MGEITF

So, this year’s MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival starts today and runs through the whole weekend. Expect industry leaders as well as various movers and shakers in television discuss key issues that are at the heart of the TV community. Here’s a snippet of who to expect in this year’s line up:

Danny Cohen, Peter Fincham, Jay Hunt, Stuart Murphy, Janice Hadlow, Jeff Ford, Richard Klein and James Hunt will feature in the 2011 Controllers Sessions – each one guaranteed to provide an in-depth and informative look at what their channel has in store for viewers in the future, whilst answering audience questions.

The stars of ITV2’s multiplatform phenomenon and runaway success, The Only Way is Essex are joined by producers and commissioners to talk vajazzling, spray tanning, and the blurring of fact and fiction.

The stars and creators of the massive ratings and critical success Downton Abbey will be deconstructing its popularity, examining its narrative structure and its modern appeal, as well as exclusively previewing the new series – a must see for all fans.

Award-winning actress, writer and new entrant to the British comedy pantheon, Miranda Hart, will give a masterclass covering the creative process and the future of comedy.

Journalist and presenter Miriam O’Reilly joins a panel discussion examining the relationship between older women and television in Too Old for HD? The session will explore the different ways TV women have adapted – or not – with the changing face of television.

In a year when new boundaries have been pushed in comedy programmes, 1980s light entertainment legend, Jim Davidson, reflects on the industry that loved him, supported him but ultimately rejected him, as he discusses the changing nature of acceptability in comedy and television as a whole.

Sofie Gråbøl, star of hit Danish crime thriller (and breakout BBC4 success) The Killing is joined by producer Piv Bernth to celebrate Sarah Lund, the cult following for the programme and everyone’s favourite jumpers.

As always, the Festival has a brilliant line up. And this year is no exception. Check out the programme highlights here.

There are lots of activity online as well, so to keep up to date, you can follow the MGEITF Twitter feed or their posts on Facebook. Not to mention, there’s a really cool iPhone app – just search for MGEITF 2011. And most of all, you can watch the action live on live.mgeitf.co.uk.

If you fancy going, online registration is now closed, however if you are in Edinburgh, you can register on site at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

TMFA 2010: Snippets

Armed with a Flip camera, I have captured elements of some of the various panel sessions and opening night at TMFA 2010, which was held at The Roundhouse in London.

Louise Benson at the opening night

Peter Bazalgette at the opening night

Will Gompertz – opening night Question Time

Jeremy Hunt, Culture Secretary

Old Money New Commissioning

Mark Thompson – Arts + TV + Internet = ? Panel

Funding, networking and learning

Here’s the overview of The Media Festival Arts:

The Media Festival Arts in partnership with Arts Council England and the UK Film Council will offer cutting edge content fusing the digital agendas of the arts, film, media and technology. The festival was conceived to provide an environment in which media and arts professionals can meet, share and discuss new opportunities created a rapidly evolving digital media landscape.

The festival content will reflect the relationship between creative innovation, digital revenue streams and adding value to existing core activities. It will demonstrate how digital innovation can lead to mutually beneficial cross industry partnerships and new creative and commercial opportunities.

This festival aims to work towards a new settlement for public access to culture, to build a new public digital cultural space for the UK. The arts and the media industries need to talk and learn about shared possibilities, shared standards, shared technical solutions, and shared visions for what public service media can look like in the digital age.

Attending this three-day event (September 8-10, Roundhouse, London) means that you have the opportunity to network with hundreds of arts, media and technology bosses. The delegate list already has some of the big names in the industry. Also, this is your chance to find out how arts can collaborate with the media and broadcast industries to deliver 360-degree public service content as well as hearing about what available funding and investment opportunities are available for creative research and development.

I really cannot wait. I will be blogging during the conference, but I strongly encourage you to be part of the conversation especially if you are passionate about the arts, film and media. So if you can make it there, why not? Martian Landing readers get a 25% VIP discount. Just quote MARS25 when you register and hopefully see you there.

Write all about it…

Writers and photographers, here are two great and exciting Red Bull Reporter assignments:

1. A writer is wanted to head to the British F1 Grand Prix at Silverstone

For the latest Red Bull Reporter assignment, the search is on for an aspiring writer and Formula 1 fanatic to cover the British Formula 1 Grand Prix, which stops in Silverstone from 9th – 11th July.

The chosen reporter will get their mid-season review published in a special edition of the Red Bull Racing newsletter published and distributed at Silverstone, and their report from the British Grand Prix will be showcased on the Red Bull Reporter website following the event.

To apply you need to write a mid-season review after the Grand Prix of Valencia on 27th June and submit this article on the Red Bull Reporter website.

2.) A writer and photographer are wanted for T in the Park Festival in Scotland

The festival season is kicking off and the search is on for an aspiring writer and photographer to head to T in the Park from 9th to 11th July to go behind the scenes at Scotland’s biggest music festival.

A diverse line up including Muse, Eminem, The Black Eyed Peas, Jay-Z and the Prodigy have been announced and will rock the festival crowd in Scotland.

So if you’re keen to bag this opportunity head over to the Red Bull Reporter website to apply.

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