NATPE Produces the LATV Festival, Celebrating the Art and Commerce of Video Content

The National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) is producing an all-star lineup of screenings, a day-long program focusing on digital content, the NextGen TV Competition, TV Producers' Boot Camp and pitch pit, gala parties and netwprking opportunities for its first annual LATV Festival being held July 25th through 27th at various locations in Los Angeles. Show runners and top executives will screen and discuss new episodes of Lost, The Office, Supernanny, Weeds and America’s Next Producer during breakfast and evening sessions over the course of three days.

The LATV Festival is being crafted as an extension of the annual TV Producers’ Boot Camp. The event will present a city-wide, video content festival showcasing the work of Los Angeles’ outstanding multi-platform content producers and production community.

The Producers Guild of America is sponsoring a three day breakfast series on Wednesday to Friday at the House of Blues on Sunset. On Wednesday, Greg Daniels, showrunner and line producer Kent Zbornak will discuss The Office. Thursday’s discussion will feature the reality series Supernanny, hosted by the series’ supervising producer Mark Allen and showrunner Craig Armstrong. Friday’s breakfast will offer a discussion of “Lost” with co-showrunner Carlton Cuse and line producer Jean Higgins.

On Wednesday and Thursday at the Pacific Design Center Theatre, there will be evening screenings, kicking off with America’s Next Producer and comments from creator Dan Cutforth, CEO, Magic Elves.

Thursday morning is the start of the NATPE TV Producers' Boot Camp, now in its fifth year. At the heart of the inaugural LATV Festival this one and half day production intensive is presented by NATPE for roughly 300 independent television and video producers. In addition to networking with peers, the draw is direct access to a variety of panels, keynote speakers, hands-on clinics and pitch opportunities. The goal is to provide up-to-date information, case studies and coaching on best practices within the TV industry, so producers and writers can better navigate this business and continue their career development, which ends with opportunities to pitch development execs at the Pitch Pit. Many key decision makers, development executives, television producers and agents participate in the event as mentors, coaches, presenters and pitch catchers. Over 65 TV executives and over 50 studios and networks took part in last years' Boot Camp. This year's roster of participants promises to be just as exciting!

Thursday’s screening will be “Weeds,” followed by a panel moderated by Hollywood Reporter television critic Ray Richmond, and featuring Kevin Beggs, president, Lionsgate Television, Roberto Benabib, executive producer, Weeds; Robert Greenblatt, president, entertainment, Showtime Networks; Jenji Kohan, creator/executive producer, Weeds and Craig Zisk, executive producer, Weeds.

The LATV Festival will include the second annual NATPE NextGen TV Competition, that recognizes and celebrates emerging content creators. Participants may enter one of three competitions:

Competition one, sponsored by FremantleMedia North America, is accepting original video content in comedy, drama, alternative or game show. The winner will receive a six month producer fellowship with intensive training at the company’s headquarters with a stipend of $1,000 per week. Up to three finalists will receive an LATV Festival attendance package.

Competition two, sponsored by MSN, will offer a $10,000 first prize along with two runner-up prizes of $2,000, each for shorts in the categories of comedy, drama, action, mystery, animation and commercial/promotional.

Competition three, sponsored by Talpa, will award $5000 and pitch consultation opportunities for the best new series ideas. Additional information is available at www.nextgentvfest.com.

LATV Festival Digital Day on Wednesday the 25th at The Highlands will offer numerous panels and demonstrations including a session sponsored by Yahoo! on capturing the digital consumer followed by a lunch and presentations by leaders in digital platforms and broadband content. Other highlights include a session hosted by The Digital Coast Roundtable. The event will conclude with a comprehensive presentation by the AFI Digital Content Lab.

A number of parties are scheduled for entertainment and networking. On Tuesday night, July 24, an opening night gala will be held at the Raleigh Studios, co-hosted by LATV Festival and the Independent Television Festival. On Wednesday night, the NextGen Celebration will be held at a location to be announced in the coming weeks and a late night video mash up rave presented with LA Freewaves at Busby’s East. A Producers Schmooze is taking place on Thursday night at the House of Blues on Sunset.

For more information on the LATV Festival, visit www.LATVFest.net and on NATPE visit www.natpe.org.