Focus, the end-of-year meeting place for the international production community, returns December 10-11 in London. The 10th edition remains free to attend for industry professionals and brings together thousands of attendees across film, TV, advertising, animation, gaming and XR.
“Last year was our biggest event by a wide margin,” says Jean-Frederic Garcia, Managing Director of Focus. “What we have been able to do is not only increase numbers, but also, according to the post-conference survey, increase satisfaction. I am pleased to say that the 10th edition will be the biggest we have ever done.
This year’s edition sees some changes to the format, including distributing talks and sessions across targeted stages to further refine discussions and help attendees find sessions best suited to their needs. The three phases are named: Business and Leadership, Craft and Creativity, and Technology and Innovation. Focus also introduces “Brief,” a new format consisting of 10-minute presentations on topics such as new technologies and traditional crafts.
“Our priority is the quality of attendance. We have allocated resources to that,” Garcia says, adding that the accreditation process will be closely monitored to maintain standards. “We want to make sure that people who attend the show feel cared for.”
Highlights include a British Film Commission training session on “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” Jason Solomons’ chat with “True Detective” producer Sam Brickman, and an in-depth lecture on artificial intelligence examined by Robert Zemeckis. “Generation AI ‘Here’: The Science and Art Behind Robert Zemeckis’ Groundbreaking Feature.”
If last year’s conference focused on the main topic of artificial intelligence, Garcia says that this year sees special attention to adaptability and flexibility. “If you look at the way our sessions are structured, they are either about adaptability to a new world – whether that is new funding avenues or audience sustainability – and flexibility, because there is a great need for flexibility in this day and age.”
However, AI is still a topic of great debate, with Garcia stating that Focus wants to consider “harnessing AI to create a balance with traditional crafts.” He adds: “It has been a very difficult year and a half, but it has made us realize how resilient the industry is. Our industry is adaptable and can reinvent itself. We need to look to the future and think about where things can go.”
Elsewhere, Garcia is proud to have made great strides with the participation of UK studios, significantly boosting their presence at the conference, and the arrival of new countries participating in Focus this year. “Japan is coming, as are Hungary and Tunisia. The pool expansion is great.”
“I’m looking forward to the conference this year because of all the changes we’ve made,” he concludes. “We have strengthened our focus on the three pillars of conferences, exhibitions and networking, and have truly enhanced communication capabilities.”