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Monday, January 28
| 10:00am |
New Buyers. New Mandates: Upping Your Pitching Game (10:00am - 11:00am)Sponsored by  Fuse 2 The good news is that, with the ever-expanding amount of platforms moving into the unscripted and non-fiction space, there are more buyers to pitch to. But that means there are more buyers with specific programming needs and requirements that you’ll need to research and more prep work necessary to make the pitch count. Here, a panel of experts will provide a comprehensive overview of the development and pitching processes and how they’ve evolved, and you’ll learn the new parts of the equation necessary for a winning pitch. Moderating:
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| 11:15am |
Trendwatch: Podcast to Broadcast (11:15am - 12:15pm)Fuse 2 Podcasts first made their mark in the early 2000s, as iPods and other portable digital music devices gave listeners the ability to enjoy storytelling on the go. But with the arrival of the true crime podcast Serial in 2014, non-fiction producers and network execs took notice and began trawling the eNet for adaptable IP. Now, production companies, agencies and networks are investing in podcasting to nurture talent across platforms, incubate IP and expand their brands. Here, youfll learn the latest developments in this exploding medium, and gain insight into how it could work for your business. Moderating:
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| 1:30pm |
Happy Together? How SVODs Have Changed The Game (1:30pm - 2:30pm)Sponsored by  Fuse 2 The content ecosystem continues to evolve and despite claims that the sky is falling, audiences still tune in — in respectable numbers —to their favorite TV shows. And the influx of newer buyers with deep pockets that can shell out for both original content and acquisitions should be cause for rejoicing for producers and, yes, even networks and distributors. But as all sectors of “traditional” screen-based media are finding out, the new players are, through business models shaped in the digital era, rewriting the rules of the game. Can producers and content creators accept losing rights for global reach? Can networks and SVODs continue to exist as “frenemies” or, as more media companies with global reach extend into the direct-to-consumer market, will the competition heat up to the boiling point? Hear different perspectives on the immediate future of the screen scene in this top-level talk. Moderating:
Michael BancroftCo-Host & Executive Producer Beyond Innovation and Co-Host of The Feed with Amber Mac and Michael B Featuring:
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Tuesday, January 29
| 8:15am |
Reality of Mindfulness (8:15am - 9:15am)Fuse 2 The unscripted business is changing by the minute. In the midst of all this change and uncertainty, how do we find happiness? Whether you’re a seasoned producer, a rookie show creator or a hardened network executive, Mindfulness techniques can transform your shows, your career, your business and your life. 25 year meditator and Emmy Winner Tim Duffy (Ugly Brother Studios) is presenting the simple basics of Mindfulness in a 1 hour format that’s adapted from a program he created at MTV Networks. Featuring:
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| 10:45am |
Inclusion in Unscripted: Vive La Difference (10:45am - 11:45am)Sponsored by -METAL-LARGE-NO-TAGLINE.jpg) Fuse 2 With the success of such series as A&E’s Born This Way and formats such as All3Media’s Employable Me, unscripted television programmers and producers are casting their nets wider in terms of subject matter and characters, and reflecting disability through a positive, life-affirming lens. But for the content to ring true, such inclusion requires authenticity, sensitivity and representation behind the scenes as well as in front of the camera. In this session, those behind such groundbreaking series will discuss the process of bringing these important stories to the screen —from pitching to producing and to finding the right partners to tell the stories. Moderating:
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| 12:00pm |
Fighting the Brain Drain (12:00pm - 1:00pm)Sponsored by Fuse 2 There has been a considerable amount of conjecture and hand-wringing concerning attracting millennial audiences to linear television in the wake of the SVOD revolution, but there’s another big area of concern when it comes to that demographic — having it represented behind the scenes. Does TV have a branding problem? Does the online/SVOD world offer more opportunity creatively and financially to younger content creators? With assorted media pundits lamenting a hastening “demise of television”,how can the medium attract the young creative talent that will lead the screen content industry in the years ahead? In this session, executives from various sectors within the business will examine the issue, with an aim towards fighting the notion that TV is yesterday’s news. Moderating:
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| 2:30pm |
The Way We Work: Evolving the Prodco Model (2:30pm - 3:30pm)Sponsored by  Fuse 2 TV, film, SVOD, AVOD… on the whole, the screen entertainment industry is in the thick of radical change, with rapid advancements in tech, continuing consolidation and new generations of talent rewriting the rulebook on a regular basis. As a result, producers need to examine their business models from top to bottom to see what practices and structures still work in this new age, and what is outmoded at best, and potentially lethal at worst. Here, you’ll hear from producers who are embracing change, remaining nimble and developing new definitions for what it means to be a production company. Moderating:
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| 3:45pm |
The Agent’s-eye View (3:45pm - 4:45pm)Sponsored by  Fuse 2 A few years back, the Realscreen Summit hosted an eye-opening, rip-roaring session featuring agents from a variety of ten-percenters offering their take on the health of the unscripted industry. A lot has changed even since then, so it’s time to bring the agents away from the negotiating table (or the lobby bar) and back onto the Summit stage. Get the agents’ perspective on the current state of affairs for their clients, the challenges and opportunities that exist for unscripted producers today, and a look at the interesting moves being made within the agency business itself. Moderating:
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Wednesday, January 30
| 8:15am |
The More You Know: Avoiding Liability in the Production Workplace (8:15am - 9:15am)Fuse 2 Over the past few years, and especially in the aftermath of #MeToo, New York and California have led the way in legislation aimed at providing more protection for employees in the U.S. Thus, production companies operating in these states, and increasingly in others, must get up to speed on new legal requirements in order to ensure compliance with the law and avoid liability. This session will cover the new laws on sexual harassment, paid family leave, pay equity and worker misclassification, and is a must attend for production companies who want to stay ahead of the game. Moderating:
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| 10:45am |
Trendwatch: Factual Comes Alive! (10:45am - 11:45am)Sponsored by  Fuse 2 As audiences migrate to multiple platforms for their entertainment fix and younger viewers seem harder to reach, live content is resuscitating the concept of “appointment television.” Whether it’s a once-in-a-lifetime, one-off event or an engrossing, all-access series, live is hot once again. But embarking on live production is not for the faint of heart, and it’s not always the right route for your idea. This session will bring together producers and network partners behind some of the most innovative and popular live programming on air today and reveal what it takes to bring “live” to life. Moderating:
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| 12:00pm |
50 Shades of Premium (12:00pm - 1:00pm)Sponsored by  Fuse 2 It’s been one of the big buzzwords in the non-fiction genre for the past few years, but as more networks tout some of their programming as “premium,” it’s apparent that the term isn’t a “one size fits all” descriptor. This session will examine how premium content can differ from network to network, the range of what can be considered premium, as well as the challenges and opportunities in pitching and producing such programming. It will also aim to answer the important, if mildly irreverent question: How can anything be “premium” when everything is “premium”? Moderating:
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| 2:30pm |
Content Without Borders (2:30pm - 3:30pm)Sponsored by .jpg) Fuse 2 At a time in the industry when change is rapid and rampant, the global coproduction climate is undergoing transformation as well. Both networks and producers are trying to adapt to changes in their business models and financing structures, and that means a greater need for creative approaches to both content and funding. Hear from producers and commissioners in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK about how the co-pro scene has shifted for them, and learn some of the strategies for success they’re now employing to get their projects funded and on the air across borders. Moderating:
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| 3:45pm |
Format Future: Global Trends and Takeaways (3:45pm - 4:45pm)Fuse 2 The global formats industry continues to make waves across the entertainment landscape, and as new regional players and powerful global platforms enter the mix, the formats scene itself is in the midst of transformation. In this session, top executives working in the field share their insights on what unscripted format genres will heat up in the immediate future, which are cooling down, and discuss how the business itself is transforming as the globalization of content accelerates. Moderating:
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Case Study: How Surviving R. Kelly is Igniting Conversation (3:45pm - 4:45pm)Grand Ballroom E Earlier this month, Lifetime aired Surviving R. Kelly, a six-part docuseries detailing allegations of sexual abuse against R&B musician R. Kelly. The series, which featured many individuals speaking publicly for the first time, has reached over 24.5 million viewers and became the network’s most-watched non-fiction series in seven years, sparking a national conversation that continues now. This session will bring together executive producers, network executives and a survivor participant in the series to discuss the 18-month process of putting it together, the challenges along the way, and the controversy and cultural conversation ignited by their efforts. Moderating:
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Kannie Yu LaPackExecutive Vice President, Publicity, Public Affairs & Social Media, Lifetime, LMN and A+E Studios Lifetime |
| 5:00pm |
Unscripted and Unprepared with World of Wonder (5:00pm - 6:00pm)Fuse 2 Join Main Event Media founder and president Jimmy Fox, host of the popular podcast Unscripted and Unprepared, for a “live before a Summit audience” taping featuring World of Wonder co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato. Join Jimmy, Fenton and Randy as they dive deep into the history and achievements of the award-winning, multi-platform production company behind RuPaul’s Drag Race, the Million Dollar Listing franchise, Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures, and over 20 years of groundbreaking unscripted, scripted and documentary content. Moderating:
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Thursday, January 31
| 9:45am |
Crime TV: How To Stand Out In The (Police) Line-up (9:45am - 10:45am)Fuse 2 At the Realscreen Summit, we’ve been examining the rise of true crime content for several years, and this year is no exception. That proves the enduring strength and growth of the genre. But at a time when the majority of buyers in the non-fiction and unscripted space —cable, SVOD and broadcast alike — are looking to slot more suspenseful series and specials into their schedules, how can you ensure that your idea rises to the top of the pitch pile? And once you get the greenlight, what will set your crime and investigation project apart from the pack? Here, you’ll hear from producers and network execs that are crafting and looking for creative crime content and learn how they’re innovating and evolving the genre. Moderating:
Featuring:
Jane LatmanPresident EVP, Development & Research, Investigation Discovery & American Heroes Channel 
Kathryn VaughanSenior Vice President and Head, Production Investigation Discovery Good Caper Content |
| 11:00am |
The Doc Boom: Can It Last? (11:00am - 12:00pm)Fuse 2 It seems like the stars have truly aligned for the documentary genre, with the premium content craze bringing more cable nets to the space, major SVODs still on the hunt for great stories to drive subscriptions, and yes, even success at the box office for a select few. But as many veteran doc-makers know, it’s a cyclical business, and feast can turn to famine, and boom to bust, once a hit from another genre (hello, reality TV) crashes into the zeitgeist and cools commissioners’ enthusiasm. Here, established and newer documentarians as well as those who buy and shop their work, discuss the genre’s current hot status, what’s behind it from a content and cultural perspective, and offer their takes on how to keep documentary on the upswing. Moderating:
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