2013 Entertainment and Technology Summit Spring

February 18, 2013 | 04:13PM PT

Entertainment and Technology Summit 2013

DATE: April 29, 2013
LOCATION: Ritz Carlton Hotel, Marina Del Rey, CA

The Variety Entertainment and Technology Summit, co-produced by Digital Hollywood, will focus on the top business issues impacting technology in entertainment today.A cross-section of the industry’s opinion leaders from TV, film, music, gaming, mobile and social networking will gather to discuss the latest game-changing technological developments affecting entertainment today and debate how companies can keep up with, and more importantly capitalize on, these innovations.As technology continues to transform the entertainment industry at an astonishing rate, corporations cannot afford to be left behind; The Variety Entertainment and Technology Summit brings together the innovators and the adopters for a day of discussion and debate on the changing face and the high-tech future of entertainment.Register now for the Advanced Rate of $495 before it expires on April 26.

AGENDA

April 29, 2013 – 9:00am – 6:00pm

8:00 – 9:00am Registration / Check-In/ Morning Networking

9:00 – 9:15am Opening Remarks

9:15 – 10:00am The Online Network Empire – Power Players of the Web
Major web destinations are succeeding in building massive audiences for their original content. This scale is helping in their ability to monetize content, and creating a new class of Web Power Players. Who are the pioneers in this area? How are they working to continue to strengthen audience bases, so they continue to discover new content and come back again and again? How are these networks relating to brand partners – what benefits are they giving them that are unique from TV and other advertising platforms? Web leaders, brands and technology partners will share strategies in this growing area of the entertainment industry.

Moderated by Brent Weinstein, Head of Digital Media, UTA

Confirmed Speakers,
Ezra Cooperstein, Chief Operating Officer, Full Screen
Margaret Laney, Chief Marketing Officer, AwesomenessTV
Sanjay Sharma, EVP Strategy & Business Development at Machinima
Chris Williams, Chief Development Officer, Maker Studios

10:00 – 10:30am Research/Case Studies
10:00 – 10:10 Presentation by Interpret
Presented by Grant Johnson, CEO of Interpret
10:10-10:20 Presentation by SNL Kagan
Deana Myers, Senior Analyst, SNL Kagan

10:30 – 11:00am Keynote Conversation

Adam Goodman, President of Paramount Film Group
Interviewed by David Cohen, Senior Features Editor, Variety

11:00 – 11:15am Networking Break

11:15 – 12:00pm The Future of the Entertainment Content Business
Audiences are hungrier than ever for entertainment, but it’s increasingly complicated knowing what satisfies. As digital options increase – spanning social media, top quality SVOD and original online video – viewers are tempted in every which way with content. At the same time, studios and production companies value traditional TV and film as their biggest revenue generators. How are entertainment chiefs adjusting their content development, distribution and marketing strategies to grow revenues in this digital age? Leaders at studios, networks, production companies, now overseeing robust entertainment operations in all formats and rooms, will debate the future of their industry.

Moderated by Mary Shelton Rose, Partner PwC

Confirmed Speakers
Nicholas Lehman, President Digital, NBC Universal
Russell Hicks, President Content Development and Production, Nickelodeon Group
Kevin Conroy, President of Digital and Enterprise Development, Univision Communications Inc.
Jill Calcaterra, Chief Marketing Officer Cinedigm
Dan Black, Co-Chair, West Coast Entertainment & Media Practice, Greenberg Traurig
David Wertheimer, President Digital, Fox Broadcasting

12:00 – 12:45pm Marketing and the Second Screen: Can it Grow Into a Primary Screen for Business?
There are now legions loyal, massive audiences for Web destinations, and mobile platforms. But what do we do with them now? What are best ways that brand and entertainment marketers and advertisers are using the immense popularity of second screen to monetize? Sponsored posts/tweets/articles that get shared and generate word of mouth? What are the latest strategies to tie TV programming into business opportunities online and on mobile? Top entertainment marketers, publishers, and advertisers converge to debate how they are advancing the second screen for success?

Moderated by Xavier Kochhar, Managing Partner, MediaLink

Confirmed Speakers:
Aimee Viles, Senior Vice President of Emerging Media, Bravo Media
Nicholas Oliver, Creative Technical Director at Global Team Ford
Walter Levitt, EVP Marketing, Comedy Central
Christine Cook, Head of Advertising Partnerships, Flipboard
Greg Consiglio, President and Chief Operating Officer, Viggle
Shane Peros, Managing Director, Strategic Publisher Partnerships, Google

12:45 – 1:45pm LUNCH

1:45 p.m. – 2:15pm Keynote Conversation
Mark Greenberg, President and CEO EPIX
Interviewed by Andrew Wallenstein, Editor-in-Chief Digital Variety

2:15 – 3:00pm No More Messing Around – Social Content Grows Up
After a few years of experimentations and one-offs, TV and film execs are finessing their social strategies into truly workable solutions for the long-term. What is successful social TV today – how might it be moving beyond encouraging talent to post and tweet to drive tun-in? What is working in engaging viewers, and monetizing around these communities? How are TV and film execs analyizing which mix of social sites and apps are right for each of their particular projects? TV/film chiefs, content creators, brands and their technology partners will debate what is working best building a captive audience around social entertainment.

Moderated by Eric Kuhn, Head of Social Media, UTA

Confirmed Speakers:
Howie Stein, Head of Entertainment Strategy, Facebook
David Hayes, Entertainment Evangelist, Tumblr
Lisa Joy Rosner, Chief Marketing Officer, NetBase
John Gilles, Director of New Media at Code and Theory
Laura Rumbel, Director Consumer Experience Enabling Program, Interaction and Experience Research Lab, Intel
Maya Baratz, Director of Product Development, ABC News Digital

3:00 – 3:15pm Networking Break

3:15 – 3:45pm Keynote Conversation
Erik Martin, GM reddit
Interviewed by Gordon Paddison, Stradella Road

3:45 – 4:30pm The Digital Consumer: How to Best Feed the Beast
As technology advances – and consumers are hungry for more and more convenience – there is a burgeoning business in digitally distributing to TVs, tablets and other platforms. This has ushered in exploding choice in how content distributors should launch film, TV and digital media in what window, at what price, through which service, etc. What are the best strategies to release content and maximize the return? How can distributors and technology partners best capitalize on the massive amount of data they now receive from their digital customers? Content distribution leaders and their service partners will analyze how they are advancing their rising direct-to-consumer businesses.

Moderated by Andrew Wallenstein, Editor-in-Chief Digital at Variety

Confirmed Speakers:
John Penney, EVP Strategy, Business Development, and Worldwide Distribution, Starz
Thomas Hughes, SVP Digital/On-Demand, Lionsgate
Aubrey Freeborn, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Worldwide Video On Demand and Digital Download at Twentieth Century Fox
Michael Bishara, VP and General Manager, TV Everywhere, Synacor
Diane Bernard, CEO FLM.tv
Jeremy Helfand, VP for Video Solutions at Adobe Systems
Jim Underwood, EVP Worldwide Digital and Commercial Strategy, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

4:30 – 5:15pm All-Stars of Zeitgeist of Storytelling
Creativity in entertainment really has no boundaries – as there is now sky-high production values and inventiveness across platforms. How are storytellers using this vast creative playground to really bring something new to audiences? Pioneers in TV, digital media, games, films, apps and more will talk about how they are taking advantage of this wide open canvas to surprise and thrill entertainment fans.

Moderated by David Cohen, Senior Features Editor, Variety

Confirmed Speakers:
Kiki Wolfkill, Executive Producer, Halo
Joseph Kosinksi, Director (Oblivion, TRON: Legacy)
Mike Gibbons, Executive Producer, Tosh.0
Jon M. Chu, Director (G.I. Joe: Retaliation) and Creator of DS2DIO channel on YouTube

5:15pm Networking Reception