Welcome to Seriesly Berlin’s Season 02! The conference kicks off on the main stage at Fotografiska Berlin, launching two days packed with big ideas, industry insights, and creative exchange.

Martin Scorsese once labeled “content” as the junk food of our culture—but in today’s era, defined by endless streaming and mass-produced AI output, the question demands revisiting: Have filmmakers, writers, and auteurs been relegated to the role of mere “content creators”? What does this shift mean for creativity, craftsmanship, and cultural depth? This provocative keynote invites a spirited exploration of our place in an attention economy increasingly driven by algorithmic appetites. It will be delivered by Igor Simić, a Serbian-American artist, filmmaker, and creative director of Demagog Studio, recognized for his award-winning films and narrative-driven games.

An advanced, hands-on session for series producers seeking cross-border partners. We’ll dive into deal-tested guidance on partner strategy, packaging, financing, rights/windows, and workflows. Attendees should already grasp “co-production” and “international".  This session is tailored for producers with TV series experience who understand the global market/industry and are developing projects suited to international audiences.Takeaways: practical tools to choose partners, structure collaborations, and move projects from concept to deal.

Storytelling 2030: Who Pays, Who Plays? (Panel)Greenlights are no longer just about great stories. They’re about strategy, partnerships, and navigating a fast-shifting landscape. Join four of Germany’s (or intl.) leading industry voices for a candid look at what lies ahead: new models, new risks, and the future of who gets to tell which story, and why.

This dynamic launchpad showcases emerging series creators as they present bold, original projects still in early development. Selected writers will pitch their debut season concepts live to an international audience of producers, financiers, broadcasters, and streamers. From razor-sharp black comedies and character-driven miniseries to genre-bending horror, sci-fi, and sitcoms—this is where tomorrow’s breakout stories take their first steps into the industry. Accredited guests can find full details in the Book of Projects, supported by Seriesly Berlin’s tailored matchmaking service.

This producer-focused session offers hands-on insights into the latest developments in German funding.

In today’s turbulent content landscape — where many once-reliable business models have faltered — the hunt is on for fresh ways to finance and produce content to winning results. Increasingly, the most innovative answers are coming from partnerships that would once have been considered improbable. This panel examines how producers and commissioners are forging creative and commercial synergies across unexpected geographies and rethinking the rules of collaboration to deliver content that works locally and appeals globally. From sun-drenched beaches of Southern Europe to mysterious Nordic landscapes, our speakers share real-world examples of how thinking beyond traditional co-production logic can deliver both artistic impact and market viability. Expect a candid discussion on risk, trust, and the practical steps needed to identify new opportunities and build the next generation of cross-border hits.

Serial Eyes’ Head of Studies Katrin Merkel meets alumna Marlene Melchior to explore the challenges and creative approaches that Marlene and the team of Maxton Hall took in adapting the original novel IP for the screen, balancing faithfulness to the source material with the demands of mainstream television storytelling. With Maxton Hall now celebrated as one of Germany’s standout international streaming successes, they will reflect on how the creative choices made in the writers’ room helped shape its broad appeal. The session also provides insights into the unique dynamics of working with a predominantly female writing and executive team, alongside a behind-the-scenes look at the collaborative process Marlene was part of.

What does a long-term streamer–producer relationship look like when it actually works? In this moderated conversation, Lisa Kreimeyer (Director Series Netflix DACH) and Philipp Käßbohrer & Matthias Murmann (co-founders, bildundtonfabrik) unpack the creative and industrial journey behind their multi-year collaboration — from the breakout hit How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast) to the fintech satire King of Stonks, plus spin-offs like Buba and Shiny_Flakes. Expect an honest look at trust, notes, budgets, and bumps in the road: what scaled, what broke, and why they kept coming back to each other. A candid, practical case study for anyone navigating streamer partnerships — with takeaways on IP building across series, film, and documentary.

Nordic–German co-productions work.  But what makes this particular partnership work so well? In this candid session, we move past the usual co-pro talking points and dig into what’s really driving these cross-border successes — and where the cracks might be starting to show. We’ll explore what gets financed, how creative and financial trust is built, and what it takes to keep collaborations fresh without co-developing yourself into a corner.

A dynamic showcase of eight boundary-pushing series projects from around the world – each fueled by international collaboration and creative ambition. Spanning formats from adult animation to musical series and genre-defying period dramas, the selection features acclaimed producers and storytellers from India, Slovakia, Taiwan, South Korea, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands… and yes, even Germany. Participants pitch live on the main stage at in front industry players and decision-makers, all vying for co-production opportunities. Accredited guests can find full details in the Book of Projects, supported by Seriesly Berlin’s tailored matchmaking service.

The panel features Laos-born, internationally renowned designer Be Inthavong, Creative Director at Jim Thompson. Under his leadership, the brand has expanded beyond silk into apparel, accessories, and home décor while honoring Thailand’s rich heritage. Inthavong’s collaboration with the costume and set departments of the latest season of „The White Lotus“ - filmed in Thailand - saw his elegant kaftans and signature textiles become integral to the show’s visual language. The panel explores how designers and fashion brands use TV series as creative platforms, how product placement evolves into cultural currency, and how series makers can benefit from stylish, story-driven collaborations in an era where series set trends in fashion, interiors, and lifestyle culture.

A trilingual hit and 2024 International Emmy winner, “Drops of God” shows that multilingual, cross-cultural storytelling can be both authentic and commercially successful.

Unwritten+ is a podcast about building a career across cultures and borders. Hosted by Irina Ignatiew, each episode features honest, in-depth conversations with people navigating international paths in media and beyond. From creative sparks to personal turning points, Irina explores what drives her guests, what challenges them, and how they shape their own unique journeys. In this episode, Irina talks to Nigerian-American filmmaker Kaelo Iyizoba about his path and his new project BIRTHRIGHT, which has been selected to Seriesly Writers' Pitch.

Cultural storytelling can spark transformation — opening space for new perspectives, unexpected connections, and fresh political imagination. This panel brings together Palestinian and Jewish creators from ALBI Fund’s Shared Society on the Small Screen program, whose collaborative work expands how identities are portrayed and understood. Through drama, nuanced narratives, and deeply human stories, these storytellers explore how art can challenge assumptions, foster empathy, and inspire both personal and collective change. Actor-director Yousef Sweid (The Goat; Between The River And The Sea, Unorthodox; The Spy), Non-Issue co-creators Nayef Hammoud & Gal Rosenbluth, program director Keren Michael, and ALBI founder Libby Lenkinski share how their creative partnerships imagine futures built on complexity, curiosity, and connection.

Berni and Johanna will share insights into creative processes, dramaturgy, and the unique challenges of telling stories in audio form. They discuss the differences between journalistic podcasts and fictional audio plays, touching on suspense, character development, and sound design. They show how to captivate listeners - episode after episode, and why podcasts and audio dramas have become indispensable in the art of serial storytelling.

From Entourage’s Ari Gold to Dix pour cent, agents are often seen as the elusive power players behind the scenes - part myth, part miracle worker. But what’s the real role of the agent today, as markets shrink and greenlights get rarer? In this candid conversation, Roy Ashton (Partner, Gersh Agency) unpacks how agents navigate creative ambition and commercial realities, offering a behind-the-scenes look at what gets made - and why.

Why do we end up there and how to get out. After many rewrites you feel that the project lost its core? A new set of notes makes you question the foundations? The new draft has just been finished, but you feel like you are going in circles? In this advanced script development workshop we will discuss the most common reasons projects end up in a development hell and then brainstorm the most efficient strategies to move forward using case studies.

The US Writers' Room and Plotting with Beats Plotting with beats is one of the central tools of the US model. Writers' Room coach Katrin Merkel will provide a concise overview of its development history and functionality, followed by a short exercise to demonstrate plotting with beats.

Why does truly original work feel harder to get made these days? Are audiences actually hungry for change - or still clinging to the comfort of the familiar? Some of Europe’s most forward-thinking commissioners sit down for an honest conversation about what it really takes to back bold, challenging series in a risk-averse market.

Celebrate the most promising voices from this year’s pitch sessions as the juries take the stage to hand out the awards. The winners of the Co-Pro Pitch and Writers’ Pitch will be announced live, honoring their standout creativity, vision, and future potential in serial storytelling.

How do you engineer fear that lingers episode after episode? This panel digs into the craft behind long-term dread—how tension accrues across hours (not minutes), and how episodic structure opens space for deeper character arcs, evolving mythologies, and emotional horror that stays under the skin.