New entities join returning partners for July 14-19 event

The New York Television Festival has announced the first wave of industry partners for the upcoming July14-19 festivals. New industry partners for 2018 are CBS Entertainment Diversity and Inclusion, Thank You, Brain! Productions (producer of YouTube Red series Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television* and truTV series Those Who Can’t), and Tornante TV (producer of BoJack Horseman on Netflix and upcoming AMC series NOS4A2).

Returning as partners in 2018 are 3Arts, Audible, CAA, Comedy Central, Funny or Die, HBO, Hulu, Lionsgate, One X, WE tv, WME and the previously-announced truTV, with more to come in the coming weeks.

Industry partners will have exclusive, first-look access to the best pilots and scripts created by independent writers and producers, and chosen as Official Selections at this year’s Festival and the ability to participate in NYTVF Connect – the Festival's comprehensive artist and industry track designed to facilitate and foster networking, exposure, and collaboration via development meetings, live pitches, and other meeting opportunities that are arranged by NYTVF and take throughout the week of the Festival.

Independent creative talent looking to submit projects into this year’s Independent Pilot Competition, and have a chance at connecting with industry representatives, have a final deadline of May 1. Examples of content being sought for development by NYTVF partners include comedy from Audible (audio), Comedy Central (scripted or non-scripted), One X (for an Urban Millennial audience) and truTV (comedy formats); animation from Hulu; and unscripted from WE tv.

In 2017 NYTVF Connect included hundreds of representatives from more than 77 participating networks, studios, platforms, agencies, and production companies, yielding 600-plus development meetings between industry decision-makers and Festival Artists. In order for industry executives to qualify for these meetings, they must be an official partner such as those listed above, or purchase an industry pass – currently available for $750, and increasing to $1000 on May 2.

This summer marks the Festival's first iteration in its new July time slot (July 14-19), which organizers announced late last year to more effectively coincide with the traditional development season. As such, NYTVF's officially-selected pilots and scripts will be made available to partners and Industry Connect pass holders in the weeks following Upfronts.