Schedule of panels

Serial Killer is a three-day long conference offering program for film and TV professionals, journalists, and students of audio-visual fields of studies. It provides the audience with an overview and reflection of European and world TV drama trends, showcases of the new series both from local and foreign broadcasters, inspirational presentations and lectures from successful creators and know-how of representatives from various European televisions and key market players.

Even this year, Serial Killer brings a three-day TV Days conference (September 20 to 22 2023) back to the Orlí Street Theatre of the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts (JAMU).

The programme of the TV Days conference is in English.

The programme may be subject to change.

Wednesday 20. 9. 2023 Thursday 21. 9. 2023 Friday 22. 9. 2023

Wednesday 20. 9. 2023

09.00—10.00 MIDPOINT Institute ǀ Smash Cut ǀ Open Lecture

10 Lessons Everyone Should Learn from Short-Form Storytelling

Gerhard Meier on what big streamers and broadcasters learned from web series, how they integrated it into their strategies, what big trends will form the future of short-form content and how can clever writers, filmmakers and producers profit from anticipating these trends.

10.00—10.10 A Warm Welcome from Serial Killer
10.10—10.30 Present and Future Plans of CANAL+ on the Czech and Slovak Market

Lada Dobrkovská, Consultant for CANAL+ Local TV Content on CANAL+’s entry into the Czech and Slovak markets, new services and news for the upcoming year, examples of cooperation in global production and presentation of local goals and priorities.

10.30—11.00 Actors and Actresses Becoming Screenwriters

Why is it a really good idea to give actors a chance to write? Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Ricky Gervais, Greta Gerwig and many others are great examples. Discussion with Icelandic actress & screenwriter Aníta Briem and Finnish actor & screenwriter Pelle Heikkilä.

11.00—11.10 A Damn Fine Coffee Break
11.10—11.40 A Crash Course in AI: From Generative Tools to Deep Fake

Gerhard Meier on the immediate future of generative AI. The keynote acts as an introductory crash course – so don’t fear if you have no idea what it is all about.

11.40—12.00 AI for Audiovisual Producers

AI is poised to transform the AV industry as we know it. If the power is to remain in the hands of humans, producers need to know how to use it. Welcome to the practical session from FILM.UA Research Innovation & Design delivered by Kateryna Vyshnevska.

12.00—13.00 Lunch Break
13.00—13.20 K7 Media: From One Global Trend to Another – Fiction

Richard O’Meara from the international media consultancy K7 Media will provide a focused insight into what is happening in the world of television and video, talking about fiction.

13.20—13.40 A Killer Study: Soviet Jeans

A case study of a Latvian tragicomedy that will take you back to the times when jeans were one of the brightest symbols of the “capitalist West”, delivered by director and screenwriter Stanislavs Tokalovs.

13.40—14.00 How to Tame a Running Tiger: VOYO Changes Pace from Speedy Expansion to Quality Growth

After a spectacular entrance of Voyo Originals to the Czech market, the brand already has a steady base of fans among spectators and creators. What will be next?

14.00—14.20 A Damn Fine Coffee Break
14.20—15.00 In Conversation with Antony Root + Q&A

Former Head of Original Production for HBO Europe and HBO Max EMEA on CEE drama.

15.00—15.15 Serial Killer Presents: Ukraine Content Club

Discover a unique line-up of new original Ukrainian drama and documentaries to be produced under the Ukraine (not Ukrainian) Content Club umbrella. The initiative is backed by FILM.UA Group, Starlight Media, 1+1 media and Suspilne Ukraine.

15.15—15.30 Cosmic Horror as a Path to a Young Diverse Audience

Romani creators will present their currently developed TV series for the online platform of Czech Television based on an iconic Czech horror movie from the 1980s. First Czech remake, featuring a diverse cast and a team that is unparalleled in the context of any television content in Czechia.

15.30—15.50 CANCELLED A Killer among Us: Coming from France

Managing director of the French Série Series festival Marie Barraco will present an overview of the French TV industry and the hand-picked selection of new French series.

15.50—16.10 A Damn Fine Coffee Break
16.10—16.25 MIDPOINT Institute ǀ Smash Cut ǀ Case Study

Sexfluencing by Matus Krajnak

How to find your voice when no one wants to listen? And are web series still a thing? A case study of an award-winning short-form series Sexfluencing by its Slovak-born and London-based creator.

16.25—16.50 MIDPOINT Institute ǀ Smash Cut ǀ Talk

The New Generation of Central and Eastern European TV Creators

Up-and-coming TV creators from Czechia, Estonia, and Slovakia discuss the presence and the future of Central and Eastern European TV.

16.50—17.10 K7 Media: From One Global Trend to Another – Non-Fiction

David Ciaramella from the international media consultancy K7 Media will provide a focused insight into what is happening in the world of television and video, talking about non-fiction.

17.10—17.30 Mastering the Art of Festival Networking

Pitch & Public Speaking Coach & Consultant Bonnie Williams will look at what comes into play during different types of encounters and give tips and insights to help you start to build relationships that carry on beyond the festival.

20.00—22.00 Progressive Killer Award Ceremony

Awarding the Progressive Killer Award to an outstanding personality from the Central and Eastern European region. Venue: Tržnice Brno, Zelný trh 14-16

Thursday 21. 9. 2023

09.00—10.00 MIDPOINT Institute ǀ Smash Cut ǀ Open Lecture

How to Engage the Audience in Advance

Executive Producer Hyppe Salmi from the Finnish pubcaster YLE will present two case studies depicting how YLE Drama is engaging young adults on Instagram, starting with the script all the way to the release of the series and beyond.

10.00—10.30 A Killer Speech: Jarmo Lampela

Dare to Face: About the Importance of Being Brave

Developing content is a challenging process, and on the way from an idea to a finished series, creators can feel as if they are looking for a path through a jungle of opinions. But what does the commissioner actually want? And why the hell all those wishes for change?

10.30—10.50 YLE Comedy in the Spotlight

Arttu Nurmi and Teppo Hovi on how to create a successful and ongoing comedy promise for a streaming service that stands out and brings in views.

10.50—11.10 A Damn Fine Coffee Break
11.10—11.35 Youth Is Drama

Executive Producer Riikka Takila will represent YLE’s tactics for attracting and engaging young audiences. Through several excerpts of recent shows, she will elaborate on how they’ve managed to find the right tone of voice and succeeded in bringing the crowds from third-party platforms to their own streaming platform.

11.35—12.00 How to Compete with the Giants?

A brief introduction to the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE and the company´s award-winning streamer YLE Areena, a real rarity among its peers. It has made it to the number one online brand ten times in a row, ranking the third most valued brand in Finland in 2023. What have been the ingredients of the recipe for success?

12.00—13.00 Lunch Break
13.00—13.20 Games, Social Media and Fiction Series. Battle over schoolers' media time

Gaming and social media are taking more and more time from the young audiences. Markku Mastomäki, the Head of Children and Kids from Finnish pubcaster YLE will present how they see the situation and how they act on this constantly changing market.

13.20—13.40 A Killer Study: Riding the Beat

Creators Samuel Kirkhope and Samuli Norhomaa on Riding the Beat, a drama-comedy set in the hip-hop scene of a rough Finnish neighbourhood called Savela. It follows two young rappers and their group of friends as they try to battle their way to the top.

13.40—14.00 Climate Friendly Film & TV Industry: Case Finland

How to change a whole industry to a more sustainable one? APFI’s Sustainability Manager Anne Puolanne has been following the topic for more than a decade and now will share what have been the right steps to take.

14.00—14.20 A Killer among Us: Coming from Finland

Executive Producer Suvi Mansnerus will present YLE’s upcoming drama series. She will also open up the world of a few series in development which are all united by elements of winter sports in varied stories.

14.20—14.40 A Damn Fine Coffee Break
14.40—15.10 Those Who Stayed

A case study devoted to the series anthology inspired by true events which happened in Kyiv after the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the lives of those who stayed in the capital city.

15.10—15.30 They Told Me It Was Impossible. I Have Proven Them Wrong

Showrunner Gabija Siurbyte on the Lithuanian series Troll Farm, a first-ever high drama TV series that was picked by Berlinale Series Market Selects, telling story about corporate diva Ana, who after being wrongly fired, struggles to clear out her name, while slowly becoming the monster she’s fighting.

15.30—15.50 Industry@Tallinn&Baltic Event: The Next Stop for Finding Perfect Co-Production Partners

A case study of the most recent Finnish TV series production serviced in Estonia – a proof of successful cross-border collaborations and an introduction to Industry at Tallinn and Baltic Event as an ideal event to find valuable production partners and forge strong industry connections.

15.50—16.00 Work in Progress: Seven Cities

YLE’s Head of Drama Jarmo Lampela on young adult series about live music and young musicians.

16.00—16.20 Masterclass by Tiina Lymi

An award-winning Finnish actress, director & screenwriter and one of the most known and acclaimed talents of her generation on her journey as a director and writer.

16.20—16.40 A Damn Fine Coffee Break
16.40—17.20 Finnish & Czech

A discussion with Head of Media at Finnish pubcaster YLE Petri Jauhiainen and newly appointed CEO of the Czech Television Jan Souček hosted by Founder & Director of Serial Killer festival and Television Institute Kamila Zlatušková.

17.20—17.30 Bye bye, Killer!

Kamila Zlatušková on future of the Serial Killer festival.

Friday 22. 9. 2023

10.00—10.20 A Killer among Us: Coming from Spain

Programme Coordinator at Conecta FICTION & ENTERTAINMENT Alba Pérez will give an overview of the Spanish audiovisual industry and will showcase the freshest and upcoming Spanish series throughout 2023.

10.20—10.40 A Killer among Us: Coming from Hungary

A showcase of new and upcoming series from Hungary selected by the International Sales Manager focusing on TV content Tibor Forizs from National Film Institute Hungary.

10.40—11.00 A Killer among Us: Czech It Out

Director of Content and New Media Jan Maxa will present upcoming series from the Czech public broadcaster Czech Television.

11.00—11.20 A Damn Fine Coffee Break
11.20—11.40 A Bigger Splash

Director of Scripted Content for the Nordics and Baltics at TV4 Media Piodor Gustafsson on how to create a bigger splash. Is fewer, bigger and better really the way forward for streamers?

11.40—12.00 A Killer among Us: Coming from Switzerland

Maral Mohsenin, Head of Programmes at one of the oldest festivals in the world to integrate television in its programme – Geneva International Film Festival – will highlight series from all four linguistic regions of Switzerland.

12.00—13.00 Lunch Break
13.00—13.20 Streaming Wars in Europe: No Local Show? No Show for Locals

Local TV shows and films are key to winning the European audience from the US streaming platforms. Let’s have a look at what national projects resonated the most on Netflix, HBO Max, or Amazon Prime during the last three years.

13.20—13.35 Meet the Ukrainian Creative Disruptors: Ukraine’s First LGBTIQ+ Wartime Young Adult Series

The team behind Ukraine’s first LGBTIQ+ series based on true wartime events – Pride Is Not Available in Your Region – casts light on the development of the young adult-targeted project on the mission to find the international backup.

13.35—13.50 Serielizados Fest: Barcelona and Madrid's International TV Series Festival

Co-Director of Serializados Fest Victor Sala on the importance of TV series festivals to push the television industry forward.

13.50—14.05 The Band/Banda: Music Is a Revolution

Creators Marta Szarzyńska and Tomasz Habowski on story about a group of angry young girls from the south of Poland who want to break into the music industry.

14.05—14.20 A Damn Fine Coffee Break
14.20—14.40 Valuing Web Series

Partner Researcher at the University of Wollongong & Consultant Joël Bassaget on the first multinational research project on web series, studying the impact and contribution of web series to the industry and to audiovisual culture in the broad sense.

14.40—15.10 Kickstart Your TV Career: Getting Started as a Television Writer

A thirty-minute talk from American TV writer Molly Nussbaum on tips and best practices for starting your career as a television writer.

15.10—15.25 CME Content Academy

Tubi Neustadt, Content Production Director at CME and Klára Brachtlová, CME Chief External Affairs on news about the CME Content Academy study programme.

15.25—15.45 War Room Content: Writing European

David Dusa and Emilie Blézat from Swedish creation company Dark Riviera on a new think tank and writers’ room – a European hub of writers and showrunners, experts, scientists, artists, and civil society actors aiming to create innovative European TV series.

15.45—16.00 A Damn Fine Coffee Break
16.00—16.20 So They Say the Genre Shows Are Not a Good Choice for Small Markets?

Lenka Szántó will give you a peek behind the curtain of developing and producing the first spy thriller on Voyo in the case study of the series The Extractors.

16.20—16.40 European Producers Club Presents: Is the IP the Grail of the Industry?

Intellectual property is on the lips of everyone participating in industry panels at film festivals. Producers are advancing arguments, streamers are listening and the EU Commission is preparing to regulate. But what exactly are we talking about? What is covered in “IP” and is it the holy grail for a sustainable industry?

16.40—16.55 Career Advancement. Tell Me More about Talent Agents

Tarik Hachoud, CEO & Co-Founder of Match and Spark talent management will seek answers to why are the activities of talent agents useful and significant in the audiovisual industry and how could agents positively impact the success of CEE filmmakers.

16.55—17.15 Association of Czech Film Directors, Screenwriters and Script Editors (ARAS) Presents

Association of Czech Film Directors, Screenwriters and Script Editors (ARAS) on their relation towards broadcasters, both public and private ones. What topics are they dealing with and what issues do they face?

17.15—17.30 The Next Stop: CineLink Sarajevo Film Festival

Talent Sarajevo Project Coordinator Mia Avdagić on the leading film festival focusing on the South-East Europe, shining an international spotlight on films, talent, and future projects from this region.