One of the panels at the Göteborg Film Festival’s TV Drama Vision challenged long-standing assumptions about where value is created in today’s audiovisual ecosystem. Titled “Rethinking IPs and Formats: A Fluid Future”, the discussion, moderated by Marike Muselaers, brought together Gerhard Maier, artistic director of Seriencamp; Joe Bergan, media partnerships Nordics at YouTube; and Victoria Fäh, manager of the IPR Lab at IPR.VC. Rather than focusing on traditional commissioning structures, the conversation explored how IP, audiences and financing are increasingly evolving outside fixed formats and platforms.

Early on, the panellists questioned the distinction between premium content and so-called user-generated media. Maier noted that even high-end series now often function as “second-screen content”, consumed alongside endless streams of memes and short-form video. In this context, he argued, attention alone is no longer the key metric. What matters instead is mindshare and the ability to build a lasting relationship with audiences across multiple touchpoints.

From a platform perspective, Bergan stressed that creators on YouTube should be seen as fully fledged production companies, rather than amateurs. Many operate studios, employ teams and develop sustainable content pipelines, responding directly to audience demand. “The viewer decides,” he said, suggesting that value creation has shifted decisively towards audience choice, rather than institutional gatekeeping. For Bergan, YouTube’s growing role in long-form viewing on television screens further blurs the boundaries between online video and traditional audiovisual content.

Fäh placed these changes within a broader investment and R&D framework. Leading the innovation arm of IPR.VC, she explained that the fund has been researching how IP can be financed and monetised in a landscape defined by new platforms, changing audience behaviour and emerging technologies. Rather than undermining creativity, Fäh argued, AI and platform-driven ecosystems raise expectations, making access to and retention of audiences the central challenge. “The audience is what you are competing for,” she said, regardless of production scale or format.

When the discussion turned to IP and world-building, Maier argued that the concept goes beyond franchise logic. From a business perspective, convergence between games, animation, film and digital platforms encourages the creation of shared assets and multiple narrative entry points. From a storytelling perspective, world-building can also function as brand-building, anchored in a strong emotional core or visual identity that persists across media. Citing examples such as Warhammer 40,000, Maier highlighted how deeply invested niche communities can propel specialised worlds into mainstream visibility through games, series and live experiences.

The panel also addressed how global platforms are institutionalising this shift. Muselaers pointed to Amazon’s recent restructuring, which includes a dedicated world-building division alongside traditional genre departments. For Bergan, YouTube complements this model by functioning both as an IP incubator and as a distribution layer for existing content. While the platform does not commission projects, it offers producers access to a massive, multi-generational audience and long-term ownership of IP-related revenue streams. Bergan compared this approach to the early Star Wars model, where creators retain control over worlds and ancillary exploitation, rather than receiving upfront financing.

Archival content emerged as another key opportunity. Bergan argued that repurposing existing catalogues, whether through shorts, vertical formats or micro drama, allows producers and broadcasters to respond quickly to viewer trends already visible on global platforms. He cautioned against dismissing niche formats, noting that many trends, including micro drama, developed in Asian markets long before entering European discourse.

Fäh expanded on how financing structures are adapting to this environment. IPR.VC is launching a new fund dedicated to what it terms the “new content economy”, encompassing creator-led, direct-to-consumer media as well as the experience economy, from live events to physical products. Central to this approach is a shift towards viewing IP as a brand, built around highly engaged niche audiences, or “super-consumers”. Rather than maximising reach, Fäh argued, the focus is on depth of engagement and long-term value. Slate financing remains relevant, but now extends to cross-media constellations that may include games, online series or physical experiences.

Brand involvement and advertising were also discussed as part of this evolving ecosystem, particularly in relation to emerging formats such as micro drama. Fäh suggested that the goals of brands and content investors increasingly overlap, especially around authenticity and audience connection. Bergan added that such collaborations have long been standard practice in the creator economy, where monetisation often depends on trust-based relationships, rather than traditional ad models.

A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the erosion of traditional gatekeeping. Maier argued that creator-led initiatives such as Critical Role demonstrate how communities can be built first and scaled into global entertainment ecosystems later. Live and physical experiences, from cinema events to immersive installations, were described as the highest level of audience engagement, offering something tangible and communal in contrast to endlessly reproducible digital content.

Closing the panel, the speakers emphasised the need for experimentation and openness. Maier encouraged industry professionals to engage directly with niche cultures and to treat audience interaction as an iterative process, rather than a post-launch concern. Bergan highlighted the untapped potential of collaborations between traditional venues and creators with established fanbases. Fäh, meanwhile, urged companies not to fear rapid pivots, noting that in a fluid ecosystem, flexibility is essential.

The panel ultimately suggested that the future of European content creation may lie less in fixed formats and more in fluid IP worlds, where platforms, audiences and experiences continuously inform one another.