Ian bignell
Film Festival Strategist
As one of the lead Strategists at Festival Formula, he watches films that come into the company, providing impartial feedback on how they best fit into the worldwide film festival circuit. Drawing on his wisdom as the companies previous Submissions Coordinator, he has expert insight into the circuit and uses it to create bespoke festival strategies. Behind the scenes, he is the companies go-to nerd for technical help on anything from codecs to subtitles. Away from the desk, you will often find him at film festivals worldwide as an industry guest, sharing his expertise and giving honest advice.
Ian is a focused and driven character, which stems from his origins as a buyer in retail. Using this experience and his strong organisational skills, he has helped develop Festival Formula into one of the respected industry brands it is today. Always learning himself, Ian takes immense satisfaction in giving back to students by setting them off on the right track at his many educational appearances.