Editor

Bengt Toll

Bengt Toll, consultant in development strategies within film and media, film producer and former CEO of the Swedish Film Institute.

Photo: Marie-Therese Karlberg

Bengt Toll has worked as a producer at Sveriges Radio and Sveriges Television and directed shows for both theatre and opera. In 1986 he started his own production company, Toll film, working with film, television and the commercial market. He has had a number of roles for the Göteborg International Film Festival, including member of the program group, chairman of the board and president of the Göteborg International Film Festival Fund.

Between 2004 - 2008 Bengt Toll worked as head of development at Film i Väst where he was responsible for industry and business environment issues and the building of international networks. He was also chairman of Cine Regio, the European network of regional film funds, between 2006 - 2008.

Bengt Toll later became head of audience department at the Swedish Film Institute before being appointed CEO between 2010 – 2011. He has also been a member of EFAD, served on the board of the Digital Cinema Forum and is currently a member of the European Film Academy.

Major investigative works of Bengt Toll includes A New University for Film, Theatre, Radio and Television with Linda Zachrison, 2009; Film Development in Gothenburg, 2012; and Doubling - A Study for the Council of the Creative and Cultural industries, 2012.

Peter Buckingham

Peter Buckingham, consultant, analyst and former Head of Distribution and Exhibition at the UK Film Council and subsequently the British Film Institute.

Mr. Buckingham led internationally recognised innovative projects at the film council, including the Digital Screen Network, which was the world’s first 2K digital screen network, and Findanyfilm.com. He has been responsible for audience development strategies and interventions, increasing the breadth and diversity of film audiences across the UK, as well as encouraging audience appreciation of a wide range of films.

Peter Buckingham’s work at the UK Film Council has always been centred on creating sustainable business through market intelligence and audience development. At the film council he commissioned a number of major studies. He also helped create the Film Education and Film Club initiatives. That work has carried on into his work at Sampo|Media. 

Buckingham is a board member of the European Digital Cinema Forum, Cinema First and FindAnyFilm. He is a visiting lecturer at Royal Holloway University, the National Film And Television School, The Media Business School in Spain and also lectures at many other venues and festivals across Europe. 

Prior to joining the UK Film Council, Buckingham was Deputy Chief Executive of FilmFour, MD of Chris Blackwell’s Oasis Cinemas and Director of Film Distribution for Richard Branson’s Virgin Vision. 

 

Michael Gubbins

Michael Gubbins is a film and media consultant, analyst and writer, specialising in analysing digital and audience-driven change. 

He is the author of influential reports for businesses and public bodies around Europe, including the Digital Revolution series, commissioned by CineRegio. He also chairs the Film Agency of Wales and is a co-founder of audience-centred strategic analyst and consultancy Sampo|Media.

During 25 years as a journalist, he edited Screen International (2004-2009), Music Week, and business technology journal Computing, as well as editing and heading news coverage at a number of daily newspapers. He now writes for newspapers, magazines and academic journals around Europe.

Gubbins is known for the breadth of knowledge of the film and creative industries and for work on the role of ‘active audiences’ in a digital age. He is a member of the advisory board of the Met Film School and Power to the Pixel, has lectured at the Media Business School and is a regular speaker and chair of conferences and debates at leading film festivals, at UK and European policy discussions, and at leading industry events, such as Europa Cinemas.