Few historical events have been retold as often as the sinking of the Titanic. So how do you make one of the world's most familiar stories feel immediate, suspenseful and emotionally devastating all over again? In this session, Emmy-nominated director and producer Hugh Ballantyne takes us behind the making of Titanic Sinks Tonight, the acclaimed hybrid series that blurs the boundaries between documentary and drama in striking new ways.

Drawing on letters, diaries and survivor testimonies, the series combines expert analysis with dramatic reconstruction. But its most distinctive creative choice goes a step further: actors do not simply portray real passengers and crew in recreated scenes - they also appear in documentary-style interviews, speaking as the people who experienced the disaster. The result is an immersive storytelling approach that places viewers closer to the events than traditional documentary or drama alone. Using groundbreaking new technology, Ballantyne’s team has recreated the Titanic, both inside and out, as virtual sets in which the camera and actors can move freely.

As docudrama continues to evolve and gain popularity across broadcasters and streamers, what new possibilities does the format offer? How do you balance historical accuracy with emotional truth? And what happens when the line between documentary and fiction becomes a creative tool rather than a limitation?

Join Hugh Ballantyne for a conversation about innovation in factual storytelling, the craft behind Titanic Sinks Tonight, and why some stories continue to demand new ways of being told.