THE 13th Belfast Media Festival (BMF) gets underway at The MAC in Belfast today. Hosted by Kathy Clugston and William Crawley, the two-day event features 16 different sessions covering various aspects of the media industry.
The BMF will include workshops, skills training, panel discussions and keynote speeches, with sessions including:
:: The RTS NI Dan Gilbert Lecture: BBC Head of Unscripted Kate Phillips in conversation with UTV's Eden Wilson.
:: BBC Three Controller Fiona Campbell in conversation with Wreck writer Ryan J Brown and director Chris Baugh.
:: Commissioners from Channel 4, Disney, BBC, ITV and others offering insight into future programming and highlighting current trends.
:: Babita Sharma talks to industry professionals about the demand for authentic and diverse voices in the creative industries.
:: Local writers Declan Lawn, Adam Patterson, Mary McGuckian and Ciaran Bartlett advise on how to get your drama made.
:: Scene of the Crime: Producers of Irish crime documentaries talk about the popularity of true crime series.
:: BBC director of nations Rhodri Talfan Davies talks about his plans for the nations with William Crawley.
:: Bafta-winning games developer Charles Cecil discussing the evolution of gaming with Kevin Beimers.
:: The launch of new Irish TV station Cula 4 with a focus on children's and Irish language programming.
:: A special case study on what made Kenneth Branagh's Belfast such a global success.
Other topics to be discussed during the festival will include the continued rise of podcasting, international distribution, designing for and attracting younger audiences, the future of animation in Northern Ireland, co-commissioning, plus the return of the BBC's Two-Minute Masterpiece.
BBC NI head of commissioning Eddie Doyle said: "This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the amazing growth of Northern Ireland's creative industries over the past decade and recognise our wonderful home-grown talent now operating on the global stage.
"For anyone interested in a career in broadcasting, film or gaming, this is the place to be."
Richard Williams, CEO at Northern Ireland Screen said: "Northern Ireland Screen is delighted to support another varied and diverse programme of workshops, training, panel discussions and keynote speeches at Belfast Media Festival.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for people working across film, TV and gaming to share knowledge with those interested in progressing or pursuing a career in our vibrant creative industries sector. We wish the festival good luck in bringing people together from across Northern Ireland and showcasing what our talent has to offer."
:: The full BMF schedule and free registration is available via belfastmediafestival.co.uk
