How Do We Reach and Engage with Young Audiences? #2

06/08/23 • 38 min

Industry Insights – The EFM Podcast is presented by the European Film Market of the Berlinale. Hosted by industry analyst Johanna Koljonen, it delves deep into the rapidly evolving film industry.

The episode features Max Malka and Sened Dhab discussing the changing expectations of younger viewers and the importance of availability, convenience, and quality. The episode emphasizes the difficulties young and diverse talent face in breaking into the industry and the challenges of retaining them, leading to a lack of relevant content for young audiences and lower engagement, while highlighting the positive aspects of increased consumption and production of audiovisual content by young people. The episode concludes with valuable insights on creating engaging content for young audiences, such as shorter episodes, compelling pilot episodes, and encouraging immediate audience engagement.

Max Malka acts as Head of Scripted for Endemol Shine Finland, where she is responsible for the development and production of scripted series and feature films. She created and co-wrote Endemol Shine Finland’s first scripted series, Dance Brothers, which is also the first ever Finnish series to have its global premiere on Netflix. This Netflix-Yle co-production premiered in May 2023. Malka has previously produced the family feature film Tatu and Patu, which was the highest grossing film of 2016 in Finland, and three seasons of award-winning and hugely popular youth series, Dragonslayer666. Her romantic feature film, Aurora, premiered in 2019. Aurora’s festival success includes a US premier at SXSW, Best International Film Award at Edinburgh IFF, a nomination for the Nordic Council Film Award as well as a record-breaking 13 Jussi-award (Finnish Oscar) nominations, of which it won seven, including Best Film. The same year, Malka was voted Producer of the Year in Finland. In addition, Malka is on the board of the Producer’s Association APFI and has a Master of Arts (Aalto University) in film production.

Sened Dhab is the VP Young Adult Content at France Télévisions, overseeing hit shows like Stalk, Perlement, and Derby Girl that have gained international acclaim. He also serves as the VP digital scripted, responsible for drama content on France Télévisions' digital channels. Prior to his current roles, Dhab excelled as a writer, script-doctor, and marketing executive, crafting impactful campaigns for major film distributors. His time at Dare.Win saw him launching successful campaigns for Netflix and expanding the agency's presence in Germany. With a diverse background in entertainment, Dhab's expertise and creative vision have left an indelible mark on the industry, shaping captivating narratives and pushing boundaries in French television and marketing.

Johanna Koljonen is a media analyst, broadcaster, and experience designer based in Sweden. She is co-founder of boutique consulting firm Participation Design Agency, and the author of the Göteborg Film Festival’s annual Nostradamus Report.

This podcast episode has been developed in collaboration with the Nostradamus Project of the Göteborg Film Festival.

The Berlinale’s European Film Market is the first international film market of the year, where the film industry starts its business. Industry Insights - The EFM Podcast puts a spotlight on highly topical and trendsetting industry issues, thereby creating a compass for the forthcoming film year. The year-round podcast is produced in cooperation with Goethe-Institut and co-funded by Creative Europe MEDIA.

This podcast episode has been developed in collaboration with the Nostradamus Project of the Göteborg Film Festival.

Previous Episode

How Do We Reach and Engage with Young Audiences?

Industry Insights – The EFM Podcast is presented by the European Film Market of the Berlinale. Hosted by Curator and Impact Producer Nadia Denton, it delves deep into the rapidly evolving film industry.

What defines a young audience, what attracts a young audience and how can film professionals engage the audience of the future? In this episode of Industry Insights, guest speakers Melika Gothe and Yaron Volk reflect on these questions, shedding light on the younger generation and their perspective on cinema culture and film (festivals). This conversation shows the relevance of giving a voice to people of all ages and backgrounds, and shares ideas on how to make the film industry more accessible and sustainable.

Melika Gothe has been section manager of Berlinale Generation since 2022, a position that was newly created, aimed at strengthening film education and cultural participation. She joined the Generation team in 2014 and worked as project coordinator and Head’s assistant. Melika graduated in film studies, French and cultural mediation (Kulturvermittlung/Médiation Culturelle de l’Art) in Mainz, Dijon, Hildesheim and Marseille. Her focus is on supporting and engaging with young cineastes, in various jury programmes, as moderator and film educator.

Yaron Volk is a 16-year old film enthusiast, about to graduate. He is part of the Youth Film Jury Berlin and the European Film Club. Being an avid Berlinale person, Yaron feels that the festival played an important part in shaping his identity in terms of taste in films and in a way made him who he is today.

The host Nadia Denton is a film industry specialist with over a decade of experience as a Curator, Impact Producer and Author. Her focus has been on cinema of the African diaspora, she specialises in Nigerian Cinema and is author of two books The Black British Filmmakers Guide to Success and The Nigerian Filmmaker’s Guide to Success: Beyond Nollywood. Nadia is also an official V&A African Heritage Tour Guide.

This podcast episode has been developed in collaboration with Berlinale Generation.

In this episode Melika mentiones the film Summer 1993 by Carla Simón.

Next Episode

Finance Trends across the Ecosystem

Industry Insights – The EFM Podcast is presented by the European Film Market of the Berlinale. Hosted by journalist, moderator and film festival consultant, it delves deep into the rapidly evolving film industry.

This special EFM Industry Insights episode meets top global film executives attending San Sebastian’s second-annual Creative Investors Conference, where industry experts Elisa Alvares, Carole Scotta, Juan Gordon, and John Sloss have gathered to discuss topics such as opportunities in the shifting US landscape; global trends across the film value chain; the outlook from leading streamers; specific challenges facing independent producers; examining the global marketplace for Spanish-language content; finding strength in new international collaborations; and future-proofing how the industry continues to evolve to best serve audiences.

Elisa Alvares is an all-rounded financier with over 25 years’ experience in international corporate and structured finance with a focus in Media & Entertainment/Media-tech. Further to a successful career across investment banking, asset management and commercial banking with the likes of Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein Bank, Taurus Finance and Bank Leumi, Elisa founded Jacaranda Group in London in 2018. Through Jacaranda Consultants, Elisa has advised VC-backed investment funds and family offices around the world on their investments into music, film, TV, games, interactive/EntTech. Over the years, Elisa has originated/executed on transactions in Media & Entertainment in excess of $1B. Jacaranda assists clients from new fund strategy phase to deal origination and structuring, including facilitating corporate governance, and overseeing deal negotiation, deal execution and monitoring as part of long-term strategies.

Juan Gordon is one of the founders of Morena Films, established in 1999. He was previously General Director of the production and distribution company ESICMA, where he produced his first feature film Lluvia en los Zapatos, directed by Maria Ripoll. Already at Morena, Juan has been responsible for the development and production of films such as: Intemperie (Benito Zambrano, 2019); Yuli (Iciar Bollain, 2018); Immersion (Wim Wenders, 2018); May God come down and see it (Curro Velázquez, 2017); One Hundred Years of Forgiveness (Daniel Calparsoro, 2016); The Olive Tree (Iciar Bollain, 2016); The Sheep Don't Miss the Train (Álvaro Fernández Armero, 2015); The Cave (Alfredo Montero, 2013). Recent credits include the Netflix original film Amor de Madre.

After graduating from Arizona State University, Carole Scotta founded Haut et Court in 1992 the same year she won the Fondation Hachette prize as best young producer. She first broke into the French distribution sector with the "Unreleased of America" which included among others Alison Ander’s "Gas, Food, Lodging" and Alex Cox’s "Highway Patrolman". In 1997 Carole Scotta produced "My life in Pink" by Alain Berliner, her first feature film (Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film). Since then, her company, Haut et Court, produced and distributed over 200 films most of which have won several awards in international festivals; among others the Palme d’Or in Cannes 2008 with "The Class" by Laurent Cantet and the International Emmy for Best Drama Series 2013 with "The Returned" by Fabrice Gobert. Carole also produced "Coco before Chanel" by Anne Fontaine with Audrey Tautou, which was the first French film on the international market in 2009. She is not only a producer and a distributor but also an exhibitor with the launch of the NOUVEL ODEON in 2010, a theater in the heart of the Quartier Latin in Paris and the LOUXOR, a renovated theater which first opened in 1921.

John Sloss is founder and CEO of Cinetic Media, and partner in Sloss Eckhouse Dasti Haynes LawCo. Through Cinetic, John produces motion pictures and television, provides various content sales and corporate advisory services, and presides over a rapidly growing talent management division. He has produced or executive produced over 70 films including Richard Linklater’s Academy Award-winning BOYHOOD, LAST FLAG FLYING, and “BEF...