The Pixel Lab 2015

with the support of the Creative Europe – the MEDIA Programme of the EU, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Creative Scotland, Creative Skillset Film Skills Fund as part of A Bigger Future 2, SDI and BBC ALBA

With storytelling at it’s core, The Pixel Lab is the ultimate workshop for anyone wanting to strengthen their ability to engage with audiences and utilise emerging technologies, interactivity and cross platform approaches to build their IP and media brand.

WHO IS IT FOR?
For professionals working in film, broadcast, advertising, art, publishing, games and online, The Pixel Lab will equip you with the skills needed to create, finance and distribute stories in today’s media climate. Spanning four months, we select up to 20 producers to attend with a project and 20 media professionals to attend without. The Pixel Lab is open to a producers, commissioners, financiers, distributors, writers, directors, games & interactive designers and artists with a strong track record in their chosen field from any media sector.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Workshop One, 28 June – 4 July
The Highlands & Islands, Scotland, UK

In a 6-day intensive residential week, all participants head to the beautiful Kingsmills hotel in the Highlands & Islands of Scotland. Working in pairs with a focus on projects, participants will undertake a series of workshops, group work sessions, case study analysis and 1-2-1 meetings with leading media experts and practitioners around the following subjects:

  • Developing stories across multiple platforms
  • Marketing & distribution strategies dedicated to exploring new platforms, increasing revenue & strengthening business-to-consumer relationships
  • Enhancing audience engagement
  • User-centric design
  • Innovative online tools and services
  • Analysis and deconstruction of international interactive project case studies
  • Legal and digital rights issues surrounding development, production and financing
  • Project packaging, planning and presentation

The residential week closes with The Pixel Lab Open day where participants present their projects to the group before engaging in an afternoon of networking with industry guests from the region and abroad.

Workshop Two, July – September
Distance Mentoring

During the summer, producers attending with a project receive distance mentoring from Sean Coleman, Projects Director at Power to the Pixel. Producers will gain invaluable advice and insight into developing sustainable finance strategies, effective distribution models and building brands.

Workshop Three, 12 – 15 October (tbc)
London, United Kingdom

In the final section of The Pixel Lab, producers attending with a project will present their work to the international media industry at Power to the Pixel: The Cross-Media Forum. Participants will receive pitch training from Paul Tyler, Founder of Handling Ideas and strategic business advice from other leading mentors before presenting their projects to an international jury of commissioners, financiers, distributors and funders. One project will be awarded The Pixel Lab Prize. Producers are also invited to attend a series of 1-2-1 business meetings with potential co-production partners, funds and platforms at Power to the Pixel’s leading finance market, The Pixel Market.

Companies in attendance last year included: ARTE France; Arts Council England; BBC; Bell Fund; BFI; British Council; BuzzFeed; Canada Media Fund; CBBC; Channel 4; CNC; Dazed & Confused; DFI; Egmont UK; France Télévisions; Gaité Lyrique; Hypernaked; McCann; MFG; MEDIA; MediaCom Beyond Advertising; Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg; NFB Canada; Nordisk Film & TV Fond; OMDC; Penguin Books; RTVE; SODEC; The Guardian; The Harmony Institute; Tate Media; Telefilm Canada; TorinoFilmLab; Tribeca Film Institute; VICE; Vimeo; Wallimage and ZDF.

Each participant will also receive free accreditation to The Conference (13 October) and The Pixel Market Finance Forum (14 October) plus access to the many networking events during Power to the Pixel: The Cross-Media Forum.

HOW TO APPLY?
Applications are now closed.