The Agora Talk “IP - Where Do Ideas Come From?” was held on Sunday, November 2, at the Event Hall of the Thessaloniki Music Center, within the framework of the 66th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, in collaboration with the Municipality of Thessaloniki and with the support of the Creative Europe MEDIA program. The panel, moderated by journalist at 24media.gr Iosifina Grivea, included Alisha Hasan, Founder & Chief Innovation Officer at Helsinki Film Lab (Gaming and Transmedia Lab), Niall Shamma, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Finance Officer at Warp Films, Niki Théron, Senior Manager in international projects at Frankfurter Buchmesse GmbH and Maria Chiara Ventura, Development Supervisor at Our Films. The main topics discussed focused on the dynamics of idea dissemination in storytelling, the delicate balance between intellectual property and originality, as well as international collaborations and emerging trends in cross-cultural adaptations.
Iosifina Grivea opened the discussion by inviting professionals to share their approaches for identifying concepts with the potential to create meaningful societal impact. Niall Shamma emphasized the importance of sharing authentic stories that resonate with audiences. Maria Chiara Ventura added that the more genuine a story is, the greater its potential outreach. Alisha Hasan noted that most of the stories are based on themes people have encountered in their own lives and empathize with, while Niki Théron stressed the importance of fostering an open dialogue to embrace diverse ideas and create meaningful connections. The conversation then shifted to exploring the delicate balance between intellectual property and originality. Niall Shamma spoke about the critical role of creativity and innovation in storytelling, emphasizing the importance of nurturing new talents within the industry. Maria Chiara Ventura mentioned that while some stories may be archetypal, they can always be told from a fresh perspective. Alisha Hasan highlighted the value of interdisciplinary teams and the creative power that arises when people from diverse backgrounds come together.
The conversation also addressed the challenges of developing a story that can travel across different types of media, with Alisha Hasan underlining the importance of marketing and community building in that process. The speakers also discussed the role of international partnerships in the success of creative projects. A particularly notable moment came when Niall Shamma shared insights into the development process of the Adolescence series, explaining that the concept originated from Stephen Graham, inspired by real-life youth crime incidents in the UK, also stressing the intensive preparation required by the single shot style of the series. Niki Théron and Alisha Hasan also spoke about the enduring inspiration that books continue to provide, while Niall Shamma highlighted the growing popularity of podcasts.The session concluded with questions from the audience, fostering an engaging exchange of perspectives about IP, storytelling and audience expectations.
