SCREEN AFRICA EXCLUSIVE: Ian Dormer reports from IBC in Amsterdam…Friday’s IBC2012 keynote conference session was an intriguing debate between will.i.am (international recording artist, producer, entrepreneur and Intel’s director of Creative Innovation) and co-host Johan Jervøes (vice president of the Sales and Marketing Group and director of Partner Marketing for Intel Corporation).
Titled Creativity and Technology Forces Combine – Transcend the Barriers of Convention and Rethink What Can Be Achieved, the session was thought-provoking and examined the role of technology in the creative process. It highlighted personal stories and illustrations from both their careers, and showed how the application of new technology can be a catalyst for new thinking and positive change and be key to surmounting barriers.
“We want people to rethink what they believe is possible,” said seven-time Grammy Award winner, will.i.am. “I’m always thinking about tomorrow. What are the new beats? What is the new music? What will people like? What will we be capable of doing? Technology allows us to amplify our ideas, amplify our creativity, and find new ways of solving our problems and genuinely start living in those future tomorrows, and that’s what I want to share at IBC.”
Engaging his fans via social media while on tour, or starring in top-rated television programmes, will.i.am is an adept user of social media tools. As a musician, producer, director and advocate for STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education, will.i.am is an enthusiastic user of technologies in both his professional and personal lives.
In recognition of his ability to harness technology to enhance entertainment, creativity and communication, Intel Corporation appointed will.i.am as director of Creative Innovation in January, 2011. In this unique role, he collaborates with Intel scientists, programmers and marketing team members on a company-wide basis to innovate and promote inspiring content, technology and hardware strategies.
With reference to the proceedings at IBC, will.i.am commented that people no longer want to wait for content by appointment. “If I was a broadcaster, I would surround myself by code writers and programmers, I would quickly compete with this “Ninja Stealth’ called the web. In today’s multi-screen viewing environment, broadcasters need to embrace current and evolving communications and community building tools to build, connect with and retain audiences.’
The musician said the world needed more innovation, not less. “Connectivity is a fact of life. In the early years it was early phonographs and the radio, gramophones and music players. Today it’s Twitter and Google and Facebook. It is all about engaging people.’
will.i.am has been working with Intel for some two years on a series of projects related to Ultrabook computers, but also advised broadcasters and the industry in general, that difficult as it was, their focus ought not to be just about money.
“What if Google or Twitter were initially only about money? I am not sure they might have had the same success,’ he said.
will.i.am charmed the delegates with his broadcast savvy, his open and frank views on how he believes technology is changing the world and an amusing insight as to what he is doing to change the future. He warned broadcasters that big expensive cameras are being replaced by small cameras,
“What is more intimate that this?’ he said holding his cell phone in his hand. “Anyone can shoot things of interest on any subject, if it is interesting then the viewer will watch it no matter how it was acquired.’
