Broadcast Media Production final-year student, Adam Gilson had a once in a lifetime opportunity to attend one of the world’s biggest television events of the year in Cannes.
With financial help from the Futures Fund Opportunity Scholarship Adam was able to afford the entry ticket to MIPTV Global Television Market and conference where more than 1,600 exhibiting companies from 38 countries came together to buy, sell, and create the future of television.
During the event there was also a selection of conferences and talks from leaders and pioneers in new and emerging technologies such as Virtual Reality.
He explained: “I attended many Virtual Reality conferences, seminars and stalls devoted to it and the very real application for it in television. It has cemented my commitment to the emerging technology of Virtual Reality and helped me to shape a few ideas for formats which I plan to put into action in the future.”
Adam wasted little time in making contacts at the event from distributors to producers and screenwriters.
He said: “I received a complementary guide which contains the contact details of every person from every company that attended.
“I have in effect grown my contact base by several thousand contacts. As well as this, my attendance allows me access to the MIP website and the wealth of content it contains including recordings of the conferences and news on recent trends in industry long before it becomes public knowledge.
“The value these will have to my future career is immense, and for this I am eternally grateful to the donors of the Future Fund who enabled me to attend.”
Adam firmly believes that the insight into the workings of the television industry that he gained from attending this event and the contacts he made will increase his employability prospects after he graduates in July this year.
“I feel much more equipped for life after university,” he said. “I also have a much better idea of the television market. This knowledge has already proved useful. I am currently in the process of introducing the producer of a show I work on to my distributor contact in an attempt to sell the show to other territories throughout the world and to grow our audience exponentially.”
Adam concluded: “I would like to once again take this opportunity to thank the donors for their help in getting me to MIPTV.”