You’ve made a beautiful brand-funded film but don’t have access to a big distribution platform. Now what? This session will explore how you can use other channels — earned media opportunities to unexpected theatrical venues to emerging content platforms and educational distribution — to reach your target audience without breaking your marketing budget. Alongside moderator Angela Matusik, founder of A.M. Stories, Passion Point Collective Founder & CEO Marcus Peterzell, Founder & CEO of Kinema Christie Marchese, and WaterBear Chief Content Officer Megan Wells, will come together to discuss how to do a lot with a little, measuring success, not just impressions, getting your film integrated into pop culture media, the value of holding community screenings in unexpected venues, and what brands can learn from both traditional and nontraditional distributors.

SPEAKERS: Marcus Peterzell, Founder & CEO, Passion Point Collective; Christie Marchese, Founder & CEO, Kinema; Megan Wells, Chief Content Officer, WaterBear

MODERATOR: Angela Matusik, Founder, A.M. Stories

ReelShort is the next big thing in smartphone-based, short form content. The key ingredient to ReelShort’s success? Their unique and innovative approach to storytelling. On the ReelShort app, viewers are able to escape the real world and immerse themselves in minute-long, highly addictive episodes. The ReelShort creative team – Archer Zhao, Sophie Xiong, Sunyin Zhang , and Kate Tucker Fahlsing – will take audiences on an awe-inspiring journey through the creative evolution of how they bring their stories and content to life. You won't want to miss this exclusive peek behind the curtain to see how the drama is created. In partnership with ReelShort

SPEAKERS: Archer Zhao, Product Director & Head of Project Management and Operations, Sophie Xiong, Head of Content Strategy; Sunyin Zhang, Executive Producer; Kate Tucker Fahlsing, Head Of Studio at Elastic Heart

MODERATOR: Rachel Bencosme, Public Relations Manager, Crazy Maple Studio

As the industry shifts and evolves through new mediums and new modes of distribution, brands are increasingly moving away from traditional advertising and tapping into the power of storytelling and entertainment to reach new audiences, inspire culture and foster community across the globe. Creative collaboration between a brand and an artist is the heartbeat of brand storytelling, but in the streaming era, partnering with the right platform can be just as instrumental to a project’s success. In this collaborative session, Jamie Cutburth, EVP of Marketing and Content Partnerships at NBCUniversal will sit down with Kate Oppenheim, EVP of Tribeca Studios and Managing Partner at mssng peces, to discuss how media companies, brands and agencies can creatively collaborate to create meaningful content that resonates, while leveraging multiple platforms to deliver brand stories at the right time, on the right screen to audiences everywhere. In Partnership with NBCUniversal

SPEAKERS:Jamie Cutburth, Executive Vice President, Creative Partnerships, Advertising & Partnerships, NBCUniversal; Kate Oppenheim, EVP, Tribeca Studios, Managing Partner, mssng peces

MODERATOR: Yasmin Gagne, Associate Editor, Fast Company

Storytellers at the top of their game share a unique look into the innovations around original story development, novel ways to package stories, and the power of partnerships across film, TV, publishing and beyond. With a focus on the evolution of horror, Comic Book Writer Garth Ennis (The Boys, Preacher, The Ribbon Queen), film producer Roy Lee (The Ring, Barbarian, Late Night With the Devil), Comic Book Publisher Axel Alonso (Hotell, The Ribbon Queen, Not All Robots), and Hollywood Executive Zach Studin (Hotell, Old Haunts, The Forest) invite you to peek behind the bloody curtains to learn about the storytelling process straight from creators who will bring you the future of fear.

SPEAKERS: Garth Ennis, Comic Book Writer; Axel Alonso, Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer, AWA; Zach Studin, Studios President, AWA

MODERATOR: William Earl, Editor, Variety.com

Brands have a plethora of different tools at their disposal to reach the audiences they want, but none are as intimate and engaging as audio storytelling. Podcasting provides an exciting growth opportunity for brands as the medium itself offers a unique opportunity for listeners to get immersed in the storytelling, creating a new kind of connection to the content they hear. The right podcast for the right audience can build deep connections that are measured in minutes and hours, not just fleeting seconds. And podcast listeners take their favorite shows into parts of their lives that can't be reached with a newsletter, a YouTube video, or even an Instagram post. When brands engage podcasting as part of their storytelling repertoire, they can build familiarity and affinity with consumers - but only if they do it right. The brands that have the most success in podcasting build great listening experiences that stand out by blending in; making the brand not an interruption to the story but part of the story itself. This session brings together insights from brands, creators and podcast industry researchers to reveal the methods and the magic of audio as a powerful tool for brand storytelling. 

SPEAKERS: Tom Webster, Sounds Profitable; Karen Burgess, Journalist and Podcast Executive; Rebecca Smith, Mozilla Foundation (Mozilla's podcast, produced by Pacific Content, IRL: Online Life is Real Life, is a 2024 Tribeca X Official Selection). 

MODERATOR: Jamie Roô, Executive Director and Head of Digital Content, Morgan Stanley & Host of the award-winning podcast What Should I Do with my Money?

In today’s fragmented media market, how can brands carve out distinct identities and forge deep connections with their audiences? Indeed and Mazda, although different, are united by a shared vision: harnessing the transformative power of storytelling to elevate the lives of their customers and stand out in a crowded marketplace. This compelling discussion will feature Jennifer Warren, VP of Global Brand Marketing at Indeed, and Julia Svoboda, Director of Marketing at Mazda North American Operations. They will explore how storytelling not only enhances brand reputation but also serves as a strategic tool to differentiate and strengthen their market presence. By focusing on emotive and inspiring narratives, they demonstrate that storytelling is not just an art but a crucial business strategy that brings brands closer to their audiences in meaningful ways.

SPEAKERS: Jennifer Warren, Vice President of Global Brand Marketing, Indeed; Julia Svoboda, Director of Marketing at Mazda North American Operations

MODERATOR: Lucia Moses, Media Correspondent, Business Insider

Through his weekly Screentime newsletter, Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw gives readers a front row seat to the collision of Hollywood and Silicon Valley. A frequent guest on Matt Belloni’s hit podcast The Town, Shaw is one of the most prolific and trusted voices reporting on the state of the media and entertainment industry today. In this insider conversation, Lucas Shaw will discuss the convergence of media, entertainment, technology and business. In partnership with Bloomberg Screentime

SPEAKERS: Lucas Shaw, Managing Editor Media & Entertainment, Bloomberg News 

MODERATOR: PJ Vogt, Host, Search Engine

We all have heard the news: artificial intelligence, algorithms and embedded advertising are transforming the future of media and entertainment. But what about community? In this engaging panel we will hear from leaders who are leveraging media and entertainment catalyzed communities to foster connections, curate content and create impact.

SPEAKERS: Moira Forbes, Executive Vice President, President and Publisher of ForbesWomen; David Katznelson, CEO of Reboot; Rhonesha Byng, Founder & CEO, HerAgenda

MODERATOR: Seth Cohen, Chief Impact Officer, Forbes

Over half a billion people worldwide live with diabetes, yet many still go undiagnosed and lack access to proper care, education and resources. Quarter, a new coming-of-age feature film that authentically depicts the real day-to-day experiences of living with type 1 diabetes, along with Beyond Type 1, a global movement working to help those with diabetes not only survive — but thrive, aims to course-correct the way diabetes has been vastly underrepresented and often mischaracterized in media and pop culture. Written by Kelsey Bascom, based on her experiences as a young woman living with Type 1 diabetes and directed by her and Arnon Manor, the film features the always-iconic Brooke Shields, and provides a rare opportunity to bring to life a story about diabetes, told by those living with it.

In this powerful session, writer/director/actress Kelsey Bascom, actress Brooke Shields, her daughter Rowan Henchy and Beyond Type 1’s SVP Growth & Partnerships Jae Trevits will sit down with ESPN’s Adam Schefter, a strong advocate for diabetes awareness,to illuminate the power of storytelling to drive impact, inspire the community, and change the global conversation around what it really means to live with diabetes.

SPEAKERS: Brooke Shields, Actress, Author and Entrepreneur; Rowan Henchy; Kelsey Bascom, Writer & Director, Quarter; and Jae Trevits, SVP Growth & Partnerships for Beyond Type 1

MODERATOR: Adam Schefter, Senior NFL Insider, ESPN

People are bombarded with more than 3,000 brand messages a day, only remembering one or two. And human attention spans are shrinking to eight seconds, less than that of a goldfish. This session will explore how brands like Mastercard are cutting through the clutter and connecting with people through shared, universal passions – like music, entertainment, and gastronomy. Hear from Mastercard EVP of Global Brand and Innovation about connecting with people in non-traditional ways through enhancing the experiences and things they love most.

SPEAKERS: Cheryl Guerin, Executive Vice President, Global Brand Strategy & Innovation, Mastercard

MODERATOR: Yasmin Gagne, Associate Editor, Fast Company

Finding viewers in a shifting media landscape can pose problems for marketers as audiences further fragment across platforms and devices. DIRECTV Advertising’s convergent solutions across linear and streaming ensure the juice is always worth the squeeze for audiences and advertisers alike. Brian Cordes, Head of Client Partnerships & National Offices at DIRECTV, Mike Venables, Managing Director, Head of Media, US Brand Advertising & Experiential Marketing at Citi, Maryann Zuarino, DIRECTV Advertising, and Mike Fisher, Executive Director of Investment Innovation at GroupM will illuminate how advertisers can deftly navigate across platforms with an audience-first mindset to make sure their messages are meeting viewers wherever and whenever they consume the premium content they love. In partnership with DIRECTV Advertising.

SESSION 1:

Brian Cordes, Head of Client Partnerships & National Offices, DIRECTV

Mike Venables, Managing Director, Head of Media, US Brand Advertising & Experiential Marketing at Citi

SESSION 2:

Maryann Zuarino, DIRECTV Advertising

Mike Fisher, Executive Director of Investment Innovation at GroupM