Locarno’s StepIn Opening Keynote to Debate AI, Theatrical, Diversity: ‘We Shouldn’t Be Panicking’ (EXCLUSIVE)

variety.com:

Marta Balaga HanWay Films’ Head of Production Katie Ellen, microfilm producer Ada Solomon and Co-Head of WME Independent Alex Walton will address the audience during Locarno’s StepIn opening keynote.

According to this year’s theme “The Ground Is Shaking,” they will take on four topics: A.I., current challenges in independent production and financing, the traditional theatrical model and gender equality and diversity representation.

Following the panel, a select group of industry players will take part in four closed roundtable discussions, each focusing on one of the topics, later sharing their findings with others during a wrap-up session. “We are all facing challenges in our different areas and there are always periods of change.

I’m old enough to have seen previous cycles and during these moments, there are always opportunities [too]. We shouldn’t be panicking,” said Alex Walton. “StepIn is a great opportunity to listen and to hear about the challenges others are facing, and to build avenues that can help us push through this current period in the shifting media landscape.” “For this opening keynote, we wanted speakers that, for their experience, background and history, can introduce and summarize all these topics.