18 November 2026 | The Londoner, Leicester Square
Campaign and project case studies
Sessions built around a specific piece of work, exploring the brief, creative thinking, production process and final execution.
This could include:
- How an idea developed from brief to finished work
- Creative or production challenges
- Decisions that changed the direction of the project
- Collaboration between agency, brand, production and post
- What nearly went wrong
- What was learned from the process
The focus should be on insight and process rather than simply presenting the finished work.
Craft and creative process
Sessions that explore a particular craft, discipline or method in greater depth.
This could include:
- Direction
- Cinematography
- Editing
- Animation and VFX
- Sound and music
- Production design
- Costume and styling
- Casting and performance
- Writing and comedy
- Choreography
- Practical effects
- New or unusual production techniques
These sessions could be practical, technical or creative, but should show how specific craft decisions shaped the work.
The business and realities of production
Sessions examining how creative work is commissioned, produced and delivered in the current industry.
This could include:
- Budgets and timelines
- Pitching and triple bidding
- Agency, client and production-company relationships
- Procurement
- Changing production models
- Working practices
- Talent development
- Creative freedom
- Industry pressures
- The relationship between commercials and entertainment
These could take the form of panels, interviews, debates or honest accounts from those working across the production process.
Technology, innovation and changing workflows
Sessions exploring how new tools and technologies are affecting creative work and production.
This could include:
- Artificial intelligence
- Virtual production
- New animation or VFX tools
- Emerging formats
- Automation
- New approaches to pre-production and post-production
- Experimental production methods
- How technology is changing creative roles and relationships
Submissions should be grounded in real creative experience, rather than acting as product demonstrations or sales presentations.
Culture, responsibility and industry change
Sessions addressing the wider responsibilities and cultural questions affecting the creative industries.
This could include:
- Sustainability
- Representation
- Diversity, equity and inclusion
- Accessibility
- Ethics
- Working conditions
- Industry accountability
- Changing audience expectations
- The cultural impact of advertising and production
- How creative businesses respond to social or political change
The strongest sessions are likely to combine honest discussion with practical examples or possible ways forward.
Ideas, arguments and creative provocations
Sessions built around a strong point of view, unusual argument or unexpected creative subject.
This could include:
- Originality and creative risk
- Humour
- Taste
- Attention
- Failure
- Bad ideas
- Weirdness
- Creative confidence
- Changing cultural habits
- The value of human instinct
- Challenging accepted industry thinking
These sessions do not need to centre on a particular campaign or discipline, but should have a clear argument and give the audience something to think about, debate or take back into their own work.
Curated sessions
Some programme elements may sit outside the open submission categories, including keynote interviews and conversations with established creative figures.
These would be selected and developed directly by the shots team.
