![]() Unscripted or “reality” TV, digital shorts, branded content and even instructional videos with narrative overtures, such as the kind made my Denver-based Bluprint (formerly Craftsy), will also be represented alongside edgy, late-night programming, independent pilots, and a festival-wrapping awards ceremony. They include Ted Sarandos and Mike Fries (of Netflix) on June 21, Elvis Mitchell (former New York Times film critic) and Rachel Brill (Epix) on June 23, and Jane Turton (All3Media) and Bob Leighton (Liberty Global) on June 24. In fact, this year’s theme is “The Year of Innovation,” which will be underlined with public conversations among insiders. ![]() Over the years it has directly addressed the technological changes and the way they’ve affected the creative side of the industry. But SeriesFest was always designed to be nimble, Kleiner said. Since its debut, SeriesFest has seen a major shift in the way TV is consumed, with digital streaming replacing destination-viewing on home screens. But we’ve also made a concerted effort to reach out to local audiences” (full disclosure: As a member of the local media, I have been a panel moderator at SeriesFest in the past). “And that means more industry executives coming in and seeing everything that’s here. Last year saw a 46 percent increase in sales over the preceding year, with 12,500 tickets distributed. ![]() “We’ve seen exponential growth every year,” Kleiner said of the festival, which is open to the public via ticketed events. Meanwhile, talent from NBC, the Paramount Network, Starz and other established brands has provided both content and support for SeriesFest programming and, crucially, the workshops aimed at helping upstart and marginalized creators. But donations and corporate sponsors have helped SeriesFest transform itself into a nonprofit while at the same time setting up a permanent office in Denver that produces year-round, national programming. Past years have featured artists such as Lauryn Hill, Common and Destiny’s Child, as well as large-format screenings and premieres like the Kevin Costner vehicle “Yellowstone.” “This year’s Red Rocks show sold out in six hours,” Kleiner, SeriesFest’s CEO, said in reference to the June 24 Stevie Wonder concert at the Morrison amphitheater - Wonder’s first-ever appearance there - as part of a TV and Music tribute. Kleiner and Westbrook are particularly proud of that last one. SeriesFest 2019 will feature 57 series in competition, 11 special events from networks and 13 panels, building on the previous four years of luring celebrities, producers and up-and-coming talent away from the coasts for a week of discovery, deal-making and music in Colorado. It didn’t hurt that Kleiner and Westbrook were experienced producers, with TV credits to boot.įast forward to Season 5, as Kleiner and Westbrook are calling this year’s event, and SeriesFest has become one of the premiere international festivals of its kind, along with this month’s ATX Television Festival in Austin, Texas Banff World Media Festival in Banff, Canada and the Monte-Carlo TV Festival in Monaco. That included the use of DFS’s home theaters at the Sie FilmCenter, where the festival is still centered. “Britta (Erickson, DFS festival director and, currently, interim leader) really made that possible for us, and a lot of other things fell into place.” “The Denver Film Society was actually our first partner, which was amazing,” Westbrook said. And besides, weren’t there already several film-adjacent mini-festivals around the state, from Aspen’s prestigious Shortsfest to the Denver Film Society’s annual Women + Film event? That meant Kleiner and Westbrook had to educate people on what a TV festival was (hint: it’s a lot like a film festival), or the fact that it could work at all. There’s no way you’re going to be able to pull this off.’ “Ĭhallenging, too, was the fact that SeriesFest was not a film festival - which most of us are familiar with - but rather one of a handful of burgeoning TV festivals around North America. We had a lot of phone calls where people were initially freaked out because we were doing it too fast, and also because we were women. “We announced it on February 1 and were doing the festival in June. ![]() “There was a lot of doubt in us being able to do it so quickly,” said Westbrook, now chief content officer for SeriesFest, which returns to Denver June 21-26. Monday, February 20th 2023 Home Page Close Menu
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