"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." Walt Disney
I just got back from attending the screening of Memories of a Doll at the 11th Los Angeles Greek Film Festival, which was absolutely amazing and held at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. Thank you to everyone that helped bring this program together. It was unforgettable! It is such a joy to see a film that you had vehemently supported, come to life on the big screen.
Coupled with the 11th LAGFF, I also attended the Produced By conference in LA, which is run by the Producer's Guild of America. It was the second time that I had gone to this conference and for the second time the conference didn't disappoint. This year it was held at Fox Studios and always such a great place to be whilst learning about film, for it's surrounds allows you to be a total dreamer about the future of content, this can't be helped. I didn't have to dream too much, because the speakers relayed some interesting information about the new landscape for content.
This landscape is very new, particularly with the advent of Netflix and the similar platforms that are emerging, which only point to one thing, and that is the necessity to have content, or if you are a filmmaker, to continue to find and create new content. At the moment there are so many buyers of content that it is a seller's market.
To be sure the content has to be original and interesting, but no other time in history, has it been so easy to create work and have it shown. With the creation of these platforms and the reorganisation of how viewers view television and their programs it has also opened up the way for shorter content. Episodes that are no longer than ten minutes will become very popular. Long form will also be popular, it is just that there will be a lot more spaces and places to view these. All of these changes are positive changes for filmmakers or creators of content. More and more new platforms are being launched with the latest being Facebook which will be on the lookout for producers who are willing to create content for Facebook.
In essence if you are a filmmaker, with an idea, just push forward to the best of your ability and get it made. If it takes you longer than anticipated, then so be it. It took the producers of 'Making a Murderer', ten years to complete the series, with little money. They are now onto their second season. Such a good outcome for them!
Almost every speaker at the conference talked about how exciting it was at the moment, for there has not been a better time in history, than right now, to be a filmmaker or storyteller. Technology is moving at such a rapid pace that viewers are embracing all types of platforms to watch their programs. So, lets keep moving forward and be curious about this new era, for as Walt Disney said, it is this curiosity that will lead us all down new paths. Happy storytelling everyone!
Stella Dimadis
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