Annual indie television showcase unveils free line-up, including special events hosted in partnership with BAFTA, BBC AMERICA, BET, FremantleMedia, MTV and Starz and screenings of 62 Official Selections from the Independent Pilot Competition
Festival to also feature Digital Day and Development Day panel series, closing night awards ceremony, and several artist-exclusive activities, including an Opening Day Industry Welcome by A&E Network’s David McKillop, and the opportunity to hear from, network with and pitch TV industry executives
[NEW YORK, NY, October 1, 2014] – The NYTVF today announced schedule highlights of its tenth annual New York Television Festival, top-lined by a Creative Keynote series featuring conversations with Carlton Cuse (Lost, Bates Motel, The Strain, The Returned), Jenni Konner (Girls), and Beau Willimon (House of Cards). In honor of its tenth year, the Festival's annual primetime line-up will feature ten special events including the showrunner conversation series, as well as partnered events from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), BBC AMERICA, BET, FremantleMedia, MTV, and Starz.
Running from October 20 - 25, the Festival will take place primarily at Tribeca Cinemas and SVA Theatre in Manhattan.
The Festival will kick-off on Monday, October 20, welcoming over 200 Official Artists to its NYTVF Connect series, with an Industry Welcome from A&E Network EVP and General Manager David McKillop. NYTVF Connect encompasses the exclusive Artist and Industry events held throughout the week of the Festival and provides Official Artists with the opportunity to meet, pitch, network, and collaborate with the top decision makers in attendance. As part of this exclusive program, Official Artists will enjoy access to closed-door sessions with industry decision-makers from across the programming landscape, including executives from FOX, HISTORY, Lifetime, Comedy Central, NBC, Lionsgate, Nat Geographic Channels, Paramount Digital, FremantleMedia, Condé Nast Entertainment, Travel Channel and ulive, Investigation Discovery, WEtv, Pivot, SundanceTV, MTV, Channel 4 (UK), Red Arrow Entertainment, Universal Cable Productions, The CW, WME, CAA, and ICM, among others.
“The Festival began as a showcase for the best independent television being created with fresh voices and unique takes on storytelling, and while this has continued, it has evolved in the last ten years into a marketplace through which these artists and their projects are connecting and doing business with major players at TV networks, studios, agencies and digital media companies,” said NYTVF Founder and Executive Director Terence Gray. “We are grateful for the commitment to independent television being shown by our industry partners, and the opportunities being brought to a community of artists aspiring to be the next Carlton Cuse, Jenni Konner or Beau Willimon. Of course, as TV fans, we are all excited to hear from these iconic showrunners, and to take part in the rest of this year’s incredible line-up of panels, premieres and other special events.”
On Tuesday, October 21, The New Yorker's Andy Borowitz will interview Carlton Cuse in the first of three Creative Keynote conversations, and long-time Festival partner MTV will present a special panel event celebrating the network's unique take on the teenage experience. This free event, moderated by Entertainment Weekly's Marc Snetiker, will feature Faking It cast members Rita Volk and Michael Willett, along with Executive Producer Carter Covington, Finding Carter's Anna-Jacoby Heron and Alex Saxon, along with Executive Producer Emily Whitesell, Teen Wolf’sHolland Roden and Dylan Sprayberry along with Executive Producer Jeff Davis, and MTV’s Head of Scripted Development, Mina Lefevre. Also on October 21, BET will partner with the NYTVF for a panel event featuring buyers, decision-makers, and creators tackling diversity in television.
First-time NYTVF partner Starz is bringing its original filmmaking experiment, The Chair, to the Festival on Wednesday, October 22, with an exclusive look at upcoming episodes and a conversation with series Executive Producer Chris Moore (Project Greenlight) and featured filmmakers Shane Dawson and Anna Martemucci. Also joining the discussion is actor Zachary Quinto (Star Trek, American Horror Story, Heroes) who helped produce The Chair with his production company, Before the Door, and served as a mentor to the filmmakers in the series. That same evening, audiences will be able to catch the U.S. premiere of BBC AMERICA's hotly anticipated new Cold War spy drama, The Game, followed by a talk-back with creator Toby Whithouse (Being Human, Doctor Who).
Girls showrunner Jenni Konner will sit down with Slate's Willa Paskin for the Festival's second Creative Keynote conversation on Thursday, October 23, followed by the fourth installment of the BAFTA Rocliffe New Writers Forum. The annual comedy event features debut readings of three original sitcoms – penned by some of the UK’s most promising emerging writers – and will also include industry insight and feedback from producer/director Stephanie Laing (Veep, Eastbound and Down), who will be on-hand as the event's industry chair.
Friday, October 24 at Tribeca Cinemas, the NYTVF's annual Digital Day series will feature a line-up of free panels examining current trends in digital content and distribution, with executives from Condé Nast Entertainment, Broadway Video's Above Average, Universal Cable Productions, Paramount Digital, ulive, CW Seed, and The Orchard taking part. The series will also feature a special panel and screening event hosted by FremantleMedia's new digital venture Tiny Riot!, with studio chief Thom Beers on hand to unveil new content and talk about the formation of the digital production entity. That evening, CW Seed will debut the second season premiere of their original digital series P.E.T. Squad Files from executive producer Milo Ventimiglia.
The Festival will wrap on Saturday, October 25 with the sixth annual Development Day series, featuring a slate of free panels geared toward emerging and aspiring TV creators. That evening, House of Cards creator Beau Willimon will sit for the final Creative Keynote Conversation prior to the Festival's Award Show.
Industry gatherings hosted by the New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, Audio Network and the Hollywood Radio and Television Society (HRTS) round out the schedule, with additional events announced in the coming weeks.
More details from the Festival’s highlights can be found below, and for a full Festival schedule along with event registration and pass information, visit http://www.nytvf.com/tixSYS/2014/progguide.
For a full list of projects selected for the Independent Pilot Competition, as well as the Festival screening schedule for each pilot, click here.
2014 NYTVF HIGHLIGHTS
Monday, October 20 – Friday, October 24
6:00 PM – 11:00 PM: Independent Pilot Competition Screenings
Tribeca Cinemas: 54 Varick Street
See Festivalguidefor information about the sixty-two projects screening in the annual competition.
Tuesday, October 21
6:00 PM: “TV For Everyone: Let's Talk About Diversity in Television”
Panel Discussion, presented in partnership with BET
Tribeca Cinemas: 54 Varick Street
7:00 PM:“Teenage Wasteland: Navigating High School with the Next MTV Generation”
A Special Panel Event Presented in Partnership with MTV
SVA Theatre: 333 West 23rd Street
From the network that wrote the book on teenage angst -- from the unruly outsiders of Daria and Beevis and Butthead to the cool kids of Laguna Beach, MTV has documented generations of high school horrors and delights. In a special event as part of the 10th Annual New York Television Festival, join stars and creatives behind some of your new favorite MTV high school comedies and dramas, Faking It, Finding Carter, and Teen Wolf for an exclusive panel event celebrating what it means to navigate those hallowed halls in 2014. #cantmiss
7:30 PM: NYTVF Creative Keynote featuring Carlton Cuse
SVA Theatre: 333 West 23rd Street
The NYTVF is honored to welcome visionary storyteller Carlton Cuse to kick off its Creative Keynote Series in 2014. Cuse, the creative force behind some of TV's biggest hits, including Bates' Motel, The Strain, and Lost, will join The New Yorker's Andy Borowitz for an intimate discussion of television writing and producing, offering TV lovers and fans unique access and insight to the art of creating and guiding some of television's best dramas. Conversation presented with the generous support of A&E.
Wednesday, October 22
7:00 PM: BBC AMERICA Premiere of THE GAME and Talk-Back with Series Creator, Toby Whithouse
SVA Theatre: 333 West 23rd Street
In the secret world of espionage, the players are set and the fight to save Britain begins.
Catch the U.S. premiere of BBC AMERICA's hotly anticipated new drama, The Game, a suspenseful six-part, edge-of-your-seat thrill ride set in Cold War London. Event includes premiere screening followed by an exclusive talk-back with creator Toby Whithouse (Being Human, Doctor Who).
8:00 PM: Starz Presents: “Contemplating the Creative Process”
An Inside Look at the Original Filmmaking Experiment, THE CHAIR
SVA Theatre: 333 West 23rd Street
First-time NYTVF partner Starz is bringing its new original filmmaking series The Chair to the Festival for an exclusive sneak peek of upcoming episodes. Creator and Executive Producer Chris Moore, featured filmmakers Shane Dawson and Anna Martemucci, and series mentor Zachary Quinto will be on-hand for a discussion about the series following the screening.
Thursday, October 23
6:30 PM: NYTVF Creative Keynote featuring Jenni Konner
SVA Theatre: 333 West 23rd Street
The NYTVF welcomes Jenni Konner, the Girls executive producer, writer, and co-showrunner to the 2014 Creative Keynote Series. The Emmy nominee and Golden Globe winner will sit for an interview with Slate's Willa Paskin.
7:30 PM: BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing Forum: Catch the Future of British Comedy
9:00 PM: Networking Drinks
SVA Theatre: 333 West 23rd Street
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and the NYTVF are re-teaming to present this unique night of comedy featuring debut readings of original sitcoms – penned by some of the UK’s most promising comedy television writers – with creative insight and feedback from the event's Industry Chair, producer and director Stephanie Laing (Veep, Eastbound and Down).
The selected scripts were identified following a UK-wide competition hosted by BAFTA and the Rocliffe New Writing Forum. The event, which includes a post-event networking event at 9:00 pm, will feature staged reading excerpts of the three selected entries with expert commentary on each.
Friday, October 24
12:00 PM – 3:00 PM: NYTVF Digital Day Panel Series
Tribeca Cinemas: 54 Varick Street
NYTVF's seventh annual Digital Day panel series welcomes buyers, creators, distributors, and thought-leaders from across the content landscape for a day of no-holds-barred discussions and insights on all facets of new media, from both creative and business perspectives.
Digital Day Panel Discussions:
- “Project (Digital) Greenlight: How a Show Gets Made”
- “Incubate This: The Next Generation of Digital Content Development”
- “Supply and Demand: Why Indie TV will be the New Independent Film”
4:00 PM:NYTVF Digital Day Case Study: Launching a Digital Division with t¡ny riot!, a FremantleMedia Company
Tribeca Cinemas: 54 Varick Street
The NYTVF is proud to present this Digital Day special event in partnership with Festival Development Partner t¡ny riot!, a FremantleMedia North America company. Join FMNA and t¡ny riot! leaders Thom Beers and Gayle Gilman for a special premiere of the latest episode of “Soul Food”, a MUNCHIES original digital series. Stemming from the partnership between t¡ny riot! and VICE Media, this new episode of “Soul Food” will give an inside look at unique content designed to live in the digital world, as well as background on delicious Halal food.
5:00 PM: Tiny Riot! Hosts: NYTVF Digital Day Happy Hour
The Varick Room at Tribeca Cinemas: 54 Varick Street
In celebration of the premiere of a new episode of “Soul Food,” join FremantleMedia's t¡ny riot! for this NYTVF Digital Day Happy Hour event, featuring catering by New York’s renowned The Halal Guys.
8:00 PM: CW Seed Second Season Premiere of P.E.T. SQUAD FILES
Tribeca Cinemas: 54 Varick Street
NYTVF returning partner CW Seed presents a Season 2 sneak peek of their digital hit P.E.T. Squad Files from Executive Producer Milo Ventimiglia. Event includes screening and talk-back with show writers.
Saturday, October 25
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM: NYTVF Development Day
Tribeca Cinemas: 54 Varick Street
NYTVF Development Day offers aspiring creators and TV fans alike a day of free panels and events providing both educational and inspirational insight into the creation of television.
Development Day Panel Discussions and Events:
- “Hot Packets: Landing a Late Night Writing Gig”
- “Creative Editing for Comedy”
- “Writing and Producing TV Dramas”
- “Setting the Scene: Design Pros”
- “$1K Challenge: Making Your Pilot Presentation on a Budget”
- Development Day Screening and Panel: “The Untitled Web Series That Morgan Evans is Doing for MTV”
6:30 PM: NYTVF Creative Keynote featuring Beau Willimon
SVA Theatre: 333 West 23rd Street
The Emmy and Golden Globe nominated showrunner of Netflix's revolutionary hit, House of Cards, Beau Willimon, will be on-hand for the Festival's final Creative Keynote conversation on Saturday, October 25.
7:30 PM: NYTVF Awards
SVA Theatre: 333 West 23rd Street
The Festival's Awards Show will recognize outstanding entries and individual achievement in the 2014 Independent Pilot Competition as well as the winners of the NYTVF Critics Award and Development Awards from NYTVF's twenty development partners.
To register for tickets or passes to these or any Festival events, visit nytvf.com and click on “Box Office.”
About the NYTVF
Established in 2005, the NYTVF constructs new and innovative paths of development and talent identification, while simultaneously complementing the traditional television development model. By partnering directly with networks, studios, production companies, digital platforms and brands, the NYTVF provides its Industry Partners with a streamlined development model, leveraging its vast creative community of over 14,000 independent producers and production companies, to create content with specific partners in mind. During the annual New York Television Festival – held each fall in New York City – the NYTVF brings together its top artists and industry decision-makers for a series of events designed to foster networking, collaboration and education. The Festival also marks the culmination of the organization’s yearly development efforts and features screenings of top independent content, educational panels, fan events, red carpet premieres, and more. For more information on the NYTVF and the annual Festival, visit www.nytvf.com, and to learn about opportunities to submit for its year-round competitions, visit http://www.nytvf.com/submit.html.
# # #
