Munich, 28 June 2025 - With the Creators Conference 2025, the Production Alliance, in cooperation with Filmfest München, sent a clear signal for change in the film and media industry. Around 400 guests from the national and international creative scene, including producers, content creators, media politicians and decision-makers, came together at the Amerikahaus on 27 June to discuss the future of audiovisual content.
Confidence despite challenges
Wiebke Wiesner, acting Managing Director of the Production Alliance, and Dr Florian Herrmann, Bavaria's Media Minister, emphasised the optimism of the industry in their opening speech - despite economic and technological upheavals. The conference had shown how great the will is to break new ground, to co-operate and to take creative risks. There is also a tailwind from the political side, for example through plans for tax incentives and an investment commitment.
Diversity of topics: From streaming to AI
A wide range of current topics were highlighted in several panels: From the transformation of television and the role of AI in storytelling to innovative financing models. At the "Post Peak TV" panel, representatives from major broadcasters and platforms such as ZDF, Netflix, RTL and ARD discussed the future of television and streaming - there was a consensus that collaboration is more important than ever.
YouTube as a platform also played an important role: according to film critic and creator Robert Hofmann, it not only offers a large audience, but also valuable analysis tools that can be used for format development.
New technologies, new narrative forms
Screenwriter Esther Gronenborn and Storybook Studios Managing Director Stephanie Schettler-Köhler were among those discussing how artificial intelligence is changing storytelling. Their experiences with co-creation between humans and machines made it clear that AI not only brings efficiency, but also opens up completely new creative possibilities.
A look at the European market
International perspectives were contributed by guests such as Alexandra Lebret, who described Europe as the most promising market for independent producers. Stephen Follows also provided important impetus with his data-based analysis: Germany should invest more in training, protect local voices and not rely too much on global players.
Focus on financing and fairness
In panels on remuneration issues, data analysis in storytelling and new financing methods, it became clear that monetisation, rights exploitation and target group analysis are at the heart of the discussion. Branded content, data-driven formats and community integration are no longer marginal topics, but elementary components of production reality.
A successful start
At the end, producer Laura Machutta and Filmfest director Christoph Gröner drew an all-round positive balance. The Creators Conference provided a strong start for the 42nd Munich Film Festival with new perspectives and a great deal of innovative spirit - and showed that the industry is actively shaping change: Change is underway and is being actively shaped by the industry.