As the full schedule lineup for this year’s ATX TV Festival has been announced, additional programming and panels have been included in the festivities.
Here’s a look at what has been added to Season 13’s schedule:
- The Big Cigar Screening and Q&A – The festival will feature a screening of The Big Cigar from Apple TV+, which “tells the incredible true story of Black Panther founder Huey P. Newton escaping from the FBI to Cuba with the assistance of famed producer Bert Schneider in an impossibly elaborate plan — involving a fake movie production — that goes wrong every way it possibly can.” Following the screening, creator/showrunner/executive producer Janine Sherman Barrois (Claws) and writer/executive producer Jim Hecht (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty) will join for a conversation, and more panelists will be announced soon.
- “Casting Ensembles” presented by Casting Society – A conversation about the art of casting ensembles large and small, the intricacies of assembling comedies vs. dramas, and how the evolution of virtual auditions and self-tapes have changed how your favorite casts come together. Confirmed panelists include Susie Farris, CSA (casting director, Jury Duty), Sherry Thomas, CSA (casting director, The Righteous Gemstones), and Bonnie Zane, CSA (casting director, Suits), with additional panelists to be announced soon.
- “Bottle Episodes 101” – Bottle episode? Stand-alone episode? Departure episode? Vulture critic Kathryn VanArendonk and Rolling Stone critic Alan Sepinwall set the record straight on what is and isn’t, by definition, a bottle episode; how to contextualize the growing trend of not-quite-bottle episodes (and what to call them); and why the distinction matters.
- “Break the Mold” – For decades, access to roles in front of and behind the camera was limited to select communities. But in recent years, a new paradigm has emerged as the “face” of Hollywood is being challenged and redefined. Panelists will discuss authenticity, inclusion, and the reality of working in entertainment, with an array of artists who are breaking the mold by using their creative voices to shape a more interesting and exciting future for TV. Confirmed participants include Brian Tee (actor, Expats), Daniel Kyri (actor, Chicago Fire), Debby Wolfe (showrunner/EP, Lopez vs. Lopez), Octavio Pisano (actor, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), and Travina Springer (actor, The Irrational).
- “Case of the Week: How Procedurals Keep Us Coming Back” – From crime scenes, to hospitals, to court rooms, procedural dramas are one of TV’s most tried-and-true formats, boasting some of the longest-running series in history. But why are we so hooked on them? We’ll investigate the mechanics of the case-of-the-week format, their ability to survive (and thrive) in a Peak TV climate, and why we just can’t quit them. Confirmed panelists include Daniel Kyri (actor, Chicago Fire), David Hudgins (showrunner/EP, FBI: Most Wanted), Octavio Pisano (actor, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), and Travina Springer (actor, The Irrational).
- “From Book to Script to Screen” – The ongoing IP boom has resulted in more books than ever making their way to TV — from straight adaptations, to reimaginings, to remixes that fall somewhere in the middle. While some authors may prefer to be involved with adaptations — or in some cases, at the helm of them — others may prefer to leave the adaptation process to another creative voice. Explore the unique process, challenges, and opportunities of bringing these beloved books to TV with the showrunners and producers who adapted them Confirmed panelists include Graham Yost (creator/showrunner/EP, Silo), Jessica Rhoades (executive producer, Station Eleven, Sharp Objects), and Mike Flanagan (creator/showrunner/director/EP, The Fall of the House of Usher).
- “How the Strikes Affected… Everything” – The historic WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes of 2023 (lasting 148 days and 118 days, respectively) brought TV and film productions to a halt as union members fought to secure fair pay structures and new protections for union members. Now join WGA and SAG-AFTRA members as they reflect on how the strikes impacted (and continue to impact) them, their fellow unions, their relationship to their work, and how we make TV going forward. Confirmed panelists include creator/writer/producer Beau Willimon (WGA East), writer Greg Iwinski (WGA East), and actor Dulé Hill (SAG-AFTRA),with additional panelists to be announced soon.
- “Showrunner Summit” – A wide-ranging conversation about the state of the TV industry from the showrunner POV, including how the role has (or hasn’t) evolved in the wake of a pandemic and multiple strikes and what they envision for the future of TV, as both an artistic medium and a business. Confirmed panelists include Graham Yost (Silo), David Hudgins (FBI: Most Wanted), and Janine Sherman Barrois (The Big Cigar), with additional panelists to be announced soon.
- “Telling Authentic Immigration Stories” presented by Define American – A conversation about the importance of amplifying immigrant voices, the challenges they face in ensuring authentic representation that defies stereotypes, and the many stories they envision for the future of storytelling. Confirmed panelists include Rafael Agustin (writer, Jane the Virgin), Hoa Xuande (actor, The Sympathizer), and Brian Tee (actor, Expats), with additional panelists to be announced soon.
- “The Pitch Competition Finale” presented by Canva – The Pitch Competition Finale has arrived! After narrowing down from hundreds of applicants, the judges are ready to hear the Top 10 Finalists pitch live. Each finalist will have four minutes to pitch their scripted series, then the judges will have a chance to ask any questions they have. The winner will be mentored by an ATX TV alum to then pitch to studio/network partners. Confirmed judges include Ryan P. Hall (president, YMH Studios), Alison Mo Massey (EVP, Pacesetter Productions, Inc), Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (creator/showrunner/EP, Pretty Little Liars: Summer School), and Ashley Nicole Black (writer/actor, A Black Lady Sketch Show), with additional judges to be announced soon.
- “An Actor, a Casting Director, and a Casting Executive Walk Into an Audition…” — A unique look at how the audition process has evolved (for better and worse) since the beginning of the pandemic — from virtual auditions and self-tapes, to chemistry reads and table reads — from both the acting and casting perspectives. Confirmed panelists include Felicia Fasano (casting director, Survival of the Thickest) and Steven O’Neill (EVP, Casting & Talent Development, UCP), with additional panelists to be announced soon.
- “Where We Are on TV and Where We Need to Be” presented with GLAAD – A panel delving into the findings of GLAAD’s 2023-2024 “Where We Are on TV” study and where Hollywood needs to move in terms of LGBTQ representation on screen. Journalist Dino-Ray Ramos will lead the conversation with Raina Deerwater, GLAAD’s lead author on the study, and powerhouses in the TV industry about the power of queer characters in their work. Additional panelists will be announced soon.
- The Future of Late-Night Comedy – A craft conversation for people who love watching late night, from people who love making late night. This wide-ranging conversation is between three veteran late-night writers: Greg Iwinski (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver), Sal Gentile (Late Night with Seth Meyers), and Ashley Nicole Black (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, A Black Lady Sketch Show), and it will ask questions like, In a world of cell-phone viewing and schedule-less streaming, what makes late night late night? How will a newer generation of hosts and writers change the genre? How do you take a breaking news story and turn it into comedy? How has social media impacted fast-paced joke writing? And of course, what kind of snacks are the best to fuel comedy?
Badges for all four days are on sale now, and range from $335 (GP Badge) to $535 (Camp Badge). A limited number of discounted GP Badges are available at $235 for Austin locals.
To purchase badges, visit atxfestival.com/attend
The latest addition of panels already joins a stellar lineup which can be found HERE.
For the full schedule of programming, visit atxtv.com
Season 13 of the ATX TV Festival takes place in Austin, TX, from May 30th to June 2nd.
