FÍS TV Summit 2025: Full Programme Announcement and Lineup Change

FÍS TV Summit 2025 Unscripted Banner
FÍS TV Summit 2025 Unscripted Banner

Author:

Kathryn

Date posted:

16.01.2025

Tags:

  • Event
  • Fís tv summit
  • FÍS TV Summit 2025
  • Networking
  • TV

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Updated: 29th January, 2025

It’s T-minus ONE-WEEK to our expanded and even more dynamic FÍS TV Summit 2025, and we are excited to share the full programme  for Ireland’s must-attend TV industry event. 

DOWNLOAD FULL PROGRAMME & INFO BOOKLET HERE! (last updated Feb 5th, 2025)

We’re excited to welcome you to FÍS TV Summit 2025 on February 6th at the Radisson RED! However, due to the LA fires and resulting industry schedule changes, Lauren LeFranc will unfortunately no longer be able to join us. 

We send our best wishes to Lauren and her team (and of course, Colin Farrell) as they prepare for their upcoming award nominations, and we look forward to welcoming them to Galway in the future. 

That said, we have an incredible programme featuring leading voices from Ireland, the UK, and beyond, tackling the biggest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the TV industry. Check out the full programme linked above which includes details on speakers, panels, a map of the conference floor, and new inclusivity measures introduced for this year’s event. 

The 2025 Summit will focus on both scripted and unscripted formats, covering the commissioning process, international and creative co-productions, service production, writing for television, and the production of indigenous creative IP as well as the return of the NTA Film & TV Pitching Competition.  

Other highlights include case studies on drama series and keystone panels featuring industry leaders from Ireland and abroad, who will provide unique insights into the successes, challenges, and future opportunities shaping our sector. 

Select highlights from the day include: 

We’ll kick things off with a deep-dive into the creation of the Irish-language crime drama TV series ‘CRÁ’, where we will take you through the show’s journey from development, to commissioning, into writing, and on to pre-production and production. We will also explore Irish comedy horror show ‘Video Nasty’, and drama ‘The Boy That Never Was’, with other highlights.  

Another key focus will be demystifying the commissioning process – both in Ireland and abroad – with focusses on drama, factual entertainment and more. These panels will feature commissioners and editors from BBC, Channel 5, RTÉ, SKY, TG4, Virgin Media, and more. They will share what broadcasters are looking for and insight into how to get your work commissioned. 

We will also have the National Talent Academy Film & TV Drama Pitching Competition with the pitch winner announced at our evening networking event in the all-new Radisson RED’s beautiful rooftop bar. Read more about the six pitching finalists we’ll hear on the day on the NTA website and for bios and log lines please see HERE.

FÍS TV Summit speakers for 2025 so far: 

As part of a wide-ranging selection of TV industry experts , we are excited to welcome international experts Director of Production, ITV Studios UK (Scripted) Julie Clark (‘Rivals’, ‘Mr. Bates vs. The Post Office’) and Emmy-nominated and Bafta-Award winning producer Marc Lorber (‘Mix Tape, ‘The Boy That Never Was’, ‘Motherland’). 

Scripted commissioners include Frank Agnew (Drama Development Executive: RTÉ), Eddie Doyle (Head of Content Commissioning, BBC NI), Máire Ní Chonláin (TG4), Alex Moody (Head of Comedy Commissioning, Sky), and Sinéad Stimpfig (Head of Commissioning, Virgin Media). 

Unscripted/ Factual commissioners include Proinsias Ní Ghráinne (Commissioning Editor, TG4), Kit Morey (Commissioning Editor, Popular Factual, Channel 5 + Paramount), and Alan Tyler (Group Head of Entertainment Music and Scripted Comedy at RTÉ), with more to be announced. 

Our focus on unscripted production in Ireland features industry leaders such as Larry Bass (MD, ShinAwiL), Linda Cullen (CEO, COCO Content), Jamie Macken (Development/Corporate Affairs, Bigger Stage), and Darren Smith (MD, Kite), with more speakers to be announced soon. 

Our panel on scripted TV production and international TV production includes Ailish McElmeel (Deadpan), Aoife O’Sullivan and Tristan Orpen Lynch (Subotica), Catherine Tiernan (Metropolitan Films), Hannah Quinn (Director: ‘The Boy That Never Was’, ‘The Gone’), Julie Ryan (MK1), Macdara Kelleher (Wild Atlantic Pictures), Rob Walpole (Treasure Entertainment), and Hugh Travers (Creator: ‘Video Nasty’). 

 The CRÁ panel discussion, followed by a ‘Making CRÁ’ breakout session, will include Ciarán Charles (Producer), Richie Conroy (Writer), Philip Doherty (Director), Doireann Ní Chorragáin (Writer), Eileen Rafferty (Line Producer), Máire Ní Chonláin (TG4), and Áine Walsh (ILBF). 

Get to know the speakers here. More speakers will be added so be sure to check for updates. 

An expanded event with loads to enjoy:

With a larger conference hall for panel discussions, a breakout room for case studies, dedicated roundtables and networking spaces, not to mention a complimentary lunch and an evening event with live music all hosted onsite, this year’s Summit promises to be one to remember.   

Register here for your free ticket. Full programme to follow next week with a final round of tickets. 

 Now in its 8th year, FÍS TV Summit 2025 brings creatives from all sectors of the TV industry together to learn and connect with each other alongside a carefully curated slate of international guests and experts.

Organised by Ardán, key stakeholders for 2025 include Screen Ireland, Gréasán na Meán Skillnet, TG4, Coimisiún na Meán, WRAP (Western Region AV Producers’ Fund), Creative Europe Media Desk, Northern Ireland Screen, National Talent Academy Film & TV Drama, ATU Galway City, National Talent Academy CREW West, tech partner Keady AV, and hospitality partner Radisson RED Galway.