NYTVF Announces New Production Branch With Four Development Partners

The New York Television Festival just got a whole lot more exciting. The organization behind the week-long festival announced the creation of its new division, NYTVF Productions.

NYTVF Productions will be in charge of helping independent television creators and artists develop their show pilots and series, with the ultimate goal of getting these picked up by larger TV and digital companies. Four development partners (A&E Network, FOX, The Orchard, and HISTORY) have already joined the NYTVF’s new production arm to aid it in its task of turning indie shows into full-fledged productions.

These partnerships will result in three pilot presentations and one original series, all co-produced by NYTVF Productions in conjunction with the indie artist winners of some of the festival’s competitions. Winners from the 2014 A&E Unscripted Development Pipeline and 2014 FOX Comedy Alumni Program will be awarded pilots. NYTVF Productions will help the winner of The Orchard’s 2014 GO Project (which the two companies previously partnered on) create the MCN and distributor’s first-ever, six-episode original series. Finally, HISTORY will partner with NYTVF Productions for the 2015 History Unscripted Development Pipeline, whose winner will also get a pilot.

“The idea of independent TV has greatly evolved since we created the Festival 10 years ago, as new players have entered the market for original programming; technology has made it easier to produce, edit, fund, promote and self-distribute content; and filmmakers have looked to TV and digital as strong, respected mediums for their art,” explained NYTVF’s Founder and Executive Director Terence Gray

“We have evolved as well, thanks to trust from our industry partners who now know the NYTVF as a conduit to top indie talent, to creators who look to us as a way to start or grow their careers, win development deals, land jobs on network shows, meet agents, and now with NYTVF Productions, get further opportunities for achieve [sic] pilot and series orders.”

Winners of the development partners’ programs (excluding HISTORY’s 2015 competition) will be announced at the NYTVF Awards on Saturday, October 25, 2014. These indie artists will then get the opportunity to further develop their work with NYTVF Productions and make deeper connections with the networks and studios who may just give them a shot at TV fame.

Photo courtesy of NYTVF/Laura Caulk