This week, the Children’s Media Conference (CMC) take place in Sheffield, welcoming those involved in developing, producing and distributing content. Members of the ScreenSkills animation and children’s TV teams will be attending the event, sharing ideas and establishing new ties with leading industry figures.
Ahead of the event we caught up with ScreenSkills Animation Production Liaison Executive, Kieran Argo, to hear what he’s looking forward to about this year’s event.
With Sheffield preparing to welcome the children's media sector this week, the buzz leading up to the Children’s Media Conference is always something special. For anyone passionate about the future of storytelling, children's content production, and the talent pipeline in the UK, CMC is a 'must-attend' focal point where the children's media community aligns, shares ideas, and looks ahead.
This year’s schedule is packed, but a couple of highlights stand out for me:
- Animation Assemble: Smart Tools, Human Stories: The pace of AI development can feel overwhelming. This session feels timely, promising to cut through the noise and offer a practical, sensible look at how to integrate these tools into production workflows. Crucially, the pragmatic and ethical hope is that by engaging with trusted resources, clear guidelines, and structured policies, the industry can adopt a dual-focused approach. This means utilising AI effectively to solve genuine operational and pipeline efficiencies, while simultaneously ensuring that these tools are implemented responsibly to protect, support, and elevate the creative artists and storytellers who remain the indispensable heart of children's content.
- The Funding and Commissioning Landscape: With sessions like Finding the Funding and insights into public service media, understanding the new mechanics of financing content is crucial. Hearing directly from commissioners and platforms about what they want and how they want it delivered, sets the tone for the projects the industry will be developing over the coming months and years.
Beyond the formal panels and the insight-heavy keynotes, the heart of CMC lies in the networking. It is the absolute best annual opportunity to connect with the top industry players, studios, and broadcasters who actively support the ScreenSkills Animation and Children's TV Skills Funds.
The health of our industry depends entirely on investing in our workforce, developing new talent, and ensuring our studio pipelines remain world-class. Having so many key decision-makers and patrons in one place, most of whom are dedicated to supporting the Skills Fund and building a sustainable future for British animation and children's media, is incredibly valuable.
Whether you are exploring the business tracks, or grabbing a coffee between sessions, the energy in Sheffield is always unmatched. It’s going to be a busy, inspiring few days, and I’m thoroughly looking forward to catching up with friends, colleagues, and collaborators across the sector. See you there!