Celebrating the best independently produced television shows October 5-9, 2016

Dover, VT August 12, 2016 -  Enjoy relaxing outdoors by the fire pit while the foliage all around turns bright shades of red and orange? Add to that a casual conversation with the nation's top television executives and content creators about the new pilot screened that afternoon, and West Dover, VT is the perfect place to visit over Columbus Day Weekend this fall.

The 11th annual ITVFest returns to West Dover, Vt October 5-9, 2016.   Nestled amongst the Green Mountains in south central Vermont,  this leading festival for independent television producers and content creators will draw more than 1500 filmmakers, actors, writers, directors, producers and Hollywood executives as well as fans of television to see the best new TV pilots, web series, and short and documentary films.  

ITVFest is the premier festival for showcasing, celebrating and distinguishing the world's best independently produced television shows, web series, multimedia content and short films.

In 2013, Philip Gilpin, ITVFest Executive Director, moved the festival out of the Hollywood spotlight and stepped into Dover, Vermont - a rural location with an abundance of New England charm. Unlike big city festivals where it can be difficult to meet fellow attendees, Dover offers a casual, laid back environment where industry professionals and fans can meet and mingle, making lasting connections that can lead to prosperous careers.   

In 2016, close to 500 shows were submitted for consideration to the festival, from 23 countries across the globe.  Shows were submitted by college students and new professionals as well as seasoned Emmy-winning veterans.   A professional team of agents, producers and TV professionals will review and select 40-50 shows to screen at the festival.  Festival submissions are currently being reviewed and will be announced by August 12.

“The concept, of ITVFest has been compared to the Sundance of independent television.” says Gilpin. “But what makes ITVFest unique is that we are the only festival to focus specifically on high quality independently financed and created shows. We have also moved away from the glitz and glam of Hollywood to create an intimate setting where friends are made by the fire pit.”

In addition to the shows being screened, ITVFest will offer more than 40 panel discussions and workshops with leading executives, representing companies such as HBO, The Hallmark Channel, NBCUniversal and many other of the nation's top distributors.  Panels will feature content ranging from visual effects to entertainment law, casting, licensing and much more.  

With the majority of today's visual content being created outside of the major networks & studios, independent artists have become a central force within the entertainment industry generating their own sustainable revenue streams and multi-million person fan bases solely on the merits of their outstanding talent and engaging content. For these artists, ITVFest is an outlet to showcase their independently produced stories and network with other talented content creators ranging from new filmmakers to past Emmy winners.

This year's categories include: Best of ITVFest, Best TV Drama, Best TV Comedy, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Web Drama, Best Web Comedy, Best Writing, Best Editing, Best Director, Best Acting Ensemble, Best Visual Effects, Best Cinematography, Best Documentary, Best Reality, and Best Short Film.

Festival passes are currently available online at www.itvfest.com.  Passes begin at $35 for a one-day screening, which includes access to all screening venues, public panel discussions, and Q&A's with the artists.

To learn more about attending ITVFest or to purchase tickets, visit www.itvfest.com

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