Future Trends and Creative Solutions: Highlights from the MediaTech Hub Conference 2024
The MediaTech Hub Conference 2024 concluded last night at Studio Babelsberg. Under the motto “Future MediaTech Trends – Where Creativity and Technology Intertwine,” 50 international speakers engaged with participants for over two days to discuss groundbreaking strategies, technologies, and trends for the future of film, television, and streaming. Industry experts shared insights on the latest developments and debated the most pressing challenges facing the sector.
Evan Shapiro, the well-known media cartographer and expert on the media universe, opened the conference with a highly anticipated keynote, stating: “We live in a time where change is the only constant. Only those who accept this will have a future in the media industry.” Besides the stage presentations, the conference’s side program offered networking opportunities through behind-the-scenes tours, the Speaker’s Breakfast, and creative workshops. A special highlight of the first evening was an exclusive concert by the German Film Orchestra Babelsberg.
“The concrete use of AI in production and distribution, new viewer experiences, and new business models – the role of MediaTech for our industry is enormous. If we embrace it wisely, the media industry can not only survive but actively shape its future. Creatives and technologists, production and distribution must take the change seriously. This was clearly demonstrated at MediaTech Hub Conference 2024,” said Peter Effenberg, Head of MediaTech Hub Conference.
Evan Shapiro – “The Future of Media Belongs to the Users – Those Who Don’t Listen Will Lose!”
Evan Shapiro kicked off #MTHCON24 with a powerful message: The future of the media industry lies in the hands of the users. In his keynote, Shapiro presented impressive new data and charts that showed how the fundamental pillars of the industry have shifted. To remain competitive globally, media companies must radically focus on user needs and move away from traditional models. He emphasized that it’s not just about constantly acquiring new viewers but about building long-term relationships. “Content is still king, but data is the bloodline”, he summarized.
Renard T. Jenkins – “AI Produces Average Results. We Need to Feed the Models, but Humans Must Always Be Part of the Process.”
During the Global Industry Update, industry experts Sascha Schwingel (CEO UFA), Andy Weltman (CEO Studio Babelsberg), and Renard T. Jenkins (President SMPTE) discussed the current challenges and opportunities in the media industry. Schwingel highlighted the profound transformation the sector is undergoing, stressing the importance of recognizing the right opportunities and making bold decisions. “It’s not easy, but incredibly exciting,” said Schwingel. Jenkins focused on the impact of AI, stating that humans must play a central role in technological advancement: “Humans must always be part of the process.” Weltman urgently called for reforms in film funding in Germany to ensure competitiveness and reclaim talent that has moved abroad. “We need to bring talent back! Without urgent changes in film funding, Germany will continue to lose ground internationally,” Weltman stated.
AI Ethics Expert Ali Shah – “With Great Opportunities Comes Great Responsibility!”
In his keynote “AI in the Media Industry: Dimensions to Consider & Ethical Development,” Ali Shah (Global Managing Director for Responsible AI at Accenture and Executive Fellow at the World Economic Forum) addressed the ethical challenges of AI in the media industry. Shah emphasized the need to protect intellectual property and ensure that creatives are not illegally replaced by AI. He noted, “A technology developed by humans will inevitably reflect the complexity of human values, including our creative potential but also our moral fallibility,” and called for a structured approach to ethical AI development. Guidelines are essential: “Rules and guidelines for dealing with AI do not hold us back; they give us the tools to act faster and more securely”, said Shah.
Pirita Pyykkönen-Klauck on AI in Film Production – “Success Lies in Close Collaboration!”
During the session “Producing in an Ever-Evolving, AI-Driven Media Industry,” Max Wiedemann (Co-Founder LEONINE Studios & CEO Wiedemann & Berg Film) and Pirita Pyykkönen-Klauck (CEO ZDF Sparks) discussed the effects of AI on film production. Max Wiedemann noted, “I would distinguish between two essential effects of AI: the transformative effect, which enhances the speed, quality, and creativity of traditional film production, and the disruptive effect, which completely reinvents audiovisual production.” Pirita Pyykkönen-Klauck added, “It’s not a question of choosing between technology and creativity. The key to success lies in close collaboration.” Both agreed that well-defined goals, human expertise, a sound data strategy, and meeting viewer needs are essential to fully leverage the potential of AI in production.
Guest of Honour Austria – “We Wish to Build a Functioning Funding System Together with Germany.” (Sylvia Vana)
Guest of Honour Austria showcased its new incentive system FISAplus at #MTHCON24, demonstrating how an effective funding system can strengthen a location. Juliane Buchroithner, Film Commissioner of ABA – Film in Austria, highlighted that FISAplus “not only attracts international productions but also increases the visibility of Austrian films.” The Austrian initiative shows that a well-structured funding system, which includes incentives like gender and green incentives, can significantly boost economic value. This is reflected in a location effect of over 300 percent and a revenue of around one billion euros.
Germany has the opportunity to learn from Austria’s experiences and develop a competitive funding system to strengthen its own media industry. A competitive German funding system is urgently needed, as highlighted in the discussion. While Austria has created an attractive environment with FISAplus and new studios like the hq7 studios, Germany faces the challenge of overcoming federal hurdles and establishing a functioning, unified funding model.
Charlie Beckett – “People Don’t Trust Journalists, and They Never Have.”
In the “Journalism & MediaTech” track, presented by MIZ Babelsberg, the role of journalism and technology in a changing media landscape was discussed. Charlie Beckett, Professor at the London School of Economics, noted that trust in journalism has historically always been an issue. He emphasized the need for “good” and accurate journalism. In his view, AI will not replace journalists but can serve as a useful tool.
The Winners of the Global MediaTech Pitch Day
The Global MediaTech Pitch Day by Raw Ventures once again showcased promising and innovative startups in the media industry. After an exciting competition where eight selected startups presented their solutions for the media industry to international investors and industry leaders, the jury awarded two winners and doubled the prize money. Each winner received €10,000 for the best pitch: Vochlea and DeafTawk.
Vochlea (UK) impressed with its innovative voice technology that allows musicians to control instruments and create sounds using their voices. DeafTawk (Denmark) offers a platform that provides real-time translation services for the deaf, revolutionizing communication for people with hearing impairments.
Both startups convinced the jury with their visionary ideas and can look forward to potential funding of up to one million euros from Raw Ventures.