Directors UK members give their thoughts on Film Agency for Wales’ Audience Connect event

Directors UK sent four of our Wales-based members to the Audience Connect event late last month, and asked them to let us know how they found the day.

The event was billed as an opportunity for professionals to “consider the changing relationship between audience and content in an on-demand, digital age”, and featured Lord Puttnam, the BFI Head of Film Fund Ben Roberts, Lance Weiler as speakers. There were also panel sessions on cross-platform/exhibition, and the changing world of development as a result of new channels opening between filmmakers and audiences.

Here’s what our members had to say:

“It was really, really good. Lots of useful networking opportunities and some great speakers. Lance Weiler was particularly inspiring, talking about considering the audience as collaborators.

One of the most interesting people on the panels was a young producer called Franki Goodwin who calls herself an 'asset producer.' She focuses on all the stuff around the film itself that she can use to create a buzz or to create multi-platform offshoots of the film that act as publicity as well as being significant in their own right. The essential thing is that this requires a lot of time and a lot of work and isn't usually possible for a producer who's running around trying to deal with finance and everything else. And it's not just the idea of marketing the film since it's dealing with elements that are actually feeding back into the whole film itself. Very interesting.

Thank-you so much for the ticket - it was an excellent day.

Catherine Linstrum

“The event was very engaging. The keynote lecture from David Puttnam was full of wisdom and insight and truly inspirational. In fact if this was the only seminar you went to this year it would be worth its weight in gold. Just brilliant.

Following David Puttnam, there was Lance Weiler speaking from New York looking at how to create 'event' cinema. He was a terrific speaker, both fascinating and again, inspirational. Great ideas for first screenings and marketing your film.

The day was capped off by the screening of Murnau's Faust with live music - which was brilliant.

So all in all a fabulous day and a mighty thank you to you.

Clive Flowers

“There was a clarity of intent, good speakers and they summarised after each session which was useful. Mind you at the start of the day someone said there was now no excuse for William Goldman's observation 'no one knows anything' because there are now so many possibilities for capturing data, by the end of the day having gone through various scenarios everyone agreed that we still know very little about what makes a hit film and what doesn't!

Thank you for the ticket. I came out inspired.“

Suzanne Phillips