Lab Outline
Learning is rooted in practice and exchange through impulse talks, interactive sessions, case studies, peer collaboration, and guided hands-on work. The core of the Lab is an intensive two-day workshop format in which participants apply AI tools directly to their own projects and production challenges.
The Hands-on A.I. Producers Lab takes place on December 3–4, 2026, at the same venue in Vienna as the Future Ready programme. While the Lab can be attended as a stand-alone programme, individual mentoring and project-based guidance support participants throughout the Lab, ensuring a strong connection between experimentation, reflection, and real-world application, and allowing participants to further develop and test ideas introduced during Future Ready.
Outcome
Participants will leave the Lab equipped with:
- Practical experience applying AI tools to concrete production challenges
- Prototype workflows integrating AI into existing production pipelines
- Increased confidence in experimenting with emerging technologies
- A grounded understanding of ethical, legal, and business implications of AI use
- Enhanced collaboration skills across creative, technical, and legal perspectives
- Greater awareness of diversity, ethics, and representation in AI-driven tools and platforms
These outcomes support producers in translating experimentation into responsible and sustainable innovation.
Fees
Early Bird Fee:
450,- Euros excl. VAT
Early Bird Deadline: 23rd February 2026.
Regular Programme Fee:
550,- Euros excl. VAT
Participants who choose to attend both Future Ready and the Hands-on A.I. Producers Lab benefit from a reduced combined fee of 990,- Euros excl. VAT (Early Bird) or 1.150,- Euros excl. VAT (Regular Fee).
Members of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO) receive a 10% reduction on the regular combined participation fee if they take part in both Future Ready and the Hands-on A.I. Producers Lab.
For more information regarding fees, visit: Fees and Funding Support Page
Who is it for?
The Hands-on A.I. Producers Lab is designed for professionals with at least two years of experience in the Film, TV, and Media industries, including:
- Producers
- Line producers
- Production managers
- Freelancers
- Development executives
- Sales and distribution professionals
- Decision-makers seeking hands-on innovation experience
Project requirement
Applicants are expected to apply with a concrete project, production challenge, or development context they wish to work on during the Lab. This ensures that the hands-on format can be directly applied to real-world workflows and individual professional needs.
Prior experience & selection criteria
The Lab is designed for participants with prior exposure to AI-related tools or workflows. Applicants who have previously participated in the Future Ready programme or the EAVE AI Skills Booster will be prioritised in the selection process. For all other applicants, participation in a comparable AI-focused workshop or training programme is strongly recommended to ensure a shared baseline for experimentation and peer exchange.
The speaking language of the Lab is English; therefore, a good working proficiency is recommended. Applications are welcome from individuals of all nationalities.
Please note that, in the selection process, diversity across participating companies is taken into consideration.
Programme Director
Eva Fischer
Programme Director - Future Ready & Hands-on AI Producers Lab | 2026 Curator, Festival Director & Cultural Manager | IndependantEva Fischer is a specialist in immersive media, AI, and experimental art, known for her pioneering work at the intersection of creativity and technology. Her experience bridges artistic practice, innovation strategy, and university-level teaching, ensuring that digital transformation is handled with nuance and ethics. As an independent curator, festival director, and cultural manager, she has been director of the media art festival Civa since 2021 and the sound:frame – festival for audiovisual art, which she initiated in 2007. Between 2016 and 2019, she led the production of the Diagonale film festival in Graz and was COO of the International Screen Institute in Vienna between 2023 and 2025. She has been teaching experimental media and immersive art at various universities since 2011.
SPEAKERS
The speakers of this year will be announced soon.