And the Oscar is awarded to..

Belfast Media Festival 2012 -Northern Ireland: Open for Business

For the third year running, Morrows were delighted to manage the Belfast Media Festival, a prestigious event for the creative industries in Northern Ireland. Held over two days at the BBC Blackstaff Studios in Belfast, the aim of the Festival was to encourage debate, thinking and collaboration amongst companies involved in one of the fastest growing and most important sectors to the Northern Ireland economy.

Delegates representing broadcasting, music and the digital industries heard from a host of keynote speakers including Gerd Leonhard, a futurist who discussed how the broadcasting landscape and technology could change over the next five years; Peter Salmon, Director BBC North and Laura Mackie, Director of Drama for ITV who is responsible for many successful productions for the channel including Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Monroe and of course the worldwide phenomenon Downton Abbey.

As well as keynote speakers, delegates could tailor make their own agenda by attending workshops focusing on a diverse range of topics including Business Opportunities in the Chinese Market; Sell it! a pitching masterclass; Getting Games into Bed with TV, which examined the role broadcasters can play in the continually growing gaming industry and Journalism and Ethics, a though provoking session which discussed the role of the newspaper industry following the Leveson inquiry.

The festival was drawn to a close with an inspiring and insightful interview with Northern Ireland’s very own Oscar winner Terry George, who, together with his daughter Oorlagh won the Academy Award for the Live Action Short Film Category for The Shore earlier this year. Terry also wrote, directed and produced Hotel Rwanda which was nominated for three Academy Awards, In the Name of the Father and Whole Lotta Sole.

Video highlights, including the interview with Terry George are available to view online at www.belfastmediafestival.co.uk