UPDATE (24 January): We have the go-ahead for the physical PTS+ networking component in Geneva. Book with confidence, up or downgrading your reservation is easy (view our policy)! Note that a negative Covid rapid test is necessary to enter Switzerland in some cases (please investigate for your personal circumstances). A valid Corona pass, EBU-provided self-test, and a mask are required to enter the EBU premises.
“For the first time in a long time, the technologies that are capturing the industry’s imagination have the potential to fundamentally change the way media think about and organize content creation. And that’s what we’ll discuss at PTS 2022”, says Hans Hoffmann, Head of Media Fundamentals and Production at the EBU.
As a key event for those needing to make informed decisions in the technical domain, this year’s Production Technology Seminar (1-3 February) will provide an overview of the evolving landscape of virtual production and a deep dive into the most relevant game changers.
Because of the ongoing pandemic, PTS 2022 will be run as a high-quality online event, with free online access for EBU Members, as well as the possibility to join peers from across Europe for the PTS+ networking component at EBU headquarters in Geneva. An early-bird discount on paid tickets is available for those who register by 19 January.
Game changers
Held under the motto ‘from real to sustainable and virtual worlds’, PTS 2022 puts a particular focus on innovations that free the production processes from the constraints of the physical world – allowing crews to be in different places, producers to change sets at the push of a button, and organisations to reduce cost and to prepare for a resurging interest in AR and VR content (think Metaverse).
This year’s keynote speakers will set the scene and provide context from multiple angles, including a look beyond the horizon.
Emily Safian-Demers, Editor at Wunderman Thompson Intelligence, will provide an overview of one of the most quoted visions for future media: the Metaverse. Emily will describe what the Metaverse is and what it might become, and most importantly, what the terms ‘media’ and ‘content’ will mean there, and what the impact on PSM might be.
Media content and consumption will continue to become more multi-faceted, and AI-based tools will promise efficiency gains that allow organizations to engage. Thomas Graham, Co-founder and CEO of Metaphysic, will talk about AI-based storytelling. His company Metaphysic develops software and AI tools for the creation of hyper-real synthetic media. Thomas is a serial entrepreneur, and his keynote will give an insight into this emerging field of production services.
Emmy award-winning immersive director Francesca Panetta will tie it all together with insights into how some of the world’s most successful media companies have benefitted from strategic investments into new technical capabilities. “You can elevate a brand with innovative storytelling. But you need to sow the seeds to reap the rewards”, says Francesca, who worked as a Creative Director at MIT, a Fellow at Harvard, and led several innovation activities at Guardian News & Media.