Winners of development deals at the 2014 New York Television Festival

The annual New York Television Festival (NYTVF) announced the winners Saturday night in 12 categories of its Independent Pilot Competition as well as 20 development deal winners from various cable channels, studios and digital network partners.

“We had a fantastic week with more events, projects, deals, and overall artist and industry participation than ever before. It was a terrific way to celebrate our tenth Festival,” said NYTVF Founder and Executive Director Terence Gray. “In the last decade the Festival has grown from a screening and panel series to an international talent and content marketplace that has solidified its place on the TV industry calendar. By drawing thousands of submissions annually, we continue to attract the best talent, and connect them with our development partners who over the years have guaranteed indie TV artists more than 100 development deals and counting.”

The winner of the HISTORY Unscripted Development Pipeline, ($10,000) which was selected from the five finalists announced earlier this year:

  • Gary Simson and Andrew Giacometti for their project “Wreck Hunters” (Los Angeles, CA)

The winner of the A&E Unscripted Development Pipeline, ($10,000) which was selected from the five finalists announced earlier this year:

  • Eric Kutner for his project “Risk” (New York, NY)

Finalists in the Lifetime Unscripted Development Pipeline ($10,000 winner to be announced later):

  • Nathan Stoll for his project “Can’t Knock The Hustle” (New York, NY)
  • Ryan Basham for his project “Doctor Diva” (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Kate Hendricks for her project “Kate the Wasp” (New York, NY)
  • Mark Haapala and Stewart Gold for their project “Pinky & The Fan Girls” (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Terri Lee Ryan for her project “Rori’s Party” (Chicago, IL)

FESTIVAL DEVELOPMENT AWARDS

Comedy Central: Caroline Fox and Daniel Obzejta for “This Old Thing” (Los Angeles, CA)

Lionsgate/Sea to Sky – Channel 4 Drama Co-Development Award: Ben Snyder and Ari Issler for “The Come Up” (Brooklyn, NY)
The Orchard GO Project: Jim Kozyra for “The Jamz” (Chicago, IL)

NYTVF PITCH AWARDS

  • Channel 4: Nicole Paglia and Daniel Brierley (London, UK)
  • Conde Nast Entertainment: Ramiro Castro Jr. and Pedro Castro (Los Angeles, CA)
  • FremantleMedia/Tiny Riot!: Sutton Dewey and Mark Millner (Brooklyn, NY)
  • FYI: James Spokoini & Massimiliano Bulgheroni (London, UK)
  • H2: Carrie Preston and Kate Rigg (New York, NY)
  • Investigation Discovery: Nicole Paglia and Daniel Brierley (London, UK)
  • National Geographic Channels: Steve Sera, Tim Egan, and Bob Sylvester (Boston, MA)
  • Red Arrow Entertainment: Jessica Coleman (Sicklerville, NJ)
  • SundanceTV: David Harris (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Travel Channel and ULIVE: Jim Kozyra and Chris Petlak (Chicago, IL)
  • truTV: Greg Ash (London, UK)
  • WEtv: Dan Berk and Robert Olsen (Brooklyn, NY)

In addition to the above, the FOX-NYTVF Comedy Alumni Program, Lifetime Unscripted Development Pipeline and MTV development deal winners will be announced later this year.

2014 INDEPENDENT PILOT COMPETITION WINNERS

Best Animation Pilot: “Future Duck!” created by Henry Dalton and Paul Cope (London, UK)
Best Comedy Pilot: “Cowards” created by Daniel Clark, Megan Green, Joe Kwaczala, Joe McAdam, and Chris Stephens (Los Angeles, CA)
Best Drama or Dramedy Pilot: “Dispatch” created by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen (Brooklyn, NY)
Best Short-Form Web Series: “Annie Undocumented” created by Daniel Hsia, Elaine Low, and Brian Yang (Los Angeles, CA)
Best Unscripted Pilot: “Love Spitters” created by Rich Seng and Nicholas Charles Peters (Chicago, IL)
Best Actress: Caroline Fox for “This Old Thing” (Los Angeles, CA)
Best Actor: Chris Mast for “Go, Bolivia, Go!” (Los Angeles, CA)
Best Director: David Eisenberg for “Witnesses” (Queens, NY)
Best Editor: Matt VanDaniker for “The Neighborhood” (Queens, NY)
Best Writing: “Trouble” written by Sean Skelton (New York, NY)
NYTVF Critics Award: “Witnesses” created by David Eisenberg and Jon Higgins (Queens, NY)
NYTVF Audience Award: “The Neighborhood” created by James Manzello and Matt Pavich (Queens, NY)
NYTVF “Best of the Fest”: “Dispatch” created by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen (Brooklyn, NY)

And here are the winning comedy submission trailers.

Dispatch, which starred Robert Olsen as “Bobby,” forced to take a gig as a weed deliveryman in NYC after getting fired from his desk job. Co-stars included Danny Hoch, Keith Poulson, Helen Rogers, Beth Hoyt, Zach Galligan, Tim Herrington, Jerry Colpitts and Dan Brennan.

In Cowards, four anxious friends continually find themselves in situations where they have to face their worst fear: social interaction. With Joe Kwaczala, Megan Green, Chris Stephens, Joe McAdam.

And in The Neighborhood, James Manzello and Matt Pavich are childhood friends turned aimless grown-ups who devise unsuccessful schemes to escape their neighborhood and its crazy inhabitants.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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