2012 Festival Overview

BANFF provides a platform for the evolving media industry to develop its creative and business objectives, to serve as the leading destination for co-production and co-venture partners from around the globe and is an unparalleled destination for Canadians and international media professionals to meet, learn and do business each June. 

This year, BANFF is poised to be the biggest and most exciting festival yet, featuring:

1. Banff .Connect

• Exclusive face-to-face meetings with leading development executives, advertising agencies, agents and funders as well as breakfasts, lunches and cocktails with key industry decision makers.

2. Territory Briefings 

• Banff territory briefings provide inside information on what broadcasters from around the world want and look for in a deal. In these open, informal sessions, development executives from specific terriroties will provide insight into their schedules, outline production priorities and biases, discuss potential partnership deals, and answer audience questions. 

3. Deal Makers Live!

• A live market simulation event, that reflects the new realities of making and selling content in today’s industry. 

4. Banff Master Class Series

• Banff presents Hollywood’s hottest writers and showrunners, the maestros behind rich and adsorbing series’ capturing audiences worldwide. 

5. Tech Hub Presents: The Next Big Thing! 

• The tech hub will showcase the next generation technology suppliers in gaming, social media, mobile and television. 

6. The BANFF International Pilots Competition

• Nominated pilot productions are screened and one is awarded as the winner of the Banff International Pilots Competition, honouring the talent and creativity of international producers in conceptualizing and creating a television pilot.  

7. Rookies in the Rockies

• Designed for first-timers (rookies) as well as those seeking first-hand insider information on how to get the most out of the Festival. 

8. Banff Co-Production and Co-Venture Forum

• Aimed to foster new partnerships between leading international content producers, distributors and funders. 

9. Branded Entertainment – Exploring the Brandscape

• Aimed at examining the role brands and agencies play in the media landscape.
• Examine brand strategy and advertising innovation and learn to market in the digital world.
• Facilitated face-to-face meetings between media buyers, brands and media executives interested in new, innovative partnerships.

10.  Banff’s Women of Influence

• Leading female media executives/personalities present empowering case studies on their rise to the top and discuss why, in 2012, fewer women than men still seem to dominate the media industry.

11.  Screening Series

• Banff introduces more sponsored screenings for 2012, with onsite popcorn and specific screening hours, plus downtown screenings in  and around Banff to use BANFF as a mini North American test market for studios to screen new shows for the media and public. 

12.   Socially Responsible Media   

• This series of session(s) and an Award examines programs that examine socially compelling social issues, or approach content from a socially responsible media perspective -  examing the fine line between entertainment and exploitation.

13.  nextMEDIA’s Digital Innovator Series

• A series of six sessions featuring one-on-one conversations with digital media’s most savvy, influential, innovative executives.

14.     SHAW Media Reality and Factual Showrunner Training Program 

• This exciting program will provide up to 5 experienced Canadian reality and factual producers, directors, and story editors, the opportunity to participate in an instructive training program at the 2012 Banff World Media Festival.

15.      SHAW Media Global Writers Apprentice Program

• This program offers emerging Canadian writers the opportunity to gain significant experience with access to the Banff World Media Festival and the opportunity to complete an internship in the story department of a prime-time series.

16.       The BANFF Rockies Program Competition

• The Banff World Media Awards - affectionately known as The Rockies - are an internationally-recognized awards program celebrating the very best in international content production in television and digital media.
• The winners of the 2012 Rockies Program Competition will be presented during the Banff World Media Festival, June 10-13, 2012. The Competition includes 21 genre-based categories and 5 interactive categories - a total of 26 distinct categories.