Creatives in the digital world

And so to the final event of YAIC 2011: a special workshop on how to present your idea/ concept/ business model to a group of investors and business development specialists.

Hosted by Iceland’s New Business Venture Fund, this workshop began with an explanation of who the NBVF are and how they operate, by Helga Valfells, Managing Director of the company. We learned that the company was founded in 1998, has invested in around 150 (Icelandic) companies, are shareholders of around 39 companies, and have made a total investment in the creative industries if around 1700 million ISK.

Among the companies they have helped are Gogoyoko, Grapewire, Nordic Photos, Lazytown (recently sold), Gogogic and design company Nikita.

Ms Valfells explained how NBVF, despite being government owned, enjoy a great deal of independence, and how they tend to invest in technological companies, many of which have a creative bias. She commented that one of the most important element in pitching is showing the strength of one’s team: their knowledge, skill set and/or attitude. “An A team with a B idea is better than the other way around,” she claimed. The company then look at the business concept, what problems the pitching company might be solving in the world, financial planning (“essential, even if plans don’t always follow that path in real life”), plus how the pitch addresses markets and things like competition.

In front of a “Dragon’s Den” style panel that consisted of Ms Valfells, Egill Másson (Investment Manager at NBVF), Svana Gunnarsdóttir (Investment Manager at Frumtak) and Eyþór Ívar Jónsson (CEO of Klak – Innovation Centre and Associate Professor at Copenhagen Business School), YAIC participants were then invited to present their concepts to see how they might be received in a real environment.

The first pitch was by a lady involved in an improvisation vocal and dance project consisting of nine women from four Nordic countries, who wanted to plan musical experiences and perhaps a school that taught improvisation. Not the most obvious pitch, but it was popular with the panel, the majority of whom said they would back it, albeit with an urge to focus more, and be specific about who the audience might be, how the project would make money and how much would be needed.

Next came Christine from NYC, a music writer who had the idea of creating a “musical exchange” between musicians from NYC and Iceland, to help foster creative enterprise as well as travel experience. This was also well received, despite being a very sketchy idea in the first instance, though again the panel specified they would need more information regarding funding, and more specific dynamics.

The third, and most comprehensive pitch was from Icelandic Cinema Online, who have already begun their business without funding, but who are looking to expand and bolster what they have. Again, it was unanimously agreed that the project was a great idea, and had great potential in a variety of ways. Whether real pitches to investment funding companies would be quite so relaxed and full of fun brainstorming is a moot point; but the workshop really did give an insight into the kinds of things potential pitchers would need in order to make a serious bid for money.

Hosted by Tilman Scheel (DE) & The Icelandic Film Centre, this workshop examined how digital culture will shape the way cinemas select films in the future or how the internet changes the way films are distributed. As the founder of Europe’s first Cinema on Demand service “Europe’s Finest” and of “reelport”, Europe’s largest festival submission platform, Tilman has years of experience in all aspects of the, often bumpy, relationship between digital and film. And since all of his projects have profited from MEDIA support, some hints and tips on how to prepare for Brussels are given, too.

Also present in the workshop were Þór Tjörvi Þórsson (IS), Project Co-Ordinator at The Icelandic Film Centre, Stefanía Thors (IS), Co-founder / Owner of Icelandic Cinema Online, Ari Kristinsson (IS), Producer, Writer and Director

Many points were raised in the workshop, with some key points being that 1,400 to 1,500 films are produced in Europe annually, and the importance of providing customers with ways of filtering them (or filtering for them.

The discussion revolved at one point around how to make Icelandic cinema more visible, the expenses involved in “hidden” aspects of film distribution such as support (90% of costs in some cases), and led on to the future of VoD in general. “I am not sure where the future is,” admitted Scheel. “But maybe it is to try and be niche. I think Iceland is already niche, and in a very positive way. It is also important to market and promote well, otherwise nothing happens.”

Darren Web, online marketing manager for Sigur Ros (photo by Arnar Bergmann)

Darren Webb from the Sigur Ros online team and Johann Agust Johannsson of Kraumur – a non-profit music office and operation based in Reykjavik – hosted an intimate, informative workshop on maximising the online experience for bands and the merits of the tools and services currently available.

The audience was a great cross-section of people, including members of Gogoyoko and Projekta as well as music managers, musicians and performers, all keen to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to online engagement with fans and consistency across platforms.

This workshop, hosted by industry veteran Staci Slater, founder of The Talent House, was on the ways in which art and commerce can merge in a successful manner. Based on her experience in film/television licensing, clearance and pitching as well as her many years as a manager, Staci discussed the business aspect of creating income through songs and music in film and TV, while showing it’s possible to remain authentic to the artistic vision of the songwriter.

She was joined by Guðrún Björk Bjarnadóttir (IS), General Manager of STEF, The Performing Rights Society of Iceland, Einar Tönsberg (IS), Musician, Pétur Jónsson (IS), Music Producer and Manager of Medialux Music Productions. The guests at the workshop included local artists, representatives of Gogoyoko, and a publisher of sheet music and books.

After underlining the fact that TV and film are one of the best ways for musicians to make a living, Staci began explaining the best ways for artists to get their work heard by the right people. Pétur Jónsson (IS), Music Producer and Manager of Medialux Music Productions also rightly pointed out that the perception of music has changed to the point where it is nowadays much more acceptable for musicians to have their creative goods used in film and TV.

Some of the main points raised were that artists should always send instrumentals, as almost every commissioning producer wants to hear an instrumental version of a song, even if the original comes with lyrics. (Make sure you master them too, urged Peter, show them the same respect as the originals). Secondly, make sure you tell people you are from Iceland, as this is a very popular and buzzy place as far as film people are concerned right now — be sure to write it in big letters to help your pitch stand out.

One of the main “don’ts” was to make sure not to send hundreds of unsolicited CDs out to mailing lists. Resources like www.filmmusicstore.com are a way of researching more specifically what people are working on…

Photo by Arnar Bergmann

Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth are collaborative visual artists who have done everything from re-enacting David Bowie’s final performance as Ziggy Stardust, remade a bootleg of the Cramps with Holly Golightly as Poison Ivy, created the feted ‘Moby Hotel’ and built a machine that can embed a subliminal message into music for ‘Silent Sound’.

When it comes to bringing music and digital together in an innovative creative, these people are at the top of their game.

They discussed the five main factors they apply to each project:

1) Aim – what do you want to do? Is it achievable?
2) Voice – is the project tailored to the artist?
3) Innovation – is it a good idea?
4) Audience – are you reaching the audience?
5) Value – are you getting the right value

For example, when Pulp reunited to play live, they grabbed attention with the way they put it across, in the form of an enigmatic film of the band setting up in a studio with a stream of consciousness narrative provided by Jarvis Cocker. Fans were also invited to cover Pulp songs to ‘help them relearn the songs. The brief was to make it not look like marketing.

With Adele, the aim of her initial campaign was, as Pollard put it, ‘How do we put across this remarkable voice?’ Rather than making a regular website with news stories and a run of the mill design, the main page featured solely a video of Adele’s incendiary performance on Later…with Jools Holland – that was the first and main thing fans saw / heard when visiting the website. Simple but effective…

Pollard and Forsyth basically gave a masterclass in quirky ways of approaching marketing – another example was a sinister cut-out ‘man’ listening post, which toured London’s landmarks allowing people to listen to Thom York’s solo debut ‘The Eraser’, garnering masses of press and interest. The video for Nick Cave’s ‘Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!’, kept it simple, understood that Cave fans just want to see Cave, rather than a complicated narrative, and unlocked the humour of the record in a successful bid to change perceptions that the band were ‘gothic’ or miserable.

The pair continued to show a slew of impressive campaigns, from the Moby Hotel to their celebrated  4AD Sessions, with lucid explanations of their principles and working methods along the way. Not only that, but they then publicly brainstormed with three companies (chosen via a previous application process) to try and find ideas to promote and market their artists.

Copyright Panel (photo by Arnar Bergmann)

The copyright panel was a fiery affair, with some understandable  locking of horns between Levine and Klang, representing the two sides of the copyright argument.

Robert Levine, on the subject of the Creative Commons, within which Klang is Project Lead for Sweden, argued that the “Creative Commons licenses are practially written in crayon.”

He observed that CC only has one copyright, as opposed to two: mechanical and composition. “Why?” he asked. “Here are some possibilities: some of the smartest lawyers in the US forgot about it? They wanted to create confusion? If I record Bruce Springsteen’s Born To Run, they want to create a  situation where those mechanical royalties are impossible to collect?  I’ll give you a clue, it ain’t the first.”

Klang refuted this, adding that: “Creative Commons are doing it for no money and they are not financed by Google, the whole connection with Google is confusing me,” he said, in reference to Levine’s previous claim that many law schools are funded by Google.

Designer Sigga Heimis, who works for Ikea, cut in to put forward the argument that instead of discussing the past, “Why not try to reach young people? Ten years ago people were sceptical about selling ecological products, (they) cost more, no one is going to buy them…now they sell like candy. Why not put energy into educating young consumers, try to talk towards the future rather than nag about the situation today?” She also raised the concern that while millions are pumped in to protect brands, more money should be pumped into creativity.

On the subject of downloading and watching material online for free, Levine observed that there is an assumption among young people that “if something is on YouTube, it’s legal.” Klang, as a university teacher, spoke of his concern of criminalising young people: “I don’t want to teach a 13-year-old ‘You know that thing all your friends do? You can’t do that.’ I don’t want to make children outlaws.”

While there are benefits to artists’ work being shared and played online, Gudrun Bjork Bjarnadottir, former lawyer and general manager  of STEF, the performing rights society of Iceland, said there is hope for the future for those concerned about the lawlessness of the web: “YouTube is currently making contracts with (Scandinavia) so we are slowly making the internet a regulated place. We cannot take a part of our culture and say: this is a place where no regulations apply. We need regulations in that sphere as in other spheres of our lives. The goal is to make money for artists. I would be very glad if at least some could make a living from being an artist.”

A round up of other interesting thoughts from the panel:

Njordur Sigurjonsson, lecturer at Bifrost University: “We shouldn’t  
let the unions dominate the most important question of our time –  
where is culture heading? We need to open the discussion, ‘Free Ride’  
is a contribution, this might be one of the most important issues of  
the future. This should be a wider topic in terms of democracy and  
business interest.”

Gudrun: ‘Interesting times ahead. I was moved by Ralph’s speech about  
what was up and coming in technology. I do also have hopes for the  
future, and as we discussed educating hte young re copyright, it  
actually is so that the youngest generation is the quickest at  
picking up on Spotify – it’s the older generation that is using peer-
to-peer illegal file-sharing, there are signs we are going in the  
right direction,”

Klang: “I feel that part of what exists in other cultures, you should  
be able to opt out of copyright and put your work in the public domain.”

Sigga: “The word copyright, it’s a problematic kind of thing and  
people don’t address it but it is something we have to solve rather  
than debate about, integrate it into education.”

And the final word from Alex MacNeil, CEO of Gogoyoko, a service that  
allows artists to sell directly to fans: “The future is artists being  
paid fairly, responsibility being taken by the companies that make  
distribution, not hiding behind lawyers and double speak. That’s the  
future.”

Mathias Klang (photo by Arnar Bergmann)

Mathias Klang, a lawyer and lecturer from Gothenburg, presented the  other side of the copyright argument after Robert Levine’s talk with an entertaining, thought-provoking presentation.

“Where were you when they locked up culture?”, asks Matthias Klang,  challenging the dominant myth that ‘everything is property’ and ‘creation needs cash.’ Cash is not required for creation, argued Klang.

“It will work if it’s providing for the common good,” we don’t need to cling to the economic and creative myth. His take on stealing and sharing? “Stealing stuff is creative, by the way; Piratebay is a really creative community.”

“My problem with copyright and the chasing and enforcing of it is the people who get caught in between. The people who don’t have or can’t afford lawyers, the people who (don’t) realise they need a lawyer. The galleries, libraries and museums are also suffering. Culture is proving a casualty of this war.”

On the subject of participatory democracy, Klang said that we have felt for a long time that we don’t have the tools for it. “We now have, thanks to digitilisation, connectivity, storage and devices. We took the content from the content carrier and removed the physical  item. Connectivity is the basis for everything. With modems we used to pay by the minute, it was awful. With fixed rates you stay online more, and start file-sharing etc. We are saving more stuff, creating more stuff, storing it.”

Devices are “the most important, they are the interface to the world, the way in which we see the world, they change our life.” He joked that we have become so used to the ‘pinch’ mechanism on our iPhone and iPad screens that he is waiting for the day a child goes up to a TV and tries out the pinch mechanism on it, and gets angry when the picture doesn’t enlarge.

Ultimately, Klang feels that culture “shouldn’t be so focused on fixation. It’s depressing when artists talk about copyright, I know it’s important but when we equate the successful artist with the one who makes the most money, when the artist becomes an entrepreneur, aren’t we changing the game-plan?”

After a celestial live music introduction to the second half of the first day by Song for Wendy, the hotly anticipated and controversial talk from ‘Free Ride’ author Robert Levine commenced, kicking off the session about copyright.

Levine claims in his book that the internet is destroying creative industries, and discussed how culture needs to fight back against the idea that “everything being free is the future.”

“It’s painted as a progressive struggle,” said Levine. “A conflict between the rights of the people and the media companies.” He insisted that despite accusations of being “anti-technology, it couldn’t be further from the truth.” He admires the innovation of
Facebook, Twitter, Bjork’s Biophilia, and acknowledges that “these couldn’t exist without copyright.”

Levine shared some sobering thoughts: “People who distribute creative works without paying for them, the Piratebay, Youtube, they’re there to make money and if they say they aren’t, they’re lying.

He argued that the value of music sales is down to half of what it was.  On paper more music is selling than ever, but, as he said, “this is like saying ‘If I give you 15 pennies for a quarter, you now have more money.’ The value is going down.

He also claimed that, “a lot of activists fighting for copyright are covered by Google, they donate millions. Many law schools (also) get a lot of money from Google.” Levine argued that copyright lasts way too long, covers way too much, but hasn’t enough depth – and that it would be preferable to have a shorter, narrower monopoly, but with greater depth.

So, how important is copyright, in his opinion? “It’s very relevant,”  said Levine. “The basic idea of having a temporary monopoly of your work is a good one… We hear about copyright as a barrier to human rights – copyright is a human right.”

Robert Levine has been covering pop culture, technology, and the awkward dance between them for 15 years. Most recently, he was the executive editor of Billboard, charged with running the influential music business trade magazine. He has also been a features editor at New York magazine and Wired. His first job was at HotWired.com, the Wired Web publication, where he was hired several months after it sold the first online banner ad.

His writing has appeared in Vanity Fair, Fortune, Rolling Stone, and the arts and business sections of the New York Times. He has offered commentary on the media business for CNN, CNBC, and VH-1, and spoken at the World Copyright Summit and the CMJ music conference. He holds a B.A. in politics from Brandeis and an M.S.J. from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

His first book, Free Ride: How the Internet is Destroying the Culture Business and How the Culture Business Can Fight Back (Doubleday), was called “brilliant if depressing” by the Times (U.K.) and garnered praise from the Guardian and the Financial Times. He now covers the culture business from New York and Berlin.

For more than a decade – since the introduction of Napster – we have been hearing about the conflict between large, old media companies and young, technology-savvy consumers. It’s a compelling story, with obvious heroes and villains, but it’s wrong. The real fight on the Internet is between the media companies that fund culture, and big technology businesses like Google that want to distribute it – legally or not. This has enriched technology companies and decimated the media business. But since most Internet traffic still involves copyrighted content, this trend could eventually leave technology companies without much to distribute. Entrepreneurs need to work with artists, rather than against them, so we don’t end up with a 21st-century infrastructure and a 17th-century conception of artists’ rights.

Rasmus Wiinstedt Tscherning discussed the ‘silent knowledge that can’t easily be transferred’, hence it being worth its weight in gold. The ‘tacit knowledge’ to which he referred is about a certain kind of know-how that can’t easily be learned but can be transferred  through mentoring or via a teacher.

But, for example, should one’s grandmother pass on a treasured recipe to you, the end result would not be the same. Explicit knowledge is more easily distributed – and copied, but the transferrance of implicit knowledge is more complex.

Tacit knowledge is particularly relevant to creative industries, explained Tscherning. “I can’t learn to make great movies by just watching Lars Von Trier’s movies, you have to be part of it. That kind of transferred knowledge is expensive, cumbersome, difficult.”

Tscherning observed that most art has commercial potential – the uniqueness of an artistic visionary is often what sells, but it’s certainly hard to mass-produce. But art and creative projects can go  straight to the heart of people; shape, form and colour sends a message that can be directly communicated to the consumer – “computer  games help the banks explain to kids that it’s good to save money,” as Tscherning says. Collaborating with creative industries makes sense.

Next to take the floor were the visionary Anita Fontaine and Geoffrey Lillemon, owners and founders of Champagne Valentine, who make art for brands. Champagne Valentine have transformed the art and advertising cosmos with their expressive and provocative creations. They shapeshift between commercial, fashion, music and interactive realms while remaining attuned to ethical and contemporary art trends. “Our emphasis,” explained Lillemon, “is on interactive experiences with an emotional, human, romantic touch.”

Champagne Valentine (photo by Arnar Bergmann)

Their talk, ‘Feel ones and zeros’, incorporated clips of stunning visuals and atmospheric installation pieces, and presented us with the concept of ‘feeling’ technology, engaging with it on a sensual, romantic level.

They explained their focus on convincing brands to take a chance on a more sensory, interactive technological experience when it comes to advertising, while simultaneously attracting consumers with their off the wall approach and hypnotic visuals which never feel as if the product is being ‘rammed down their throat.’

“We’re trying to engage brands in the creative experience,” said Lillemon. And for the consumer? “It doesn’t feel so branded”.

They screened their short film Storytellers and Liars, packed with soundbites such as “lies are just hopes dressed up”, “I can’t unhear your stories”, and Paradisis, a surreal film about the death of Cleopatra, made using the slit-scan technique.

The soundtrack of another short clip they played also incorporated binaural beats which can induce a state of mild sedation. They also screened the video to Placebo’s ‘Never-ending Why’, an interactive video which proves that a music promo doesn’t have to be merely eye-candy.

So, ultimately, what is Champagne Valentine’s aim? “We like to hold hands with everyone and it’s our aim to create experiences that benefit and enrich humanity through fantasy, provocation.” Punk isn’t dead, neither is romance – and Champagne Valentine appear to have married the two with intriguing results and interesting implications.

Hilmar Sigurdsson [photo by Arnar Bergmann

The film has been in development and production for 7 years and has been sold to over 50 countries world-wide. The company is now full force on development of an on-line computer game, publishing and licensing programs, including live action performances in key markets in Europe.

Legends of Valhalla is developing into a full blown cross media programme, all based on the Nordic Mythology, documented by Icelanders close to 800 years ago. In the wake of the release of the film, CAOZ is developing a full-blown cross media programme, all based on the foundations of the Nordic Mythology, documented by Icelanders close to 800 years ago.

Sigurdsson brought the ancient Nordic past and the cutting edge of the  digital present together in his inspiring, ambitious talk about taking animation to cross media platforms. Sigurdsson explained the company’s vision for going global and extending over multiple platforms, branching out into gaming, publishing, licensing and beyond.

Legends of Valhalla – Thor’ incorporates classic Nordic deities such  as a glamorous Freyja, goddess of love and war, Odin, Heimdall the  Gatekeeper of Asgard and of course, there’s an over-confident  teenager who proves to be the hero of the tale against the evil Hel, Queen of the Underworld, and we were treated to an action-packed clip of the film itself. We’re looking forward to seeing it in full!

Ralph Simon [photo by Arnar Bergmann

Today’s talk was specifically about how Icelandic creatives and creators can get some insights into what is just beyond the technology horizon. Bringing the room to life with his impassioned oration and seemingly endless arsenal of small jokes, he discussed how we will be seeing more in the way of ‘smart tools’, smart-pens, smart- cards that can multi-task and use data in interesting new ways, and
see the opportunities in the changes.

For example, sites such as  Turntable FM are focusing on how music fans’ tastes are broadening  thanks to the availability of music: “There’s no such thing as
genres any more — people like creating playlists and mash-ups.” “Media technology is shaping human civilisation,” he claimed. “We are all screenagers – it’s about working out ‘which screen is best for your work?’

An amazing 48.5 per cent of people said they were connected to the web from the moment they wake to the moment they go to sleep. Every 2 days we create as much information as we did up to 2003. “Soon we will be using zedobytes – a trillion gigabytes.” He showed us some incredible current and near-future inventions such as Augmented Reality, technology that allows us to dial telephone numbers with just our fingers (no phone) and  also praised Iceland’s creative, artistic drive and insists that now is a great time to be an Icelandic creator, winding up with the enduring local saying: “Icelanders never give up!”

Tilman Scheel (photo by Arnar Bergmann)

Tilman Scheel from Germany, is the MD of reelport, an online submission platform for festivals like Oberhausen and Tampere. Scheel’s presentation was about how changes in tech influence cinema & VoD.

He showed his Europe’s Finest project, which has acquired the pan-European rights to more than 70 film classics and a dozen current Cannes and Berlin participants.

“Whatever digital does, it will not change the audience,” he said. He also conjured up the spirit of Steve Jobs, illustrating how many thought that Jobs was pumping out things that nobody needed – yet a few years later everybody has them.

Quoting the recently deceased Apple CEO, Scheel urged us to “stay young, stay foolish…if we don’t do that, we won’t change anything.’

Mugison wakes up early to serenade YAIC visitors Tilman Scheel [photo by Arnar Bergmann

“Creative industries account for 6 per cent of work force, 200 billion ISK annual turnover,” she said, adding that “despite the financial crisis, the creative industries have grown and flourished in recent years — and will only grow in the years to come.”

Another short intro from Anna Hildur Hildibrandsdottir, MD of Iceland Music Export was followed by a couple of gentle, acoustic songs from local starlet Mugison.  “My name is Mugison, thanks for being here so early,” he said, noting that this was probably the earliest gig he’s ever played. Sadly his brand new (invented) ‘Mirstrument’ was on strike this morning, but hopefully it will be revived in time for his Iceland Airwaves shows…

Three films by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard will be screened in Harpa next week in collaboration with You Are In Control. The films are from the series “Do You Love Me Like I Love You”, a series of 14 films, one to accompany each of the remastered and reissued Nick Cave albums. The films feature, among others,band members past and present, Blixa Bargeld, Mick Harvey, Warren Ellis and Thomas Wydler, photographers Bleddyn Butcher and Autumn de Wilde, authors Larry ‘Ratso’ Sloman, Ian Johnston and Matt Thorne and musicians including Gavin Friday, Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream, Beth Orton, Interpol’s Paul Banks and Nick Zinner from Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

The three films, The Firstborn is Dead, Tender Prey and The Boatman’s Call will roll in the Flói exhibition area on the ground floor of Harpa from Tuesday October 11th until Sunday October 16th. Admission is free.

At the You Are In Control conference Iain and Jane will have an open 10-minute idea development session with three different companies or projects that have been chosen through an application procedure. The session will reveal their working methods and how they go about creating their ideas.

How to apply: Participants at You Are In Control 2011 can apply to be one of the three projects that Iain & Jane choose to work with. To apply please send information about your project along with relevant links about the idea to Anna Ásthildur (annathorst@gmail.com) before Friday the 7th of October. The subject line should say: Brainstorming session with Iain & Jane.

When & Where: This session is a part of the conference programme on Tuesday October 11th. It will take place right after Iain & Jane’s presentation.

Special screening on Monday October 10th  at 18 pm! VIDEO is a documentary made by prominent film maker Árni Sveinsson for Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre. The film documents the current trends in Icelandic music videos and spans Icelandic music video history from early Sugarcubes to bands such as Hjaltalín, FM Belfast, Gus Gus and Prins Póló. A vibrant and lively film featuring interviews with the artists and filmmakers that gives a quirky  insight into the current music scene in Iceland.

Admission free for guests of You Are In Control.

As part of the conference programme, Mugison and Song for Wendy, will play a couple of songs for us on Tuesday October 11th 

Mugison (IS)
Mugison was born on a karaoke stage in Malaysia, a bastard child of Elvis and PapaMug. Working his career from the Westfjords of Iceland, Mugison has released 4 full-length studio albums, scored three films, started a music festival (Aldrei fór ég suður) and made a new instrument, which he calls Mirstrument. His latest album is named Haglél (e. Hailstorm). His first with icelandic lyrics, it has just been released in Iceland.

Discography:                                                                  Links:
Lonely Mountain, 2003                                               www.mugison.is
Mugimama – is this monkeymusic? 2004              www.mugison.com
Mugiboogie, 2007                                                         www.aldrei.is
Haglél, 2011

Song For Wendy (IS/DK)

Song For Wendy are a duo – and a couple – from Iceland and Denmark. Built on the vocals and atmospheric keyboards of Disa Jakobs and the picking guitar and vocals of Mads Mouritz, they wear frequent comparisons to Beach House and the classic duo’s of the 50′s.
Song For Wendy makes a rare attempt to write basic romantic songs using English poetry from the last three hundred years. Their music is influenced by Neil Young and the keyboard aesthetics of Brian Eno’s ambient period.

Website: http://soundcloud.com/songforwendy
Label: Madmusicrecords madsmouritz@gmail.com and SENA steinthor@sena.is

We got some last minute goodies for you. Rasmus Wiinstedt Tscherning will also be speaking at this year´s conference. He is the Managing Director for CKO (Center for Culture and Experience Economy),an agency established by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Economy and Business. In addition to CKO’s responsibility to create growth and innovation in the Danish business community through collaboration with creative businesses, Rasmus is also responsible for projects from the Nordic Council of Minister’s KreaNord initiative on policy development, Nordic government collaboration and financing opportunities for creative businesses. Rasmus has also launched the Creative Business Cup, a competition of creative business ideas and he manages the Reach Out program for the Ministry of Culture, which focuses on innovation in cultural life.

New confirmed speaker! Hilmar Sigurðsson will be speaking at You Are In Control this year. Hilmar is the CEO of CAOZ hf., an Animation Production Studio in Reykjavik. CAOZ is releasing locally ‘Legends of Valhalla – THOR’, Iceland’s first ever full animated feature film in 3D on October 14. The film has been in development and production for 7 years. The film has been sold to over 50 countries world-wide and the company is now full force on development of an on-line computer game, publishing and licensing programs, including live action performances in key markets in Europe. Legends of Valhalla is developing into a full blown cross media programme, all based on the Nordic Mythology, documented by Icelanders close to 800 years ago.

In this session, Iain and Jane will have an open 10-minute idea development session with three different companies or projects that have been chosen through an application procedure. The session will reveal their working methods and how they go about creating their ideas.

How to apply: Participants at You Are In Control 2011 can apply to be one of the three projects that Iain & Jane choose to work with. To apply please send information about your project along with relevant links about the idea to Anna Ásthildur (annathorst@gmail.com) before Friday the 7th of October. The subject line should say: Brainstorming session with Iain & Jane.

When & Where: This session is a part of the conference programme on Tuesday October 11th. It will take place right after Iain & Jane’s presentation.

Get the chance to present your idea/ concept/ business model to a group of investors and business development specialists!

The New Business Venture Fund will host a special workshop on investments in the creative industries – and how to go about pitching your idea to venture capital investors. Selected companies and individuals (5 – 6) will get the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a group of investors and business development specialists, who will then provide them with useful feedback on how to improve the pitch.

How to apply: All participants at You Are In Control 2011 can apply to present their business ideas at this special workshop. Send information about your idea, concept or business model to Anna Ásthildur annathorst@gmail.com before Friday the 7th of October with the subject: NSA Pitching Opportunity.

When & Where: Between 14.00 and 16.00 on Wednesday October 12th at Ofanleiti 2, Room 201, 103 Reykjavik.

The workshop will be open to all YAIC participants. However we’d like you to register so we know how many we can expect. To attend this workshop please contact Anna Ásthildur annathorst@gmail.com.

This year there will be eight workshops for YAIC participants to choose from. The numbers are limited for each workshop so the general rule is first come, first served! To register for a workshop please email Anna Ásthildur annathorst@gmail.com with a) your name b) name of your preferred workshop and c) name of a backup workshop

Workshops at You Are In Control 2011

1. “The Intersection of Art & Commerce: A Music Licensing Exploration”

Come join industry veteran Staci Slater, founder of The Talent House, for an workshop on how art and commerce can merge in a successful manner. Based on her experience in film/television licensing, clearance and pitching as well as her many years as a manager she will show the value on the business side of creating income with songs and music in the film/TV, but also show that it’s possible to remain authentic to the artistic vision of the songwriter. Education in how income is generated through the performing rights societies and publishing on a worldwide basis, how to send music to supervisors in relation to cd’s, metadata, quantity and where to look for info and how to know what to submit will all be discussed.

Hosted by Staci Slater (USA) & STEF

2. The Power of Open: digitalization, licensing and culture

Perhaps the most dominant myth of creation is the concept that everything is property, and that without a significant protection of this property creation will grind to a halt. Recent projects, for example Wikipedia or Free Software, have questioned the dominance of this idea. This does not mean that 300 years of copyright need to be thrown away – but it does mean that creators need alternatives and examples of best practice to establish profitable free or hybrid business models. This seminar will present Creative Commons licenses as a way in which the creator find material for re-use and share his or her own material while maintaining elements of control.

Hosted byMathias Klang (SE) & Hugmyndaráðuneytið (Ministry of Ideas)

3. Optimising the online experience for both bands and fans

a workshop on how to optimise the online experience for bands – discussing the merits of tools & services available – using the experiences of both the panelists and the audience members. using the various stages of release campaigns or development of the band as backdrops, discussing tools suitable for each stage. working through the various stages in a release cycle; for the logistical behind the scenes part to the public facing marketing stages. discussing too the unquantifiable things – the nature of community engagement and tone of voice in correspondence, the consistency over the many online channels available.

Hosted by Darren Webb (IE) & Kraumur

4. What Price, Media

Conventional wisdom has it that content companies need to cut their prices in order to increase their volume, especially online. Like much conventional wisdom, however, this may be wrong. In 2002, when Universal Music cut its wholesale prices by 25%, it only sold 13% more music – a net loss for the company. Similarly, when iTunes raised the top prices for songs in 2009, it sold between 10-15% less music but brought in more revenue overall. The truth is that copyrighted goods are not highly substitutable and they never have been – few consumers walk into a store to buy a Bruce Springsteen album and end up getting one by Bob Seger. A smart strategy involves variable pricing in order to maximize overall revenue – and thus make up the cost of creating music and movies in the first place.

Hosted by Robert Levine (USA) & Rannsóknarmiðstöð skapandi greina (Research Center for Creative Industries)

5. How the digital changes the world of film distribution

Come to join Tilman for a workshop on how digital changes the world of film distribution. If you want to know how digital will shape the way cinemas will select films in the future or how the internet changes the way films are distributed – all this will be discussed during this session. As the founder of Europe’s first Cinema on Demand service “Europe’s Finest” and of “reelport”, Europe’s largest festival submission platform, Tilman has years of experience in all aspects of the often bumpy relationship between digital and film. And since all of his projects have profited from MEDIA support, some hints and tips on how to prepare for Brussels are given, too.

Hosted by Tilman Scheel (DE) & The Icelandic Film Center

6. “Monetising mobile and engaging your audience”

Join Stephen O’Reilly, Director of International Sales at Mobile Roadie for a mobile apps masterclass. Discover what’s next in mobile and how artists and brands are engaging their audience connecting with fans and making money from mobile apps. During this presentation Stephen will share Mobile Roadie’s success in powering iPhone & Android apps for some of the worlds best known artists including Adele, Madonna, The Beatles, Robbie Williams, Take That, Katy Perry and many more.

Hosted by Stephen O’Reilly & TBA

7. How can interactivity extend the magic life of brands?

This workshop discusses the relevance of interactivity and engaging new technologies in creating original sensory experiences for brands. Champagne Valentine will discuss some immersive works where interactivity and new technologies play a surprising role and how different creative fields (music, design, film etc) can borrow some ideas to engage the audience / user.

Hosted by Anita Fontaine and Geoffrey Lillemon from Champagne Valentine & The Iceland Design Center

A fantastic addition to this year´s conference is Champagne Valentine who have transformed the art and advertising cosmos with their expressive and provocative creations. They shapeshift between commercial, fashion, music and interactive realms while remaining attuned to ethical and contemporary art trends. Visionaries Geoffrey Lillemon and Anita Fontaine hailing from USA and Australia respectively have exhibited their works in real and virtual spaces since the millennium bug, summoning an international cult following. At the forefront of emerging interactive technologies their work also incorporates music video and fashion films, sites, apps, installations, apps, lazer beams, and the stuff nobody saw coming. Their adored clientele includes the likes of Nowness, Diesel, Tate Modern, Edun, Bernhard Willhelm, (RED), Tim Burton and Vh1. Champagne Valentine’s headquarters are situated in the enchanting village of Amsterdam.

The Iceland Airwaves combination tickets are all gone! However, due to the high demand for them we have decided to give one of our Facebook friends a free ticket that grants access to both You Are In Control and Iceland Airwaves music festival. All you have to do is “Like” our  Facebook Page if you are not our Facebook friend yet and you might just be the lucky one.

As usual, Iceland Airwaves has a very tempting line up that includes Beach House, John Grant, Young Galaxy, tUnE-yArDs and even Sinead O´Connor along with a vast variety of Icelandic bands. Bring all these artists together in a small city on an isolated island far up north and it’s safe to say that nothing compares to Iceland Airwaves!

The Early-Bird offer for You Are In Control conference has been extended. The special early-bird offer of 20.000 ISK (€120) is now running until September 12th so don´t hesitate if you plan on attending. After September 12th the ticket price is 30.000 ISK (€185).

To register to the conference please click here

You Are In Control is proud to announce that Darren Webb will be hosting a workshop on how to optimise the online experience for both bands and fans through online integration of social media, e-commerce and website.

For the last decade or so, Darren Webb has been part of the Sigur Rós online team. He is currently working on the release of “inni” – a double live album and seventy-five minute film of sigur rós’ last show before their well-documented “indefinite hiatus” at the end of 2008.

It’s also a pleasure to announce that Tilman Scheel has confirmed his participation at this year´s conference. Tilman Scheel is the ManagingDirector of Reelport GmbH. Born 1970 in Hanover Tilman studied art history and law in Hamburg and Berlin. In 2001 he became a lawyer with Arthur Andersen and Ernst&Young consultants, his areas of expertise being company and media law.

In July 2004 he developed Reelport, an online film submission platform for festivals like Oberhausen and Tampere. In 2005 Tilman founded the Reelport GmbH as an independent company. By now 21.000 film makers and sales companies have uploaded more than 28.000 short and feature films to 70+ film festivals and markets including the Marché du Film, Cannes, or the Tallinn Black Night Film Market.

In 2008 Tilman created Europe’s Finest with the support of MEDIA. Europe’s Finest has by now acquired the Pan-European theatrical rights to more than 70 film classics of from Werner Herzog to Roman Polanski and a dozen current Cannes and Berlin participants, digitised them in 2k DCI cinema format and screened them in hundreds of digital cinemas in 16 European territories.

We are glad to announce Robert Levine as one of the speakers for this year. Robert Levine has been covering pop culture, technology, and the awkward dance between them for 15 years. Most recently, he was the executive editor of Billboard, charged with running the influential music business trade magazine. He has also been a features editor at New York magazine and Wired. His first job was at HotWired.com, the Wired Web publication, where he was hired several months after it sold the first online banner ad.

His writing has appeared in Vanity Fair, Fortune, Rolling Stone, and the arts and business sections of the New York Times. He has offered commentary on the media business for CNN, CNBC, and VH-1, and spoken at the World Copyright Summit and the CMJ music conference. He holds a B.A. in politics from Brandeis and an M.S.J. from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

His first book, Free Ride: How the Internet is Destroying the Culture Business and How the Culture Business Can Fight Back (Doubleday), was called “brilliant if depressing” by the Times (U.K.) and garnered praise from the Guardian and the Financial Times. He now covers the culture business from New York and Berlin.