Does it Trend: Data and Impact
I’ll be attending Hot Docs to moderate a panel (amongst other things, see below) on Thursday, May 3rd at the Conference, on measuring and leveraging the digital space. This is a topic I’m very interested in lately – we’ve got new tools to reach, engage and track audience and “impact” and there are ever more conversations about how much, or little, these matter. I think they matter a lot, but not in the ways anyone thinks yet. That said, the more we think about it, experiment in this area and fly/fail, we’ll learn a lot, and that’s what this panel is about. From the festival description:
Do audiences ‘Like’ your film? Does it trend on twitter? Did you attract 5,000 online views in 24 hours? Fantastic. Amazing. Congratulations. But how do you collect the data? How do you compare metrics and what does it all mean?
Part experiment, part session, Hot Docs has asked Herman’s House (D: Angad Singh Bhalla) and Finding North (D: Kristi Jacobsen) to use a range of data aggregation tools and report back. With information on new metrics and analytics, this session will examine how we define and measure data, explore the relevance and impact of the results, and illustrate how the collected data can be leveraged for future impact.
Using Sparkwi.se, a new, free online metric tool for aggregating social media and online presence in a personalized dashboard, both films are already tracking traffic to their websites, gathering views on videos, ‘Likes’ on Facebook, and mentions on Google. During the session our panelists will present their dashboards and participate in live data analysis. The session will also explore lessons learned during the process, and offer an in-depth assessment of how to use the accumulated data to support each filmmaker’s goal.
Participating expert analysts and leading industry thinkers will offer context for this experiment, reflecting on how we use data, the significance it carries when approaching broadcasters, distributors and investors, and the potential for enhancing documentary’s capacity for social change.
Learn more about the Sparkwi.se free online metric tool at sparkwi.se.
Moderators
Brian Newman – Co-Founder, sub-genre
Panelists
Jennifer Gilomen – Director of Independent Media, BAVC
Marc Vogl – Executive Director, BAVC
Jonny Bunning – Social Media/Community Manager, HERMAN’S HOUSE
Kristi Jacobsen – Director/Producer, FINDING NORTH
Bill Mohri – Head of Strategy and Partnerships, Advertising and Online Division, Microsoft Canada
Thu, May 3 4:00pm – 5:15pm | Rogers Industry Centre (Victoria College), 93 Charles Street West, 2nd Floor
Join us. Send me your thoughts in advance. Tweet us onstage at #hotdocsimpact and we might even answer your question onstage. Should be fun.
In addition, I’m watching docs for acquisition by a new TBA doc distributor – have a great social issue doc, English language, with all US rights available? Come see me. We’ve got money, a cool plan and some new ideas. More will be announced publicly soon!
Leave a comment