This year’s New York Television Festival has come and gone, but it’s given us – as in we TV series creator/showrunner wannabes – much to think about. Here’s what we think is some of the best advice to come out of it:
by Alison Willmore
New York Television Festival founder Terence Gray notes that the fest has been seeing many filmmakers with TV projects… “I think if you look at the networks and premium cable, you see that a lot of very well-respected filmmakers and directors have entered the television marketplace and they’re doing great series,” Gray observed. “Here’s a great opportunity to use the skills that they’ve honed in storytelling and independent film and migrate to television — we’re happy to showcase their incredible talent.”
The growing demand from cable channels for original series and the rise of online platforms has also made for more outlets for new projects, and Gray adds that “my hope is with places like Amazon and Microsoft specifically, that there really are opportunities for emerging artists to come in and create great series for them.” That said, an indie pilot requires a somewhat different approach from that of a film — Gray offered us five tips to keep in mind.