By Han West, EVP & executive producer, Washington Square Films
Han West’s is a different Cannes prediction. It’s not about Grands or Golds, it’s about debates and discussions. What will be explored? What will be learned? Will it be useful?
With Cannes Lions around the corner, it feels like a bigger and brighter event than years past – probably since 2019, for reasons that go without saying. There’s a lot of buzz, a lot of anticipation, and a lot that attendees want to see and discuss about what’s around the corner for all of us in what has been a truly wild couple of years in our industry.
Of course, artificial intelligence will be at the forefront. It’s everywhere and it’s existential. Discussing AI is starting to feel like discussing the weather; it’s now a given part of small talk, it’s a little exhausting, and – as much as we like to debate it – we have almost no control over how it will pan out. I’m very much in the “AI is a tool, not a destroyer of worlds” camp, but I’m nonetheless interested to see how our discourse as an industry is going to translate into policies around job and intellectual property protection. I also want to see where leaders are drawing the line between controlled usage and dependency on AI, especially as the cost and availability of these tools may still very much be in the ‘trial phase’ and subsidised by speculative capital infusions. When we look at other industries that had tectonic shifts due to disruptive tech, from video streaming to ride sharing, we are reminded that a rapid rise to ubiquity, especially when it’s heavily backed by Wall Street prospecting, does not inherently translate to long-term sustainability. So, before we commit to efficiencies in our ranks and processes through AI, maybe it’s worth taking a cold hard look at whether or not these tools will be effective and profitable. There are a million angles to take in tackling that question: I’m here for all of them.
Setting aside AI for a second, I also want to hear more about the creative ways my peers are continuing to produce across borders, time zones, and cultures. You may remember that Work From Home was the hot topic of 2020-21. For production, however, working remotely in cross-continental collaboration has always been and continues to be a fundamental part of the job. The most important part of my role is being an effective diplomat between different parties and elements that sometimes don’t line up – whether it’s an agency trying to mount an overseas production in a new and unfamiliar country, or a brand trying a new activation format that has a level of risk they’re not used to carrying. As productions get more and more complex in their constitution, especially responding to timelines and budgets that are getting narrower and narrower, never has good execution depended more on a comprehensive awareness of global production options and pristine methodologies for communication. I want to hear how others are managing and succeeding to this end.
Through all of the conversations that dominate the Croisette this year, I’ll personally be seeking out those that have threads of optimism and innovation rather than fear and despair. The act of creating is inherently challenging, the brightest minds will be convening once again to discuss how we manifest work in this new world, and I am sure what will emerge will inspire and guide us in this transformative year to come.
