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The Children’s Media Conference – the leading event for everyone involved in developing, producing and distributing kids’ content across all platforms – has today announced that best-selling novelist Patrick Ness will deliver the creative keynote at this year’s 2012 conference, which takes place from the 4 – 6 July in Sheffield. Patrick will be interviewed by journalist, broadcaster and author Mark Lawson. Patrick made history last month when his novel A Monster Calls, illustrated by Jim Kay, became the first book ever to win both the prestigious Carnegie Medal and the Kate Greenaway Medal. Since the creation of the distinguished award seventy six years ago, Patrick also became only the second author to win two years in a row, having won in 2011 for the final installment in his Chaos Walking trilogy. The books in the trilogy – The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and the Answer and Monsters of Men – have won many other awards including the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, the Costa Children’s Book Award and the Booktrust Teen Prize. US studio Lionsgate (The Hunger Games) has acquired the movie rights with Oscar-winner Charlie Kaufman adapting. Simon Milner, Policy Director for Facebook UK and Ireland will also speak at the conference where he will join Reg Bailey on the Are We Safe Yet? session. Simon will be discussing what has happened in the past twelve months after the recommendations of the Bailey report as well as looking at what progress has been made in the online industry on internet safety for children. In a new initiative for 2012, CMC is asking industry leaders to “put their money where their mouth is” in a Dragons’ Den-style pitching competition featuring Nigel Pickard, Zodiak Media, Sander Schwartz, Fremantle Media and Michael Acton Smith, Mind Candy and Alison Warner, Technicolor. The conference close will be a debate on the future prospects for children’s independent film-making, following the Chris Smith Review of Film policy, and the appointment of Ben Roberts as Director of the Lottery Film Fund at the BFI. Ben will join leading producers and distributors to discuss what can be done to stimulate animation and children’s and family film in the UK. Key sessions include: Second Screen – Companion apps alongside TV content have made a big impact in mainstream viewing – are they coming to kids’ TV too? Leading producers explore how second screen children’s TV can work. 3DTV and Beyond – Examines the possible future for 3DTV. Will we ever reach a point of duality where programmes are simulcast in 2D and 3D, or will 3D be relegated to only sports and ‘special event’ TV. Screen to Shelf – Ready for Retail – Successful children’s media explodes into reality through imaginative play, experiences and products. Aimed at creators, producers and commercial partners who have ambition to take their brand into a life off-screen, this workshop will provide the insight and practical skills to help you translate from screen to shelf. Never Ending Story – This session, which includes Laura Dockerill – 22 year old poet and performer – will explore the art of storytelling. Is it fundamentally the same as it has always been? Or has technology changed everything? Do storytellers from different disciplines approach narratives differently? How does storytelling have to change in light of children's media consumption? Will stories cease to have a beginning, middle and an end? Other conference sessions include: Shape It, Pitch it (on early stage project development); The Power of the Parent; Testing, Testing (on conducting rigorous research); Enabling Kids and Connecting Communities; Protecting Sally the Seahorse (on character exploitation and protection); Thank You for the Music; The Audio Picture (brand extension on audio platforms); Working with CBBC hosted by ex-Dragon’s Den contestant Saira Kahn will give delegates an insight into how external suppliers, talent and companies can nurture working relationships with CBBC in-house productions and the ever popular opening session entitled Answers on a Postcard which reviews the past year, explores future issues and finds out just what kids are up to in a light hearted quiz format which will be hosted by CBBC presenter, Caellach Spelleman. |
