ATX Television Festival Founders Chat New TV Shows and Celebrate 10th Anniversary

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Today, I’m joined by Caitlin McFarland and Emily Gipson, the founders of ATX Television Festival.

They met in LA while they were both working for Fox Studios, and realized there were loads of film festivals but none for TV. With the focus on bringing fans of TV and putting them together with the people who make it, they started ATX.

This year is their 10-year anniversary, and we talk about how they started the festival and how it’s going virtual this year.

Then we just talk about TV, our favorite shows, and how much the industry has changed over the years.

“At the heart, we call ourselves a celebration of TV.” - Emily Gipson  

Time Stamps:

07:32 - How many people are involved with the production of the Festival, and how COVID is affecting the production.
14:27 - The benefits there are from moving the festival online.
17:58 - What a ‘Television Festival’ is and the types of people who come to ATX.
22:31 - Screening independent shows and the partnerships they help cultivate.
25:37 - What the process of pitching a new show looks like.
27:11 - Caitlin’s favorite pitch for a show that she’s ever heard.
30:45 - Why TV shows are becoming more popular, and how the way we’ve consumed TV has changed.
35:09 - The new styles of shows that are now being released and the increased pressure on directors.
44:20 - How realistic The Chef film and show is.
47:11 - What Emily and Caitlin’s favorite show on TV is at the moment.
54:41 - What’s happening at ATX Festival this year and their love of the Austin spirit.
59:59 - Doing a podcast at the festival and our plans of doing live episodes.

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