Odessa, Kevin Sorbo, Josh Jennings Big Winners at NYTVF

The seventh annual New York Television Festival recently wrapped up its week-long showcase of independently produced programming and entertainment industry panels and presentations. The creators of the festival’s featured content were hoping to gain exposure for and find a home for their ware by way of the festival’s “innovative path of program development.”

Hundreds of individuals with aspirations to add a few more television credits to their resumes or secure a budget for their original web series submitted creative briefs and/or pilots to one of the NYTVF’s many sponsored competitions. Here are a few of the winners.

Bing Audience Choice Award Winner – I Hate Being Single

Hipster, Brooklyn’s Rob Michael Hugel created this post-college, twenty-something lovelorn story about a guy in Kings County who struggles with employment, a mature sense of fashion, and especially the ladies.

FX ‘There is No Box’ Comedy Award – Josh Jennings for Congress

Nathan Gotsch took home the honor of winning FX’s ‘There is No Box’ Comedy Award, along with its accompanying $25,000 development deal with the cable network for his hometown-slacker-turns-political-candidate-running-against-insurmountable-odds-and-plasticy-looking-opponents story.

IFC Out of the Box Award – St. James St. James Presents: Delirium Cinema

Ross Paterson put together and all-star cast – including Kevin Sorbo (Hercules: The Legendary Journeys), Danny Trejo (Machete), Bryan Callen (MADtv), and Alanna Ubach (Legally Blonde) – to act in his anthology series of terribly awesome films from the world’s most famous, fictional and youngest child director St. James St. James. The effort won Paterson IFC’s ‘Out of the Box’ Award and a $25,000 development deal with the network.

MTV ‘Voice and Vision’ Animation Awards for Writing and Animation – Pound Dogs

MTV’s ‘Voice and Vision’ Animation Awards, along with their accompanying $5,000 checks for both the award-winning writer and animator, both went to Mike Salva for his claymation interpretation of what life is like for pound dogs.

Syfy Digital Studio ‘Imagine Greater’ Award –  Odessa

The hardest working man in online video, Al Thompson, took home not only the Independent Pilot Competition’s Award for Best Actor in a Drama or Dramedy, but also Syfy Digital Studio’s ‘Imagine Greater’ Award for his sci-fi drama about a migratory father and daughter on the run from a mysterious “program” that likes to perform obscure experiments on the both of them.

A big congrats to all the New York Television Festival honorees, finalists, and winners. Check out the full list here.