COMMUNICATION & STORY TELLING

Sue had no idea, when she graduated, what her media future would look like. This conversation was a great insight into where she began and how her career has transformed and settled into the wonderful place it is now. She is autonomous, active in all areas of the industry and a real role model for women like myself who want to produce and distribute their own content.

She calles herself a Screen Producer. And uses the word screen deliberately because she transcends all media forms. She encouraged us at the beginning of the presentation, to be available to all opportunities, to be flexible, open minded and willing to say yes to whatever challenges and changes in technology come our way. At the start of her career She was telling stories and engaging with technology in a way that’s not happening today. In ten years, the skills we have now, will be totally redundant.

• What are the key areas we need to be thinking about?

Audiences: Democratically, they are choosing where, when and how they watch it on which device.

• The desire for content, to escape reality, to switch off. These things will never engage. They want to laugh, cry, feel, connect, relate.
• As a producer, you can’t think about one method of distribution, there are all kinds of different platforms.

Media Platforms: Youtube, Websites, Snapchat, VINE, Instagram, FB, Iview, Video on Demand.

Technology: VR – The tools that we have to make and distribute

Interactivity and Engagement: High level of engagement. The future is about a two way interaction. Audiences like to have a conversation.

• Engagement on all levels. There are so many ways to do it. It’s not about just watching a movie anymore.

Marketing: Social media – How do you reach your audiences? Why are you doing this? It’s capturing your passion and interest – you need to communicate that with others. You want it to be as broad reaching as possible. Always keep in mind your core audience. It’s very time consuming and very expensive. WHO IS CORE MARKET? And then grow out in eccentric circles. Word of mouth is the most important. We need to find our market and find out how to hold their attention.

• Read Up on Subscription View on Demand

Managing Data: Image and sound capture / access to a means of production / don’t ever get seduced by the tools. Why are we using this technology? It should come back to COMMUNICATING & STORY TELLING / Why are you making something and who are you making it for? What are you trying to say?

Content

Management

Business/Finance

Distribution rights/ you need to own the rights: This is why I look up to Sue. She has managed to become the distributer and owner of her own content from start to finish.

• Monetise your own content.

Areas to explore:

• GOOD PITCH
• TED TALKS
• GOOD SHIP – bringing expertise of women who are in marketing and distribution they are combining their experience and offering filmmakers a chance to come together with the market.

Her Advice to US!

• Stay curious, keep changing
• Persist You have to be in it for the long hall.

Thank you Sue! I really enjoyed this discussion.