Frank Cottrell Boyce To Open Children’s Media Conference 2013
Skwigly
29 APRIL 2013 – The Children’s Media Conference (CMC) – the leading event for everyone involved in developing, producing and distributing kids’ content across all platforms – has announced that acclaimed screenwriter, children’s novelist and the writer behind the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony, Frank Cottrell Boyce, will give the opening keynote at this year’s event, which takes place from 3-5 July in Sheffield.
Frank Cottrell Boyce, who will open the 10th Anniversary
Frank has written a number of award-winning books for children including; Millions which won the CILIP Carnegie Medal in 2004 and was made into a movie directed by Danny Boyle; Framed which was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, the Whitbread Award and the Guardian Prize; and Cosmic which was shortlisted for the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize 2008 and the inaugural Roald Dahl Funny Prize. His forth book, The Unforgotten Coat won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize 2012 and was shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award. Frank also wrote the official sequel to Ian Fleming’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again which was published in October 2011 and shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize in 2012. The follow up, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Race Against Time, was released in September 2012.
Anna Home OBE, Conference Chair, said: “The CMC celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2013. For the last 10 years we have been at the forefront of exploring innovation and change. Our theme for 2013 is Are we there yet? Here we will take stock of the innovation in funding, making, distributing and consuming content over the last decade and we’ll look at where kids’ media is going and, in this world of constant change, if there is indeed a destination to get to.
“At the CMC we recognise that getting together to share experience, explore innovation and focus on the audience is the best way to face an uncertain but exciting future with confidence.”
Following the opening keynote, an impressive array of media luminaries will take to the floor to host and participate in 50 conference sessions and masterclasses over the three days, including Andrew Beecham (PBS Sprout), Francesca Dow (Penguin), Joe Godwin (BBC), Amelia Johnson (Bin Weevils), Tina McCann (Nickelodeon) and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh (creator of Phineas and Ferb).
Other sessions will include:
Six Meet The Commissioners panels where major broadcasters from both the UK and internationally outline their content needs and commissioning processes.
Strategic sessions covering topics including entertaining education, serious games, tricky topics, the top tens of apps and comedy, old brands in new clothes, digital comics, the future of radio and many more.
Business insights on the operation of the animation tax break, live action export potential, the fremium model for apps and balancing your business activity.
Creative discussions and masterclasses in animation, games, comedy and music and eight sessions with leading research companies and academics which look at the latest research.
One of last year’s most popular session, Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is, also returns. The session offers a pitching competition in which developed projects are pitched to producers and IP acquirers with real money to invest. A call for entries for this session will be issued soon.
This year will see the extension of the CMC International Exchange, an event designed to welcome buyers, co-producers, commissioners and investors from various selected territories to meet UK companies and freelancers with content or services to sell – or who are looking for investment.
For more information visit: www.