3D conference returns to MIPTV bigger than ever

Following the successful 3D TV conferences at MIPTV and MIPCOM last year, Europe’s largest television market will host another 3D TV conference but this time, the event will be spread over two days.

3D Focus MIPTV 3D coverage is brought to you in association with 3D specialists Presteigne Charter

With 2012 being an important year for television sports, the 3DTV Focus Conference will reflect this with a sporting theme in the morning.

Contributing Editor of Advanced-television.com Chris Forrester will kick off the event at 09.30 who’s keynote speaker is Jim Chabin, President & CEO of the International 3D Society.

Between 10.05-10.25, Senior Analyst of IHS-Screen Digest Tom Morrod will open the scene about the current state of the 3D TV market. This will be followed by the ‘Sports Highlight’ session between 10.30 and 11.30 where speakers Production & Programming of HBS Peter Angell; Director of Sky 3D John Cassy, CEO of Can Communicate Duncan Humphries and Head of 3D Project, Orange Ghislaine Lerhun-Gautier will join an interactive Q & A session focusing on the sports in 3D. The session is designed to deliver an opportunity for MIPTV delegates to question specialty broadcasters about their latest thinking on their 3D TV plans.

Between 12.00 and 13.00, the Global Entertainment session will focus on whether 3D has a place on mainstream television rather than just sports and movies.  The past few months have seen breathtaking 3D TV productions, including natural history features and documentaries, drama, classical and rock concerts, and even Strictly Come Dancing in 3D. This session will examine new upcoming projects and discuss the future for primetime 3D entertainment. Speakers for this session include CEO of HIGHTV 3D Eric Klein and Director, Acquisitons & Scheduling of 3net Mark Ringwald.

Between 14.15 – 15.30, the conference will be talking money in a session called “Where are the broadcasting revenue opportunities in 3DTV?”

Satellite operator SES says it is now carrying more than 1200 high-def channels. It is also carrying a few dozen 3D-TV channels, and is slowly but steadily adding more. Because there is such a limited market for producers of 3D material, how can an extra revenue stream be generated?  How can a 2D project be structured to include 3D, and thus exploit a potential extra revenue stream? This expert panel will offer advice to producers and programme commissioners.

There will be a featured presentation by  Deputy Director, EBU Technology and Development, European Broadcasting David Wood and joining the panel will be Laurent Baldoni from 3D Mania, Head of VoD at Maxus/WPP Ruth Cartwright, , Head of 3D-TV Sky Italia Cosetta Lagani and Dimension Media founder Adam Sculthorpe.

On a similar theme the next session will shift its focus to the new media opportunities for 3DTV. Between 15.45-16.45 the questions will be, "Is the answer to making money from 3DTV in Digital Media"?  Do YouTube/Vimeo/Dailymotion represent an untapped opportunity for 3D content-owners? Can cinema and theatrical exhibition prove to be a meaningful revenue stream? Does certain 3DTV content generate added value by attracting new audiences?  Can VOD-to-tablets and smart devices generate cash? Should content-owners forget about mainstream viewing opportunities and target narrower niche audiences? Can Netflix or Lovefilm be a VOD solution for 3DTV?

Attempting to answer some of these questions will be Head of Production at Prime Focus Matthew Bristowe and Managing Partner of Global Media Consult, Torsten Hoffman.

For the first time, the MIPTV 3D conference will be extended to the next day. On Wednesday April 4th, the world famous Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute will be hosting a 2.5 hour 3DTV Producer Boot Camp.

There will be a live demonstration of the latest 3D production techniques from the soon to open 3D Innovation Center in Berlin. Especially designed for production and programming executives, this “hands-on” session will also examine issues concerning 3D product development, content and distribution.

3D Focus will be providing you with all the latest coverage from MIPTV 2012. If you are attending and have a 3D related news story, please contact

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