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The theme of Digital 2011 is Monetising Content. In these economic times it is critical that you learn to make the most of your assets.

By 2014, the UK entertainment and media business will be worth £56 billion*. We're well positioned in Scotland to maximise on this opportunity due to the emerging ecology between the creative and digital sectors. Scotland's best digital companies are beginning to collaborate and innovate with the unique talent, ideas and imaginative vision produced by the Scottish creative industries.

Interactive Scotland in conjunction with the Scottish Centre for Enabling Technology and AmbITion Scotland , with support from Creative Scotland, want to grow this nascent ecology to strengthen Scotland's cultural future. We have created Digital 2011 to extend the connections and opportunities in Scotland's digital and creative sectors. Digital 2011 is first of the inaugural national gatherings of the digital and creative sectors.
*PricewaterhouseCoopers' Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2010 - 2014

Who should attend? Scottish businesses in the digital, creative and cultural sectors, micro-organisations and individuals from across these industries.

Digital 2011 is a two-day conference bringing together some of the world’s leading professionals and top speakers from across the digital and creative industries. Attend and gain a comprehensive insight into “Monetising Content” across key themes including self-publishing, merchandising, building profitable relationships and exploiting innovative funding models.

10.00 –14.00 Plenary session: keynote talks from leaders in the industry - webcast live online

14.20-15.00 Speaker panel Q&A: questions from the floor and from online - webcast live online

15:30 -18.15 The choice of 3 streams: Masterclass/Workshops/Extended workshop

18.30-22.00 Networking dinner & creative content showcase – book a ticket above for our hot buffet and bar. 

Plenary

The plenary session will commence with a full seminar bringing together some of the world’s leading professionals from across the digital and creative industries. Each speaker brings with them a wealth of knowledge and experience from the industry and will provide a comprehensive insight into “Monetising Content” across key themes including self-publishing, merchandising, building profitable relationships and exploiting innovative funding models.

With top speakers such as Nicholas Lovell of Games Brief and Tim Collins of DC Thomson, this conference will provide you with the knowledge and insight to help you understand the opportunities available to monetise your content.

Afternoon Masterclass/ Workshop Streams

At 15.30, THREE streams will run in parallel. When you sign-up for the event you will be asked to pre-register for ONE chosen stream.

Stream 1: 13.30-17:30 Masterclass in Self Publishing (max 100 people)

Nicholas Lovell will give one of his famous self-publishing Masterclasses where gamers can find out everything they need to know to publish their own games and where is the money in gaming.

Stream 2: Workshops will run in two parallel sessions, from 15.30-16.45 and repeat from 17.00-18.15.

Workshop 1 : Developing and Monetising Audiences (max 100 people) 

Grant Whiteside, Technical Director, Amber Green

Developing

How do you create and grow an online audience? Grant Whiteside from Amber Green, an internet marketing company will discuss and show you how to find and engage with your potential audience through blogs, forums and social media sites. You will also learn how to increase page views by >1000% through search engine optimization / search engine marketing, co registration, landing page optimisation and tracking / analytics.

Monetising

Traditional business models are changing across the board. Industries such as media, publishing and music have audiences who are less likely to pay for content, so how do you monetise these valuable audiences, which new businesses are trying to steal?

This workshop will educate you on new online business models for generating revenue from your existing audience other than charging for content: (CPM, CPC and CPA ads, subscriptions, affiliate revenues, rental of subscriber lists, sale of information, research or audience measurement services, licensing of brand or content, upgraded service, live events, e-commerce, merchandise, sponsorships, classifieds, in-video product placements. )

We will also discuss how to manage your monetisation strategy across different platforms, audiences and technologies.

Workshop 2 : Protecting Your IP and Merchandising Law (max 100 people)

Andy Harris, MMS
Donald Boyd, Campbell Dallas

Andy will discuss the need for creative digital companies to view IP within their business and the content they are creating. He will bring up IP issues and points of IP strategy to consider. Protecting you IP in the early stages of your product creation will save you an incredible amount of money, time and stress later down the road. Come hear why.
Donald will be discussing why it is important to put a value on your IP and how you go about putting an actual number on that value. Come learn the tricks of this black art while increasing the value of your business.
Law and accounting has never been so exciting!

Workshop 3 : Creating contract T’s and C’s (max 15 people)

David Reilly, Create T’s and C’s

Creating online contracts and contract law causes headaches for many SMEs in terms of complexity and costs associated with them. This workshop will help you determine what you need to include in any business contract and how you can create your own.

Workshop 4: Panel Debate:  New Distribution Channels for TV, video and film (max 100 people)

Audiences used to receive content through a small number of distribution platforms (e.g. Broadcast, DVDs or tapes, theaters). Now, there are hundreds of digital platforms for consumers to view content (e.g. Hulu, iTunes, Amazon, Sony Playstation) where with just a few clicks someone can download a movie to their smart phone or order one through their TV via on-demand services. The platforms are endless and the time to begin capitalizing on the demand for content delivery for viewing anytime, anywhere, is now.

The proliferation of digital distribution platforms has many studios and video content owners scratching their heads trying to figure out how to best monetize their content as well as support the production, management and distribution processes that are required to do so. Come hear our panel discussion on these issues and more surrounding this area.

Panel:

Andy Campbell - Specialmove (Chairperson)

Andrew Chitty - Illumina Digital

Colin MacDonald – eeGeo

Simon Walker - TwoFour / TripleSEE

Simon Meek, Tern Digital

Alistair Brown, STV

Murray Buchanan, Creativ Partners

Kate Quilton, Channel 4

Stream 3: 15.30-17:30 Extended Workshop: Opportunities for M-Health(Max Numbers – 100)

Aubrey Thompson – Facilitator - The Vantage Point Partnership
Steve Brown – MD of Justfone
Ralf Gordon Jahns – research2guidance

mHealth holds the promise to deliver healthcare to the developing world by offering the potential of squeezing greater efficiencies from strained or underfunded healthcare systems, and serving aging populations that want to maintain a quality of life. This workshop will bring together thought leaders to investigate the opportunities and business model options for mobile developers looking at this exciting new market opportunity in an interactive workshop environment.

Networking dinner and one-to-one meetings

The best part about a conference is getting to know your fellow attendees in the informal session at the end of the day.

We invite you to register seperately for the networking evening which includes a hot buffet dinner and a beer/wine bar, with the first drink included in the price of admission. To keep you inspired we’re planning a Digital Content Showcase*, an exciting exhibition of Scotland’s innovative creative and digital media talent including a company showcase corner and exhibition stands.

You can expect a terrific vibe and a room full of interesting people doing innovative work from across the digital and creative sectors. Creative people sparking off of the ideas and themes raised in the talks and workshops from earlier in the day and generating new ideas off each other. These are the seeds to create new partnerships, new products and new opportunities.

Don’t forget, too, that running alongside the networking dinner are the 1:1 speed networking meetings for SME businesses. These are brokered through a separate online system. Build your own profile and use the database to select the companies you would like to meet. If you both see potential in each other – it’s a match and you’ve got yourself a meeting! Build your profile here.

* If you would like to take part in the Digital Content Showcase, either as an exhibitor or as part of the SME pitching sessions email annamarie.taylor@innovationcentre.org. Please note, there will be a small charge to exhibit.

Register Above »

8.00-10.00 CEO breakfast (by invitation)

10.00-12.00 Partner brokerage meetings (by invitation)

12.00-13.00 Digital 2011 conference close

Day2 will commence with a CEO breakfast where a select group of key individuals from across the industry will be invited to network with their peers and discuss business opportunities. You will be joined at this breakfast by leading global partners from across the digital and creative industry with whom you can explore opportunities for collaboration. (N.B. this event is invitation only.)

Partner brokerage meetings will follow the breakfast. Individuals and companies can elect to meet some key industry partners such as BBC or Channel 4, Cisco (more TBC) and discuss opportunities for partnership. Select the partners you wish to meet via the catalogue in our Networking Booking System and organise your meetings in advance!

To book your place at this new industry conference for the creative and digital industries in Scotland, simply register for a ticket above »