After a successful inaugural outing last year, the Mediacon Global Entertainment Summit returns to Dublin next week for two days of high-level (and highly entertaining) discourse on the state of media, via lectures, panels, workshops and those ever-important networking sessions. It’s a major industry event, open to all who want to know what’s happening right now in global entertainment, and, more importantly what’s happening next.
Mediacon gathers content creators from every imaginable area of cutting-edge digital entertainment, from writers, producers and directors to broadcasters and distributors and advertisers – the agenda for both days encompasses ongoing developments in (cue deep breath) TV, film, gaming, animation, virtual reality, social networks, new broadcasting and pretty much every aspect of visual storytelling. In an era where the media-verse is in a near constant state of flux, Mediacon has found its groove almost immediately – it’s where the industry comes to hear war stories from the frontlines of creativity and technology.
“There are two key things we aim to do,” says event co-founder Steve McCormack, “we have to constantly evolve the Irish content industry, and to that end we’re bringing in the best people in the world so that we can learn from them. Then, we assemble all the Irish stakeholders in one room, from creatives to broadcasters to funding bodies – everybody with skin in the game is going to be there. It’s all about joined-up thinking, which is massively important at a time when the industry is changing constantly. And Ireland has serious potential to be at the forefront of that industry.”
This year’s formidable line-up of speakers includes an array of creative heavy-hitters from across the globe, amongst them Mark Smerling, the producer behind true crime TV phenomenon The Jinx and movie-turned-MTV reality hit Catfish, Anna Winger, creator of the highly acclaimed German drama Deutschland 83, Gogglebox Executive Producer Tania Alexander and new RTÉ Director General Dee Forbes.
McCormack is an old hand at forging bold new territory, having created one of RTÉ’s original reality contenders, Fade Street, among many other popular Irish TV hits. He’s endlessly optimistic about the future of the industry: “It’s a hugely exciting time, with cool new things happening week-by-week basis,” he says. “We’re talking about a real golden age for great content, and it doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from - if you make great stuff you will find an audience. The internet has matured. Content is king, more than ever, and the walls have totally broken down. The important thing is to make stuff. Be original.”
He’s also adamant that Ireland can make a bigger splash. "We’re bringing in Ingold Gabolf, the 'Godfather of Danish television' – he’s the guy who green-lit shows like The Killing and The Bridge, and made Denmark synonymous with great crime drama. We've shown we can make great TV. We have this incredible writing history. We have the talent. And we have the material. Why don’t we have, say, an Irish House Of Cards? It’s about being bold, and taking risks. We need to do a lot more of it."
Mediacon takes place at Dublin's City Hall from September 13-14
