BAFTA-nominated editor Lisa Gunning has worked on commercials to collaborations with Anthony Minghella and Goldfrapp to features including Seven Psychopaths and Nowhere Boy. Technological tools of filmmaking are accessible, however, the craft of using them to shape a story remains vital. She reveals the trade editor’s secrets and the post-production process.

Before Alien and Blade Runner, Ridley Scott and his company were honing their talents on creating memorable TV adverts, from Hovis bread to the launch of the Apple Mac. Director Barney Cokeliss and producer Lisa Joseph will speak about their work in short film and commercials for the likes of Volkswagen and Lexus and how to collaborate with brands on projects.

Kathryn Ferguson has created films for leading brands and designers, from Chloe to Selfridges, as well as for musicians including Lady Gaga and Sinead O’Connor. She has worked around the world as a curator specialising in the new and emerging genre of fashion film. In this session she will talk about its wider impact on society and on visual culture.

Channel 4’s Creative Diversity Team are the first people to see the work of emerging creatives who hope to bring their work to a channel that has a reputation for innovative and diverse programming and a long history of supporting new and upcoming talent. In this masterclass, they will disclose the criteria used to assess pitches from aspiring filmmakers.

The often unsung heroes behind the lens step out of the shadows to offer their insights into how they created the award-winning visuals that brought to life the outer-space peril of Gravity, the epic action of Gladiator, the magic of Harry Potter or the sumptuous period atmosphere of Downton Abbey.

With the rise of social media, is the critic’s role still vital to a thriving film culture? Anna Smith, one of the UK’s leading film journalists, both in print and on TV, who has written for Empire, Time Out and the Guardian and is Chair of Critic’s Circle Film, explores the influence of criticism today and the practicalities of screenings. Suitable for those interested in film journalism.

Today’s music audiences are not only media-savvy but media-saturated, so how do you get your artist noticed? Craig McNeil, Director of Creative Projects at Beggars, one of the largest groups of independent record labels in the world, home to Adele, Daughter, British Sea Power and Queens Of The Stone Age, explains the secrets of a successful music video.

Crowdfunding is a vital part of the creative economy. Recently, it has shown its power by generating the financial backing for features like Iron Sky: The Coming Race and Palo Alto Stories by James Franco. Short film producer Miranda Fleming  will explain how to effectively create a funding campaign to harness people power in bringing your project to the screen.

Now in its 21st year, Sheffield’s Doc/Fest is one of the world’s leading events and marketplaces for documentary film and competition is tough to get access to such a strong global platform. Market Place Manager, Anna Parker, discusses the selection criteria, the MeetMarket and other initiatives at Doc/Fest as well as tips on getting your work noticed.

Best known for writing and directing outstanding films including The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Brassed Off and Little Voice, BAFTA nominated Mark Herman will, in conversation, talk about his work both behind the camera and as a screenwriter. He will also draw upon his extensive experience working in the industry for over 20 years and expand upon his current projects.

Film and Video Umbrella Director Steven Bode showcases a cross-section of recent FVU commissions and looks back through the archive, which includes stand-out pieces by Isaac Julien, Jane & Louise Wilson, Cory Arcangel, Gillian Wearing and Mark Leckey, to trace a series of themes and preoccupations which resonate through from the past to the present.

Winners of the British Animation Award, Blinkink’s signature style combining animation and live action has been catching the public eye from John Lewis’s The Bear and the Hare Christmas campaign to the award-winning video for Bjork’s Mutual Core. Executive producer James Stevenson Bretton will talk about the fast-changing world of animation production today.

Double Negative is one of the world’s leading VFX studios creating high end visual effects and ground breaking digital environments and creatures for film & television. Victoria Long will talk about the company’s growth, creative drive, how to get into the industry and showcase their recent work including VFX breakdowns revealing the magic behind some of this years biggest films.

BAFTA Cymru award winner Charles Cecil MBE is Revolution’s Managing Director focusing on writing and design. He will discuss the narrative and aesthetic aspects of interactive entertainment and the crossover between film and gaming. He is an ambassador for BAFTA (Video Games) and sits on the BFI and Screen Yorkshire Boards.

Short film is vital to the development of the UK’s film industry but marginalised in distribution in spite of its daily consumption. Our panel: Philip Ilson (London Short Film Festival), Maggie Ellis (Film London) Dave Smith (Northern Film School), Iain Gardner (EIFF) and Alex Heathcote (Producer at Ridley Scott Associates) debate the future of the form.