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AI and the Art of Adaptation
3:00pm 13 November | Stage 3
In an industry where the only constant is change, how do you stay creatively sharp, technologically relevant, and financially sustainable—year after year, decade after decade?
Join Mel Sullivan and Lincoln Wallen, CEO and CTO of Framestore, a global visual effects powerhouse with four decades of experience across film, TV, advertising, and immersive media, as they explore the evolution of their business through 40 years of technological disruption. From the arrival of the personal computer and mobile connectivity, to the emergence of LED volumes, real-time rendering, and virtual production, this talk offers a candid look at what it really takes to adapt—not just the tools, but the people, processes, and purpose that underpin innovation and the longevity of a business.
Meet our Speakers
Mel Sullivan | CEO
Mel joined Framestore in 1998, became a Board Director in 2006 and was the studio’s Chief Operating Officer from 2003-2022. She has played a pivotal role in guiding the company as it has grown from a London-based team of 150 to a global network of studios encompassing seven offices, four continents and a headcount of some 3,000 artists, producers and technologists.
She became the company’s CEO in May 2022, and remains as inspired about the company’s work as ever. Having helped take the company from its roots in film, advertising and episodic work to a remit that includes VR, theme park rides and immersive installations, she is excited to steer the company towards the next stage of its evolution.
Lincoln Wallen | Group CTO
As group CTO for the Framestore Company 3 Group, one of Wallen’s key roles is to identify new strategic partnerships across business, technology and academia. He works to strengthen and develop existing relationships with the Group’s wide-ranging client base, helping elevate these existing partnerships as studios, institutions and brands explore new ways to lever and maximise their IP.
Internally, Lincoln works with the leadership of both Framestore and Company 3 to support the Group’s overall strategy, while helping to assess the future impact of new technologies and the new markets they can create.
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