The ninth version of London’s Focus, the manufacturing sector occasion, attracted a document variety of attendees this 12 months. Greater than 3,500 delegates, exhibitors and sponsors from 84 nations attended the occasion, which ran Dec. 6-7.
The convention attracted professionals from throughout the artistic display industries, together with movie, TV, promoting, video games and immersive.
A complete of 58 convention periods and exhibitor displays passed off, that includes over 200 skilled audio system. Keynotes, panels and workshops addressed key speaking factors, from the challenges of financing and structuring tasks in turbulent instances, navigating new know-how, creating content material sustainably and nurturing new expertise. A brand new strand centered particularly on the recent matter of AI.
The convention program was delivered along side an expanded vary of companions together with Pact, PGGB, BFI, British Movie Fee, ScreenSkills, Promoting Producers Assn., UK Display screen Alliance, Administrators UK, LMGI, MediaXchange, Stage 32, World Leisure Awards, BAFTA albert, Producers With out Borders, Shiny, UK World Display screen Fund, Olsberg SPI, The Movie & TV Charity, CIISA and Beano Mind. Focus additionally hosted the ICDA Semiramis Award for Excellence in Casting.
On the present flooring, attendees had been capable of meet with 258 exhibiting firms (up 25% from 2022), together with worldwide movie commissions, businesses, film-friendly places and manufacturing service firms from each continent. For the primary time each Movie USA and AFCI exhibited on the occasion, and different new exhibitors included United Airways, Western Australia and Kazakhstan.
Model new for this 12 months, a devoted gallery area supplied a variety of Producer Surgical procedures, masking finance, accountancy, tax and enterprise technique. Delegates had been capable of entry bespoke one-to-one conferences with main trade advisers Saffery, Coutts and Triple Publicity.
Focus additionally supplied a plethora of casual networking occasions, together with the Focus Welcome Drinks sponsored by Leisure Companions and FLB Accountants; Producers’ Brunch with Selection and PACT sponsored by CCS Rights Administration; PGGB Lunch, sponsored by United Airways and the Polish Movie Institute; Location Managers’ Xmas Drinks with LMGI, sponsored by Provide 2 Location Group; and the Focus Producers’ Opening Mixer, sponsored by Romanian Promoting and Media Affiliation. There have been additionally quite a few receptions hosted by worldwide companions and the Movie Hawai’i Espresso Bar and the two in Tents Bar had been busy assembly hubs.
Focus 2023 culminated with the Makers and Shakers Awards at BAFTA, celebrating excellence in world manufacturing, introduced by Makers journal and The Location Information.
“This 12 months has been an exceptionally difficult one for the trade, and we hope our conferences and networking occasions introduced new alternatives and inspiration to our visitors for the 12 months forward,” stated Focis managing director Jean-Frederic Garcia. “Heartfelt due to the content material advisory board and all our audio system, exhibitors, companions and sponsors for contributing to such a profitable version of Focus.”
Focus returns to the Enterprise Design Centre, Islington, London on Dec. 10-11 2024 for the tenth version.
