On Monday, October 6, 2025 at the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica, Chris Pfaff moderated an expert debate for Streaming Media 2025 – ‘Is the Future of Streaming Free or Paid/Hybrid?’ Jonathan Shrank, from TheSoul Publishing, and John Stevens, from V10 Entertainment appeared as “Team Free” and Rebecca Avery, from Integration Therapy and Jon Giegengack, from Hub Entertainment Research appeared as “Team Paid/Hybrid.” A spirited debate and discussion period ensued over the hour, but Pfaff determined that Team Free had won the day.

You can watch the full session at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi9FG2oSbhw&list=PLcSb1s2U3uyCrjuw6HtDVgiW2dHvLH1Us&index=11

Monday, October 6 
Debate #1: Is the Future of Streaming Free or Paid/Hybrid?
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
FAST executives and SVOD leaders square off on the future of free vs. paid streaming.

Moderator: 
Chris Pfaff, Chris Pfaff Tech Media, chris@chrispfafftechmedia.com Pfaff, Chris Pfaff Tech Media, chris@chrispfafftechmedia.com

Panelists: 
Rebecca Avery, Owner and Principal, Integration Therapy, rebecca@integrationtherapy.media
Jonathan Shrank, VP of Streaming & Content Partnerships, TheSoul Publishing, jonathan.shrank@id.thesoul.io, eric@worldsfair.io
John Stevens, CEO, V10 Entertainment, jstevens@v10sg.com, george@therightnow.com
Jon Giegengack, Principal, Hub Entertainment Research, jong@hubresearchllc.com, melissa.remo@beckmedia.com

On Thursday, June 12, 2025, Chris Pfaff moderated the expert session ‘How to Create Life-Like Immersive Stories with Volumetric Video Production’ at the Long Beach Convention Center, with panelists Richard Broadbridge from 4Dviews, Lauren Michelle from Operaverse & The Chipped Nail, and Corey Rosen from Super 78.

You can watch the full session at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM1z_MSdvs8&list=PLLri17oDqCEXMqpqT78XH7n_EvfxeBZ1a&index=14

HOW TO CREATE LIFE-LIFE IMMERSIVE STORIES WITH VOLUMETRIC VIDEO PRODUCTION

The explosion of virtual stories across platforms has seen an increase in the integration of real humans in immersive experiences. The evolution of stunningly realistic volumetric video now enables real human capture and integration in scenes that are life-like and spatially adaptive. The innovations that are now making the human more prominent in complex virtual narratives are being led by producers and toolmakers who are building a network of dynamic volumetric artisans.

This session features leading developers of mixed reality, VR, and mobile AR that enable virtual humans – not avatars – to live and perform in immersive environments.

On Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at Augmented World Expo (AWE) U.S. at the Long Beach Convention Center, Chris Pfaff appeared on a session – ‘Reality Creator Economy: XR and AI Collide to Unlock Massive New Frontiers in Reality Commercialization’ – that was moderated by Yu Yuan from MASA, and – in addition to Pfaff – featured Ben Erwin, from the Academy of Immersive Arts and Sciences, and Julie Smithson from METAVRSE and XR Women.

You can watch the full session at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkVM0B_UtnU

As XR platforms evolve from niche experiments to mainstream destinations, creators must navigate a complex landscape of revenue models—from virtual goods and subscription tiers to brand partnerships and platform revenue shares. This session will survey today’s proven monetization strategies for XR experience and content creators, then look ahead to the transformative potential of Generative AI and Agentic AI, including automated content generation, AI-driven personalization, and autonomous digital agents that can extend creators’ reach. We’ll also explore how collaborative metaverse and virtual world ecosystems—where thousands of creators co-build immersive spaces—can implement fair, transparent reward mechanisms. Join us to understand how creators can thrive today and shape tomorrow’s XR economy.

On Thursday, May 22, 2025, Chris Pfaff moderated a virtual session for Streaming Media Connect, ‘Going, Going Gone: Can Biddable Advertising Fix CTV’s Fill Rate Slump?’

Laura Florence, with Fremantle; Tim Ware, from Future Today Marketplace; Christina Chung, from Estrella MediaCo, and Jack Perry, from Zeam Media, discussed different aspects of the CTV ad fill slump. Jack Perry also discussed his innovative Super Bowl ad with John Stamos.

You can watch the full session at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l5mLjtfdlA&list=PLcSb1s2U3uyDUGBfZ3-JMRf2QqSeflTyB&index=13

THU5. Going, Going, Gone: Can Biddable Advertising Fix CTV’s Fill Rate Slump?
Thursday, May 22: 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (ET)/1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (PT)

With FAST and CTV fill rates slipping throughout 2024 (except for a brief election bump), content owners and their partners are casting about for new and different ways to fill inventory. By clearing the way for advertisers to buy in just before show time rather than having to lock in their campaigns months in advance, so-called “real-time” biddable CTV opens up late-breaking, flexible opportunities to unload unclaimed inventory on an auction basis before it goes to waste. But as bidding on audiences reportedly surges for sports, is auction-based advertising really suitable for other premium content? Is it likely to change the way brands approach media-buying, or is it just another transitory trend?

Moderator: Chris Pfaff, CEO, Chris Pfaff Tech Media

Panelists:
Laura Florence, SVP, Global Channels, Fremantle
Christina Chung, VP, Business Operations, Estrella MediaCo
Tim Ware, VP, Future Today Marketplace
Jack Perry, CEO, Zeam Media

Chris Pfaff moderated the tech track session ‘Immersive Sound: How to Create Powerful Experiences’ on Thursday, March 13th from 11:30-12:30 pm in Salon K of the Hilton Austin Downtown with some of the industry’s leading next-gen audio experts, including Google’s Jani Huoponen, group product manager for immersive audio, Mirko Vogel, general manager, Canada, for Vaudeville Sound Group, and Sylvana Levy, founder of SLX Group.

Jani Huoponen detailed the development of Eclipsa, the audio format born out of the Open Media Alliance’s Immersive Audio Models & Formats (IAMF) specification for next-generation immersive audio.

Mirko Vogel detailed Vaudeville Sound Group’s approach to immersive audio for a range of media formats.

Sylvana Levy discussed producing immersive audio for experiential installations.

You can watch the entire session at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2g1VBkO29k

SXSW 2025 PANEL

IMMERSIVE SOUND: HOW TO CREATE POWERFUL EXPERIENCES

Immersive sound enables unparalleled connections between users and enhances experiences. A new generation of immersive sound technology includes sound objects, which are multichannel sound files captured and designed with specific techniques. These 3D sound environments complement visual experiences with immersive, or spatial, audio that enhances a wide range of industry products and services, including virtual and augmented reality, auditory healing for healthcare, architecture design, automotive design, media, entertainment, and many others.

Chris Pfaff moderated an expert virtual panel for Streaming Media Connect, on February 27, 2025, ‘App, Crackle, Pop: What a Video App Really Needs,’ with Bruno Giner, NPAW; Ankit Awasthi, Amazon Prime; Deirdre Magrane, Tubi; Tom Hurlbutt, Crunchyroll, and Jason Williams, Plex.

The session discussed the product considerations and technical issues surrounding app development for video publishers. You can watch the full session at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-jpftHBl9M&list=PLcSb1s2U3uyDMnUvP0RMv0WnVwp25b6OS&index=15

Chris Pfaff moderated an expert session – ‘Removing the Friction of Content Discovery on CTV’ – at the (virtual) Streaming Media Connect conference, on November 14, 2024, with the following panelists:

Chris Rodriguez, CCO – Revry

Monica Williams, SVP, Digital Products & Operations, Content Distribution – NBCUniversal

Gatsby Frimpong, Co-Founder & CEO – Gatsby TV

Katrina Kowalski, SVP, International Content Programming and Acquisitions – Pluto TV

The premise of the session was that today’s streaming providers deliver endless amounts of content, which can overwhelm viewers who are simply looking for something to watch. The content discovery process often takes far longer than viewers are willing to wait. FAST channels have the power to redefine content discoverability by using data to serve customers the content they want to watch and help them find new content based on prior viewing habits. FAST platforms have a vast amount of data available to them, but only a small amount of it is being used to its full potential. Incorporating viewership data into the content discoverability process can remove the pain points that have bubbled up in the new streaming landscape, lead to more engagement with the content, and open up more opportunities for advertisers to reach their target audiences. This session looks at the success of genre channels and provides attendees with insight into how they help their viewers find their content faster.

You can watch the full session at:

Chris Pfaff moderated the ‘Now It’s Personal: AI and Streaming Personalization’ panel at the virtual Streaming Media Connect conference, on Tuesday, August 20, 2024. The expert panel featured Chris Regina, CCO, TCL; Shobana Radhakrishnan, sr. dir., engineering, GoogleTV, Arash Pendari, founder/creative director, Vionlabs AB. and Alex Gruber, chief product officer, Deltatre.

You can watch the full session at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RvJ4JUPhIY&list=PLcSb1s2U3uyA8AMciRoww3BTj6QwoOQII&index=4&t=503s

‘NOW IT’S PERSONAL: AI AND STREAMING PERSONALIZATION’

Many of the ways AI is poised to alter the streaming ecosystem happen behind the scenes, involving the streamlining of workflows or the automation of repetitive production or delivery tasks. But AI also has the potential to transform viewing experiences, making them more personal and immersive. The panel explores what’s possible and what’s probable and how we can expect to see AI’s real-world impact on streaming experiences take shape in the months and years to come.

Chris Pfaff moderated the ‘Disrupting Fast Fashion and Saving the World’ panel at the Digital Fashion Week New York conference, on Saturday, September 7th, at 2:00 pm in the Canvas 3.0 Gallery in the World Trade Center, in New York City. 

Check out the intro clip to the panel at: https://youtu.be/mIR8DRy2uns

Check out a longer 10-minute clip of the panel at: https://youtu.be/bWal0tMi4R0

Chris Pfaff with Tatiana Alexa and Clare Tattersall

Panelists included: Krishnan Sangameswaran, from The F*Word, Miguel Huidor, from NICESTUFF Clothing, Ben Erwin, from Power Simple, and Tatiana Alexa, from Sangrove. 

Chris Pfaff with Krishnan Sangameswaran, Ben Erwin, Tatiana Alexa, and Miguel Huidor

Chris Pfaff (left) and the crowd at DFW NYC (right)

Topics included; What technologies can we leverage to disrupt fast fashion from the ground up? Disrupting Hype — Creating Meaningful Consumer Relationships). 

The XR crowd at DFW NYC, including Alex Coulombe, Robin Moulder, Michael Ferraro

Panel descriptor:

From virtual runways to digital printing on fabrics to NFTs and beyond, the digital fashion world has exploded since the pandemic. In this session, we will discuss how digital fashion can disrupt the traditional fast fashion model and create a more sustainable (and potentially more profitable) fashion ecosystem.

Clare Tattersall, Miguel Huidor, Tatiana Alexa, Ben Erwin, Krishnan Sangameswaran, and Chris Pfaff