NYWIFT Blog

NYWIFT Recap: TV Pitch Fest

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Thirty-six participants. Nine networks. Three hours.

On December 4, NYWIFT brought together talented writers, producers, and directors with network and development executives for its first TV pitch fest.

These hopefuls presented their dream projects: scripted series, children shows, game shows, documentary films, and yes, the ever-evolving reality TV. They gained rare access to industry insiders to pitch their original ideas and receive direct, constructive feedback.

The panel included a select group of network and production companies looking to discover new projects:

Mark E. Downie, literary manager, film producer, and TV producer/creator at D&A Media Entertainment.

Abby Finer, co-founder ofFiner Thomas Productions, a full-service talent management and TV/digital media production company.

Francesca Francois-Grimaldi, managing partner and agent at Plaza 7 Talent Agency, a full-service entertainment agency.

Anne Hubbell, co-founder of Tangerine Entertainment.

Dana Offenbach, award-winning producer, and partner in the newly-formed independent film production company CinemaStreet, LLC.

Kristin Pisarcik, Senior Director of Development at NorthSouth Productions.

Greg Rhem,Director of Documentary Programming for HBO.

Dafina Roberts, Original Programming and Events atNickelodeon.

Ed Simpson, Head of Business Development at Leftfield Pictures.

The participants were energized by the TV pitch fest. Antonio Isadora, who pitched a project, rated the experience “excellent” and had set up several follow-up meetings.

Kudos to LeVera Sutton and Meghan Scibona for producing the event.

— ROZ MURPHY

Check out the NYWIFT calendar for more panels, workshops, and other events.

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nywift New York Women in Film & Television supports women calling the shots in film, television and digital media.

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