The Theatrical Window: Tools and Strategies for Audience Development

From technology-led tools enhancing accessibility to data-driven strategies to increase attendance: join us to discover how exhibitors, distributors and entrepreneurs are exploring new ways to engage audiences and increase cinema attendance.

Speakers:

MADDY PROBST | Head of Film
Watershed

SENEIT DEBESE | Founder and Managing Director
Greta & Starks Apps GmbH

THIERRY DELPIT | Co-founder and President
Cinesociety

Moderator:

VICKI BROWN | Senior Executive, Sales and Distribution
BFI

About the speakers:

MADDY PROBST
Maddy Probst is a producer of film events, talent and people with extensive experience of advocating for the cinema sector regionally, nationally and internationally. As Head of Film at Watershed, she manages the cinema team, leads on major programmes such as Cinema Rediscovered Festival; and oversees Film Hub South West which supports regional exhibitors as part of the UK wide BFI FAN and filmmaking talent through BFI NETWORK. She has been actively involved in Europa Cinemas for over a decade leading on various audience development labs, as Vice President (2014 - 2020) and continues to be involved as a board member.

SENEIT DEBESE
After studying business administration and working for 15 years as a film distributor, she decided to use her passion and expertise to promote accessibility in cinemas for 1.6 billion people worldwide with sensory impairments, older people and non-native speakers.

She launched the GRETA app in 2014, achieving an outstanding impact. Greta technology is now available in 18 countries, including Brazil, India and France. Her company has won several awards, including the Creative Tech Award and the Deep Tech Award. As a speaker, coach and trainer, her key areas of focus are inner strength, ownership and the power to shape one’s own destiny.

THIERRY DELPIT
Thierry is a digital engineer and entrepreneur who has been a key figure in cinema technology since 2002. As the co-founder of CNfilms, he led the development of CINEGO DISTRI and CINEGO STOCK—industry-standard tools for film distribution and release management used daily by nearly all French distributors. In 2019, he founded Cinesociety to tackle the industry’s new frontier: specialized digital marketing solutions tailored specifically for the cinema world.

VICKI BROWN
Vicki Brown is the Senior Sales & Distribution Executive at the BFI. She leads on the International and UK sales and distribution strategy of all the BFI Filmmaking Fund’s funded feature films, working closely with the key stakeholders. Recent titles include Pillion, Kneecap, Sister Midnight and Bird. Prior to joining the BFI, Vicki held positions at Together Films, Altitude Film Sales and Focus Features International.