In 2024, MIA will once again present a program dedicated to the transformation of the creative industries, highlighting the latest trends and emerging technologies. Through interactive panels, expert meetings, and in-depth discussions, participants will have the opportunity to explore how innovations are shaping the future of audiovisual production and distribution. With a focus on virtual productions and immersive content, the program aims to provide tools and strategies to tackle contemporary challenges and seize new opportunities in the sector. Topics include new business models such as FAST Channels, virtual production, immersive content distribution, the impact of artificial intelligence on audiovisual productions, the role of financing, and the challenges and opportunities in the distribution of immersive content.
In a rapidly evolving sector, the conversation on the role of Artificial Intelligence is crucial, as it will redefine how content is created, distributed, and consumed. In the panel Future Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Audiovisual Production, producer Radek Wegrzyn (Magical Realist), producer and EPC President Dariusz Jabloński (Apple Film), Christina Caspers-Roemer, Managing Director of Trixter—one of Germany’s leading visual effects studios that integrates innovation and creativity in digital production—Miki Mistrati, Executive Producer of Snowman Production, creators of If Pigs Could Talk (2024), a film that used AI in an ethical way, and Ariens Damsi, CEO of Italy’s Eliofilm (producer of The Eggregore’s Theory, created with AI and presented as the opening film of Venice 81 Critics’ Week), will join a conversation moderated by Erik Barmack, CEO and Founder of WildSheep Content and founder of AI in Hollywood. This essential discussion, organized in collaboration with Creative Europe Desk Italy MEDIA, will delve into the transformative role of AI along the production chain, examining the implications of the recent AI Act from the European Commission, which will be introduced by Martin Dawson, Deputy Head of Unit MEDIA, DG CONNECT.
In the panel Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day. 110 Days in the LED Volume and What That Means for the Rest of Us, we will explore, with Neil Graham (Executive Producer, Dimension & DNEG 360), Max Rocchetti (Director, Virtual Production Supervisor), and Nils Pawels (Immersive Productions), the technological innovations that made possible the creation of the Netflix miniseries set in Ancient Rome, Those About to Die (2024), directed by Roland Emmerich. We will discover some of the most advanced technologies, including the potential of LED Volume and its power to revolutionize content creation.
The Challenges and Opportunities for Distribution of Immersive Content panel will address the challenges and opportunities in distributing XR content. We will analyze the similarities with traditional media, highlighting the unique opportunities in distributing AR/VR projects via online platforms and physical spaces. Speakers include Björn Jensen, Founder and Creative Director of Ginger Foot Films (Germany); Jordan Moutamani, Chief Operating Officer of Astrea (France); John Volpato, Founder and CEO of Ultra (Italy); Sara Fattucci, Exhibition & Festival Manager of Unframed Collection (France); and Sönke Kirchhof, Founder and CEO of INVR.SPACE GmbH (Germany).
The debate on the role of FAST TV (Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television) is current and crucial, as it could redefine how content is distributed and consumed. The panel The Rise of FAST Channels featuring Antonella Dominici, SVP Streaming Italy and South EMEA, Paramount+ and Pluto TV (Italy); Cedric Monnier, CEO and co-founder of Okast (France); Cristina Sala, Italy Country Lead, Samsung TV Plus (Italy); and Mauro Panella, Co-founder, FAST Channels Network – FCN (Italy), will focus on the evolving landscape of FAST TV models, exploring their role today and how the origins of television—initially conceived as a medium for advertising products to audiences—could offer insights into the future of the medium.
In the workshop Best Practices for Virtual Production, Mikael Windelin, VFX Producer of Helicopter Heist, will explain how to get the most out of virtual production, from the initial briefing to the final shoot. With a focus on plate-based virtual production (digital backdrops), this masterclass will offer practical advice to independent filmmakers on how to integrate virtual production into projects of various sizes, from small to large budgets. All the small details that make production smoother and more efficient will be explored.
The panel Innovation in Audiovisual: MIMIT’s Support for Emerging Technologies will present the activities of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, supporting the development and adoption of emerging technologies in the audiovisual sector. Through the presentation of innovation projects, the opportunities offered by technological experimentation for the cultural and creative industries will be illustrated. This is a chance to discover how digital innovation is transforming audiovisual content production and consumption, with the support of MIMIT and its synergy with MIA and the Houses of Emerging Technologies..
