Written by new-contact on Aug 24, 2011. Posted in General Interest

Arab Spring and social media among discussion points at AFCI Cineposium 2011

It’s been a turbulent few months in many parts of the world, not least in the Middle East. The effects of the Arab Spring on film production will be a talking point at the AFCI Cineposium 2011, along with discussions about how film commissions around the world can develop future strategies.

The civil unrest of the Arab Spring has had a clear impact on film production throughout the region. In addition the role of film commissions around the world and the constant challenges they face in justifying their existence will be a major talking point and is something that applies on a global scale.

We decided that the Cineposium in 2011 would be an ideal place to help film commissioners to break free of responsiveness and build dynamic programmes that allow them to take the initiative moving forward.

Martin Cuff, AFCI

Martin Cuff is caretaker Manager of the AFCI: “Many film commissions and film offices respond to this survivalism by reacting to what is asked of them. Being co-dependent on both the industry and their grant funders, they simply react to the next or additional set of requests or demands in order to function.

“This is of course potentially unhealthy and leaves film commissioners and their commissions always at the whims of fortune. So we decided that the Cineposium in 2011 would be an ideal place to help film commissioners to break free of responsiveness and build dynamic programmes that allow them to take the initiative moving forward.”

Social media will be a topic for debate, with a couple of sessions scheduled to introduce the technology and share how to use it in a way that sells the brand most effectively.

Social media will also be a topic for debate, with a couple of sessions scheduled to introduce the technology and share how to use it in a way that sells the brand most effectively. This will be expanded upon with a Twitter discussion involving members around the world that will be projected on a big screen at the main venue in Enghien-les-Bains near Paris.

Prominent guest speakers include Greg Orme, founder and Managing Director of specialist consultancy Kirkbright. Then there’s Arthur Bobovnický, a Managing Partner at IMP Consulting, an international consulting house, as well as Frank Hannigan, who has been involved in all aspects of the global media industry for 25 years.

The AFCI Cineposium 2011 takes place from September 11th to 14th.