GLOBAL FOCUS FOR BELFAST MEDIA FESTIVAL 2024 TO CELEBRATE NORTHERN IRELAND SCREEN INDUSTRY SUCCESS
Date Posted: October 14, 2024
The 15th Belfast Media Festival (BMF) 2024 entitled ‘Creativity in Motion’ will take place on Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 November 2024 at the MAC Belfast, in partnership with Northern Ireland Screen and BBC Northern Ireland.
Last year a record 1500 people attended the BMF which provides students and those working in the screen industries with a unique opportunity to learn about the latest global developments from leaders working across the creative sectors. Admission is FREE and the BMF provides a vital networking forum for delegates as leading trade representatives from across the UK, Ireland, Europe and beyond congregate in Belfast for this prestigious two-day event.
Jennifer Johnston, Chair of BMF said: “Belfast Media Festival is steadily becoming a key date in the diary, not only for the ever-growing Northern Irish Screen sector, but for leading industry professionals from across the UK, Europe, and beyond. The year’s festival sees contributors and panellists who are working on some of the most successful screen productions globally, including Belfast born Screenwriter Ronan Bennett, who is best known for his work as showrunner, writer, and executive producer of the crime drama TV series Top Boy. We are also delighted to reveal that the BBC Director General Tim Davie will be our guest for the Royal Television Society (RTS) Northern Ireland’s Dan Gilbert Lecture on the closing day of the BMF (14 Nov).”
Eddie Doyle, Head of Content Commissioning, BBC NI said: “This gathering of industry talent is a great opportunity to celebrate success, share ideas and talk about the future.”
Richard Williams, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Screen said: “The BMF provides a wonderful opportunity for everyone working in the broadcast, film, digital and games industries in Northern Ireland to get together, network and share their knowledge with those interested in pursuing a career in our vibrant creative sector.”
Sara Gunn Smith, Vice Chair, BMF said: “Each year we are delighted with the calibre of speakers from across the island of Ireland and beyond who all contribute so much knowledge and inspiration to all those who attend BMF in various stages of their careers in the creative sector– from entry level to industry professionals in film, TV, gaming, animation and more. The festival is a place to learn, make connections and do business, which showcases NI’s strong, innovative and visibly growing presence in the global screen industries.”
The BMF is grateful to the support of its long running partners BBC Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland Screen along with many other industry sponsors and supporters who help to ensure the event remains free for attendees including: Afro Mic Productions, BECTU, BBC Northern Ireland, Armchair and Rocket, Belfast City Council, Below the Radar, Big Mountain Productions, Boost Music, Channel 4, Conker Pictures, Doubleband Films, Northern Ireland Screen, Element Pictures, Equity, Fabel productions, Gallagher Films, Hat Trick Productions, Hindsight, HopSkip Studios, Long Story TV, Millar McCall Wylie, Nice One Productions, OffShoot TV, PACT, Paper Owl Films, BBC Academy/Production Unlocked, OFCOM, Screenskills, Strident, Stellify, Two Cities, RTE, Rare TV, RTSNI, Queens University Belfast, Virgin Media, Waddell Media, Writer’s Guild of Great Britian, Ulster University and UKTV.
The 2024 BMF Committee comprises Northern Ireland Screen, Unscripted Content Manager Jennifer Johnston as Chair, Film Hub NI’s Sara Gunn-Smith as Vice Chair, Mary McKeagney (BBC NI), Doireann Nic Dhomhnaill (Irish Language Broadcast Fund, NI Screen)and Heidi McAlpin (Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund, NI Screen); Gavin Halpin (Paper Owl Films); Mary Johnston (Doubleband Films); Vikkie Taggart (Stellify Media); Abigail Keyes (Rare TV); Caolan McKendry (Ambertail Games); Dee Harvey (Controvert TV); and Connor Richmond (Two Cities Television).
To register for FREE for this year’s festival, go to www.belfastmediafestival.co.uk and follow the latest news about the sessions via BMF’s social handles @belfastmediafest on twitter, Instagram and facebook using hashtag #bmf2024.
