Kidscreen Summit Keynote revealed: YouTube Head of Family/EDU Malik Ducard
Skwigly
Kidscreen is thrilled to announce that YouTube’s Head of Family/EDU Malik Ducard will open 2015’s biggest event for leaders in children’s entertainment with a revealing keynote entitled Press Play on Fun.
Online and mobile video viewing rates continue to skyrocket pretty much everywhere, and YouTube has a rock-solid grip on this audience. Today, YouTube is home to millions of families across the globe seeking out content that entertains, educates and inspires their children. With parent company Google currently revamping several of its products for kids 12 and under, YouTube’s Head of Family/EDU Malik Ducard will talk about new opportunities for producers to engage families like never before.
The complete conference program for Kidscreen Summit 2015 is now available online (http://summit.kidscreen.com/2015/agenda/), offering more than 65 keynotes, panel discussions, presentations, debates and networking sessions—all featuring respected thought leaders and pioneers from the children’s entertainment industry and beyond. Some highlights include:
Meet the President: Cartoon Network’s Christina Miller
Christina Miller is now leading the charge at one of the world’s biggest children’s broadcasters, having taken the reins at Turner for Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang. Balancing business and creative strategies as she carves a new path for the network is no easy thing, but Miller is definitely up for the challenge. In this one-on-one session, she’ll discuss the influences that have shaped the way she approaches content and commercial enterprise, as well as providing a first peek at what’s on deck at Cartoon Network and where she sees the future of kids TV heading.
Shifting Gears: How the Producer’s Role is Evolving
In each phase of a production, there is always a dedicated producer making sure the train stays on the track. But as the kids entertainment landscape diversifies, the role of a producer is evolving dramatically alongside it. Join our panel of international producers as they compare and contrast past experiences with current experiments, and glean insight into how this all-important position will continue to change as platforms and distribution channels proliferate and shift shape.
Close-Up With the Maker of Maker
Disney paid in excess of US$500 million earlier this year for Maker Studios, whose Family business unit is one of the largest multi-channel networks in the children’s entertainment industry. Meet Michael Ross, the man in charge of Maker Family, and find out more about the challenges and successes that have shaped his unique perspective and approach to content.
Can They Build It? A Case Study of the New Bob the Builder
Join HIT Entertainment and research outfit Dubit as they present the challenges they faced in reimagining Bob the Builder for modern preschoolers in a changing media landscape. Dubit will unveil research that influenced HIT’s plans for Bob V2.0, drawing on quantitative and qualitative data gleaned from interviews of more than 1,800 children in the UK and US. And HIT will offer insights into how this research influenced its relaunch strategy for Bob, and how other children’s entertainment makers can do likewise.
Audience-Building: Then vs. Now
Eyeballs, eyeballs, eyeballs—attracting a sizable audience is still othe ultimate end goal, but how does content develop a following now compared to just five years ago? Who’s leading the charge? How have marketing roles changed, and how do things like COPPA regulations come into play with non-linear series? Our expert panel of producers, broadcast marketers and researchers will discuss what it was like then, and how to get it done now.
Hunting For YouTube Talent
Online talent is gaining more and more traction in kids entertainment. Just look at the traffic flocking to YouTube star channels like PewDiePie, who has 32 million subscribers and counting. While traditional prodcos are starting to scope out the space, there’s a lot to learn about tracking down hot content creators and how their existing relationships with YouTube MCNs might impact their work on other platforms. Join our panel of leaders in the antidiabetic pills online and mobile landscape as they outline what the new deals with talent look like, how they evaluate credibility and starpower, and how deals might differ between live action and animation creators.
VOD: The Shape of Things to Come
The producers who best understand the capabilities of emerging media platforms will be able to optimize their content most effectively―and create the deepest engagement for the biggest audiences. While this may sound simple, deciding what this optimization looks like is anything but. For starters, some claim this generation has abandoned “consumable” narrative media in favor of “shareable” social media, while others like Netflix contend VOD will usher in a new age of totally immersive long-form epic storytelling. So which direction to choose? Our panel of kids media pros will have plenty of opinions on the shape of things to come.
Kidscreen Summit 2015 is set to take place in Miami, Florida from February 23 to 26. The event’s new venue is the Miami InterContinental, a contemporary luxury hotel located on prime waterfront in downtown Miami, and just minutes away from South Beach, the Design District, Coconut Grove’s bohemian village, and the many galleries, restaurants and boutique shops in Coral Gables.
Last year, Kidscreen Summit welcomed nearly 1,700 attendees from 47 countries around the world. And close to 450 kids TV buyers and investors were at the event looking for new content and partners. This year’s event will continue to offer an unparalleled opportunity to keep abreast of important issues and trends in the fast-moving international kids entertainment industry, generate business and revenue opportunities, and network with leading decision-makers.
Registration for Kidscreen Summit 2015 is open. To sign up online or get more information, visit the event website at http://summit.kidscreen.com/2015/.