Panel
Michael Kuhn, Chairman, Qwerty Films
Anthony Lilley, Managing Director, Magic Lantern
Arvind Ethan David, Managing Director, Slingshot
Michael Gubbins, Editor, Screen International - chair
Summary
A likely end to staggered release windows, the boom in home cinema, video on demand over broadband, plus dealing with the likes of BitTorrent and other sources of illegal file sharing - this event looked at strategies the film industry should be taking if it's to survive the next ten years.
With all the speakers very aware of the iconoclastic powers of new digital platforms, there was a general consensus in the room, and no sign of the polarity between panel and audience that often surfaces in these debates. Although coming from very different perspectives, the three panel members saw the future as one of great opportunity. In Anthony's view, it was a primarily a creative challenge - and how to finance that process, while for Arvind and Michael, it was a question of who would master new marketing techniques.
Conclusions
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The UK is in a unique position to steal a march on the US film industry and establish itself as a major global player, but we need to structure the tax incentives to enable us to be at the forefront.
- Peer to peer recommendation will dominate future marketing. Producers are going to have to listen much more closely to their customers, and serve them more effectively. We are looking to re-invent film marketing over the internet, and the producers who grasp this will be the most successful.
- High-capacity broadband in living rooms is here. But were still waiting for the revolutionary content ideas. A seismic shift will happen in video content the way it did with music content when Apple launched i-tunes.
- Although new business models will develop, Homechoice, Lovefilm, HDNet and Sky are companies to watch for now.
 Event report | Speaker biogs
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