IFB Leads Irish Delegation to Banff World Media Festival
A delegation of leading Irish producers together with Bord Scannán na hÉireann (IFB) will attend the Banff World Media Festival which takes place from June 9th – 12th. The IFB has partnered with the Festival to create a territory "Spotlight on Ireland" to create a strong present for Ireland at the festival in order to raise the profile of Irish / Canadian co-production and promote Ireland as a production partner for major international television projects.
Six Irish production companies including Fastnet Films (The F Word, Life’s a Breeze, The Other Side of Sleep), Element Pictures (The Guard, Ripper Street, The Wind that Shakes the Barley ), Octagon Films (Vikings, The Tudors, Camelot), Zanzibar Films (Swansong – The Story of Occi Byrne, 2 Graves) and Artcastle Productions will take part in the Spotlight to further capitalise on the significant opportunities presented by the official bi-lateral co-production treaty which exists between the Ireland and Canada. Successful Irish Canadian co-production projects to date include multi-award winning project ‘The Tudors’ and ‘The Vikings’. the latest major TV show which is filming on location in Ireland this summer.
The spotlight on Ireland includes a panel session about the History Channel's new hit series Vikings, an Irish, Canadian co-production. The first episode of the series topped the ratings with 8.5million viewers tuning in to watch when it broadcast in March 2013. This discussion will see a Q&A outlining the Irish Co-Production model and the benefits of working with Ireland and the growing popularity of Ireland as a television production destination. Vikings was developed and produced in Ireland by Morgan O’Sullivan and James Flynn’s company Octagon Films. James will take part in the discussion bringing a wealth of knowledge about Canadian/Irish co-production having also produced the hugely successful and Emmy award winning Tudors television series for the Showtime Network in the US and more recently Camelot for the Starz Network.
For over three decades, the Banff World Media Festival has attracted over 150 development executives and a wide-ranging cross-section of television professionals from around the world and this festival is the ideal place within a major television market to make new contacts, find production partners and green-light new projects.
Featuring in-depth spotlights on key international territories, pre-booked face-to-face meetings with industry decision makers, and unparalleled opportunities for networking with potential partners from across the globe, the Banff Marketplace is designed to help producers including the Irish delegation attending create new development and production opportunities.
View the complete schedule for the festival http://banffmediafestival.com/schedule.php%20