International Screen Institute - Future Ready
30th Nov. – 2nd Dec. 2026, Vienna
The future of the audiovisual industry is being written at the intersection of technology, creativity, and responsibility. Future Ready, initiated by the International Screen Institute, is a visionary European training programme designed to empower European producers and audiovisual professionals and equip them with the tools, mindsets, and frameworks necessary to lead in this dynamic landscape.
Future Ready prepares participants to embrace cutting-edge tools like AI, virtual production, and immersive storytelling while staying grounded in legal, business-relevant and ethical considerations. The programme enables participants to develop future-oriented strategies, open and resilient mindsets, and ethical frameworks to navigate change while defending creative integrity, intellectual property, and European cultural values.
Combining an in-person three-day workshop in Vienna with online learning, Future Ready creates a space for experimentation, reflection, and cross-sector collaboration. Led by immersive media, art & technology expert and festival director Eva Fischer, the programme nurtures an open mindset that allows producers to be confident innovators, ethical decision-makers, and architects of sustainable, inclusive futures for the European audiovisual ecosystem.
Future Ready can be attended as a stand-alone programme and is designed to be conceptually and practically complemented by the Hands-on AI Producers Lab, which takes place immediately afterwards in Vienna.
Programme Outline
Learning is rooted in practice and exchange through impulse talks, interactive sessions, case studies, peer collaboration, a public industry talk, and networking. Individual mentoring and project-based guidance support participants throughout the three-day on-site programme, complemented by an online follow-up to ensure lasting impact and real-world implementation.
Future Ready follows a hybrid, multidisciplinary format designed for depth, flexibility, and real-world relevance. The programme consists of three days of in-person workshops in Vienna combined with an online module deepening participants’ engagement.
Future Ready can be attended as a stand-alone programme. It takes place immediately before the Hands-on AI Producers Lab in Vienna, which offers an opportunity to further explore selected topics through hands-on experimentation. While independent, the two programmes are designed to complement each other conceptually and practically.
Outcome
Participants will leave the programme equipped with:
- The ability to apply AI and immersive technologies to their production pipelines
- Skills to develop sustainable, ethically sound digital workflows
- Fluency in navigating legal frameworks relevant to digital content creation
- An understanding of cross-sector collaboration between creatives, technologists, and legal professionals
- Confidence to lead innovation and manage the risks and opportunities of emerging technologies
- A deeper awareness of diversity, ethics, and representation in digital tools and platforms
These outcomes are designed to empower participants not only to adapt but to shape the future of the European audiovisual industry.
Fees
Regular Programme Fee:
660,- Euros excl. VAT
Participants who choose to attend both Future Ready and the Hands-on A.I. Producers Lab benefit from a reduced combined fee of 990,- Euros excl. VAT (Early Bird) or 1.150,- Euros excl. VAT (Regular Fee).
Members of the Fachverband der Film- und Musikwirtschaft (FAMA) receive a 10% reduction on the regular combined participation fee if they take part in both Future Ready and the Hands-on A.I. Producers Lab.
For more information regarding fees, visit: Fees and Funding Support Page
Who is it for?
This intensive short programme has places for approximately 20 participants with at least two years of professional experience. It is tailored for professionals in the Film, TV, and Media industries, including:
- Producers
- Line producers
- Individuals in mid-level executive positions
- Senior and middle management professionals
- Production managers
- Freelancers
- Sales and distribution executives
- Development executives
- Script editors
- Festival programmers
- Cinema practitioners
- Forward-thinking decision-makers and dynamic change-makers shaping the future of the industry
The speaking language of the programme is English; therefore, a good working proficiency is recommended. Applications are welcome from individuals of all nationalities.
Please note that the selection process also aims to maintain diversity across participating companies, which may affect placement decisions when more than one applicant applies from the same organisation.
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