Please Note: Access to recordings and presenter materials from the professional development sessions is a benefit of GSCA membership.

Click on "login" in the upper right-hand corner of this page and enter your user name and password. Once you have logged in, the materials for each session and the delegate list will appear on the screen below beneath the session description. If you do not have a GSCA login or have any problems accessing the files, please contact Kelly Germain at kelly@giantscreencinema.com.

The fine print: Although we encourage use and distribution of these materials for the purposes of providing professional development, promoting best practices, and strengthening the position of the GSCA community, we request that those interested in reproducing materials observe the following guidelines. Materials are a benefit of GSCA membership, and you may not post, publish, transmit, or disseminate any GSCA material in digital or electronic form by means of the World Wide Web, e-mail, online services, or any other medium without prior written permission from GSCA. To obtain permission, please contact Tammy Seldon at tammy@giantscreencinema.com.

Click here to download a PDF of the conference program. 

Or click here to view the program as an online flipbook. 

Click here to revisit a great conference (or see what you missed!) with the GSCA conference photo gallery. 

Professional Development Sessions

Once you log in with your GSCA member user name and password, the documents and audio recordings for each session will appear on the screen. 

Click here for the Marketing Symposium session information and materials. 

When watching a film on the giant screen, what types of learning take place? To what extent do viewers increase their curiosity about a topic, become inspired or motivated to action, or want to see more types of films like the one they just watched? How do we measure and collect data to provide evidence of this impact and the value of the giant screen experience? How do we justify the investment? This session is a facilitated discussion with expert panelists who share their thoughts and experiences about how they have collected data to produce the types of evidence that show that a giant screen film can produce measurable impact. Each panelist describes specific examples and approaches they have used and lessons learned. The session is intended to stimulate thought among filmmakers and producers, funders, and theater operators of approaches they can take to demonstrate that a film is more than just a film.    

Moderator: Gary M. Timko, Ph.D., Senior Research Associate, Center for Research and Evaluation at COSI Panelists: Barbara Flagg, Ph.D., Consultant, Multimedia Research; Valentine Kass, National Science Foundation; Valerie Knight-Williams, Ed.D., Knight Williams Inc.; Brad Lisle, Foxfire Interactive

Giant screen veterans and newcomers have high praise for this ongoing series of discussions with knowledgeable and approachable industry experts. 

Session Organizer: Diane Carlson, Giant Screen Cinema Consulting. Moderator: Paul Wild, Theatre Director, IMAX Victoria in the Royal BC Museum, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

A 360-Degree View of Giant Screen Film Economics
Presenter: Paul Fraser, President, Blaze Cineworks 

Paul Fraser will present a 360-degree view of the giant screen film economic model. He will show the financial impact of various film success scenarios from the perspective of three key stakeholders: the producer, the distributor, and the theater. He will also weave into his presentation some key findings from the recent Blaze Cineworks 2017 Theater Programming Survey. And in time for this conference, we will upload to the GSCA website a new "Glossary of Terms"  for newcomers to the industry especially, with definitions of some film, theater, and technology terms that will likely surface during this session. 

The IMAX Theater at the Heart of the Museum

Presenter: Pam Hartley, Vice President, Play Initiatives, Marbles Kids Museum & Theater

At Marbles Kids Museum, staff have worked over the last 5+ years to unite the museum and theater campus around the mission, a unified team culture and playful guest experience. This has resulted in the  IMAX Theater being fully integrated into the heart of the museum’s mission, programming and operations. Learn how this integrated approach results in educational programs that extend the impact of films, promotions that engage guests and the community, a staffing model that maximizes talent, and an organizational culture that embraces the potential of giant screen films to spark imagination, discovery and learning.

Choosing a Distributor for Your Giant Screen Film
Presenter: Daniel Ferguson, Producer/Director, Cosmic Picture

So you've finally almost finished your giant screen film project, or perhaps you're considering making one. You want to get it in front of the biggest audience possible, but this raises all kinds of questions. Do you self-distribute or go with an established distribution company? What are the pitfalls of each? In addition to the financial considerations, what about positioning? Artistic control over marketing? Satisfying a sponsor or investor? Daniel Ferguson (Director of Jerusalem and Superpower Dogs and former distributor with Primesco Communications) has worked with several different models and will share the insight he had gained while navigating the ever-changing giant screen ecosystem. 

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly of Distributor-Exhibitor Relations
Presenter: Mark Katz, SVP Film Distribution and Theater Development, D3D Cinema and Giant Screen Films

In a business that has seen its fair share of challenges, especially in recent years, the relationship between a distributor and exhibitor remains one of the most important. It's not just about sales, although that is always an important part.  It is, despite the cliché, mostly about relationships.  After 30 years in film distribution, and, though not by design, having worked for IMAX Corporation, Sony Pictures, nWave Pictures, National Geographic, MacGillivray Freeman and Giant Screen Films, Mark Katz has seen and heard a thing or two about distributor exhibitor relationships. So, let's talk about this relationship and how it has changed over the years yet also remained the same—and why it is still so important.