BRIDGE Summit 2025: Jared Harris Highlights Importance Of Storytelling Over Technology For Creators

The BRIDGE Summit 2025 gathered prominent figures from the film and television industry to discuss changes in global motion picture business, focusing on financing, production, and distribution. Patrick Caligiuri, Media Advisor at the National Media Office, moderated the session titled "Opportunities and Challenges in the Global Picture Business." The discussion began with a question about future influences on film and series creation and viewership.

Cindy Cowan, an Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning producer from Cindy Cowan Entertainment, highlighted the growing trend of independent productions. She attributed this rise to tax incentives and the increasing value of original intellectual property. Cowan noted that securing studio financing for films under $75 million is challenging, but independent filmmakers now have more opportunities than ever before.

Jane Turton, CEO of All3Media, discussed how technology is transforming content creation. She emphasised that data-driven decision-making and AI are reshaping every aspect of the content pipeline, from commissioning to production. Turton stated that all their productions incorporate some form of technology. She remarked on her transition from an analog world to one dominated by analytics and new distribution models.

Despite acknowledging AI's role in development and post-production workflows, actor Jared Harris expressed concerns about generative AI's ethical implications. He argued that generative AI relies on existing works to create new content, which he considers a form of theft. Harris urged creators to focus on human narratives rather than algorithmic outputs.

Harris referenced a video shown during the Summit’s opening ceremony depicting people sharing stories around a fire. He reminded attendees of storytelling's enduring power and encouraged creators to return to this foundation. Harris said: "At the end of the day, it’s all about storytelling. And I would say if you have a story to tell, start telling it because you'll know whether or not it's a compelling story."

The session "Opportunities and Challenges in the Global Picture Business" is part of over 300 sessions at BRIDGE Summit 2025. This inaugural event will be held from 8–10 December 2025 at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi.

With inputs from WAM