maholo Uchida started her career as a new media art curator and was appointed to Miraikan in 2002. After a year professional internship at MoMA, sent from Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs, she moved back as a . She curated several exhibitions at Miraikan which bridge art and science including collaborative projects on symbol exhibit “Geo-Cosmos” with internationally well known artists like Jeff Mills, Bjork. She also produces several projects on Japanese manufacturing culture and innovative technologies as well as Humanoid Robot area.
She also works internationally as a guest curator like “AI – More than Human” at Barbican Center, London, ""Anofuku"" at Masoin de le culture du Japon, Pairs.
Speaker
Majed Z. Samman, Head of Performing Arts, Ithra, King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Saudi Arabia)Majed Z. Samman is the Head of Performing Arts (Theatre & Cinema) at Ithra. Over the span of Majed’s career with Saudi Aramco, he has held multiple positions, including Digital Media Lead, Head of Energy Exhibit and Exhibit Technologies Supervisor. Prior to this, Majed held positions as the Head of Support at AlAhli Takaful Company, Project Manager and Technology Consultant at PTS Consulting and System Administrator at the Embassy of Portugal in Tokyo. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Computer and Information Engineering from the Nippon Institute of Technology in Japan and a diploma in Advanced Public Relation and Communication from Michigan State University. Majed is a native Arabic speaker and is fluent in both English and Japanese.
Speaker
Roei Amit, Head of Digital Productions, Réunion des Musées Nationaux Grand Palais (France)Roei Amit is head of Digital at the RMN-GP, RMN - Grand Palais, in support of the digital strategy, digital production and distribution; multimedia, digital mediation, communication and media assets.
Roei is the former head of Multimedia Publishing at INA, French Audiovisual National Institute and has a PhD in Social Science and Philosophy, EHESS; Professor for Digital and Multimedia.
Speaker
Ulrich Kernbach, Museum Director, Exhibitions and Collections, Deutsches Museum (Germany)Ulrich Kernbach studied chemistry at the Freie Universität Berlin where he received his diploma in 1991 and his Dr. rer. nat. in 1995. From 1996 to 1997, he was a postdoctoral research fellow in the Marie Curie Mobility of Researchers Programme of the European Commission at the Ecole National Supérieure de Chimie de Paris (ENSCP).
He joined the Deutsches Museum in Munich in 1997 where he was in charge of coordinating European projects and international cooperation. Since 2010, he is the Director of Exhibitions and Collections at the Deutsches Museum.
Uranus, 7th floor
Join senior executives from BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit and Science Unit for a content presentation from their diverse portfolios and networking drinks. Meet Andrew Cohen, Head of Science Unit; Jo Shinner, Executive Producer Natural History Unit; Nicola Cook, Senior Head of Development Science; Susan Aarste–Tuyn, Production Executive; and Emma Ong, Senior Manager Business Development.
Pre-registration is full. Same-day entry will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis once all members on the pre-registration list have taken their seats.
Venus, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Create Your Future, 3rd floor
Discover Your Earth, access from 3rd floor
Explore the Frontiers, 5th floor
Congress members have exclusive access to the permanent collection spaces at the Miraikan – The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation.
During this special access for Congress members, the Miraikan has generously arranged for docents at all permanent exhibitions.
Viewing Lounge, 7th floor
Stop by the Viewing Lounge for some Japanese snacks and a special Sake and Shochu tasting. Meet up with old friends and forge connections with new colleagues at this special JNTO welcome cocktail celebrating the first day of Congress 2019!
Hosted by the Japan National Tour Organization (JNTO).
Symbol Zone, 1st floor
Welcome to Congress '19! As Tokyo prepares for the 2020 Olympics, the city continues to live up to its reputation as a hub for technological advancements and community. Join friends, influencers, and fellow creators as we celebrate the love of factual at the Miraikan, the home of the impressive Geo-Cosmos (the world's first globe-like display for the visualization of live scientific data—spanning six metres in diameter and made up of more than 10 million pixels!) As we open the Congress ‘19, the Geo-Cosmos, alongside a very special sake barrel ceremony, will kick off this year's event in style.
Hosted by NHK in partnership with the Miraikan.
Special Exhibit Zone A, 1st floor
Special Exhibit Zone B, 1st floor
Host Allie Sakakibara from Discovery Japan will take us on a round-the-world tour of the hottest and most innovative programs, latest trends and exciting new formats. Along the way get ready for some surprise guests and Tokyo twists to a session unlike any other you’ve seen before.
Session Producer
Yoko Imai, Executive Producer, NHK Enterprises (Japan)Yoko joined NHK as a producer and worked in various fields including factual reality, news and magazine programs, and documentary series developed for international co-production. Later she joined the acquisition team as a buyer in charge of documentary and factual series. Recently she has been working on international collaboration projects for NHK's 4K/8K channels.
Session Producer
Takehiro Asai, Executive Producer, NHK (Japan)Takehiro Asai joined NHK’s Special Contents Development Center and produced numerous documentary programs about science and social issues. His credits include Origins of Land (a co-production with CuriosityStream), Bodypedia, The Body – Miracles of Our Inner Social Networks (a co-production with S4C, CuriosityStream, Al Arabiya Channel, Autentic, Mona Lisa/France Televisions, and NFB).
Speaker
Allie Sakakibara, Senior Manager of Product Strategy & Growth, Discovery (Japan)Allie Sakakibara is an online marketing guru based in Tokyo. She works as a Senior Manager of Product Strategy & Growth at Discovery Japan, leading the digital revolution to market the brand to a fresh, new audience. She is also the executive producer and host of Discovery's online Edutainment show Dbox on Discovery Japan's YouTube channel, which she helped grow from 10 million to 55 million total views in three months. Before joining the broadcasting business, Allie helped YouTube creators and brands build their businesses on YouTube as a partner manager at Google. When she isn't busy helping brands shine on social media, Allie enjoys using her English-Japanese skills to host events as a bilingual MC.
Coffee and tea available in Special Exhibit Zone A.
Sponsored by TI ComNet
Neptune, 7th floor
Japan has an impressive reputation for leading the development of new ways to experience content. Come see the creativity, innovation and ingenuity for yourself.
Diorama Stadium, a cloud-based AR platform
Fuji Television Network, Japan
This cloud-based advanced modeling platform for watching live sports with augmented reality combines video telecasts and internet technologies to allow you to choose your favourite viewing angles.
Integral 3D Video with Eye-Tracking System
NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories, Japan
From the latest research by the NHK Science and Technology Research Laboratories, this integral 3D display with eye-tracking system makes it possible to view natural 3D images without using special glasses..
Haptic Interfaces for Physically Experiencing Sports Games
NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories, Japan
Come play volleyball, not just visually but physically. This sensory system uses haptic interfaces so you experience vibrations that reflect the impact and timing of hitting the ball.
Immersive Studio, 7th floor
Experience the astonishing image and sound quality made possible with Dolby Vision™ and Dolby Atmos® audio system.
Mercury, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Dome Theatre, entrance on 6th floor
Surround yourself with stunning images at Dome Theatre screenings throughout Congress '19.
Mars 1001
P: Robin Sip and Mirage3D, with Evans & Sutherland Corporation
Space reporter Miles O’Brien guides you through the first human mission to Mars—a daring 1000-day mission to fly an international crew to the red planet and return them safely to Earth.
Immersive Studio, 7th floor
King Tutankhamen’s tomb awaits your visit. Wear the headset, walk around the room scaled as large as the actual tomb in Egypt, and discover the details of the artifacts. Produced by NHK, Japan.
Miraikan Hall, 7th floor
In a lively and entertaining new format, teams of high-profile panelists representing broadcasters, digital platforms and producers will reveal and defend the ideas, content and technology that they believe will create the biggest industry and production trends for 2020 and beyond.
Scrutinized by rival teams, the audience, and moderator/inquisitor-in-chief Sam Barcroft, who will come up with the most accurate insights and which ideas will be consigned to the Betamax bin of doom? We’ll get it all on the record and find out at next year’s Congress!
Sponsored by Underknown.
Session Producer
Dan Kendall, Creative Director, Windfall Films (UK)Dan Kendall has a reputation for delivering award-winning, high impact, television for global audiences. Since joining Windfall Films in 2016, he has been a key figure in the company’s creative growth – helping devise and produce hit returnable formats for the US and international markets, series and singles for the BBC and Channel 4 in the UK, and Windfall’s first ever project for an IMAX feature.
With over 20 years production experience, his track record features awards and ratings success across many genres; from History Channel’s Emmy-nominated drama based “mega-documentary” Mankind: The Story of All of Us, CBC’s Lost Secrets of the Pyramid (winner: Canadian Screen Award), Channel 4’s headline grabbing live events Surgery Live (winner: Broadcast Digital Award, nominated Banff Rockie Award), Drugs Live: Cannabis on Trial (winner: AIB Science Award) to BBC Two’s history of the Web, The Virtual Revolution (winner: International Digital EMMY, BAFTA New Media Award).
Speaker
Jo Clinton-Davis, Controller of Factual, ITV (UK)Jo Clinton-Davis is Controller of Factual at ITV. Her commissions include 63Up, The Queen's Green Planet, Long Lost Family, Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, Paul O’Grady for the Love of Dogs, The Real Full Monty, Joanna Lumley’s Silk Road Adventure, Trevor McDonald and the Mafia, and the Crime and Punishment strand. Previously Jo was Head of Commissioning for UKTV's ten channels having been Head of Independent Commissioning at the BBC where she commissioned Masterchef, Grumpy Old Men and The Hairy Bikers. She directed and series produced Making Babies with Robert Winston and The Shop About Selfridges for BBC One, as well as directing many single films for the award-winning strands 40 Minutes and Inside Story.
Speaker
Carolyn Payne, Commissioning Editor, National Geographic (UK)Carolyn Payne is a Commissioning Editor for National Geographic, working across both development and production. Since the launch of Nat Geo’s 2.0 “fewer, bigger, better” commissioning strategy, Carolyn has developed, commissioned, and executive produced major premium factual series, most notably the Emmy-winning Inside North Korea’s Dynasty and Dian Fossey: Secrets in the Mist.
Carolyn scaled up the Drain the Oceans franchise, transforming it from a series of successful singles to a ten part returning series that continues to rate highly around the world. Other global hit shows Carolyn has developed and produced include Ultimate Survival WWII, Primal Survivor, Lost Treasures of the Maya Snake Kings, Viking Warrior Women and Fiennes Return to the Nile.
Carolyn has commissioned a number of timely space singles such as Rookie Moonshot, Comet Catcher: The Rosetta Landing, Mission to the Sun, and Mission Pluto.
Prior to working for Nat Geo, Carolyn was a freelance producer, making award-winning shows, such as the Children’s BAFTA-winning Operation Ouch and Election, BBC’s World’s Strictest Parents, and Nat Geo’s The Witch Doctor Will See You Now.
Speaker
Kevin Lieber, Producer, Vsauce (USA)Kevin Lieber is host and producer of the educational YouTube channel Vsauce2. Reaching over 4 million subscribers, Kevin explores recreational mathematics including, paradoxes, math games, riddles and more to uncover the surprising complexity beneath seemingly simple concepts.
Speaker
Kohta Asakura, YouTube Originals Regional Lead, Head of Development, APAC, YouTubeSince its expansion into international markets three years ago, Kohta has managed and led development for YouTube Originals in Asia-Pacific. He has overseen releases across multiple verticals and genres, from scripted features with Japan's biggest Creators (STALKING VAMPIRE), collaborative music specials with Marvel Comics and Disney (RE:IMAGINE) and global hit music series (BTS: BURN THE STAGE). Before leading Originals in APAC, he was the APAC regional lead for the Creator Lab at the YouTube Spaces. Prior to joining Google, Kohta was a director based in NYC, where he was born and raised.
Speaker
Fatima Salaria, Head of Specialist Factual, Channel 4 (UK)As Head of Specialist Factual, Fatima Salaria is responsible for History, Science, Natural History, Arts and Adventure. The department produces everything from SAS, Grayson Perry, Guy Martin and critically acclaimed single films like 100 Vaginas and Three Identical Strangers. Prior to joining Channel 4, Fatima was Commissioning Editor for Religion at the BBC. She commissioned award-winning Muslims Like Us, Abortion on Trial, We Are British Jews and The Pilgrimage, and curated the Black and British and the Partition seasons for BBC2, along with many other series and single films across BBC One, Two and Four.
Speaker
Deborah Papiernik, SVP New Business & Strategic Alliances, Ubisoft (France)With a passion for creating bridges between different worlds, Deborah is in charge of bringing into play Ubisoft’s brands and expertise beyond video games, including Live Entertainment and VR experiences. An appreciated deal maker and inspiring leader, she also develops strategic and technology alliances with companies from other industries looking for Ubisoft’s broad range of expertise, ranging from automobile or architecture to health and cultural institutions.
A graduate from ESCP Business School (Paris) and Drexel LeBow MBA (Philadelphia), Deborah joined Ubisoft in 1997 as a Marketing Manager. She then headed up Emea Business Development for 10 years before becoming Managing Director of Ubisoft Partners, supervising third parties game development, for 5 years. She created the New Business department in 2015 and has been leading its expansion since then.
Saturn, 7th floor
The entire world watched in horror as one of France’s greatest landmarks was almost destroyed by fire. We’ll explore how several documentaries are using very different techniques—from incredible motion capture technology to exclusive access and docu-drama—to tell the story of Notre Dame’s historic construction, its brush with disaster and the efforts to rebuild and restore.
Session Producer
Fabrice Esteve, Producer, YUZU Productions (France)Fabrice Esteve is an experienced French independent producer with a strong track record in international co-productions. Since 2012, he's served as head YUZU Productions together with Christian Popp. In seven years, YUZU Productions produced more than 30 hours of documentaries, most of them in international co-productions, with broadcasters such as ARTE, France Télévisions, Smithsonian Networks, Showtime, CBC, ZDF, CCTV10, Al Jazeera Networks, RTS, RTBF, VRT, SVT, TVC, TVE, YLE, S4C, TG4, UR, RTP, Ceska Televise, and ERT.
Recent productions include Microbiota: The Fabulous Power of the Gut, Weed, Greed and Legalization, The Race to Dope, Brains in Danger, Cyborgs Among Us, Becoming Cary Grant, Free to Run (theatrical), The E-Waste Tragedy, and The Bloody Truth. Between 1994 and 2011, he worked at Tele Images, VM Group, Ampersand, Gedeon Programmes, and Docside (now Zed).
Fabrice is one of the co-founders and the current president of the French Association Science & Television gathering 53 production companies, and of the Pariscience International Film Festival.
Speaker
Catherine Alvaresse, Head of Documentaries, France Télévisions (France)Since January 2019, Catherine Alvaresse has been head of documentaries for France Télévisions Group. Previously, she served as head of documentaries and cultural magazines of France 2, from 2016 to 2019, and as the deputy director of Specialist Factual Department at ARTE France from 2011 to 2016. She served as a deputy managing director at Europe Images International from 2007 to 2011, director of International Co-productions for Boreales from 2006 to 2007, and director of Acquisitions and International Co-productions at Tele Images International from 2004 to 2006. She is an award-winning international distributor and co-producer of factual programming.
Speaker
Stéphane Millière, CEO, Gedeon Media (France)Stéphane Millière is an author, producer and CEO of Gedeon Media Group including five production and one distribution companies: Gedeon Programmes, MC4, Docland Yard, Biloba Films, Terranoa International. With more than 2000 documentaries for TV, and 20 features docs, Gedeon Media Group is one of the leading French producers in the fields of History, Science, Nature, Art & Culture films with over 400 awards from international film festivals.
Uranus, 7th floor
Experienced 8K producers will discuss the unique opportunities and challenges of this impressive format, show the power of the imagery and share practical tips on how post-production can be just as affordable, easy and quick as 2K.
Session Producer
Yuri Sudo, Senior Producer, NHK (Japan)Yuri is the Senior Producer of the Unit focusing on Non-linear Content Development and creating New Media Services on Emerging Media Platforms. Prior to that, he was Senior Producer to the International Co-Productions Team at NHK, with assignments as developing and coordinating various international co-production projects, many of which winning various awards and prizes. Yuri has over 20 years of directing/producing experience at the in-house production team of the network, credited for the development of nationally renowned documentary series and new history formats.
Moderator
Shin Yasuda, Senior Producer, NHK (Japan)From documentaries to youth programs, Shin produces various content with international filmmakers and broadcasters.
Speaker
Atsushi Murayama, Chief of Secretariat for 8K Production, NHK (Japan)Atsushi Murayama has been working on cultural and educational programs since joining NHK in 1990. His early standout work included the flagship "NHK Special" documentary series, the human-focused documentary series Ningen Document (Human Documentary), and the educational series ETV Special. He served as senior producer on art and history programs. In October 2017, NHK newly established the Secretariat for 8K Production. He has since been involved with 8K production on a daily basis.
Speaker
Takeshi Shibasaki, Senior Producer, Science Programs Division, NHK (Japan)Since Takeshi Shibasaki joined NHK in 1997 he has worked on programs about science, nature and the environment. As a highly experienced mountain climber, he has put his outdoor experience to good use when researching and shooting the Arctic Ocean, the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, alpine glaciers and other places where the environment is changing. His directing and producing credits include 3D Planet Live, Total Solar Eclipse, Crumbling Earth, Deep-Sea Exploration: Tracing the Birth of Life and The Sea of Zipang, as well as award-winning The Arctic Circle, which was co-produced by NHK, Telepool GmbH and National Film Board of Canada, in association with Discovery Channel Canada, and Peabody Award–winning Surviving the Tsunami. Shibasaki is now the editor of the weekly science program Cosmic Front, actively making use of 4K/8K and VR technology encompassing planetarium and game use. He is also in charge of the 4K-UHD Live Transmission from Antarctica.
Speaker
Takumi Hisaizumi, , Ride Inc. (Japan)From the start of career, Hisaizumi has been focusing on producing scientific and historical programs such as ScanPyramids and other interdisciplinary projects.
Dome Theater Lobby, 7th floor
Enjoy a selection of VR experiences.
Age-Old Cities VR
Ubisoft, France
Journey from Palmyra to Mosul to visit six iconic monuments. Walk through the ancient sites and feel the splendour of places that are our global duty to preserve.
The Antarctica Experience
Whitespark Productions, Australia
Experience a day in the life of Antarctic scientists as they research this mysterious continent.
Capturing the Universe
D: Takumi Hisaizumi, NHK, Japan
"I want to catch a star." A young physicist pursues his childhood dream and endeavours to reveal the unknown structures of archaeological sites using cosmic ray detectors.
Discovery Tour: Ancient Greece
Ubisoft, France
Embark on any of 30 guided tours of Ancient Greece, curated by historians and led by charismatic characters, in the educational mode of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.
Fukushima, the Evacuation Area
NHK, Japan
Some areas of Fukushima remain off limits due to radioactive contamination, but this experience gives you access to the neighbourhood, the nature and what was left behind.
Hiroshima's Dome
NHK, Japan
A survivor tells their story about the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima 74 years ago.
Inside Tumucumaque
D: Ina Krüger, Patrik de Jong, Interactive Media Foundation, Germany
Travel to Tumucumaque, in the midst of the Brazilian rainforest, to explore more than 400 hectares of virtual rainforest filled with authentic plants, exotic animals and a diverse landscape.
Move On Cycling VR, Fly Over Pompeii Ruins
D: Takumi Hisaizumi, NHK, Japan
Take a bike tour to Pompeii and enjoy an aerial view of the ancient Roman city. You choose the route and an audio guide provides historical insights.
Notre Dame VR Experience
Ubisoft, France
Discover, or rediscover, this architectural jewel that has been closed to the public since the dramatic fire of April 2019 in this virtual tour, based on the 3D model developed for the game Assassin’s Creed Unity.
We Are Stars
NSC Creative, UK
Connect life on Earth to the evolution of the universe, in this companion piece to Wednesday's Dome screening.
Innovation Hall, 7th floor
Come experience 8K like you've never seen it before. Thanks to NHK, this is an opportunity to not just experience 8K but 8K in virtual reality!
2:00 PM
8K: Compilation film (40 min)
This showcase of NHK’s latest 8K films offers a new way of storytelling, creating the ultimate immersive viewing experience. Enjoy a sky-high view of the Tibetan Plateau in magnificently brilliant colours or dive into the crystalline waters of Mexican cenote caves. See how these ultra-high-definition images can unlock the Mayan mystery of a lost jade mask or tell the epic story of Okavango in its full aesthetic glory through the eyes of Indigenous river people.
12:30-1:00 PM, 1:15-1:30 PM, 4:00-4:30 PM
8K:VR: Aoi–Sakanaction and Tokyo Victory
The world's first content for 8K:VR theatre, Aoi–Sakanaction presents a live performance by Japanese band Sakanaction (complete with extravagant laser show) that makes it feel like the band is in front of you without the use of head-mounted display.
Created in 2016, Tokyo Victory was the world's first 8K motion ride, which takes viewers on a tour of the Tokyo skyline to the soundtrack of Southern All Stars' hit song "Tokyo Victory." Produced by NHK Enterprises and NHK Technologies, with Recochoku Labs and WONDER VISION TECHNO LABORATORY.
11:30 AM-12:15 PM, 3:00-3:45 PM
8K:VR: Alice and the World of Sorrow
This story of a girl escaping Tokyo and the complexities of society illustrates the possibilities for immersive environments as ultra-high-definition entertainment. Created in 2018, the project was presented at Ars Electronica Festival as part of Beyond the Frame: 8K Future Projects, a joint research project between the Ars Electronica Futurelab and NHK.
11:30 AM-12:15 PM, 3:00-3:45 PM
8K:VR: Starry Skies in the Uyuni Salt Flat
When the wind stops, the surface of the salt flat turns into a glassy mirror, reflecting the stars and the galaxy. This 8K:VR version will take you on the lake and surround you with stars from ceiling to floor.
Dome Theatre, entrance on 6th floor
Surround yourself with stunning images at Dome Theatre screenings throughout Congress '19.
Cosmic Front, Episode 2: Time Travel
D: Pascal Roulin, NHK, Japan
All aboard on our spacecraft. Join our time travel. Fantasy? Yes and no. If we were able to control time and space, we may be able to travel beyond them.
Special Exhibit Zone B, 1st floor
Jupiter, 7th floor
Discover the true beauty of Taiwan. In this micro-meeting, the awarded producers and scientists will present astounding films about Taiwan’s entomology, soil science, agriculture, indigenous tribes, food, environment, risks, advanced technology, and so much more. The programs all demonstrate a solid science basis and fascinating cultural wisdom.
Pre-registration is full. Same-day entry will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis once all members on the pre-registration list have taken their seats.
Venus, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Speaker
Stephanie Sun, International Producer, Tencent (China)Since 2014, Stephanie Sun has been responsible for content acquisition and was the main lead on co-production with Tencent Penguin Pictures and BBC Studios on Planet Earth II, Blue Planets, Dynasty and Seven Worlds, One Planet. She co-produced with ITV on The Cute Ones, and has collaborate with NHK on 72 Hours format since 2018.
Mercury, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Speaker
Simon Young, Commissioning Editor, History, BBC (UK)Simon Young is a Commissioning Editor in the Specialist Factual Department at the BBC, commissioning series such as A Dangerous Dynasty: The House of Assad and Rise of the Nazis, as well as feature docs such as Untouchable: The Rise and Fall of Harvey Weinstein. He has experience on both the channel and production sides for British, US and Global broadcasters. Before taking up his present position Simon worked at National Geographic and started out in independent production, making films such as the award-winning Richard III: The King in the Car Park.
Dome Theatre, entrance on 6th floor
Surround yourself with stunning images at Dome Theatre screenings throughout Congress '19.
Cosmic Front, Episode 3: The Search for Dark Matter
D: Kentaro Tamura, NHK, Japan
What exactly is dark matter? Investigate the big question by looking at the latest research and theories. The universe is full of marvels.
Venus, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Mercury, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Closed to media.
Speaker
Kohta Asakura, YouTube Originals Regional Lead, Head of Development, APAC, YouTubeSince its expansion into international markets three years ago, Kohta has managed and led development for YouTube Originals in Asia-Pacific. He has overseen releases across multiple verticals and genres, from scripted features with Japan's biggest Creators (STALKING VAMPIRE), collaborative music specials with Marvel Comics and Disney (RE:IMAGINE) and global hit music series (BTS: BURN THE STAGE). Before leading Originals in APAC, he was the APAC regional lead for the Creator Lab at the YouTube Spaces. Prior to joining Google, Kohta was a director based in NYC, where he was born and raised.
Uranus, 7th floor
Called "eye-popping" and "essential viewing," the award-winning feature documentary Human Nature explores some of the biggest controversies surrounding genetic engineering and the revolutionary technology known as CRISPR. The story of the film’s production is just as fascinating. Hear how a filmmaker with no science background and a PhD cell biologist with no filmmaking experience worked side by side with the aim of revolutionizing how science programs are made.
Session Producer
Adam Bolt, Filmmaker, Wonder Collaborative (USA)Adam Bolt is an Emmy-winning documentarian who believes film can tell complex stories to wide audiences. His latest work, Human Nature, explores the science and ethics of CRISPR, a revolutionary gene editing technology. Adam also edited and co-wrote the Oscar-winning documentary Inside Job, about the 2008 financial crisis, and was a senior producer, editor, and writer on Showtime’s award-winning climate change series Years of Living Dangerously. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, where he also serves as director of The Edit Center, an innovative filmmaking school that fosters collaboration between editing students and up-and-coming independent filmmakers.
Session Producer
Sarah Goodwin, Executive Director, Wonder Collaborative (USA)Sarah Goodwin is a leader in science communication, training, and education. As the founding executive director of iBiology, she has worked with hundreds of scientists from around the world to help communicate their research and interests to a diverse and growing global audience. She also helped pioneer innovative online courses for the professional development and training of young scientists. Sarah served as producer and chief science advisor of the upcoming documentary about genome editing, Human Nature. Sarah received her PhD in Cell Biology from the University of California, San Francisco.
Speaker
Elliot Kirschner, Executive Producer, Wonder Collaborative (USA)Elliot Kirschner is a New York Times best-selling author and Emmy-award winning news and documentary producer with a passion for science storytelling. He is a producer and executive producer on the gene editing documentary Human Nature and was supervising producer on the science film The Most Unknown. Elliot started at CBS News, as a producer for 60 Minutes, Sunday Morning and the Evening News. His longtime collaboration with journalism icon Dan Rather has led to numerous news reports and short films about science.
Saturn, 7th floor
You’ve got great ideas. Now what? There are more digital platforms than ever before, but the landscape can seem cluttered and confusing. We’ll sort through the muddle and explore the opportunities and the pitfalls to create premium content with the help of successful producers and input from the digital platforms themselves.
Session Producer & Moderator
Alex Hryniewicz, Head of Owned Channels, Little Dot Studios (UK)Alex is Head of Owned Channels at Little Dot Studios, a next generation broadcaster and producer. Alex looks after a department of over 20 channel brands, including Real Stories, a premium documentary channel, and Timeline, a specialist history channel. They all broadcast on YouTube, Facebook Watch, IGTV, Snapchat, Amazon and Roku—reaching millions of viewers every day. As part of this role Alex acquires and commissions documentary and factual content from international producers and distributors.
Speaker
Mariko Ide, Producer, Yahoo! Japan (Japan)Mariko Ide is a content producer based in Tokyo for short documentary films at Yahoo! JAPAN’s CREATORS Program, an original digital platform launched in 2018, with the mission to deliver stories that triggers the audience to take action in their everyday lives. With a background as an editor for documentary films, she hopes to help build a creator-first environment as a platform, aiming to find new form of documentary storytelling.
Speaker
Danielle Steinberg, Digital Lead, Content and Strategy, PBS NATURE (USA)Danielle Steinberg is currently the digital lead for PBS NATURE. She was a founding member of PBS Digital Studios, PBS' original digital network of educational series, where she began her career before moving to National Geographic, also contributing to Nat Geo's first digital series. Before NATURE, she built the video team and strategy for Gizmodo and its environmental vertical, Earther. Danielle hopes to continue creating educational and entertaining content with a focus on science, conservation, exploration, wildlife, and the environment.
Speaker
Steve Hulford, Co-Founder & CEO, Underknown (Canada)The Publisher at Underknown. Our channel “What If” is the #1 Science video channel in the world on social media. We are building a content franchise around the webseries with TV, podcast, international channels, events, products and we are looking to bring three TV shows to market.
Miraikan Hall, 7th floor
Preparing the public for devastating natural events, such as earthquakes, hurricanes and wildfires, and communicating during emergencies is at the heart of every public broadcaster’s mandate. But when does an inconvenient truth go from saving lives to causing mass panic?
In the same week that NHK releases its most ambitious docu-drama ever on the impact of a massive earthquake, we’ll explore how to leverage media to tell stories of impending disaster and strike a responsible balance.
Session Producer
Takahiro Hamano, Senior Producer, NHK (Japan)In 1990, Takahiro enters NHK as a documentary director. After the Fukushima disaster, he has co-produced programs related to the issue, such as Spaceship Earth and David Suzuki: Journey to the Disaster Zone. He also co-produced My Atomic Aunt. In 2015, Hot Docs recognized Takahiro with their Doc Mogul Award, given to recognize his essential contribution to the creative vitality of the documentary industry.
Speaker
Kay Siering, Managing Director and Producer, SPIEGEL TV (Germany)Kay Siering is Managing Director of SPIEGEL TV. Siering studied political science, history, and journalism at the University of Hamburg and Harvard University in the USA. From 2003 to 2014, he produced reports and documentaries for SPIEGEL TV. He subsequently served as Deputy Chief Editor of the production company through the end of 2018 before being appointed Managing Director of SPIEGEL TV in January 2019. As producer, he is responsible for the production of series and documentaries for both public and private television broadcasters in Germany as well as for international co-productions. Since November 2010, Siering has been a regular stand-in moderator for Maria Gresz on SPIEGEL TV (RTL).
Speaker
Minori Takao, NHK World News Anchor, NHK (Japan)Minori Takao lived in England and in Egypt during her childhood. While studying international relations at International Christian University, she started working as a freelance reporter, radio MC, and translator in 1995. Her first news anchoring experience came in 1998, and she has since continued that career.
Currently, she is the main anchor of NHK World’s daily news program, NHK Newsline. She also became an NHK employee, and has produce numerous features and documentaries about Japan and other Asian countries, covering everything from politics, economics, culture, and entertainment.
Most notably, she has spent much time reporting on the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and its aftermath. She also covered the 2016 US presidential election and reported live hour after hour from New York the incoming results to viewers around the world.
Dome Theatre, entrance on 6th floor
Surround yourself with stunning images at Dome Theatre screenings throughout Congress '19.
Whale Superhighway
D: Julia Redwood, Prospero Productions, Australia
Follow humpback whales on their migration from the top of western Australia to Antarctica and back again—one of the longest migrations on the planet.
Coffee and tea available in Special Exhibit Zone A.
Saturn, 7th floor
Executives from some of China’s leading media organizations will tell you everything you need to know about international co-production opportunities as we look at some of the country’s best documentaries from the past year with the help of FreshPitch, an international documentary forum held annually in Suzhou Province.
Session Producer
Long Xiao, Co-Founder, FreshPitch Factual Content Conference (China)Xiao Long is an independent producer for documentary and factual content, and a curator for documentary film festivals and events. He is the producer or co-producer of the feature-length documentaries of Daughter of Shanghai (2018) and The Champion of the Nature (2017). He is also the co-producer of TV series of the Golf Course of Britain and Ireland (2019), The Great Barrier Reef Wild Life (2019), the Golden Ribbon Short Documentary Initiative in 2018 with ABU and CITVC and more.
Xiao Long is the Co-founder and Director of FreshPitch (www.freshpitch.net), a factual content conference in Suzhou city of China since 2016; the Co-founder and Permanent Secretory of Beijing International Film Festival Documentary Sector (BJIFF DOC) since 2014; the Experts and Writer of Study Report of The Development of Chinese Documentary since 2015; the Founder and Host of Wenjin Documentary Screening in National Library Arts Center since 2017, etc.
Speaker
Stephanie Sun, International Producer, Tencent (China)Since 2014, Stephanie Sun has been responsible for content acquisition and was the main lead on co-production with Tencent Penguin Pictures and BBC Studios on Planet Earth II, Blue Planets, Dynasty and Seven Worlds, One Planet. She co-produced with ITV on The Cute Ones, and has collaborate with NHK on 72 Hours format since 2018.
Speaker
Bo Zhang, Head of International Co-production, bilibili (ChinaBo Zhang, commissioning editor and documentary producer, focuses on co-financing and co-producing international factual content for bilibili.com, a swiss-knife like online platform for Chinese young generations. For the past nine years, Bo Zhang has produced China-themed documentaries for top-notch broadcasters like Discovery, NatGeo, NHK, History Channel, CCTV-Documentary Channel and France TV, with world-renowned production houses like NHNZ, Beach House, IFA, Brian Leith Productions and Roast Beef Productions.
Speaker
Yuanyuan Wang, Head of Film & TV Division, CICC (China)Wang Yuanyuan is the creative director and head of productions of China Intercontinental Communication Center. Wang Yuanyuan has co-produced and co-EPed over 200 hours of high quality factual programs for global audience. Her recent works are China: Time of Xi (Discovery), How China Works (Discovery) and China from Above (NGC).
Speaker
Yuqi Ning, Director of Factual Content, iQiyi (China)NING Yuqi, is director of factual content at of IQIYI. His career includes Alibaba culture, YOUKU; Guangzhou International Documentary Film Festival; Rare Media Production. Productions include the documentary Cities of Tomorrow, a 3x52’ with Arte France and distributed by ZED; and feature films Luna, 1x90’ in 4K, with Canal+, and Camera Lucida.
Dome Theatre, entrance on 6th floor
Immerse yourself in the latest technology at the Miraikan's dome theatre and find out from international experts how to produce stunning programming for one of the fastest growing new big-screen platforms.
Speaker
Kazunari Nonobe, Program Director, NHK Science (Japan)Since joining NHK in 2003, Kazunari Nonobe has been pursuing his profession in the sphere of science programming. He has produced a number of science-related programmes, including nature documentaries featuring the environment of natural sites on the World Heritage List and a series of productions reporting the aftermath of Fukushima Nuclear Accident. Kazunari currently serves as a producer of the NHK's space-themed weekly program Cosmic Front, which he has had a fascination with uncovering the hidden stories of astronomical observatories around the world. Kazunari is also in the position of training young directors and producers of the in-house production team of the network, passing down his extensive skill and knowledge in science programming.
Speaker
Ryan Jackson, President & Creative Director, Full Circle Visuals Inc. (Canada)With over a decade experience capturing reality in 360-degrees, Ryan Jackson has worked for several publications and planetariums across Canada and the world. His reportage from the field has brought to life stories from Tuktoyaktuk to Cairo. Jackson has been honoured with 28 national and international awards for his photojournalism and interactive multimedia projects. Always keen to share his knowledge, he has spoken at more than a dozen conferences and taught multimedia to the next generation of aspiring photojournalists at MacEwan University. Jackson now runs Full Circle Visuals, a visual production company based in Edmonton, Alberta, focused on high resolution video for planetariums and simulation spaces.
Speaker
Satoshi Miyazaki, Dr. Sci., Professor, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (Japan)Satoshi is a professor of astronomy at National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. He joined the observatory in 1996 and since then, he has been developing astronomical instrumentations and carrying out astronomy studies using the instruments. The latest instrument that he developed as a PI is a wide field camera for 8.2 m Subaru Telescope, which they call Hyper Suprime-Cam.
Speaker
Michitaro Koike, Software Engineer, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (Japan)Michitaro is a software engineer of National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. He is developing software for astronomical instrumentations. Among them, the novel software that he created is a “hscMap” that enables browsing through massive images of Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC). The striking performance has actually changed the style of astronomy researches.
Miraikan Hall, 7th floor
The remarkable achievements of leading Japanese roboticist Hiroshi Ishiguro have made headlines around the world and led to significant progress in creating lifelike robots that can live and work with humans. He’s even created a robot in his own image. In this exclusive presentation, Professor Ishiguro will discuss his latest research and predicts how we will interact with robots in our homes of the future.
Session Producer
Naoto Kamimura, Producer, enjin productions (Japan)Naoto has over 20 years of directing/producing experience in the field of all kinds of documentary programs and films. He used to work at Highly Enterprises and Global Japan based on New York since 1996 until 2001. He is interested in psychology, praxeology, physiology, sociology and more.
Speaker
Hiroshi Ishiguro, Professor, Osaka University (Japan)Hiroshi Ishiguro received a D. Eng. in systems engineering from the Osaka University, Japan in 1991. He is currently Professor of Department of Systems Innovation in the Graduate School of Engineering Science at Osaka University (2009-) and Distinguished Professor of Osaka University (2017-). He is also visiting Director (2014-) (group leader: 2002-2013) of Hiroshi Ishiguro Laboratories at the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute and an ATR fellow. His research interests include sensor networks, interactive robotics, and android science.
Jupiter, 7th floor
French Touch – France.tv
France.tv will present their upcoming projects. Come learn about potential co-production opportunities, exciting primetime events, the evolution of editorial line at france.tv and their future plans for international co-productions.
Pre-registration is full. Same-day entry will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis once all members on the pre-registration list have taken their seats.
Special Exhibit Zone B, 1st floor
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 matchmaking and decision makers pre-select projects of interest—but they won't know who they came from until their face-to-face meeting.
Pre-registration required. Closed to media.
Dome Theatre, entrance on 6th floor
Surround yourself with stunning images at Dome Theatre screenings throughout Congress '19.
Vestige
D: Aaron Bradbury, NSC Creative, UK
This award-winning, creative documentary takes us on a journey into the mind of Lisa as she remembers her lost love, Erik, revealing the complex world of memory and grief.
Noesis
Miraikan
Contemporary artworks inspired by the laws of nature and cosmology, and visualizations of scientific and philosophical concepts scored with original music, suggest new possibilities for Dome Theatre as an art space.
Location: Happo-en, 1 Chome-1-1 Shirokanedai, Minato City, Tokyo
Join friends, colleagues, and collaborators for an evening celebrating Japanese culture at Happo-en. This exquisite garden oasis located in the heart of Tokyo showcases key elements found within traditional Japanese gardens including: exceptional architecture, art, ancient bonsai trees and ceremonial tea houses. Over the course of the evening, explore the beautiful grounds, enjoy delicious Japanese cuisine and experience the peaceful nature of this early 17th century Japanese garden and the stream that runs through it. This is an evening that you won't want to miss!
Shuttle buses depart from the Miraikan at 6:00 PM. Shuttles will begin return trips to the Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba at 9:30 PM.
Hosted by NHK in partnership with the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau
N.B. This evening social includes elements that are outdoors; please dress accordingly.
Special Exhibit Zone A, 1st Floor
Dome Theater Lobby, 7th floor
Enjoy a selection of VR experiences.
Age-Old Cities VR
Ubisoft, France
Journey from Palmyra to Mosul to visit six iconic monuments. Walk through the ancient sites and feel the splendour of places that are our global duty to preserve.
The Antarctica Experience
Whitespark Productions, Australia
Experience a day in the life of Antarctic scientists as they research this mysterious continent.
Capturing the Universe
D: Takumi Hisaizumi, NHK, Japan
"I want to catch a star." A young physicist pursues his childhood dream and endeavours to reveal the unknown structures of archaeological sites using cosmic ray detectors.
Discovery Tour: Ancient Greece
Ubisoft, France
Embark on any of 30 guided tours of Ancient Greece, curated by historians and led by charismatic characters, in the educational mode of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.
Fukushima, the Evacuation Area
NHK, Japan
Some areas of Fukushima remain off limits due to radioactive contamination, but this experience gives you access to the neighbourhood, the nature and what was left behind.
Hiroshima's Dome
NHK, Japan
A survivor tells their story about the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima 74 years ago.
Inside Tumucumaque
D: Ina Krüger, Patrik de Jong, Interactive Media Foundation, Germany
Travel to Tumucumaque, in the midst of the Brazilian rainforest, to explore more than 400 hectares of virtual rainforest filled with authentic plants, exotic animals and a diverse landscape.
Move On Cycling VR, Fly Over Pompeii Ruins
D: Takumi Hisaizumi, NHK, Japan
Take a bike tour to Pompeii and enjoy an aerial view of the ancient Roman city. You choose the route and an audio guide provides historical insights.
Notre Dame VR Experience
Ubisoft, France
Discover, or rediscover, this architectural jewel that has been closed to the public since the dramatic fire of April 2019 in this virtual tour, based on the 3D model developed for the game Assassin’s Creed Unity.
We Are Stars
NSC Creative, UK
Connect life on Earth to the evolution of the universe, in this companion piece to Wednesday's Dome screening.
Uranus, 7th floor
Italian archaeologists are tearing up the streets in ancient Pompeii. Buried under 12-feet of volcanic tuft and ash they’ve uncovered brilliant murals, mosaics and skeletons of those unfortunates who didn’t escape the eruption of Vesuvius in 79AD. Gedeon Media Group, Paris has been filming for over a year. It is destined to be another mega hit documentary.
But, are big overnight ratings enough, anymore? With all the IP that goes into our productions, is one night on broadcast all there is? This is a masterclass about Pompeii Rising and how filmmakers can amplify their big TV films into something with a long tail by reaching out to the museum exhibition world.
This is the whole story from the protracted negotiations, the year-long filming and editing. The behind-the-scenes as movie-quality reenactments are shot on sets and CGI that are based actual photogrammetry from the archaeological site. Importantly, from the outset, the production planned for the creation of an interactive exhibition in Paris where real artifacts will sit alongside AR ones and VR will allow the public to walk down the streets of Pompeii even as the pyroclastic flow is barreling down Vesuvius.
Session Producer & Moderator
Steve Burns, Founder & EP, Roller Coaster Road Productions (USA)Steve Burns is founder and EP at Roller Coaster Road Productions and continues as Special Advisor to CuriosityStream where he recently retired as Chief Content Officer.
His career spans more than 25 years from National Geographic cinematographer/ producer to senior executive positions at Discovery Networks, including GM of Science Channel, returning to National Geographic as Executive Vice President of Global Content for NGC worldwide. Before CuriosityStream, Burns was a freelance Executive Producer for WNET/ NY's long-running Secrets of the Dead series for PBS in the U.S.
He has won multiple industry awards, including two Emmys for Five Years on Mars and Spirit of the Rainforest. His teams have been nominated for two Academy Awards, won two Peabody Awards and well over 200 Emmy nominations, including dozens of wins, most recently Stephen Hawking’s Favorite Places in 2017.
Speaker
Stéphane Millière, CEO, Gedeon Media (France)Stéphane Millière is an author, producer and CEO of Gedeon Media Group including five production and one distribution companies: Gedeon Programmes, MC4, Docland Yard, Biloba Films, Terranoa International. With more than 2000 documentaries for TV, and 20 features docs, Gedeon Media Group is one of the leading French producers in the fields of History, Science, Nature, Art & Culture films with over 400 awards from international film festivals.
Saturn, 7th floor
Artificial Intelligence holds great promise for program makers. It can sort through a year’s worth of digitized video content in a few hours to uncover new treasures. But this same technology has also brought us "deepfakes" with the intent to deceive an audience through altered images and sounds. As gatekeepers of the truth, how do we stay ahead of these increasingly sophisticated scams to deceive and misinform? In a provocative and fascinating session, we look at the peril and promise of AI with case studies and examples of how the new technology is a game-changer...for better and for worse.
Session Producer
Ed Hersh, Founder & Principal, StoryCentric (USA)Ed Hersh is the founder and principal of StoryCentric, a New York‐based company that provides insight to content producers and networks on development, production and storytelling strategies as well as the evolving media marketplace.
His clients include Discovery Communications, major non-fiction production companies in the US and Canada, and WNET/PBS in New York, where serves as a senior programming consultant.
He rejoined StoryCentric in March of 2013 after nearly four years at Discovery Communications as Senior Vice President, Content Strategy for the Military Channel and before that, as Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning for Investigation Discovery.
He also spent seven years at Court TV as a programming executive at A&E, ,and 16 years at ABC News in senior production and programming positions.
He is a graduate of Syracuse University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and currently serves on the adjunct faculty of SU’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Moderator
Miles O'Brien, President, Miles OBrien Productions, LLC (USA)Miles O’Brien is a veteran, an Emmy Award–winning independent journalist who focuses on science, technology and aerospace. He is the science correspondent for the PBS NewsHour and a producer, director and writer for the PBS science documentary series NOVA. An accomplished pilot, he is an aviation analyst for CNN, where he was a staff correspondent and anchor from 1992 through 2008. At CNN, was selected to be the first journalist to fly in the space shuttle. He began his career at WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., in 1981. He worked as a reporter at television stations in St. Joseph, MO, Albany, NY, Tampa and Boston. In February of 2014, a heavy equipment case fell on his forearm while he was on assignment. Subsequent complications necessitated the amputation of his left arm. Nevertheless, he has completed two marathons, several ultra-distance bike rides, a half Ironman, and has returned to flying airplanes.
Speaker
Kay Meseberg, Head of Mission Innovation, ARTE G.E.I.E (France)Kay Meseberg studied Political Science at University of Potsdam in Germany. He worked since the end of the 90s on many award-wining digital productions. Since 2013 he is working for ARTE in Strasbourg, France. After his contribution to the world-first VR-documentary Polar Sea 360 in 2014, he is working on immersive media and other innovative forms and heading the ARTE unit dedicated to upcoming technologies called Mission Innovation. Kay is also a visiting lecturer for the Center of Collaborative Arts and Media at Yale University and Ambassador of Innovation of the IMZ, the International Center of Music and Media in Vienna, co-founded by the UNESCO.
Speaker
Sheila Hayman, Director's Fello, MIT Media Lab (UK)Sheila Hayman has written and directed dozens of documentary films around the world, for the BBC, Channel 4, ARTE, Beijing TV and others, winning a BAFTA, BAFTA/Fulbright Fellowship, Time Out Documentary Series of the Year and most recently a nomination for the Grierson Arts Documentary of the Year, the UK’s top prize. She has also been UK Young Journalist of the Year, the BAFTA/Fulbright Fellow in Los Angeles, a Hodder Headline Lead Title novelist, and is currently a Director’s Fellow of the MIT Media Lab. From the beginning a focus of her work has been the relationship between people and their technology. Her 1992 BBC/WGBH film, The Electronic Frontier introduced the world to email, the computer in your pocket, the death of Main St and DeepFakes, including their risks to political life. Her new film, Senseless, developed with the Media Lab, returns to the world of digital with a visionary and provocative debunking of the comparison between so-called "AI” and human intelligence.
Innovation Hall, 7th floor
Come experience 8K like you've never seen it before. Thanks to NHK, this is an opportunity to not just experience 8K but 8K in virtual reality!
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
8K: Compilation film (40 min)
This showcase of NHK’s latest 8K films offers a new way of storytelling, creating the ultimate immersive viewing experience. Enjoy a sky-high view of the Tibetan Plateau in magnificently brilliant colours or dive into the crystalline waters of Mexican cenote caves. See how these ultra-high-definition images can unlock the Mayan mystery of a lost jade mask or tell the epic story of Okavango in its full aesthetic glory through the eyes of Indigenous river people.
12:30-1:00 PM, 1:30-2:00 PM, 3:30-4:15 PM
8K:VR: Aoi–Sakanaction and Tokyo Victory
The world's first content for 8K:VR theatre, Aoi–Sakanaction presents a live performance by Japanese band Sakanaction (complete with extravagant laser show) that makes it feel like the band is in front of you without the use of head-mounted display.
Created in 2016, Tokyo Victory was the world's first 8K motion ride, which takes viewers on a tour of the Tokyo skyline to the soundtrack of Southern All Stars' hit song "Tokyo Victory." Produced by NHK Enterprises and NHK Technologies, with Recochoku Labs and WONDER VISION TECHNO LABORATORY.
11:30 AM-12:30 PM, 2:00-5:15 PM, 4:30-5:30 PM
8K:VR: Alice and the World of Sorrow
This story of a girl escaping Tokyo and the complexities of society illustrates the possibilities for immersive environments as ultra-high-definition entertainment. Created in 2018, the project was presented at Ars Electronica Festival as part of Beyond the Frame: 8K Future Projects, a joint research project between the Ars Electronica Futurelab and NHK.
11:30 AM-12:30 PM, 2:00-5:15 PM, 4:30-5:30 PM
8K:VR: Starry Skies in the Uyuni Salt Flat
When the wind stops, the surface of the salt flat turns into a glassy mirror, reflecting the stars and the galaxy. This 8K:VR version will take you on the lake and surround you with stars from ceiling to floor.
Miraikan Hall, 7th floor
Back by popular demand, we once again turn the tables on our top network executives as they pitch and sell their best shows to a panel of millennial YouTubers who challenge their perceptions and misconceptions. Let’s find out just how in-tune our decision makers are in appealing to what millennials might actually want to watch.
Session Producer
Judy Rymer, Producer/Director, Rymer Childs (Australia)Judy Rymer has been directing and producing drama and documentary films for the past 30 years. Her work covers a wide range of subjects concentrating on social and political history and science. Most recently she produced I Will Not Be Silenced, following an Australian woman's test case for rape through the Kenyan Courts. She is currently producing a feature length documentary on human rights, terrorism and refugees with Barrister Julian Burnside and a series on the rollercoaster of challenges faced in commercialising a scientific discovery.
Moderator
Derek Mead, Executive Editor, Vice Media (USA)Derek is a reporter, producer, and editor who's currently executive editor for VICE. Previously he was the editor-in-chief of Motherboard, including films such as The Most Unknown and Living with Jaguars. While his interests run the gamut from bikes to birds, he's mostly interested in how the media can better connect people around the world by exploring how their individual futures create our collective whole.
Speaker
Trace Dominguez, Creator/Producer, Trace Elements Media (USA)Trace Dominguez is a curiosity explorer, award-winning science communicator, on-camera host, producer, and podcaster. He’s spent a decade crafting stories that educate across all aspects of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. As a prolific writer and energetic presenter, Trace strives to inspire people to seek knowledge and share it with others. Trace is the host of Star Gazers, the world's only weekly television series on naked eye astronomy; it airs nationwide on PBS. Trace is also the founder of Seeker, a partnership with Discovery Channel, which he hosted, wrote, and produced for several years growing a global audience of millions. Today he produces Uno Dos of Trace, a short-form video series exploring diverse topics across the sciences. Trace has a B.S. in Psychology from Western Michigan University and an M.A. in Strategic Communication from American University. He lives in San Francisco with his fiancée Flavia and their cat, Carmela.
Speaker
Cathy Cat, Journalist, Host, Actress, (Japan)Trilingual Cathy Cat is originally from Munich, Germany. Cathy graduated with honors at the University of Chester in the UK. She further attained a Masters in Drama in Education in Chester and a Masters in Science Fiction studies at Liverpool University.
Cathy Cat has acted in stage plays and musicals in Germany, the UK and Japan. She held creative writing workshops, Open Mic nights and launched a Japanese culture convention in the UK before moving to Japan.
In Japan, she has appeared on several TV programs such as YOU ha nani shi ni nihon he, ZIP, Zoom in Saturday, Mezamashi TV and been a semi-regular on the TBS show TOKYO EXTRA and currently appears in Japan in Motion.
She is host of the interview and travel YouTube channel Ask Japanese, which has over 280,000 subscribers and updates her personal channel "Cathy Catカティー"
Since 2017, Cathy Cat started working as cultural reporter for the international news program NHK WORLD. Her travel section called "Cat's Eye" appeared weekly inside of NHK's NEWSROOM TOKYO and she is currently working as free reporter for the program.
Cathy is currently journalist for WOWU media tours, the brand ambassador of the travel program Tokyo Surprise, ambassador of the fashion brand Drug Honey, and the face of Harmonie Princess, a Japanese fashion makeover experience.
In 2019, she has already successfully worked with the Discovery Channel Japan, Japanese TV channels such as NHK, TSS, TBS and AMEBA, Japan Railways JR, Mitsubishi Electronics, Tokyo's Toei Transportation, Trip Advisor, Morinaga sweets and a variety of other TV shows and international brands. She has been invited to perform and model at conventions in the USA, Taiwan and Thailand.
Speaker
Carolyn Payne, Commissioning Editor, National Geographic (UK)Carolyn Payne is a Commissioning Editor for National Geographic, working across both development and production. Since the launch of Nat Geo’s 2.0 “fewer, bigger, better” commissioning strategy, Carolyn has developed, commissioned, and executive produced major premium factual series, most notably the Emmy-winning Inside North Korea’s Dynasty and Dian Fossey: Secrets in the Mist.
Carolyn scaled up the Drain the Oceans franchise, transforming it from a series of successful singles to a ten part returning series that continues to rate highly around the world. Other global hit shows Carolyn has developed and produced include Ultimate Survival WWII, Primal Survivor, Lost Treasures of the Maya Snake Kings, Viking Warrior Women and Fiennes Return to the Nile.
Carolyn has commissioned a number of timely space singles such as Rookie Moonshot, Comet Catcher: The Rosetta Landing, Mission to the Sun, and Mission Pluto.
Prior to working for Nat Geo, Carolyn was a freelance producer, making award-winning shows, such as the Children’s BAFTA-winning Operation Ouch and Election, BBC’s World’s Strictest Parents, and Nat Geo’s The Witch Doctor Will See You Now.
Speaker
Takahiro Hamano, Senior Producer, NHK (Japan)In 1990, Takahiro enters NHK as a documentary director. After the Fukushima disaster, he has co-produced programs related to the issue, such as Spaceship Earth and David Suzuki: Journey to the Disaster Zone. He also co-produced My Atomic Aunt. In 2015, Hot Docs recognized Takahiro with their Doc Mogul Award, given to recognize his essential contribution to the creative vitality of the documentary industry.
Speaker
Jonah Weston, Commissioning Editor, Channel 4 (UK)Jonah Weston is Commissioning Editor for Science and Adventure in the Specialist Factual Department at Channel 4. Since arriving at Channel 4 eight months ago, he has overseen the highly successful reformatting of civilian SAS, and delivered the first celebrity version of the show. As well as SAS, he has commissioned a new round of Guy Martin adventures, which see everyone’s favourite ‘bloke next door’ tackle some more dangerous stunts than ever.
Speaker
Matthew Shribman, Scientist/Environmentalist/Musician, (UK)Matthew Shribman is a scientist, environmentalist and musician. His science videos have over 25 million views online, and he has appeared on Comedy Centrel, ITV News and the BBC’s Today Programme and Blue Peter. He has given talks for the likes of TEDx London, UN Ops, The British-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce, Extinction Rebellion.
A member of 1% For The Planet and the Patagonia Change Makers Community, Matthew’s collaboration credits range from the Plastic Oceans Foundation to the French Research Institute For Development.
In 2019, Matthew organised for 1,000 trees to appear outside the UK parliament. Over 2/3 of MPs, from all parties, came to collect a tree, in the words of Ed Miliband: "I think you’ve changed the conversation."
In 2018, Matthew began the #NoBeef campaign, which is now supported by Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney, the University of Cambridge, Goldsmiths University of London, and academics around the world.
Matthew has also written and recorded music that has been supported by BBC Radio 1, The Times, The Guardian and NME. His musical stage name is Ash Lad.
Speaker
Richard Huddleston, Manager of Development, Factual, Entertainment and Partnerships, ABC (Australia)For over 20 years, Richard has worked on an extensive range of factual and entertainment programmes for the Australian, UK and Asian TV markets. Many of the series he has been associated with have won or have been nominated for major industry awards including Logie, AACTA’s, Rose D’Or, BAFTA and International Emmy. Richard joined the ABC in 2012 and executive produced numerous primetime and digital shows until 2019. In his new role as Manager of Development for Factual, Entertainment and Partnerships he leads a team responsible for nurturing and supporting ideas through the development phase of production to ensure the best possible outcomes are achieved for both the production partners and ABC audiences across all platforms.
Dome Theatre, entrance on 6th floor
Surround yourself with stunning images at Dome Theatre screenings throughout Congress '19.
Ningaloo: Australia's Other Great Reef
D: Russell Vines, Prospero Productions, Australia
Join marine scientist Anna Cresswell on a voyage through one of the world’s most complex ecosystems to witness the annual mass coral spawning: the greatest reproductive show on Earth.
Coffee and tea available in Special Exhibit Zone A.
Immersive Studio, 7th floor
King Tutankhamen’s tomb awaits your visit. Wear the headset, walk around the room scaled as large as the actual tomb in Egypt, and discover the details of the artifacts. Produced by NHK, Japan.
Neptune, 7th floor
Japan has an impressive reputation for leading the development of new ways to experience content. Come see the creativity, innovation and ingenuity for yourself.
Diorama Stadium, a cloud-based AR platform
Fuji Television Network, Japan
This cloud-based advanced modeling platform for watching live sports with augmented reality combines video telecasts and internet technologies to allow you to choose your favourite viewing angles.
Integral 3D Video with Eye-Tracking System
NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories, Japan
From the latest research by the NHK Science and Technology Research Laboratories, this integral 3D display with eye-tracking system makes it possible to view natural 3D images without using special glasses..
Haptic Interfaces for Physically Experiencing Sports Games
NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories, Japan
Come play volleyball, not just visually but physically. This sensory system uses haptic interfaces so you experience vibrations that reflect the impact and timing of hitting the ball.
Mercury, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Immersive Studio, 7th floor
Experience the astonishing image and sound quality made possible with Dolby Vision™ and Dolby Atmos® audio system.
Miraikan Hall, 7th floor
The planet is in meltdown: mass extinction, deforestation, diminishing fresh water supplies, exponential human population growth and catastrophic climate change. We’ve known about all this for 25 years or more, and yet half the world is still in denial. Decades of science programming appears to have made little difference—perhaps because it was almost impossible to get a mainstream show about the environment commissioned. Are we doing any better in 2019? Producers, bloggers and broadcasters will outline their strategies and present a selection of content aimed at persuading the wider community that the survival of the planet and human race is at stake unless we change course. Can they convince their Congress colleagues that their program or strategy is demonstrably reaching hearts and minds and effecting behaviour change?
Sponsored by PBS, PBS International and NOVA.
Session Producer
Clare Birks, CEO, Oxford Scientific Films (UK)Clare Birks has spent her career working in the production, co-production and distribution business. She has been running Oxford Scientific Films since 2004 transforming the business into a company with a reputation for creative excellence and innovation combined with commercial acumen. OSF’s output has increased considerably and the range of program has expanded beyond natural history to include science, history, archaeology, arts and culture, and most recently documentaries. Her experience of the international market has enabled OSF to produce award-winning high-end series such as Richard Hammond’s Miracles of Nature and Wild Weather in co-production with Terra Mater Factual Studios. Giant screen experience followed with Meerkats 3D and Pandas: The Journey Home both for National Geographic and Sky. New projects include high-end natural history series with the BBC, Terra Mater, ABC, PBS and CJ E&M Korea.
Session Producer & Moderator
Alison Leigh, Senior Consultant, WCSFP (Australia)Alison Leigh was Editorial Director of WCSFP for almost two decades. Under her direction the WCSFP session program acquired the reputation of being the world’s best for tracking the trends and engaging in provocative and engrossing debate around issues affecting our genre. Previously, she played a leading role in producing and commissioning science TV programs in Australia, including six years as Series Producer and then Executive Producer ABC TV Science Unit. Alison helped develop National Science Week in Australia and is a founder member and past President of the Australian Science Communicators. Along with some of her ASC colleagues, she is currently involved in a series of initiatives aimed at mobilising large numbers of institutions and individuals to align and to push for effective policies and strategies to manage the climate emergency and other environmental tipping points.
Speaker
Lee Constable, Presenter/Producer, Network 10/Freelance (Australia)Lee Constable is a presenter and producer with a focus on science, technology and society. As the host of Australian science TV show, Scope, she researches, writes, presents and produces segments on diverse STEM topics. Lee’s background is in both science and humanities with a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Science Communication. She has toured remote and regional Australia as a Questacon Science Circus presenter; founded, produced and hosted social justice and sustainability radio show SoapBox; and is the founder of Co-Lab: Science Meets Street Art, where collaborations between scientists and street artists result in science-inspired murals that evolve live for the public. This year Lee was on board the largest ever all-female expedition to Antarctica with 80 international women in STEMM. Lee filmed this adventure and is currently developing a YouTube series about the experience and the role of women in the planet’s future.
Speaker
Catherine Alvaresse, Head of Documentaries, France Télévisions (France)Since January 2019, Catherine Alvaresse has been head of documentaries for France Télévisions Group. Previously, she served as head of documentaries and cultural magazines of France 2, from 2016 to 2019, and as the deputy director of Specialist Factual Department at ARTE France from 2011 to 2016. She served as a deputy managing director at Europe Images International from 2007 to 2011, director of International Co-productions for Boreales from 2006 to 2007, and director of Acquisitions and International Co-productions at Tele Images International from 2004 to 2006. She is an award-winning international distributor and co-producer of factual programming.
Speaker
Matthew Shribman, Scientist/Environmentalist/Musician, (UK)Matthew Shribman is a scientist, environmentalist and musician. His science videos have over 25 million views online, and he has appeared on Comedy Centrel, ITV News and the BBC’s Today Programme and Blue Peter. He has given talks for the likes of TEDx London, UN Ops, The British-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce, Extinction Rebellion.
A member of 1% For The Planet and the Patagonia Change Makers Community, Matthew’s collaboration credits range from the Plastic Oceans Foundation to the French Research Institute For Development.
In 2019, Matthew organised for 1,000 trees to appear outside the UK parliament. Over 2/3 of MPs, from all parties, came to collect a tree, in the words of Ed Miliband: "I think you’ve changed the conversation."
In 2018, Matthew began the #NoBeef campaign, which is now supported by Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney, the University of Cambridge, Goldsmiths University of London, and academics around the world.
Matthew has also written and recorded music that has been supported by BBC Radio 1, The Times, The Guardian and NME. His musical stage name is Ash Lad.
Speaker
Bill Gardner, VP, Programming & Development, PBS (USA)Bill Gardner oversees content strategy, development and production for the PBS Primetime schedule in the genres of history, culture, natural history and science.
During his time at PBS, projects he commissioned or oversaw have won three Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards, a Dupont-Columbia Award, an Imagen Award, an NAACP Image Award and numerous Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and Wildscreen Awards. A specialist in assembling and managing international co-productions, projects he’s collaborated on or commissioned have also earned several BAFTA and Grierson Awards.
Before joining PBS in 2012, Gardner spent over a decade in the independent production world, working as director, producer, writer and show runner on projects for multiple global networks, with production experience in over 30 countries, including spending two months embedded with US Special Forces in Baghdad.
Bill holds a Masters Degree in cultural anthropology, speaks Arabic and has taught university courses in Arkansas and Marrakech, Morocco.
Saturn, 7th floor
With projected worldwide revenues of $150 billion this year, the interactive gaming industry has rapidly grown from a niche audience to mainstream culture and become the latest significant competitor for screen time and viewers. Take a look at how factual and educational producers are creating new forms of programming and how it’s changing the way people consume media.
Session Producer
Adam Rymer, CEO, Omnislash, Inc. (USA)Adam Rymer is the CEO of Omnislash, an emerging data platform for gamers. He was most recently President of Legendary Digital Networks where he oversaw all day-to-day business for LDN's digital media brands including Nerdist, Geek & Sundry, and Smart Girls.
Previously he was COO/CFO/Co-founder of film finance/production company, Lava Bear Films. Prior to Lava Bear, Rymer spent eight years at Universal Pictures, most recently as SVP, Digital Platforms, where he spearheaded the studio’s new business initiatives through emerging channels including mobile, interactive games and digital cinema.
He has also had strategy and business development roles at Universal Music and early internet start-ups. He began his professional career as an associate at L.E.K Consulting.
Rymer earned an MBA in finance from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and a BA in applied mathematics and economics from Harvard University. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and son.
Speaker
Caitlin Saks, Producer, NOVA | WGBH (USA)Caitlin Saks is a producer for the science series NOVA on PBS. She is currently producing and co-hosting the digital series Polar Extremes Antarctica, as well as hosting the companion online game, the Polar Lab. Caitlin’s other climate-related production credits include co-producing NOVA's Emmy-nominated two-hour television special on climate change, Decoding the Weather Machine, and the virtual reality experience Greenland Melting. Previously, as science editor for NOVA, Caitlin developed the story content for the series, including the Emmy-nominated and Kavli Award–winning film Poisoned Water. Before joining NOVA, Caitlin worked on award-winning films for FRONTLINE, including League of Denial, The Choice 2012, and Money, Power, and Wall Street.
Speaker
Ken Kawashima, Global Account Manager, JP GAMES INC. (Japan)Ken Kawashima moved to Tokyo from his native Canada at age 19, and began his career as a radio disc-jockey for major FM radio stations in the Tokyo area, including Bay-FM 78, FM NACK-5 and TV Kanagawa, where he hosted a weekly video show featuring the latest hip-hop and alternative rock acts. From 2000 onwards, he began his career in journalism, first as music editor for The Asahi Shimbun newspaper, and later as a regular contributing writer for TIME Magazine, The International Herald Tribune and The Japan Times, where he wrote on the latest cultural trends in Japan. He moved into the game industry after witnessing the huge artistic and technological advancements in video games, first working at Square Enix in 2014 as the global correspondent for the FINAL FANTASY XV franchise, headed by Hajime Tabata, and now as the Global Account Manager for Tabata’s startup JP GAMES from 2019.
Speaker
Kevin Lieber, Producer, Vsauce (USA)Kevin Lieber is host and producer of the educational YouTube channel Vsauce2. Reaching over 4 million subscribers, Kevin explores recreational mathematics including, paradoxes, math games, riddles and more to uncover the surprising complexity beneath seemingly simple concepts.
Speaker
Deborah Papiernik, SVP New Business & Strategic Alliances, Ubisoft (France)With a passion for creating bridges between different worlds, Deborah is in charge of bringing into play Ubisoft’s brands and expertise beyond video games, including Live Entertainment and VR experiences. An appreciated deal maker and inspiring leader, she also develops strategic and technology alliances with companies from other industries looking for Ubisoft’s broad range of expertise, ranging from automobile or architecture to health and cultural institutions.
A graduate from ESCP Business School (Paris) and Drexel LeBow MBA (Philadelphia), Deborah joined Ubisoft in 1997 as a Marketing Manager. She then headed up Emea Business Development for 10 years before becoming Managing Director of Ubisoft Partners, supervising third parties game development, for 5 years. She created the New Business department in 2015 and has been leading its expansion since then.
Uranus, 7th floor
How can factual storytellers benefit from an emerging movement called Constructive or Open Journalism? Find out how producers are telling stories in a new way: focusing on solutions rather than dwelling on conflict and problems—a traditional approach that’s been blamed for creating cynical consumers who feel helpless to make change. Learn how you can go from trying to mirror the world to moving it forward in this fascinating, cutting-edge session.
Moderator
Miles O'Brien, President, Miles OBrien Productions, LLC (USA)Miles O’Brien is a veteran, an Emmy Award–winning independent journalist who focuses on science, technology and aerospace. He is the science correspondent for the PBS NewsHour and a producer, director and writer for the PBS science documentary series NOVA. An accomplished pilot, he is an aviation analyst for CNN, where he was a staff correspondent and anchor from 1992 through 2008. At CNN, was selected to be the first journalist to fly in the space shuttle. He began his career at WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., in 1981. He worked as a reporter at television stations in St. Joseph, MO, Albany, NY, Tampa and Boston. In February of 2014, a heavy equipment case fell on his forearm while he was on assignment. Subsequent complications necessitated the amputation of his left arm. Nevertheless, he has completed two marathons, several ultra-distance bike rides, a half Ironman, and has returned to flying airplanes.
Speaker
Gerd Maria May, CEO, Room of Solutions (Denmark)Gerd Maria May has been working in journalism for the last 20 years. She has held positions in TV, radio, web and newspaper, as reporter, anchor and head of news. For the last ten years heading media innovation. She has worked primarily with digital transformation, local journalism and constructive journalism.
Along with a position as journalistic associated professor at University of Southern Denmark, teaching journalism.
Gerd has, for five years, held a position as head of editorial development at Jysk Fynske Medier, which is the second largest private danish media company.
Most recent Gerd received a fellowship at Constructive Institute, where she spend a year studying constructive journalism.
Today Gerd is heading big projects with constructive media development in Denmark, teaching and she has just finished writing the first danish textbook about constructive journalism.
Speaker
Kevin Newman, Journalist/Presenter, NewMan Media Ltd. (Canada)Kevin Newman is host and Executive Producer of the ground-breaking podcast Attention Control with Kevin Newman. It is the first charity-funded independent journalistic podcast in Canada, in association with McGill University in Montreal.
Kevin has a proven record of innovation in Canadian journalism. He guided the development and success of Global National as the country’s third national newscast and also the first news podcast on Apple’s iTunes. He later created the innovative Kevin Newman Live for CTV, and was Bell Media’s Digital News Evangelist. While co-anchoring World News Now at ABC News in the U.S., his newscast was the first live streamed on the internet in 1995. Kevin also served for six years on the Board of Directors for the Communitech Hub in Waterloo Ontario which is Canada’s leading start-up incubator. He has created television series and iPad content through his independent company, NewMan Media Ltd.
Kevin’s career in television journalism is exceptional in North America. He has been host and managing editor of CTV’s Investigative series W5, host and executive editor of Global National, co-host of ABC’s Good Morning America, host of CBC’s Midday, national/international correspondent for ABC's World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, Nightline with Ted Koppel, and parliamentary correspondent for CBC's The National, CTV National News and Global News. Along with his son Alex, Kevin co-authored the best selling memoir All Out. He has been awarded multiple Emmy, Gemini, Edward R. Murrow and RTDNA awards, and holds an Honourary Doctorate from Western University granted in 2011. He resides in Toronto, Canada with his wife Cathy.
Speaker
Naoki Hosoda, Senior Producer, NHK (Japan)Naoki has been serving as the senior producer of the NHK’s flagship current-affairs program Today’s Close-Up and developing new formats of investigative journalism. His latest project Open Journalism Project, which initiated and has played a leading role, aims to solve social issues through facilitating collective intelligence of the public by engaging online media and television broadcast. He is a dedicated director/producer with over 15 years' career in factual programming.
Jupiter, 7th floor
Meet the NHK producers. Get inspired by their creative production. The giveaway is their unique and wild ideas: never-before-seen artistic stories told through a new ultra sensitive 8K camera, a totally new approach to elucidate the origin of food, and an innovative documentary captured with 100 action cameras. Don't miss this opportunity for a sneak peek at what's inside the NHK producers' minds.
Pre-registration is full. Same-day entry will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis once all members on the pre-registration list have taken their seats.
Special Exhibit Zone B, 1st floor
Venus, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Speaker
Joseph Maxwell, Head of Documentaries, SBS (Australia)Joseph Maxwell is head of Documentaries for SBS, Australia. Joseph started at SBS as Commissioning Editor in January 2012. Prior to this, Joseph developed, directed and produced high end prime time documentaries for most of the major broadcasters in Britain. He also set up and ran his own production company, securing major international co-productions in France and USA. In April 2016, Joseph became Head of Documentaries at SBS.
Dome Theatre, entrance on 6th floor
Surround yourself with stunning images at Dome Theatre screenings throughout Congress '19.
We Are Stars
D: Max Crow, NSC Creative UK
What are we made of? Where did it all come from? Explore the secrets of our cosmic chemistry and our explosive origins. Narrated by Andy Serkis, We Are Stars is the world’s first science documentary designed and created for both VR headsets and immersive dome screens.
Mercury, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Speaker
Catherine Alvaresse, Head of Documentaries, France Télévisions (France)Since January 2019, Catherine Alvaresse has been head of documentaries for France Télévisions Group. Previously, she served as head of documentaries and cultural magazines of France 2, from 2016 to 2019, and as the deputy director of Specialist Factual Department at ARTE France from 2011 to 2016. She served as a deputy managing director at Europe Images International from 2007 to 2011, director of International Co-productions for Boreales from 2006 to 2007, and director of Acquisitions and International Co-productions at Tele Images International from 2004 to 2006. She is an award-winning international distributor and co-producer of factual programming.
Speaker
Caroline Behar, Head of International Coproductions & Acquisitions, France Télévisions (France)Caroline Behar is now Head of International Coproductions for the France Television Group covering France 2, France 3 and France 5 with all thematics: Science and Discovery, Natural History, History, Investigation and Currents Affairs and the Natural World. She was previously Head of Documentaries at France 5, both for French and International productions.
Venus, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Speaker
Carlyn Staudt, EVP, Love Nature Programming and Development, Love Nature/Blue Ant Media (USA)Carlyn Staudt leads the global programming strategy of Love Nature’s linear platform internationally and commissions original content to grow the brand’s extensive library of 4K natural history programming. Prior to this, Staudt held numerous roles at National Geographic. As SVP, Global Programming and Managing Director for National Geographic Channels International’s operations in Washington DC, Staudt was responsible for spearheading co-production partnerships and global acquisitions across NGCI’s suite of channels. Staudt also served as Channel Manager for Nat Geo Wild internationally, charged with increasing the network’s footprint and managing all content, both commissioned and acquired.
Saturn, 7th floor
The images that shape our understanding of history are always subject to rethinking and further interpretation. Using some of the biggest events of the late 20th century—Woodstock, the moon landing and Tiananmen—we’ll explore how memory and personal testimony take truth beyond the facts and how innovative documentary techniques impact the retelling of history.
Speaker
Simon Young, Commissioning Editor, History, BBC (UK)Simon Young is a Commissioning Editor in the Specialist Factual Department at the BBC, commissioning series such as A Dangerous Dynasty: The House of Assad and Rise of the Nazis, as well as feature docs such as Untouchable: The Rise and Fall of Harvey Weinstein. He has experience on both the channel and production sides for British, US and Global broadcasters. Before taking up his present position Simon worked at National Geographic and started out in independent production, making films such as the award-winning Richard III: The King in the Car Park.
Speaker
Bill Gardner, VP, Programming & Development, PBS (USA)Bill Gardner oversees content strategy, development and production for the PBS Primetime schedule in the genres of history, culture, natural history and science.
During his time at PBS, projects he commissioned or oversaw have won three Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards, a Dupont-Columbia Award, an Imagen Award, an NAACP Image Award and numerous Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and Wildscreen Awards. A specialist in assembling and managing international co-productions, projects he’s collaborated on or commissioned have also earned several BAFTA and Grierson Awards.
Before joining PBS in 2012, Gardner spent over a decade in the independent production world, working as director, producer, writer and show runner on projects for multiple global networks, with production experience in over 30 countries, including spending two months embedded with US Special Forces in Baghdad.
Bill holds a Masters Degree in cultural anthropology, speaks Arabic and has taught university courses in Arkansas and Marrakech, Morocco.
Speaker
Kate Harrison, President, Cream Productions (Canada)With a penchant for bringing strong, often international, teams together, Kate is involved in all aspects of production at Cream; from development to financing, production to final tweaks in an editing room. As president at Cream, Kate brings with her an extensive hands-on background in dramatic production, having produced/managed over 30 feature films and MOWs, as well as a handful of television series, including Showtime’s acclaimed historical drama series The Tudors. Kate is currently executive producing Age of Samurai: Battle For Japan for Netflix, as well as Cream's original series Fear Thy Neighbor for Investigation Discovery (now in its sixth season). She also handles Cream’s international co-productions, which includes service providing for season two of Sky Atlantic’s Riviera.
Uranus, 7th floor
Producers and scientists are finding extraordinary new ways to transform massive amounts of raw data into bold, innovative science stories. From streaming live from the surface of an asteroid, to seeing the world through the eyes of a poison dart frog, find out how the impossible is becoming possible and the invisible is becoming visible.
Session Producer
Joy Ng, Producer, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (USA)Joy Ng is a video producer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. She splits her time between Earth and sun science, covering stories from the effects of climate change on hurricane intensity to the mystery of the sun’s atmosphere, which is much hotter than its surface. Joy was recognized as one of NASA’s Videographers of the Year for her work documenting a field and airborne campaign to better understand water storage in snow over Colorado’s mountains. Her work at NASA has been featured by The Washington Post, NPR, The New York Times, and Vox. She has worked on productions for PBS, Discovery, National Geographic, The Royal Institution, and The Royal Society. She is a former biologist and a graduate of Imperial College London’s Science Communication Unit. She grew up in the UK and currently lives in Washington, D.C.
Session Producer
Kate Pappas, Creative Producer, Wilding Productions (Australia)Kate Pappas is a hands-on Creative Producer whose dedication to understanding the world around her has led to a rewarding career in documentary filmmaking. Since cutting her teeth in London in the wonderful world of kids' science TV, she has worked across a diverse and award-winning slate. Kate has subsequently Produced, Co-Produced, Series Produced and Line Produced around 30 hours of television and works regularly with Genepool Productions, WildBear Entertainment, Chemical Media and Renegade Films. Recent credits include art/science documentary Deception By Design (ABC/OFT); feature documentary Westwind: Djalu’s Legacy (NiTV/MIFF Premier Fund/Madman Ent.) and 11 hours of blue-chip wildlife films with Wild Bear Entertainment. Most recently, she has been at Genepool Productions working across their development slate as well as working with WildBear Entertainment on feature documentary Valerie. In 2018, Kate established Wilding Productions, where she will pursue her passion for telling stories that illuminate the wonders of our natural world.
Speaker
Yoshiyuki Ito, CG/VFX Technical Director, NHK Technical Operation & Engineering Center (Japan)Since joining the NHK's CG/VFX team in 2005, Yoshiyuki Ito has been a key player in data visualisation for science and news programming, and visual effects for fictional programming. The works he participated include the multi-award-winning Miracle Body series, the Megaquake series co-produced with NGCI, and a three-year drama series Clouds Above the Hill based on a Japanese historical novel by Ryotaro Shiba. Besides his creative work, he is currently working on re-designing CG/VFX production workflow within the network to achieve efficient production environment.
Speaker
Dan Kendall, Creative Director, Windfall Films (UK)Dan Kendall has a reputation for delivering award-winning, high impact, television for global audiences. Since joining Windfall Films in 2016, he has been a key figure in the company’s creative growth – helping devise and produce hit returnable formats for the US and international markets, series and singles for the BBC and Channel 4 in the UK, and Windfall’s first ever project for an IMAX feature.
With over 20 years production experience, his track record features awards and ratings success across many genres; from History Channel’s Emmy-nominated drama based “mega-documentary” Mankind: The Story of All of Us, CBC’s Lost Secrets of the Pyramid (winner: Canadian Screen Award), Channel 4’s headline grabbing live events Surgery Live (winner: Broadcast Digital Award, nominated Banff Rockie Award), Drugs Live: Cannabis on Trial (winner: AIB Science Award) to BBC Two’s history of the Web, The Virtual Revolution (winner: International Digital EMMY, BAFTA New Media Award).
Speaker
Michael Grotenhoff, Producer, Filmtank (Germany)Michael Grotenhoff is the co-owner of Filmtank, producer and director of international multi-award-winning transmedia projects and TV-documentaries (e.g. “netwars/ out of CTRL” won i.a. Grimme Online Award, Japan Prize, Prix Italia, SXSW Interactive Innovation Award in 2015). Grotenhoff has a degrees in theatre, film and television studies, journalism and politics. His main focus has consistently remained on digital advancements; and as a result, most of his films deal with the digitalisation of society. Grotenhoff is an internationally sought-after guest lecturer for the development and production of cross-media projects. International jury activities (such as Lovie Award). He is a Fellow of the Cultural and Creative Industries Initiative of the Federal Government.
Michael's latest production is the crossmedia project DELTAS, with the internationally award-winning VR Experience Inside Tumucumaque (Japan Prize Nominee 2018, Annual Multimedia Gold Award 2019, Special Jury Mention Raindance Festival 2018, Red Dot Award 2018).
He is currently in production on MYRIAD – Through The Eyes Of Many, a moving crossmedia storytelling experience that allows viewers to understand the Earth as planet as a highly interconnected organism through the raw beauty of animal migration, from the small insect to the big mammal, a window to the profound changes in our shared planet’s global ecosystem.
Speaker
Yoshinori Tsutsui, Chief Director, NHK Science (Japan)Yoshinori Tsutsui has spent his 20 years’ career working in science program production, specialised in astronomy and 8K/4K production. His latest works include Space Spectacle: The Mission of Hayabusa 2, a documentary following the JAXA’s mission of an asteroid explorer Hayabusa 2; BETELGEUSE: Death of a Super Star, a part of the NHK’s long-running series Cosmic Front; and an 8K/4K program ANTARCTICA: The Frozen Time Capsule in co-production with SVT.
Miraikan Hall, 7th floor
Blending drama with real documentary footage is the newest trend in natural history, but where does it leave the genre? Are we in danger of pushing the boundaries so far that the traditional natural history program has become too boring to watch? We’ll explore how the drive to tell an emotional story and boost ratings is blurring the lines between fact and fiction and debate how far we can go.
Session Producer
Emily Baustien, Development Manager, Discovery, Inc. (USA)Emily Baustien serves as Development Manager for Discovery Channel and Discovery Science Channel. In her role, she works with producers to develop and produce primetime series and specials for both networks. Prior to Discovery, Emily worked at Netflix and Authentic Entertainment. She is based out of Discovery’s West Coast office in Los Angeles, California.
Session Producer & Moderator
Lucinda Axelsson, Executive Producer, Oxford Scientific Films (UK)Lucinda Axelsson is a multi-award winning executive producer with Oxford Scientific Films, and former BBC Commissioning Editor and BBC NHU producer. She executive produced Serengeti a pioneering wildlife-meets-drama series for Discovery and the BBC where she created the complex interwoven storylines that are it's hallmark.
As a series producer Lucinda was responsible for co-creating the Emmy Award–winning Meerkat Manor with OSF, where for the first time the dramatic narrative techniques of the soap opera were used to reveal the intricate social lives of animals.
She breathed new life in the Blue Chip landmark space with highly rated series on Brazil, Japan, New Zealand, Patagonia, Mexico, Thailand and Alaska. She commissioned highly rated shows including Spy in the Wild, Snow Chick and Pets Wild at Heart for JDP, the BAFTA-nominated Attenborough's Life that Glows, and Tribes, Predators and Me , featuring Gordon Buchanan with the NHU.
Speaker
Wendy Darke, Founder/CEO, True to Nature (UK)Following on from her 25-year career at the BBC - NHU, Wendy founded True to Nature, an independent production company specialising in innovative, premium natural history and specialist factual production. Using great storytelling and never before seen content to inspire and connect people to the natural world. Since launching, Wendy has secured five commissions. The first, Volcano 24, 1x60’ specialist factual co-production between TTN, ZDFE, PBS, WNET Thirteen, Nature, ZDF and ARTE (airing 2019). Also airing in 2019, is the ambitious premium factual series Expedition with Steve Backshall, 10x60’, commissioned by UKTV Dave, with the first 4x60’ premiering on the BBC, and Fremantle the WW distribution partner. TTN is also in production with Blue Ant Media/Smithsonian on the 5x60’ natural history docu-soap series Gangs of Lemur Island. Previous commissions include a conservation film for the FO, and a digital/linear short form Shark Bites with Steve Backshall, 20x3’ series for CBBC.
Speaker
Judith Curran, Executive Producer, NHNZ (New Zealand)Judith Curran is a multiple-award-winning documentary filmmaker with a sideline in drama. Since joining internationally renowned factual production company NHNZ, Judith has been the powerhouse behind a diverse range of high profile shows for numerous networks.
Recently Judith has created Orangutan Jungle School (20 hours for Love Nature plus 6 hours for Channel 4 UK), Our Big Blue Backyard (12 hours blue chip underwater/wildlife for TVNZ and International), and three wildlife specials for Nat Geo Wild: Savage Island Giants, Penguin Central and Wild Dolphins. She also wrote and produced the feature length documentary The End of the Wild (CCTV9) credited with galvanising a massive attitude change in China towards illegal marketing of elephant ivory and rhino horn.
Her drama skills, honed as a playwright at Australia’s N.I.D.A. (National Institute of Dramatic Arts), have always influenced her narrative vision which has been a critical part of her success.
Speaker
Jo Shinner, Executive Producer, Natural History Unit, BBC Studios (UK)Jo Shinner has worked in the Natural History Unit since 2011. She exec-produced BBC1 series Earth From Space, Animals Behaving Badly, Koko: the Gorilla who Talks To People, Nature’s Miracle Orphans, Animal Super Parents, Nature’s Greatest Dancers, and BBC2 series Animal Babies: First Year On Earth, Big Cats About The House, Nature’s Weirdest Events, and Earth’s Greatest Spectacles. Previous projects as Series Producer have included BBC1 series Super Smart Animals and Monkey Planet.
Jo has also worked across a broad children’s portfolio including CBBC’s Deadly 60, Naomi’s Nightmares of Nature and Wild And Weird, and Cbeebies Andy’s Safari Adventures.
Prior to joining the NHU, Jo worked at Tigress Productions, producing wildlife investigative drama reconstruction documentaries Nature Shock (National Geographic/Channel 5) and an original series for National Geographic Wild Channel Wild Case Files. Jo has also produced various features, music and art documentaries, and observational documentaries across a wide range of subjects for BBC One, Two, Three, Four, Channel 5 over twenty-five years in TV.
Mercury, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Venus, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Speaker
Mariko Ide, Producer, Yahoo! Japan (Japan)Mariko Ide is a content producer based in Tokyo for short documentary films at Yahoo! JAPAN’s CREATORS Program, an original digital platform launched in 2018, with the mission to deliver stories that triggers the audience to take action in their everyday lives. With a background as an editor for documentary films, she hopes to help build a creator-first environment as a platform, aiming to find new form of documentary storytelling.
Saturn, 7th floor
We all thought we knew the Apollo 11 story. But imaginative storytelling techniques and access to previously unknown and secret recordings have brought fresh insights and surprises to a momentous historical event and revitalized and popularized an entire genre with new landmark series and eye-popping theatrical documentaries. Take an interstellar journey to find out why the universe is bigger and better than ever before.
Session Producer
Jonathan Hewes, CEO, Pioneer Productions (UK)Jonathan Hewes is the CEO of Pioneer Productions, one of the world’s leading producers of content-led television, covering everything from science and space to engineering and weather, history to natural history, and adventure to crime. Pioneer is prolific across a broad range of programme types and styles, from long-running returning series to event specials, and including observational documentary and drama-doc, computer graphics and specialist filming. The company has made over 800 hours of programming, sold in over 60 countries worldwide, attracting both high audience viewing figures and prestigious awards (Emmy, New York Festival, DuPont, Banff, Golden Panda). Pioneer’s clients include National Geographic, Science Channel, Discovery Channel, Smithsonian Channel, PBS, History, Travel Channel, HGTV in the US, BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5 and ITV in the UK, and France Television, Arte, ZDF, Welt, AB, Seven Network internationally.
Between 2015 and 2017 Jonathan was also CEO of Mentorn Media, Pioneer’s sister company, overseeing its broad range of programming from BBC1’s flagship current affairs show Question Time to the hit entertainment series Robot Wars and doubling the company’s production.
Jonathan started his TV career as a journalist on BBC’s flagship daily show Nationwide before abandoning current affairs for music TV, first as producer of Britain’s most celebrated rock show The Tube, followed by two award-winning classical music series with Dudley Moore. He spent 20 years in a variety of senior and ownership roles at Wall to Wall Media, where he executive produced Man on Wire, winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, the BAFTA award for Outstanding British film, and over 30 other international awards. Other awards and nominations for productions he has produced or executive produced include: Broadcast Award, International Emmy, Gold Medal at New York Film Festival, Post Montreux winner, Royal Television Society Programme awards, Royal Television Society Education Awards, Ohio State Award.
Moderator
Miles O'Brien, President, Miles OBrien Productions, LLC (USA)Miles O’Brien is a veteran, an Emmy Award–winning independent journalist who focuses on science, technology and aerospace. He is the science correspondent for the PBS NewsHour and a producer, director and writer for the PBS science documentary series NOVA. An accomplished pilot, he is an aviation analyst for CNN, where he was a staff correspondent and anchor from 1992 through 2008. At CNN, was selected to be the first journalist to fly in the space shuttle. He began his career at WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., in 1981. He worked as a reporter at television stations in St. Joseph, MO, Albany, NY, Tampa and Boston. In February of 2014, a heavy equipment case fell on his forearm while he was on assignment. Subsequent complications necessitated the amputation of his left arm. Nevertheless, he has completed two marathons, several ultra-distance bike rides, a half Ironman, and has returned to flying airplanes.
Speaker
Catherine Alvaresse, Head of Documentaries, France Télévisions (France)Since January 2019, Catherine Alvaresse has been head of documentaries for France Télévisions Group. Previously, she served as head of documentaries and cultural magazines of France 2, from 2016 to 2019, and as the deputy director of Specialist Factual Department at ARTE France from 2011 to 2016. She served as a deputy managing director at Europe Images International from 2007 to 2011, director of International Co-productions for Boreales from 2006 to 2007, and director of Acquisitions and International Co-productions at Tele Images International from 2004 to 2006. She is an award-winning international distributor and co-producer of factual programming.
Speaker
Andrew Cohen, Head, Science Unit, BBC Studios (UK)Andrew Cohen is Head of BBC Studios' award-winning Science Unit with teams based in London and Glasgow, producing hit shows for broadcasters around the world including Netflix, Youtube, the BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5. As an Executive Producer he is responsible for a wide range of high-profile science programmes, recent credits include The Planets, 8 Days - To the Moon and Back and Climate Change the Facts with David Attenborough. As Editor of the Horizon strand (2005-2010) Andrew commissioned and executive produced over 100 films for BBC2 and has also executive produced a number of children’s science series. He has won numerous awards including Grierson Awards, RTS, Broadcasting Press Guild, Peabody and BANFF. He is also the co-author of six best-selling science books.
Speaker
Bill Margol, Sr. Director, Programming & Development, PBS (USA)Bill Margol has spent over 30 years in the media industry, as a writer, producer, editor, developer and executive. A graduate of Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Communications, and Loyola University’s Masters in Emerging Media program, Bill was Executive Producer at Sci-Fi Channel, overseeing specials, documentaries, stunts and events from 1993-1998. He joined TNT in Atlanta, as Director of Production in 1998 and in 2003 joined Travel Channel as VP of Production where he was responsible for the launch of such groundbreaking series as Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. In 2008, Bill joined National Geographic Television as VP Development, where he created the Emmy Nominated series Brain Games.
In 2014 Bill joined PBS as Sr. Director of Programming & Development and has overseen such programs as the Emmy-winning documentary A Year In Space, the groundbreaking series We’ll Meet Again with Ann Curry, as well as programming such as 8 Days: To the Moon and Back, Big Blue Live, In Their Own Words, Life from Above, Genius: With Stephen Hawking and Wild Alaska Live.
Speaker
Jonah Weston, Commissioning Editor, Channel 4 (UK)Jonah Weston is Commissioning Editor for Science and Adventure in the Specialist Factual Department at Channel 4. Since arriving at Channel 4 eight months ago, he has overseen the highly successful reformatting of civilian SAS, and delivered the first celebrity version of the show. As well as SAS, he has commissioned a new round of Guy Martin adventures, which see everyone’s favourite ‘bloke next door’ tackle some more dangerous stunts than ever.
Miraikan Hall, 7th floor
An inside look at how programmers and producers are attracting a new generation of audiences to history programming.
Sponsored by ARTE Distribution.
Speaker
Alex Hryniewicz, Head of Owned Channels, Little Dot Studios (UK)Alex is Head of Owned Channels at Little Dot Studios, a next generation broadcaster and producer. Alex looks after a department of over 20 channel brands, including Real Stories, a premium documentary channel, and Timeline, a specialist history channel. They all broadcast on YouTube, Facebook Watch, IGTV, Snapchat, Amazon and Roku—reaching millions of viewers every day. As part of this role Alex acquires and commissions documentary and factual content from international producers and distributors.
Speaker
Marita Hübinger, Senior Commissioing Editor, ZDF/ARTE (Germany)Marita Huebinger studied german literature, bibliology and comparative linguistics from 1978 to 1985. From 1985 on she has been working for ZDF, Hessischer Rundfunk, Südwestfunk, 3sat and ARTE. Her main focus are cultural and scientific topics. She was responsible for Kulturzeit/3sat, Volle Kanne/ZDF, Lesen and Abenteuer Wissen/ZDF. Since May 2011, she has served as senior commissioning editor for science and head of ZDF department Wissen/ARTE.
Speaker
Simon Young, Commissioning Editor, History, BBC (UK)Simon Young is a Commissioning Editor in the Specialist Factual Department at the BBC, commissioning series such as A Dangerous Dynasty: The House of Assad and Rise of the Nazis, as well as feature docs such as Untouchable: The Rise and Fall of Harvey Weinstein. He has experience on both the channel and production sides for British, US and Global broadcasters. Before taking up his present position Simon worked at National Geographic and started out in independent production, making films such as the award-winning Richard III: The King in the Car Park.
Uranus, 7th floor
Japanese television has an international reputation for its sometimes bizarre and wacky game show formats. But the intense competition to grab viewers away from drama and sports in primetime isn’t restricted to game shows. Factual entertainment programs have some incredible success stories as well. In this session, we’ll take a look at some of the newest and most successful formats in Japan, and explore the survival strategies behind them. Prepare to be amazed!
Session Producer
Yuri Sudo, Senior Producer, NHK (Japan)Yuri is the Senior Producer of the Unit focusing on Non-linear Content Development and creating New Media Services on Emerging Media Platforms. Prior to that, he was Senior Producer to the International Co-Productions Team at NHK, with assignments as developing and coordinating various international co-production projects, many of which winning various awards and prizes. Yuri has over 20 years of directing/producing experience at the in-house production team of the network, credited for the development of nationally renowned documentary series and new history formats.
Session Producer & Moderator
Sayumi Horie, Executive Producer, Global Content Development Division, NHK (Japan)As Executive Producer of Global Content Development Division of NHK's Programming Department, Horie has been supervising the teams involved in international businesses including both exploitation and acquisition of programs, since 2016, including three years as the head of the department, (2016-19), making use of her long experience in international co-production works at NHK as well as her powerful relationships with international partners.
Speaker
Kazuteru Hayashi, Senior Producer, NHK Youth and Education (Japan)Kazuteru Hayashi is a visionary director and producer specialised in educational programming. Kazuteru joined NHK at the year of 2000. Since then, he has been producing documentaries for kids and youth, while leading educational content development featuring nature, science and technology topics, including Insects are Genius!, Think Like a Crow! - The Scientific Method, Why!? Programming, Rules: The Beautiful Math, and Dear Teenage Me.
Speaker
Takayuki Ueda, Chief Producer, Asahi Television Broadcasting Corporation (Japan)Takayuki Ueda is a producer of the factual entertainment series In the Middle of Nowhere. This primetime show, which hit a record of a 20.8% rating and a 29.0% share at the most competitive Sunday slot, visits and discovers stories of residents of a house who reside, literally, in the middle of nowhere. Takayuki Ueda initiated his career as a radio director. He then developed his skills in the sphere of television where he has produced a wide range of programs, cooking, quiz and factual entertainment. One of his renowned works is The Before and After, a weekly home renovation show aiming to solve a family issue through re-designing their house, where he found inspiration for his current series In the Middle of Nowhere.
Speaker
Jun Matsuzawa, Deputy General Manager, Production Division, TV Tokyo Corporation (Japan)Since joining TV Tokyo Corporation in 1991, Jun Matsuzawa has been applying his curiosity and expertise to produce factual entertainment and music programming for more than three decades. His programs are unique and creative, addressing social issues while being family entertainment. His latest series Pond Busters was a national phenomenon. Aired on a Sunday primetime slot, this factual entertainment drains ponds around Japan to clean litter and, most importantly, remove damaging invasive species from their non-native environment.
Speaker
Akihiko Nakai, Senior Producer, NHK Science (Japan)Akihiko Nakai has a reputation for delivering blue-chip science documentaries for global audiences. While leading a weekly series Cosmic Front, he has been developing contents to push the boundaries of existing science television. Life science, cutting-edge technology and science journalism are of his interests. Akihiko is currently involved in the production of documentaries tracing origins of foods, and exploring history and philosophy behind Oriental medicine.
Coffee and tea available in Special Exhibit Zone A.
Saturn, 7th floor
How do you make a film about a scientific discovery when the science has to remain top secret until release? In 2019, two remarkable films did this in very different ways. One revealed the incredible journey of capturing the world's first image of a black hole. The other, the discovery of a massive post-asteroid-apocalypse trove of mammal fossils. What does it take to make a film about breaking science while under editorial, production and distribution constraints, with a release under tight embargo and astounding pressure. Come hear from the filmmakers who lived to tell the tale.
Sponsored by HHMI Tangled Bank Studios.
Speaker
Dan Kendall, Creative Director, Windfall Films (UK)Dan Kendall has a reputation for delivering award-winning, high impact, television for global audiences. Since joining Windfall Films in 2016, he has been a key figure in the company’s creative growth – helping devise and produce hit returnable formats for the US and international markets, series and singles for the BBC and Channel 4 in the UK, and Windfall’s first ever project for an IMAX feature.
With over 20 years production experience, his track record features awards and ratings success across many genres; from History Channel’s Emmy-nominated drama based “mega-documentary” Mankind: The Story of All of Us, CBC’s Lost Secrets of the Pyramid (winner: Canadian Screen Award), Channel 4’s headline grabbing live events Surgery Live (winner: Broadcast Digital Award, nominated Banff Rockie Award), Drugs Live: Cannabis on Trial (winner: AIB Science Award) to BBC Two’s history of the Web, The Virtual Revolution (winner: International Digital EMMY, BAFTA New Media Award).
Miraikan Hall, 7th floor
Since the 1950s, Japan’s most famous monster has starred in movies, video games, television series, books and comics. And now Godzilla, king of the lizards, can claim another victory: the focus of a research paper in a prestigious journal! We’ll explore the evolutionary biology of Godzilla and how it reflects changes in science, politics, the environment and our own social anxieties. We might even have a surprise visit from the monster himself.
Session Producer
Ruth Berry, Consultant, Terra Mater Factual Studios (Austria)Ruth Berry is an award-winning producer, director and writer of blue chip factual programming; content developer, natural history illustrator, moderator and trainer. She loves dinosaurs, Neanderthals, B movie monsters and killer marsupials. Her films have appeared on most broadcast networks including National Geographic, BBC, Discovery, ABC, PBS, ARTE and CBC. Ruth likes to combine her skills as an artist with the discipline of film production to extend story telling style and vision. She is a consultant and freelance producer for Terra Mater Factual studios in Vienna.
Uranus, 7th floor
It's no secret that factual programming often skews heavily male—but why? With original research and audience feedback, we’ll find out what’s really going on and gain some insights on how to create science and history content that attracts audiences we might be missing.
Jupiter, 7th floor
Join CICC for a cocktail and find new approaches to cooperate with China and get new ideas, partnerships, stories from China’s longest-established co-production documentary company.
Pre-registration required. REGISTER NOW >>
Special Exhibit Zone B, 1st floor
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 matchmaking and decision makers pre-select projects of interest—but they won't know who they came from until their face-to-face meeting.
Pre-registration required. Closed to media.
Viewing Lounge, 7th floor
Before heading out to explore the incredible city of Tokyo on the final night of Congress, come join us for a drink or two as we celebrate the end of Congress.
Innovation Hall, 7th floor
Come experience 8K like you've never seen it before. Thanks to NHK, this is an opportunity to not just experience 8K but 8K in virtual reality!
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
8K: Compilation film (40 min)
This showcase of NHK’s latest 8K films offers a new way of storytelling, creating the ultimate immersive viewing experience. Enjoy a sky-high view of the Tibetan Plateau in magnificently brilliant colours or dive into the crystalline waters of Mexican cenote caves. See how these ultra-high-definition images can unlock the Mayan mystery of a lost jade mask or tell the epic story of Okavango in its full aesthetic glory through the eyes of Indigenous river people.
1:00-2:30 PM
8K:VR: Aoi–Sakanaction and Tokyo Victory
The world's first content for 8K:VR theatre, Aoi–Sakanaction presents a live performance by Japanese band Sakanaction (complete with extravagant laser show) that makes it feel like the band is in front of you without the use of head-mounted display.
Created in 2016, Tokyo Victory was the world's first 8K motion ride, which takes viewers on a tour of the Tokyo skyline to the soundtrack of Southern All Stars' hit song "Tokyo Victory." Produced by NHK Enterprises and NHK Technologies, with Recochoku Labs and WONDER VISION TECHNO LABORATORY.
11:30 AM, 12:15 PM, 2:30-5:30 PM
8K:VR: Alice and the World of Sorrow
This story of a girl escaping Tokyo and the complexities of society illustrates the possibilities for immersive environments as ultra-high-definition entertainment. Created in 2018, the project was presented at Ars Electronica Festival as part of Beyond the Frame: 8K Future Projects, a joint research project between the Ars Electronica Futurelab and NHK.
11:30 AM, 12:15 PM, 2:30-5:30 PM
8K:VR: Starry Skies in the Uyuni Salt Flat
When the wind stops, the surface of the salt flat turns into a glassy mirror, reflecting the stars and the galaxy. This 8K:VR version will take you on t
Special Exhibit Zone A, 1st Floor
Dome Theatre, entrance on 6th floor
Surround yourself with stunning images at Dome Theatre screenings throughout Congress '19.
Capturing the Universe
D: Takumi Hisaizumi, NHK, Japan
"I want to catch a star." A young physicist pursues his childhood dream and endeavours to reveal the unknown structures of archaeological sites using cosmic ray detectors.
Kabuki Dance: Feeling as if in a Dream
NHK Enterprises, Inc., NHK Technologies, Inc.
This one-of-a-kind music video features Kabuki, a traditional Japanese form of theatre. Popular young Kabuki actor Ukon Onoe dances "Tomoyakko" and "Fujimusume," which make you feel as if you are in a dream.
Dome Theater Lobby, 7th floor
Enjoy a selection of VR experiences.
Age-Old Cities VR
Ubisoft, France
Journey from Palmyra to Mosul to visit six iconic monuments. Walk through the ancient sites and feel the splendour of places that are our global duty to preserve.
The Antarctica Experience
Whitespark Productions, Australia
Experience a day in the life of Antarctic scientists as they research this mysterious continent.
Capturing the Universe
D: Takumi Hisaizumi, NHK, Japan
"I want to catch a star." A young physicist pursues his childhood dream and endeavours to reveal the unknown structures of archaeological sites using cosmic ray detectors.
Discovery Tour: Ancient Greece
Ubisoft, France
Embark on any of 30 guided tours of Ancient Greece, curated by historians and led by charismatic characters, in the educational mode of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.
Fukushima, the Evacuation Area
NHK, Japan
Some areas of Fukushima remain off limits due to radioactive contamination, but this experience gives you access to the neighbourhood, the nature and what was left behind.
Hiroshima's Dome
NHK, Japan
A survivor tells their story about the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima 74 years ago.
Inside Tumucumaque
D: Ina Krüger, Patrik de Jong, Interactive Media Foundation, Germany
Travel to Tumucumaque, in the midst of the Brazilian rainforest, to explore more than 400 hectares of virtual rainforest filled with authentic plants, exotic animals and a diverse landscape.
Move On Cycling VR, Fly Over Pompeii Ruins
D: Takumi Hisaizumi, NHK, Japan
Take a bike tour to Pompeii and enjoy an aerial view of the ancient Roman city. You choose the route and an audio guide provides historical insights.
Notre Dame VR Experience
Ubisoft, France
Discover, or rediscover, this architectural jewel that has been closed to the public since the dramatic fire of April 2019 in this virtual tour, based on the 3D model developed for the game Assassin’s Creed Unity.
We Are Stars
NSC Creative, UK
Connect life on Earth to the evolution of the universe, in this companion piece to Wednesday's Dome screening.
Miraikan Hall, 7th floor
In our post-truth era, are all points of view valid and up for discussion? A global study reveals that trust in science varies drastically around the globe. What role do factual producers play in shaping this public opinion? Do we have the right to shape it? Join us for a unique debate where you might have to defend a perspective you disagree with.
Session Producer
Maia Krall Fry, Head of Knowledge & Creative Communities, Wellcome (UK)Maia Krall Fry is an independent producer/director, having moved from fiction film into science documentaries after studying Earth Sciences. Recent independent doc commissions include shorts for BBC Four and Guardian Documentaries. These projects are produced alongside her full-time work on longform content at Windfall Films. Previous independent work, including the feature film Ebony Road, has been supported by Film 4, The Guardian, the BFI, and BBC. Targeting her experience to entertaining fiction and academia was a conscious decision to break into factual content production with the widest applicable expertise. In 2015, Maia attended WCSFP as part of the Wellcome Trust Mentoring Program for Emerging Talent. In 2016 and 2017, as session producer of The Ideas Salon. She was named as a Broadcast Magazine Hotshot in 2017.
Speaker
Carolyn Payne, Commissioning Editor, National Geographic (UK)Carolyn Payne is a Commissioning Editor for National Geographic, working across both development and production. Since the launch of Nat Geo’s 2.0 “fewer, bigger, better” commissioning strategy, Carolyn has developed, commissioned, and executive produced major premium factual series, most notably the Emmy-winning Inside North Korea’s Dynasty and Dian Fossey: Secrets in the Mist.
Carolyn scaled up the Drain the Oceans franchise, transforming it from a series of successful singles to a ten part returning series that continues to rate highly around the world. Other global hit shows Carolyn has developed and produced include Ultimate Survival WWII, Primal Survivor, Lost Treasures of the Maya Snake Kings, Viking Warrior Women and Fiennes Return to the Nile.
Carolyn has commissioned a number of timely space singles such as Rookie Moonshot, Comet Catcher: The Rosetta Landing, Mission to the Sun, and Mission Pluto.
Prior to working for Nat Geo, Carolyn was a freelance producer, making award-winning shows, such as the Children’s BAFTA-winning Operation Ouch and Election, BBC’s World’s Strictest Parents, and Nat Geo’s The Witch Doctor Will See You Now.
Speaker
Imran Khan, Head of Public Engagement, Wellcome (UK)Imran Khan is Wellcome’s Head of Public Engagement. He leads Wellcome’s efforts in involving the public in our mission. This includes empowering people to use or participate in health research, understanding and using public perspectives and expertise in our work, and strengthening the relationship between Wellcome and the rest of society. Imran also serves as a Council Member for the UK’s environmental science funder, NERC, and is a trustee of the innovation foundation Nesta.
Speaker
Caroline Behar, Head of International Coproductions & Acquisitions, France Télévisions (France)Caroline Behar is now Head of International Coproductions for the France Television Group covering France 2, France 3 and France 5 with all thematics: Science and Discovery, Natural History, History, Investigation and Currents Affairs and the Natural World. She was previously Head of Documentaries at France 5, both for French and International productions.
Immersive Studio, 7th floor
Experience the astonishing image and sound quality made possible with Dolby Vision™ and Dolby Atmos® audio system.
Saturn, 7th floor
It’s one of the most successful factual genres ever created. From streaming services to podcasts and entire networks dedicated entirely to crime, it seems viewers can’t get enough. We delve into the mystery behind the popularity and examine the most innovative breakthrough trends in a genre that just keeps growing.
Session Producer
Dinah Lord, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Caravan Media (UK)Dinah is co-founder and managing director of Caravan. Her most recent awards include the 2015 BAFTA for Best Factual Series, the 2015 Royal Television Society Award for Best Arts Series, the 2014 BAFTA for Best Factual Series, and two Grierson awards. Among her other awards are a Wincott business award, a Digital Emmy and Cable Ace award nominations. Before she founded Caravan, Dinah was a filmmaker in observational, arts, music and science, and also ran a BAFTA-winning crime and investigative documentary series, over her 27-year career at the BBC latterly as creative executive producer. In this role she oversaw content creation and delivery for the BBC’s main London Factual department. Dinah then spent five years making international co-productions in the independent sector.
Moderator
Sara Ramsden, Creative Director, Love Productions (UK)Formerly Head of Science and Education at Channel 4, Sara was later Controller of Sky One and Head of Factual at Endemol. She is now Creative Director at Love Productions where she has just completed Who Are You Calling Fat? for BBC2.
Speaker
Ed Hersh, Founder & Principal, StoryCentric (USA)Ed Hersh is the founder and principal of StoryCentric, a New York‐based company that provides insight to content producers and networks on development, production and storytelling strategies as well as the evolving media marketplace.
His clients include Discovery Communications, major non-fiction production companies in the US and Canada, and WNET/PBS in New York, where serves as a senior programming consultant.
He rejoined StoryCentric in March of 2013 after nearly four years at Discovery Communications as Senior Vice President, Content Strategy for the Military Channel and before that, as Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning for Investigation Discovery.
He also spent seven years at Court TV as a programming executive at A&E, ,and 16 years at ABC News in senior production and programming positions.
He is a graduate of Syracuse University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and currently serves on the adjunct faculty of SU’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Speaker
Fatima Salaria, Head of Specialist Factual, Channel 4 (UK)As Head of Specialist Factual, Fatima Salaria is responsible for History, Science, Natural History, Arts and Adventure. The department produces everything from SAS, Grayson Perry, Guy Martin and critically acclaimed single films like 100 Vaginas and Three Identical Strangers. Prior to joining Channel 4, Fatima was Commissioning Editor for Religion at the BBC. She commissioned award-winning Muslims Like Us, Abortion on Trial, We Are British Jews and The Pilgrimage, and curated the Black and British and the Partition seasons for BBC2, along with many other series and single films across BBC One, Two and Four.
Speaker
Navid Bahadori, Executive Producer, Broken Yellow (Australia)Navid Bahadori is an award-winning executive producer/producer on all Broken Yellow productions and a director of Broken Yellow Pty Ltd. Navid oversees every step of the planning, execution and delivery of all Broken Yellow projects. With a background in law and accounting, Navid brings these extensive commercial experiences to each Broken Yellow project working to deliver on expectations along the way. Balancing between creativity and commercial viability, Navid understands the creative process and the steps needed to bring the two together to realise a team's vision. Navid’s credits include The Twist - True Crime Stories, #shelfie with Dan Hong, Australian of the Year Awards (2012 - 2019) and the Norseman documentary, as well as a wealth of online videos.
Mercury, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Speaker
Fatima Salaria, Head of Specialist Factual, Channel 4 (UK)As Head of Specialist Factual, Fatima Salaria is responsible for History, Science, Natural History, Arts and Adventure. The department produces everything from SAS, Grayson Perry, Guy Martin and critically acclaimed single films like 100 Vaginas and Three Identical Strangers. Prior to joining Channel 4, Fatima was Commissioning Editor for Religion at the BBC. She commissioned award-winning Muslims Like Us, Abortion on Trial, We Are British Jews and The Pilgrimage, and curated the Black and British and the Partition seasons for BBC2, along with many other series and single films across BBC One, Two and Four.
Coffee and tea available in Special Exhibit Zone A.
Miraikan Hall, 7th floor
A fun and free-wheeling creative session that explores the roots of the very best in factual content: inspiration! If you’re looking to rejuvenate, re-energize or re-boot, then this will be an essential escape before heading back to the day-to-day realities of the office.
Speaker
Serena Ajbani, Producer, AJ+ (USA)Serena Ajbani is a multimedia storyteller based in Washington, D.C. She is a producer at AJ+, where she researches, films and edits a show about the intersection of food, social justice and the environment. As a former Video Fellow and Snapchat Video Producer at WIRED, Serena used new media to introduce younger audiences to the complexities of a changing technological world. Her new project Queering the Map, a series of documentary walking tours through personal and collective queer history, is currently in development. She'd love to talk to you about robots, parasites, niche histories, and participatory media.
Speaker
Carolyn Payne, Commissioning Editor, National Geographic (UK)Carolyn Payne is a Commissioning Editor for National Geographic, working across both development and production. Since the launch of Nat Geo’s 2.0 “fewer, bigger, better” commissioning strategy, Carolyn has developed, commissioned, and executive produced major premium factual series, most notably the Emmy-winning Inside North Korea’s Dynasty and Dian Fossey: Secrets in the Mist.
Carolyn scaled up the Drain the Oceans franchise, transforming it from a series of successful singles to a ten part returning series that continues to rate highly around the world. Other global hit shows Carolyn has developed and produced include Ultimate Survival WWII, Primal Survivor, Lost Treasures of the Maya Snake Kings, Viking Warrior Women and Fiennes Return to the Nile.
Carolyn has commissioned a number of timely space singles such as Rookie Moonshot, Comet Catcher: The Rosetta Landing, Mission to the Sun, and Mission Pluto.
Prior to working for Nat Geo, Carolyn was a freelance producer, making award-winning shows, such as the Children’s BAFTA-winning Operation Ouch and Election, BBC’s World’s Strictest Parents, and Nat Geo’s The Witch Doctor Will See You Now.
Speaker
Bill Margol, Sr. Director, Programming & Development, PBS (USA)Bill Margol has spent over 30 years in the media industry, as a writer, producer, editor, developer and executive. A graduate of Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Communications, and Loyola University’s Masters in Emerging Media program, Bill was Executive Producer at Sci-Fi Channel, overseeing specials, documentaries, stunts and events from 1993-1998. He joined TNT in Atlanta, as Director of Production in 1998 and in 2003 joined Travel Channel as VP of Production where he was responsible for the launch of such groundbreaking series as Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. In 2008, Bill joined National Geographic Television as VP Development, where he created the Emmy Nominated series Brain Games.
In 2014 Bill joined PBS as Sr. Director of Programming & Development and has overseen such programs as the Emmy-winning documentary A Year In Space, the groundbreaking series We’ll Meet Again with Ann Curry, as well as programming such as 8 Days: To the Moon and Back, Big Blue Live, In Their Own Words, Life from Above, Genius: With Stephen Hawking and Wild Alaska Live.
Speaker
Matthew Shribman, Scientist/Environmentalist/Musician, (UK)Matthew Shribman is a scientist, environmentalist and musician. His science videos have over 25 million views online, and he has appeared on Comedy Centrel, ITV News and the BBC’s Today Programme and Blue Peter. He has given talks for the likes of TEDx London, UN Ops, The British-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce, Extinction Rebellion.
A member of 1% For The Planet and the Patagonia Change Makers Community, Matthew’s collaboration credits range from the Plastic Oceans Foundation to the French Research Institute For Development.
In 2019, Matthew organised for 1,000 trees to appear outside the UK parliament. Over 2/3 of MPs, from all parties, came to collect a tree, in the words of Ed Miliband: "I think you’ve changed the conversation."
In 2018, Matthew began the #NoBeef campaign, which is now supported by Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney, the University of Cambridge, Goldsmiths University of London, and academics around the world.
Matthew has also written and recorded music that has been supported by BBC Radio 1, The Times, The Guardian and NME. His musical stage name is Ash Lad.
Speaker
Allie Sakakibara, Senior Manager of Product Strategy & Growth, Discovery (Japan)Allie Sakakibara is an online marketing guru based in Tokyo. She works as a Senior Manager of Product Strategy & Growth at Discovery Japan, leading the digital revolution to market the brand to a fresh, new audience. She is also the executive producer and host of Discovery's online Edutainment show Dbox on Discovery Japan's YouTube channel, which she helped grow from 10 million to 55 million total views in three months. Before joining the broadcasting business, Allie helped YouTube creators and brands build their businesses on YouTube as a partner manager at Google. When she isn't busy helping brands shine on social media, Allie enjoys using her English-Japanese skills to host events as a bilingual MC.
Venus, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Special Exhibit Zone A, 1st floor
Venus, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Dome Theatre, entrance on 6th floor
Surround yourself with stunning images at Dome Theatre screenings throughout Congress '19.
CapCom Go! The Apollo Story
D: Max Crow, NSC Creative, UK
An immersive historical documentary that showcases the achievements of the Apollo program and what it took to put the first human on the Moon.
Mercury, 7th floor
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.
Member access is first come, first served at the door.
Media access by request. Please contact [email protected]
Speaker
Bill Margol, Sr. Director, Programming & Development, PBS (USA)Bill Margol has spent over 30 years in the media industry, as a writer, producer, editor, developer and executive. A graduate of Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Communications, and Loyola University’s Masters in Emerging Media program, Bill was Executive Producer at Sci-Fi Channel, overseeing specials, documentaries, stunts and events from 1993-1998. He joined TNT in Atlanta, as Director of Production in 1998 and in 2003 joined Travel Channel as VP of Production where he was responsible for the launch of such groundbreaking series as Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. In 2008, Bill joined National Geographic Television as VP Development, where he created the Emmy Nominated series Brain Games.
In 2014 Bill joined PBS as Sr. Director of Programming & Development and has overseen such programs as the Emmy-winning documentary A Year In Space, the groundbreaking series We’ll Meet Again with Ann Curry, as well as programming such as 8 Days: To the Moon and Back, Big Blue Live, In Their Own Words, Life from Above, Genius: With Stephen Hawking and Wild Alaska Live.
Speaker
Bill Gardner, VP, Programming & Development, PBS (USA)Bill Gardner oversees content strategy, development and production for the PBS Primetime schedule in the genres of history, culture, natural history and science.
During his time at PBS, projects he commissioned or oversaw have won three Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards, a Dupont-Columbia Award, an Imagen Award, an NAACP Image Award and numerous Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and Wildscreen Awards. A specialist in assembling and managing international co-productions, projects he’s collaborated on or commissioned have also earned several BAFTA and Grierson Awards.
Before joining PBS in 2012, Gardner spent over a decade in the independent production world, working as director, producer, writer and show runner on projects for multiple global networks, with production experience in over 30 countries, including spending two months embedded with US Special Forces in Baghdad.
Bill holds a Masters Degree in cultural anthropology, speaks Arabic and has taught university courses in Arkansas and Marrakech, Morocco.
Miraikan Hall, 7th floor
Brigitte Baptiste is an inspiring Colombian scientist with an everlasting passion for diversity in all its beauty: in nature, society and her research. A charismatic speaker and LGBTQ activist, Brigitte was recently appointed rector of EAN University in Bogotá and previously was director of the Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute for a decade. Brigitte is the author of 15 books, a popular TV series and regular newspaper columns. In this talk, Brigitte explores the connection between how humans and other species build their gender identity. Join Brigitte on her journey as we get inspired by sexual diversity and biodiversity—because nothing is more queer than nature!
Session Producer
Gastón Chedufau, Executive Producer, LAS MINAS SmartMedia (Chile)With over 15 years of experience in this industry, Gaston Chedufau has worked in Argentina, Spain and Chile, producing five films, several TV shows and web series, most of them internationally awarded. He joined LAS MINAS SmartMedia in 2010 to manage production and develop new formats.
An Emerging Producer at WCSFP in 2013, he's now playing in the field of science communication attending global events as jury, such as Academia Film Olomouc (2017) and SMASH (2018). In 2016 Gaston started coordinating the Chilean Association of Science & Factual Producers.
At present, he is producing a biopic documentary focusing on the famous Colombian biologist Mrs. Brigitte Baptiste.
Since 2018, Gaston has sat on the board of directors of the Film & TV Producers Chamber and Associate at EGEDA (Entity for Copyright Management). Mr. Chedufau is persuaded of the global appeal of scientific content and aware of all the wonderful things happening in the Southern Hemisphere.
Speaker
Brigitte Baptiste, Biologist, EAN - University (Colombia)Brigitte Baptiste is currently the Chancellor for Ean University. She is a Biologist graduated of Javeriana University. She has a Master Master in Latin American Studies University of Florida, with additional postgraduate studies in Environmental Sciences of the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona and a Ph.D in Environmental Engineering (Honoris Causa).
Researcher and teacher in cultural landscapes, ecology and, analysis of territorial transformation, ecological history of productive systems and multicultural analysis of biodiversity use and management, including transgender studies.
At present, she is currently Co-Chair at the Biodiversity Values Global Assessment of the Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services – IPBES. President of the Science & Politics Advisory Committee at the Inter-American Institute for Global Change – IAI.
Brigitte is member of the Board of Directors at the Colombian Agricultural Research Foundation –AGROSAVIA and writer for colombian newspapers “La República” and “El Espectador”. From 2011 until 2019 Mrs. Baptiste was General Director of the Biological Resources Institute "Alexander von Humboldt" in Colombia.
Saturn, 7th floor
Watch the winning videos from our one-minute science contest and see who takes the grand prize.
Session Producer
Matthew Shribman, Scientist/Environmentalist/Musician, (UK)Matthew Shribman is a scientist, environmentalist and musician. His science videos have over 25 million views online, and he has appeared on Comedy Centrel, ITV News and the BBC’s Today Programme and Blue Peter. He has given talks for the likes of TEDx London, UN Ops, The British-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce, Extinction Rebellion.
A member of 1% For The Planet and the Patagonia Change Makers Community, Matthew’s collaboration credits range from the Plastic Oceans Foundation to the French Research Institute For Development.
In 2019, Matthew organised for 1,000 trees to appear outside the UK parliament. Over 2/3 of MPs, from all parties, came to collect a tree, in the words of Ed Miliband: "I think you’ve changed the conversation."
In 2018, Matthew began the #NoBeef campaign, which is now supported by Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney, the University of Cambridge, Goldsmiths University of London, and academics around the world.
Matthew has also written and recorded music that has been supported by BBC Radio 1, The Times, The Guardian and NME. His musical stage name is Ash Lad.
Saturn, 7th floor
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