The Big Screen Pivot

With consistently good box-office numbers speaking volumes about the market demand and business potential for family feature films—and with funding options for kids TV at an all-time low—it’s no wonder so many producers in our industry are shifting gears to focus on concepts for the big screen right now. But there are equally big differences in the financing, production and distribution models for theatrical releases, and that’s what this panel will explore.

Making Sense of the Licensing Market: 10 things you need to know

The kids business has never been more competitive or complex. No matter where you sit within it, the changing patterns of consumption, new platforms, new paths to market and new generational considerations make it very hard to chart a coherent strategy without a view of the bigger picture. Join Kristen McLean, Senior Executive Director of Circana’s Entertainment Knowledge Group, as she walks us through the current state of the US market for children’s licensing, with a particular focus on the biggest challenges, changes and opportunities. You’ll come away with a data-driven understanding of the key questions and considerations to help guide your licensing strategy for success in the years ahead.

How to Win in the New Streaming Normal

Disruption has happened, and many of the strategies and tactics that used to work in the kids media business no longer even apply. We need to rewrite our playbook for today’s landscape. Using insights extracted from Netflix’s published data, the first part of this session will identify who’s winning in streaming, looking at both trends and emerging strategies. Then we’ll hear from the people executing this success to understand their journeys, thought processes and key tactics.

From Theory to Practice: AI applications in kids content-making

Another year into our AI journey, and many companies in the kids content supply chain have started to integrate these tools into their workflows for development, production and post. This panel will catch up on what’s working, how much time and money it’s saving, and other ways AI could empower human creators.

World of Co-Pros

As co-productions continue to offer hope to kids content producers struggling with financing challenges, spend some quality time in small groups with regional experts who can give you advice about how to set one up successfully in their corner of the world.

Transforming Performance into Profit

In a world that's flooded with content, the challenge isn't creating a new IP—it's ensuring it reaches and resonates with the right audience to start generating fans. This presentation dives into how big data can be a game-changer for media companies of all sizes, both traditional and new. We’ll demonstrate how to measure performance and transform insights into actionable strategies that optimize revenue growth. Join us as we explore how metrics such as consumer products sales, views, watch time, return rates, organic traffic and more can be leveraged to build effective funnels that grow audiences and convert casual viewers into devoted fans. This session will include practical visualizations and models that bring the data to life, with easy takeaways that can be implemented by anyone.

Super Bowl Party

We’ll be streaming the game and halftime show live on a giant screen, with plenty of beer and tailgate-style snacks on hand to keep you fired up for the football season's big finale. Team jerseys and fan flair are highly encouraged!