PLOT NEXT will launch on 11-12 June 2026 in Cologne, Germany, as a new conference format focused on the impact of artificial intelligence and technological innovation on the audiovisual industry.
The event is organised by Seriencamp and supported by Film- und Medienstiftung NRW as part of the Seriencamp conference.
The two-day conference will bring together industry executives, producers, researchers and technology specialists to examine how AI is reshaping production, development, distribution, marketing and creative collaboration across film and television. The first edition will be opened by Walid Nakschbandi, CEO of Film- und Medienstiftung NRW.
PLOT NEXT has also announced its first international partnership with Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in Karlovy Vary. The programme will continue in the Czech town in early July during the festival’s Industry Days, where the focus will shift to the use of AI tools to enhance film and television production value.
Among participating companies are btf (bildundtonfabrik), BBC Research & Development, FFA, UFA Fiction, Ukbar Filmes, Serienwerft, BetaSeries, TEKTITE, BDA Creative, Doclights and Hyperbowl.
Speakers include Edward Tracy, Pandora da Cunha Telles and Graeme Philipson, alongside representatives from production, research, VFX, media strategy and marketing.
Norina Lin-Hi, Hell Raymond-Hayling, Julian Schleef, Matthias Murmann, Philipp Kreuzer, Guido Reinhardt and Stephanie Meisl are among those addressing the strategic implications of AI adoption.
Additional sessions will explore AI-driven workflows in production, post-production and marketing. Davide Tromba will discuss the impact on animation and VFX roles, while Max Barkman, Maria Eiriz and da Cunha Telles will address changing production processes. Marketing-focused sessions will feature Max Penk and Benjamin Kerneck.
Further case studies include ARD series Rote Rosen, presented by Jan Diepers and Johannes Lackner, and the Terra X: Roadtrip 1945 project, where Gabriele Rose, Andrea Mokosch and the team from Paul’s Boutique will discuss AI-supported VFX for historical storytelling. Felix von Rautenberg and Rémi Tereszkiewicz will also present on documentary production and data-driven financing and distribution models.
“The industry is currently searching less for visions than for orientation and concrete solutions,” said Gerhard Maier, Head of PLOT NEXT. “That is exactly where we come in: we want to demonstrate how technological developments can be applied in practice and which strategic decisions need to be made today in order to remain relevant tomorrow.”
All sessions will be held in English. Access is included for holders of a Seriencamp conference ticket, while standalone tickets are available at https://whattheplot.com.
