Programme & Speakers Announced

THIS WAY UP 16

EXHIBITION INNOVATION CONFERENCE

29-30 November, Glasgow Film Theatre

www.thiswayupconference.com

THIS WAY UP – the film exhibition innovation conference – today announces its 2016 programme and speakers. Held at the newly refurbished Glasgow Film Theatre, the two-day event (29/30 November) will welcome UK and European delegates to an inspiring and thought- provoking programme jam-packed with workshops, panel discussions and keynotes.

TWU 16’s Keynote Speakers

Bobby Allen (VP Business Development, MUBI), Johanna Koljonen (Swedish broadcaster, author, critic and media analyst), and Dawn Walton (Founder/Artistic Director, Eclipse Theatre Company – the UK’s principal Black-led national touring company). The conference will be steered by Scottish creative consultant and co- founder of Creative Dundee, Gillian Easson, who joins as MC and facilitator.

This year’s ‘In Conversation’ will present Oscar winning US documentary filmmaker Roger Ross Williams – whose latest documentary feature, Sundance Film Festival winner, Life, Animated, is released on 9 December – in conversation with BBC Radio Scotland presenter Janice Forsyth.

Jointly organised by three hubs within the BFI’s Film Audience Network: Film Hub Scotland, Film Hub North, and Film Hub North West Central. TWU 16 also welcomes the BFI, Creative Scotland and the British Council as event partners, as well as the support of Veezi, Barco and Creative Europe. Screen International is Official Media Partner.

Other speakers and panellists include:

Ben Luxford (Head of Audiences, BFI), Hope Dickson Leach (filmmaker and co-founder Raising Films), Allison Gardner (Head of Cinemas, Glasgow Film Theatre), Kathryn Penny (Film Manager, National Media Museum), David Boyd (Chief Technician, Filmhouse, EIFF), Dr Karina Aveyard (Senior Lecturer, University of East Anglia), Robert Livingston (CEO, Regional Screen Scotland),

Claire Marshall (Project Manager, Carn2Cove), Alice Morelli (Screen Development Officer, Creative Arts East), Phil Foxwood (Director, Cinema Nation), Melanie Iredale (Deputy Director, Sheffield Doc/Fest), Kate Taylor (Film Programmer, BFI London Film Festival), Hannah McGill (writer and columnist), Kirsty Tough (Marketing Manager, Centre for the Moving Image), Oli Harbottle (Head of Distribution, Dogwoof), Catherine Des Forges (Director, ICO), Andy Snook (Design & Innovation Consultant, Snook), Gary Thomas (Film Programme Manager, British Council), Suzy Glass (Producer & Cultural Consultant, Creative Scotland), Tom Grater (Reporter, Screen International), Paul Hudson (Learning & Participation, Kings Theatres), Stephen Follows (Film Data Blogger, The Story Agency), Jo Wingate (Director, Sensoria), Alison Strauss (Festival Director, Hippodrome Festival of Silent Cinema), Virginia Heath (filmmaker), Jodie Wilkinson (Public Engagement Officer, Glasgow Film Theatre), Agnieszka Moody (Director, Creative Europe Desk UK), Colan Mehaffey (Board Member, Culture Republic), Ashley Smith-Hammond (Manager for Knowledge, Networks & Learning, Culture Republic), Jemma Desai (Film Programmer, British Council), Martin Green (CEO & Director, Hull City of Culture), David Hudson (Writer, Keyframe from Fandor), and Dr David Archibald (Radical Film Network, University of Glasgow).

Programme highlights will include:

The Problem of Abundance: What are the opportunities and challenges of too much choice? The Medium and the Message: From 70mm celebrations to VHS retro-fests, is format the ‘sizzle’ to the film’s ‘steak’?

Producers Unite!: A session aimed at bringing together freelance producers working in film exhibition to chew the fat.

Notes on Blindness: Into Darkness: A chance to experience a highly acclaimed VR experience. ‘Notes on Blindness’ is an ambitious and trailblazing work that uses audio diaries created by academic John Hull documenting his loss of sight.

REACH Show and tell: REACH: Strategic Audience Development is a workshop driven, project- based training programme for independent film exhibitors. We hear from this year’s cohort on clever strategies to build audiences.

Cinema Know How Workshop: Cinema Know How is a service design programme specifically for the film exhibition sector; shaping service experiences that really work for people. Participants will take part in this practical half-day workshop version of the programme.

RE/Mixing it: Film, Music, Archive: The British Council bring filmmakers and exhibitors together to look at the creative and popular potential of cross artform commissioning.

Parental Guidance: Looking at how when venues embrace family friendly policies the results are good for the workplace and good for business too.

Personal Realities in the Communal Experience: Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are being adopted at an accelerating rate, however the experience is often personal, contained and individual. Is there a place for these new technologies in the communal cinema experience?

Stephen Follows Big Screen Data: An award-winning writer and producer, Stephen Follows also researches data and statistics in the film industry, which he communicates via his must-read weekly newsletter.

Better Exhibition Through Good Design: DIscover innovative and award-winning work around accessibility that can not only remove barriers for audiences with specific access requirements, but also help organisations to become better overall.

Rural Pathways: While rural initiatives are highly valued by local audiences, promoters often face considerable pressures in delivering their services and expanding audience engagement. The panel will discuss the key challenges and how to raise the profile of this important part of the exhibition sector at a national level.

Cities: Cities are often seen as engines of cultural production, experimentation and mass consumption, but they are also places where social concerns are most magnified. How can cinemas, festivals and exhibitors develop projects that create meaningful impacts that mesh with existing urban infrastructure?

Audience Engagement Trends: Micro-Moments, Moments of Truth & Lifetime Value: Culture Republic provide the tools and insights that Scotland’s arts and cultural organisations need to identify and understand their audiences. They will share key trends in online audience engagement to help understand audiences better and build stronger connections.

The Editorialists: Hear from film editors and critics on the role their coverage plays in building a healthy film culture, and the politics that inform their editorial visions.

To explore the full programme and speaker information visit: www.thiswayupconference.com

Delegate passes for THIS WAY UP 16 are priced £130. BFI Film Audience Network members can apply for bursary support from their respective Film Hubs.