Date: Sunday, 6/12
Time: 1:30 PM
Venue: State Theatre
Nine years after the series’ end, we sit down with the creatives behind one of TV’s most essential teen dramas to discuss all things Newport — from casting, to writing, to the show’s iconic soundtrack, and the lasting imprint of The O.C. in the pop culture and television canon. California, here we come… again. Following this in depth discussion, we will host a script reading of the THE O.C. Pilot featuring special guest cast.
Panelists: Josh Schwartz (Creator), Stephanie Savage, Leila Gerstein, Alexandra Patsavas (Music Supervisor)
Moderator: Alan Sepinwall (HitFix)
Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 1:30 PM
Venue: State Theatre
In 2002, FX’s original series The Shield – an unblinking, unapologetic take on the cop-procedural – sent a shockwave through television, due largely in part to creator Shawn Ryan and his equally unblinking writing team. While these writers have gone on to create, show-run, and produce a prolific amount of excellent television, we’re bringing them back to discuss where it all started, and how their experience on the critically-revered series has shaped their respective careers.
Panelists: Shawn Ryan (Creator/EP), Glen Mazzara (Writer/EP), Scott Rosenbaum (Writer/EP), Kurt Sutter (Writer/EP), Charles ‘Chic’ Eglee (Writer/EP)
Moderator: Lynette Rice (EW)
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Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 2:30 PM
Venue: SFA Assembly Room
Shondaland is place filled with drama, love, secrets, lies, heartbreak, hope, and life-threatening circumstances. Its residents are gladiators, politicians, interns, doctors, lawyers, and even presidents. While this “land” is obviously presided over by a woman named “Shonda” the train is kept on the tracks by a woman named Betsy. Join Ms. Beers for a live edition of EW’s series “Three Rounds with…,” as we pour the Tito’s Handmade Vodka for Annalise, toast some tequila for Meredith Grey, and have a glass of red for Olivia Pope, while Betsy spills (hopefully not her drink) to EW’s editor-in-chief about her role in Shondaland, how it began and evolved, and where TGIT’s leading ladies might be headed.
Panelists: Betsy Beers (Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal)
Moderator: Henry Goldblatt (EW)
Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 3:30 PM
Venue: Paramount Theatre
Join Achievement in Television eXcellence awardee Norman Lear for an in-depth conversation with Katey Sagal about his career in TV, the state of the medium today, and how important it is to contributing to real and impactful change.
Panelist: Norman Lear
Moderator: Katey Sagal
Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 10 AM
Venue: Google Fiber Space
ATX Advisory Board members (oh, and the creators of Emmy Award-winning television programs) Beau Willimon and Noah Hawley sit down to discuss the breadth of their work. Their experiences in storytelling span: political speechwriting to film and TV scripts to novels and plays. The two writers will compare notes on the merits and disadvantages of their respective non-TV endeavors as they explore the vast array of outlets for storytelling, and Hawley winds down the book tour for his second novel, Before the Fall.
Panelists: Noah Hawley (Fargo), Beau Willimon (House of Cards)
Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 10 AM
Venue: Google Fiber Space
After more than a decade of reporting crime from the streets of Baltimore, how did a career journalist like David Simon learn to navigate a TV writers’ room? The outcome was in no small part due to the indispensable guidance of veteran TV producer Tom Fontana. Together, they brought Simon’s realistic characterization of the BPD’s Homicide division to life in the provocative and critically-lauded, Homicide: Life on the Street. Separately, the two would go on to create two series that began to define HBO and stand out as part of the TV revolution: Oz and The Wire. Join Simon and Fontana as they reflect on their earlier and vastly different experiences in the realm of 90s broadcast TV.
Panelists: Tom Fontana (OZ, Homicide: Life on the Street), David Simon (The Wire, Treme)
Moderator: Beau Willimon (House of Cards)
Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 3:15 PM
Venue: State Theatre
Script reading of the never-picked-up pilot “Big,” presented by creators Kevin Biegel and Mike Royce — with a stellar cast from ATX featured series!!
Cast: Ana Ortiz, Ben Feldman, Mae Whitman, Patrick J. Adams, Angelique Cabral, Michael Ian Black, Colton Dunn
Moderators: Kevin Biegel, Mike Royce
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Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 11 AM
Venue: SFA Assembly Room
Historically, most character breakdowns are intrinsically tied to age, gender, race, and ethnicity — which can make casting extremely specific when it comes to finding the actor to embody that character. But times they are a changin’. The concept of “blind casting” comes when a creator has shaped a character in his or her mind, but has not set the physicality of that part (from race and ethnicity to age and gender). Listen as these creators, executive producers, and casting directors discuss this new process, how it both can be freeing and hindering, and the way it is changing the television industry.
Panelists: Jennifer Euston (Orange Is the New Black), Justin Spitzer (Superstore), Brian Michael Bendis (Powers), Brad DeLima (VP Casting, NBCUniversal)
Moderator: Tracy Lilienfield (Grace and Frankie)
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Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 2 PM
Venue: Google Fiber Space
“Breaking story” is a term heard frequently when writers and showrunners discuss the process of planning and plotting a season — but what does it mean? Come find out as we attempt to demystify this process.
Panelists: Anna Fricke (Being Human), Liz Tigelaar (Life Unexpected), Hart Hanson (Bones), John Wirth (Hell on Wheels), Scott Rosenbaum (The Shield)
Moderator: Natalie Abrams (EW)
Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 10 AM
Venue: SFA Ballroom
For as long as LGBTQIA viewers have seen themselves on screen, their stories have been subject to any number of damaging and stereotypical tropes — and while there are more and more series leading the charge to break stereotypes and push representation forward, the recent LGBT Fans Deserve Better movement has made it clear these tropes persist. In this conversation, a range of creatives discuss the importance of inclusion, intersectionality, and positive LGBTQIA representation on TV.
Panelists: Javier Grillo-Marxuach (The 100), Carina MacKenzie (The Originals), Krista Vernoff (Grey’s Anatomy), Carter Covington (Faking It), Megan Townsend (GLAAD)
Moderator: Lesley Goldberg (THR)
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Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 10 AM
Venue: SFA Assembly Room
From judges to presidents, elections to courtrooms, scandals to power plays — the drama and hope within the American political system often lends itself to some of TV’s bleakest and most inspiring moments. In this conversation, creatives and executives from iconic political series examine working with an existing framework of D.C., what happens when fictional politics meet real-world expectations, and why the subject lends itself to rich storytelling and keeps an audience tuning in.
Panelists: Kevin Falls (The West Wing), Rosemary Rodriguez (The Good Wife), Bryan Seabury (SVP Drama Development, CBS)
Moderator: Henry Goldblatt (EW)
Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 10 AM
Venue: Alamo Drafthouse Ritz – Theater 1
Panelists: Zander Lehmann (Creator/EP), Liz Tigelaar (EP), Helen Estabrook (EP), Jason Reitman (Director/EP), Cast: Michaela Watkins, Tommy Dewey, Tara Lynne Barr
Moderator: Danielle Nussbaum (EW)
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Date: Thursday, 6/9
Time: 4 PM
Venue: SFA Ballroom
From superheroes to villains, cops to criminals, zombies to post-apocalyptic survivors — TV’s most memorable action scenes have at least one thing in common: a stunt performer who has choreographed and calculated the impact of every car chased, gun fired, and punch thrown. Hear from the coordinators & actors who bring these sequences to life as they discuss & demonstrate the intense process behind getting that once-in-a-lifetime take, all the way from training and choreography to small-screen execution.
Panelists: Adrianne Palicki (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Derek Phillips (Friday Night Lights), Nick Benseman (K.C. Undercover), Nikki Tomlinson (The Walking Dead)
Moderator: Stacey Oristano
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Date: Sunday, 6/12
Time: 10 AM
Venue: SFA Ballroom
Even in the age of ‘Peak TV,’ explorations of religion and spirituality remain scarce — but comedies and dramas alike are finding the humanity and nuance in faith-based storylines, whether it’s reconciling concepts of self and sexuality in religion, or questioning a long-standing ideology. How does a series navigate what role a character’s faith will play in his or her story, or the show as a whole? These creatives discuss how they navigate questions of God and church within their own series, and the role of religion in an ever-expanding landscape of content.
Panelists: Jessica Goldberg (The Path), Brenda Lilly & Hollis Rich (State of Grace), Glen Mazzara (Damien), Jack Amiel (The Knick), Tom Fontana (Oz)
Moderator: Sandra Gonzalez (Mashable)
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Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 10 AM
Venue: Amazon Stage at Trinity Hall
The age of Twitter and intense social im(media)cy has granted TV lovers a peek into the nitty gritty details of series from start to finish. Arguably the most entertaining is the live discourse among the community of television critics that has emerged over the last decade. With direct and instant engagement with their favorite writers, balancing live viewing discussions, a bounty of showrunner post-mortem interviews, bi-annual TCA press tours, plus the addition of fans voraciously consuming endless amounts of content – how are TV’s most thoughtful, overworked, underpaid, opinionated, loudmouth critics supposed to keep an impartial balance? Listen to them discuss the joys and struggles that come with navigating the immediate and rapid-response world of social media all while keep their personal perspectives ultimately theirs.
Panelists: Tim Goodman (The Hollywood Reporter), Dan Fienberg (The Hollywood Reporter), Todd VanDerWerff (Vox), Libby Hill (LA Times), Alan Sepinwall (HitFix)
Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 3 PM
Venue: Alamo Drafthouse Ritz – Theater 1
Panelists: Adam Horowitz (Writer/Creator/EP), Edward Kitsis (Writer/Creator/EP), Ian Goldberg (Writer/Creator/EP); Cast: Mark Indelicato, Elizabeth Lail
Moderator: Natalie Abrams (EW)
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Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 12 PM
Venue: Amazon Stage at Trinity Hall
We’ve heard creators talk about (bemoan, complain, and at times, compliment) getting “notes” from the studio and network, but there’s not much known about who these phantom note givers are and what their role entails. Meet the Development Executives. These studio and network gurus will explain their role in the process of getting an episode from pilot script to production to ready for air. Hear their POV and goals, the factors viewers might never have considered, as they give us an inside look at creating shows from the “business” side of “show business.”
Panelists: Joanna Klein (The CW), Kathleen McCaffrey (HBO), Grant Gish (Fox), Bryan Seabury (CBS), Brendan Countee (Hulu)
Moderator: Lesley Goldberg (THR)
Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 1:30 PM
Venue: Amazon Stage at Trinity Hall
Join Amazon Studios’ Head of Drama Development Morgan Wandell and the executive producers of Sneaky Pete, Hand of God, and Trial as they give an exclusive inside look at each of their original series launching this fall; as well as discuss what makes Amazon Prime Video a perfect fit for these individual stories and unique characters.
Panelists: Graham Yost (Sneaky Pete), Jonathan Shapiro (Trial), Ben Watkins (Hand of God)
Moderator: Morgan Wandell (Head of Drama Development, Amazon Studios)
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Date: Sunday, 6/12
Time: 11:30 AM
Venue: Amazon Stage at Trinity Hall
Whether your laughs are delivered to you in single or multi cam formats, with a dose of sweetness, sarcasm or silliness, the comedy series is designed to provide a respite from the real world. The creators, actors and EPs behind TV’s most likable characters and worlds discuss how and why a KINDer approach to storytelling may be exactly what viewers want and need to LIVE KIND. every day.™ Their thoughts on the sprawling landscape of comedy, and where they believe the pendulum will land next.
Panelists: Jennie Snyder Urman (Jane the Virgin), Kevin Biegel (Enlisted), Justin Adler (Life in Pieces), Dana Tuinier (VP Original Programming, TVLand)
Moderator: Dan Fienberg (THR)
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Date: Thursday, 6/9
Time: 4 PM
Venue: Amazon Stage at Trinity Hall
Though the concept of Fandom has been active for decades, in the current age of Kickstarter, hashtags, trending topics, and streaming platforms, TV fan(atic)s have found relatively new power to make, break, or even revive a series. Hear from showrunners, writers, and actors who regularly engage with their audiences as they discuss the ever-evolving impact of fan culture, and how social media is rapidly closing the gap between those who watch, love and engage with TV, and those who create it.
Panelists: Dan Amboyer (Younger), Hart Hanson (Bones), Gus Sorola (Co-Founder, Rooster Teeth), Javier Grillo-Marxuach (The 100), Carina MacKenzie (The Originals)
Moderator: Laura Felschow (UT Austin)
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Date: Sunday, 6/12
Time: 10 AM
Venue: Amazon Stage at Trinity Hall
The main rule of fantasy is simple, “don’t break the rules you create.” Viewers will follow you to the edge of your universe, as long as you don’t betray them. But what and who dictates the “rules” of the universe? Producers, writers, and development execs talk about what goes into the process (freedoms and limitations) of creating a fantasy TV series, from building the look of a new world and the characters that inhabit it to placing supernatural characters into our everyday lives.
Panelists: John Wirth (V), Krista Vernoff (Charmed), Joanna Klein (SVP Scripted Development, The CW), Anna Fricke (Being Human)
Moderator: Emily Moss Wilson
Date: Sunday, 6/12
Time: 1 PM
Venue: SFA Ballroom
The musical tone of a TV series is created not by an individual, but by an entire team dedicated to balancing story and character with the use of original and licensed music. Following the sophomore season of the FX Emmy award winning series Fargo, join their music team of creator, composer, and music supervisor as they discuss their collaboration on the series’ musical landscape — including their goals and intentions to specific scenes + the overall series, touching on both the creative and the necessary, in addition to how the music contributed to the immersive world that is Fargo Year Two.
Panelists: Noah Hawley (Creator/Showrunner), Maggie Phillips (Supervisor), Jeff Russo (Composer)
Moderator: Erik Adams (The AV Club)
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Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 12 PM
Venue: SFA Ballroom
The creative voices behind some of TV’s most buzz-worthy new shows discuss the process of creating and/or running their own show for the first time, and learning to juggle all that having a new series entails, from pitching, to writing and producing a pilot, having their series picked up, organizing a writers room, and being paired with seasoned showrunners (or learning to become one themselves).
Panelist: Ryan Condal (Colony), Zander Lehmann (Casual), Sarah Gertrude Shapiro (unREAL), Joe Pokaski (Underground)
Moderator: Tim Goodman (THR)
Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 1:30 PM
Venue: Alamo Drafthouse Ritz – Theater 2
Join creator Krista Vernoff and actress Abigail Spencer as they talk about not 1, but 2 series they made together — and what they learned, loved, and lost during the process.
GRACE: Revolves around a dysfunctional family and is set in the world of professional dance.
INTRODUCING LENNIE ROSE: Dramedy about a struggling singer/songwriter overcoming the odds to find love and make it big in New York City.
Panelists: Krista Vernoff (Writer/Creator/EP); Cast: Abigail Spencer
Moderator: Dan Fienberg (THR)
Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 11:30 AM
Venue: Google Fiber Space
Panelists: Kathryn Price (Writer/Creator/EP), Todd Slavkin (Writer/EP), TBD Cast
Moderator: Leanne Aguilera (ET)
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Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 10 AM
Venue: Amazon Stage at Trinity Hall
Phil Rosenthal may have created Everybody Loves Raymond, but his heart is in his stomach, and he’s taken his love for food to the small screen with his James Beard Award winning series, “I’ll Have What Phil’s Having.” 5 Words that won’t steer you wrong. Join us and Phil for the ultimate Austin meal, the breakfast taco (specifically from the same spot where the President stopped), while we talk about the two things every ATXer loves, TV and food!
Panelist: Phil Rosenthal
Moderator: Ben Blacker
Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 2 PM
Venue: Paramount Theatre
Opening Film of the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, this documentary presents a look at the life, work and political activism of one of the most successful television producers of all time, Norman Lear.
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Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 4:30 PM
Venue: SFA Assembly Room
Who doesn’t love a good love story? The beautiful anxiety of a love triangle? Rooting for one “team’ or another? But how long can a “will they, won’t they” story sustain a TV series? Hear from writers whose TV series centered around a romantic through line, what pitfalls that can bring, and how to keep an audience caring through the third, fourth, and fifth break ups…or even more, after the central couple commits for the long haul, or worse decides to leave the show.
Panelists: Hart Hanson (Bones), Jennie Snyder Urman (Jane the Virgin), Leila Gerstein (Hart of Dixie), Liz Tigelaar (Casual), Carter Covington (Faking It)
Moderator: Jarett Wieselman (BuzzFeed)
Date: Thursday, 6/9
Time: 2 PM
Venue: Alamo Drafthouse Ritz – Theater 1
Panelists: Byron Balasco (Writer/Director/Creator/EP); Cast: Frank Grillo, Kiele Sanchez, Matt Lauria, Joanna Going, Natalie Martinez
Moderator: Robyn Ross (EW)
Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 2 PM
Venue: Amazon Stage at Trinity Hall
Kurt Sutter and Katey Sagal sit down to discuss what it’s like to create on both sides of the camera — from writing, developing, and casting a series, to inhabiting and shaping the inner workings of a character brought to life. Writer meets Actor in this in-depth exploration into collaborative creative process.
Panelists: Katey Sagal, Kurt Sutter
Date: Sunday, 6/12
Time: 1 PM
Venue: Google Fiber Space
Panelists: Jennifer Gwartz (EP); Cast: Clayne Crawford
Moderator: Lynette Rice (EW)
Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 10 AM
Venue: Alamo Drafthouse Ritz – Theater 1
Panelists: Justin Adler (Writer/Creator/EP), Angelique Cabral, Thomas Sadoski
Moderator: Dan Fienberg (THR)
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Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 1 PM
Venue: SFA Assembly Room
Students, teachers, and classrooms are concepts and structures we have all experienced, but how often do we have a chance to learn from someone at the top of their field? Emmy-winning writer and executive producer Howard Gordon, a true “master” of television, sits down to reflect on the greatest lessons he’s learned from his storied career. In an intimate setting he will discuss successes and failures, mentors and proteges, and the greatest lessons he has learned along the way. Join us as we all learn from his experiences contributing to television’s most exhilarating, devastating, and compelling series — from The X-Files to 24 to Homeland, as well as his current projects, FX’s Tyrant and FOX’s much-anticipated 24: Legacy.
Panelists: Howard Gordon (Tyrant, 24, Homeland)
Moderator: Alan Sepinwall (HitFix)
Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 5 PM
Venue: SFA Ballroom
The cast and executive producers of the hit WGN series Outsiders from Sony Pictures Television invite you to meet face to face with the Farrell clan… if you dare. A Q&A with the cast and creator/executive producers will be highlighted by never-before-seen deleted scenes, favorite scenes from Season 1 selected by the cast and producers and a hint at what’s to come in Season 2 up on the mountain.
Panelists: Peter Mattei (Writer/Creator/EP), Peter Tolan (Writer/EP); Cast: Ryan Hurst, Gillian Alexy, Christina Jackson
Moderator: Ben Travers (IndieWire)
Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 4 PM
Venue: Google Fiber Space
Panelists: Jonathan Nolan (Writer/Creator/EP), Greg Plageman (Writer/EP)
Moderator: Eric Goldman (IGN)
Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 12 PM
Venue: Alamo Drafthouse Ritz – Theater 1
Panelists: Rick Singer (Writer/Creator/EP), Kevin Falls (EP); Cast: Kylie Bunbury, Mark-Paul Gosselaar
Moderator: Elizabeth Wagmeister (Variety)
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Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 1:30 PM
Venue: Google Fiber Space
Through its innate intimacy and week-to-week stories, television is arguably our most impactful medium, having the power to literally change hearts and minds. Hear creators, EPs, and executives discuss how their series have surpassed diversity trends and token characters by organically weaving in storylines of race, religion, the foster care system, immigration, abortion, health care, and many many more, with the belief that exposing audiences to a variety of people, experiences, and worlds they might never encounter will normalize these unfamiliar issues and defuse them once and for all.
Panelists: Jack Amiel (The Knick), Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights), Jennie Snyder Urman (Jane the Virgin), Mike Royce (Enlisted), Carter Covington (Faking It)
Moderator: Maury McIntyre (President, Television Academy)
Date: Sunday, 6/12
Time: 1:30 PM
Venue: Alamo Drafthouse Ritz – Theater 1
Panelists: Sam Catlin (Writer/Creator/EP); Cast: Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga, Anatol Yusef
Moderator: Eric Goldman (IGN)
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Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 2 PM
Venue: SFA Ballroom
Comic books have been the subject of film and TV adaptations for decades, but the last 10-15 years have seen a boom in quantity and quality as more and more of these stories appear on the small screen, bringing iconic characters and shared universes to life. But how does a storyteller infuse their own voice into an often stylized and specific world, while still satisfying a pre-existing (and passionate) fan base? The writers and EPs of comic adaptations past, present, and future discuss the the unique challenges of adapting one highly visual format to another, and what makes TV such an appealing medium for exploring these fantastical series.
Panelists: Noah Hawley (Legion), Javier Grillo-Marxuach (The Middleman), Brian Michael Bendis (Powers), Rosemary Rodriguez (Jessica Jones)
Moderator: Ben Blacker
OPENING NIGHT SCREENING
Date: Thursday, 6/9
Time: 7 PM
Venue: Paramount Theatre
OPENING NIGHT PREMIERE OF PILOT EPISODE. QUEEN OF THE SOUTH tells the powerful story of Teresa Mendoza, a woman who is forced to run and seek refuge in America after her drug-dealing boyfriend is unexpectedly murdered in Mexico. In the process, she teams up with an unlikely figure from her past to bring down the leader of the very drug trafficking ring that has her on the run.
Panelists: David T. Friendly (EP); Cast: Alice Braga, Joaquim de Almeida, Jon Ecker, Verónica Falcón, Justina Machado, Peter Gadiot, Gerardo Taracena, Hemky Madera
Moderator: Jarett Wieselman (BuzzFeed)
Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 11:30 AM
Venue: Paramount Theatre
It’s been five years, and the Gavins, Keefes, and guys of Ladder 62 have returned! Groundbreaking in its unflinching examination of PTSD, survivor’s guilt, and alcoholism (to name just a few), Rescue Me masterfully earned its place as a seminal series of television’s latest “Golden Age.” Co-creators Denis Leary, Peter Tolan, and cast members will revisit their series from start to finish, including discussing some of storytelling’s toughest tightropes, examining the importance of paying tribute to NYC firefighters, and what they feel is the show’s ultimate legacy.
Panelists: Peter Tolan (Writer/Creator/EP), Evan Reilly (Writer/EP); Cast: Denis Leary (Writer/Creator/EP), John Scurti, Callie Thorne, Andrea Roth, Michael Lombardi, Larenz Tate, Tatum O’Neal, James McCaffrey, Adam Ferrara
Moderator: Gary Levin (USA Today)
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Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 12 PM
Venue: Google Fiber Space
The co-founders of pioneering studio Rooster Teeth join the creative leads and talent from two of the company’s new feature shows to discuss programming and producing series for an ever-evolving digital landscape. Learn how Rooster Teeth developed Day 5 and Crunch Time to meet the growing demand for high quality programming.
Panelists: Burnie Burns (Co-Founder), Matt Hullum (Co-Founder), Andrew Disney (Crunch Time), Bradley Jackson (Crunch Time), Jesse Boyd (Day 5), Josh Flanagan (Day 5)
Moderator: Richard Whittaker (Austin Chronicle)
SPECIAL MUSICAL EPISODE SCREENING FROM THE FINAL SEASON
Date: Sunday, 6/12
Time: 11 AM
Venue: State Theatre
When Ms. Newberg’s life-long best friend, Annette, visits the Hamptons for her wedding to Eddie, she begins seeing every situation around her as a musical number. While Hank attempts to diagnose what is wrong with her, everyone at HankMed bursts into song and dance. Meanwhile, Hank struggles to reconcile Eddie and Evan’s father-son relationship before the wedding, and Paige and Evan eagerly await the results of a pregnancy test.
Panelists: Andrew Lenchewski (Creator/EP), Michael Rauch (Writer/EP), Cast: Mark Feuerstein, Paulo Costanzo, Ben Shenkman, Brooke D’Orsay, Henry Winkler, Reshma Shetty
Moderator: Kate Stanhope (THR)
Date: Sunday, 6/12
Time: 10 AM
Venue: Alamo Drafthouse Ritz – Theater 2
Search Party is a dark comedy mystery that centers on Dory, her clueless boyfriend Drew, and her narcissistic best friends, Elliott and Portia who are not crime solvers in the least. So when Dory drags them down the rabbit hole of a bumbling pursuit to find a missing girl who they can barely remember from college, they become entangled in a sinister plot that is more than their privileged Brooklyn lifestyles ever bargained for.
Panelists: Sarah-Violet Bliss (Writer/Director/EP), Charles Rogers (Writer/Director/EP); Cast: Alia Shawkat
Moderator: Ben Travers (IndieWire)
Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 5 PM
Venue: Alamo Drafthouse Ritz – Theater 1
Panelists: Denis Leary (EP/Actor) Cast: Elizabeth Gillies, Bobby Kelly, John Ales
Moderator: Tim Goodman (THR)
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Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 3:30 PM
Venue: SFA Ballroom
TV has the power to be reflective, contemplative – and at times, eerily prescient. The aftermath of 9/11 signaled a fundamental shift in storytelling, heightening the sensitivity in themes of suspicion, terrorism, and pro or anti-American mentalities. The creators of series that focus on these subjects (24, The West Wing, Colony, and Rescue Me) discuss the practical impact of 9/11 on long-form storytelling, the evolution of it over the past 15 years, and with the current power of television, what level of social responsibility there should be in writing a story that could contribute to stereotyping or invoke fear-mongering towards different cultures and social groups throughout the world.
Panelists: Denis Leary (Rescue Me), Peter Tolan (Rescue Me), Ryan Condal (Colony), Melissa Fitzgerald (The West Wing), Howard Gordon (Homeland)
Moderator: Sandra Gonzalez (Mashable)
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Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 3 PM
Venue: Amazon Stage at Trinity Hall
It’s a heartbreaking fact of life (and TV): sometimes we want more than we get. Single seasons are at times planned (ie limited, mini or event series), but more often are due to cancellation — whether they have fallen victim to misguided branding, timing, creative struggles, or unforeseen circumstances within an ever-evolving industry. Come hear from those closest to these dearly departed, single-season series — as they discuss the lessons they have learned, constantly-changing definitions of success without compromising creative vision, and how these short-lived series have shaped their ongoing careers.
Panelists: Hart Hanson (Backstrom), Ted Griffin (Terriers), Javier Grillo-Marxuach (The Middleman), Kevin Falls (Journeyman)
Moderator: Debra Birnbaum (Variety)
Date: Sunday, 6/12
Time: 11:30 AM
Venue: Alamo Drafthouse Ritz – Theater 2
Panelists: Brenda Lilly (Creator), Hollis Rich (Creator), Nancy Redford (former VP, FOX Family Channel); Cast: Mae Whitman, Alia Shawkat, Michael Mantell, Faye Grant
Moderator: Leanne Aguilera (ET)
Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 3:30 PM
Venue: Alamo Drafthouse Ritz – Theater 1
Panelists: Justin Spitzer (Writer/Creator/EP); Cast: America Ferrera (Producer), Ben Feldman, Lauren Ash, Colton Dunn, Nico Santos, Nichole Bloom, Mark McKinney
Moderator: Marc Snetiker (Entertainment Weekly)
Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 2 PM
Venue: Alamo Drafthouse Ritz – Theater 1
Panelists: Mike O’Malley (Writer/Creator/EP), Ali LeRoi (Director); Cast: RonReaco Lee, Jessie Usher, Erica Ash, Tichina Arnold
Moderator: Dan Fienberg (THR)
Date: Sunday, 6/12
Time: 11 AM
Venue: Alamo Drafthouse Ritz – Theater 1
Panelists: Ted Griffin (Creator), Shawn Ryan (EP), Marney Hochman (EP), Tim Minear (Writer/EP); Cast: Donal Logue
Moderator: Alan Sepinwall (HitFix)
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Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 10 AM
Venue: SFA Ballroom
With the definition of what it means to be a traditional always evolving, TV has become a powerful place to educate and showcase the changing world we live in — in particular, what happens inside homes. Hear creators of half-hour comedies discuss the TV families they grew up watching, the affect their families have on their shows, and for better or for worse, how they view today’s TV family unity — because from Dick Van Dyke and I Love Lucy, to Archie Bunker and the Jeffersons, to today’s Fresh Off the Boat and The Carmichael Show — one thing everyone can relate to is family.
Panelists: Nahnatchka Khan (Fresh Off the Boat), David Windsor (The Real O’Neals), Norman Lear (All In the Family), Phil Rosenthal (Everybody Loves Raymond), Hollis Rich (State of Grace)
Moderator: Debra Birnbaum (Variety)
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Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 3:30 PM
Venue: SFA Ballroom
We’re frequently told that TV is a writer’s medium — so how important is the role of a “non-writing producer”? Extremely. These gladiators have helped shepherd some of our favorite shows to the small screen. Whether they have partnered in a production company with an uber-creator like Shonda Rhimes, or taken on a variety of large and small projects with multiple writers — these mega-producers shed light on their many responsibilities, from being the conduit between the showrunner and the studio, balancing being a creative force in their own rite, and being the through line of the series to keep the production afloat.
Panelists: Betsy Beers (Grey’s Anatomy), Melissa Bernstein & Mark Johnson (Rectify)
Moderator: Meeta Agrawal (EW)
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Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 3 PM
Venue: SFA Assembly Room
In a medium that ostensibly belongs to writers, what creative input does the TV director get, have, or fight for? Outside of the clear task of running the physical production and shooting an episode on site — what contribution does s/he get to impart on the storytelling process? From producing directors to weekly “guests” of the production, hear what goes into balancing a show’s pre-established voice while leaving a mark in a medium driven by the script and narrative of its writers. With directors who have effortlessly slipped in and out of the stark realism of corrupt Baltimore, to the ambitious world of pro basketball in Atlanta, to the rapid-fire banter of the White House, we explore the evolving abilities of the TV director and discuss the balance between individuality and service to the larger story.
Panelists: Thomas Schlamme (The West Wing), Ali LeRoi (Survivor’s Remorse), Rosemary Rodriguez (The Good Wife)
Moderator: Alan Sepinwall (HitFix)
Date: Sunday, 6/12
Time: 10 AM
Venue: Google Fiber Space
Panelists: Jim Gaffigan (Writer/Creator/EP), Jeannie Gaffigan (Writer/EP); Cast: Ashley Williams, Michael Ian Black
Moderator: Erik Adams (The AV Club)
Date: Sunday, 6/12
Time: 11:30 AM
Venue: Google Fiber Space
In a conversation highlighting TV’s ability to not only shift perceptions but shed a positive light on social issues, the creators and cast of NBC’s The Night Shift discuss the complexities of maintaining a realistic and honest portrayal of veterans in a fictional world — an endeavor that earned them the distinction of being one of the first ‘6 Certified’ TV series and garnered support (and guest appearances) from Michelle Obama and Jill Biden.
Panelists: Gabe Sachs (Writer/Creator/EP); Cast: Jill Flint, Brendan Fehr, Robert Bailey Jr., JR Lemon, Scott Wolf
Moderator: Bill Rausch (Got Your 6)
Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 4 PM
Venue: Alamo Drafthouse Ritz – Theater 2
Panelists: Jessica Goldberg (Writer/Creator/EP), Jason Katims (EP)
Moderator: Debra Birnbaum (Variety)
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Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 2 PM
Venue: SFA Ballroom
In an age of “too much TV” and “not enough time,” networks and studios face the undeniable need to define their brand. Ironically, this means that while viewers may have an embarrassment of riches in terms of content and platforms to choose from, networks/studios choices become more limited as their brand becomes more specific. Hear top executives and creatives discuss their studio/network brands and how tighter budgets, decisions to make a pilot vs. straight to series, and a rise in competition effect decisions of what series they decide to invest in.
Panelists: Patrick Moran (EVP Creative & Production, ABC Studios), Beatrice Springborn (Head of Originals, Hulu), Liz Tigelaar (Writer/Creator/EP), Kathleen McCaffrey (Director of Original Series, HBO), Bryan Seabury (Senior Vice President, Drama Development, CBS), Betsy Beers (Grey’s Anatomy)
Moderator: Lesley Goldberg (THR)
Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 4:30 PM
Venue: Google Fiber Space
The Pitch Finals have arrived! After narrowing down from hundreds of applicants, the judges are aching to hear our finalists pitch live, and name a winner! Join us as our ten finalists each get 3 minutes to give their best pitch. The winner will receive a development meeting with one of our judges and a chance to pitch to our network partners. Y’all never know, one of these series could be on your TV (or computer) next year!
Panelists: Anna Fricke (Being Human), Graham Yost (Justified), Noreen O’Toole (Bad Robot), Ryan Andolina (Amazon), Bryan Seabury (CBS), Henry Goldblatt (Entertainment Weekly)
Moderator: Emily Moss Wilson
Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 11:30 AM
Venue: Paramount Theatre
Aaron Sorkin created an alternate reality that we all wished was real, where President Bartlet and his WEST WING staffers did everything they could to change their world, and in the process, left a lasting impact on ours – and the world of TV. In a rare conversation with Mr. Sorkin, director Thomas Schlamme, and lead cast members, we re-visit the heart-pounding conviction, spit-fire writing, and unforgettable characters that continue to impact viewers a decade later, as well as, the series’ ongoing relevance to American political culture.
Panelists: Aaron Sorkin (Writer/Creator/EP), Thomas Schlamme (Director/EP); Cast: Bradley Whitford, Dulé Hill, Janel Moloney, Joshua Malina, Richard Schiff, Melissa Fitzgerald
Moderator: Lawrence O’Donnell (MSNBC)
Date: Thursday, 6/9
Time: 2 PM
Venue: SFA Ballroom
An interactive, improvised conversation between the audience and House of Cards creator Beau Willimon about the creative process, outside-the-box thinking, the blank page, risk-taking and brutal honesty. All are welcome. Bring your truths and fears and daring.
Panelist: Beau Willimon (House of Cards)
Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 10:30 AM
Venue: Alamo Drafthouse Ritz – Theater 2
Panelists: Howard Gordon (Writer/EP)
Moderator: Debra Birnbaum (Variety)
CLOSING NIGHT EVENT
Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 7:30 PM
Venue: Paramount Theatre
Panelists: Silvio Horta (Writer/Co-Creator/EP); Cast: America Ferrera, Michael Urie, Tony Plana, Eric Mabius, Ana Ortiz, Vanessa Williams, Mark Indelicato, Rebecca Romijn, Ashley Jensen, Judith Light
Moderator: Jessica Shaw (EW)
Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 5 PM
Venue: State Theatre
Panelists: Sarah Gertrude Shapiro (Writer/Creator/EP), Stacy Rukeyser (Writer/EP)
Moderator: Jarett Wieselman (BuzzFeed)
Date: Thursday, 6/9
Time: 12 PM
Venue: SFA Ballroom
ATX Alums & Staff share their tips, tricks, and breakfast taco recommendations for getting through the festival. Whether you’re a first-timer or ATX pro, join us (and some special guests) to help kick off Season 5!
Panelists: TBA
Moderator: TBA
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Date: Saturday, 6/11
Time: 3 PM
Venue: Google Fiber Space
In 1959, twenty-six series in prime time television were traditional Westerns featuring stories of cowboys, gunslingers, outlaws, and an overall sense of a hero vs. a villain. Over 50 years later, the same themes of this mid-century genre still exist, though on a much broader spectrum. From traditional representations like “Hell on Wheels” to more modern thematic series like “Justified” and the fantastical viewpoint of HBO’s upcoming “Westworld,” there is something uniquely American that remains compelling and timeless to TV viewers. Hear writers and actors discuss carrying on this rich tradition of iconic characters, and the stories of rags to riches, revenge, duels, outlaws, lawmen, and the communities they protect.
Panelists: Graham Yost (Justified), Jonathan Tucker (Justified), Anson Mount (Hell on Wheels), John Wirth (Hell on Wheels), Tim Minear (Firefly), Jonathan Nolan (Westworld), Lisa Joy (Westworld)
Moderator: Ben Blacker
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Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 12:30 PM
Venue: SFA Ballroom
Young adult novels are not classified by reading level, but rather by the point of view of the main character. Does this same rule apply to YA TV? Some of the creators of the most seminal “teen centered” TV shows discuss what they believe classifies a show as YA, what storylines they will and will not broach when it comes to this age range, and how they have mastered writing from the teenage perspective while garnering audiences of all ages.
Panelists: Anna Fricke (Being Human), Liz Tigelaar (Life Unexpected), Carter Covington (Faking It), Rebecca Serle (Famous in Love)
Moderator: Carina MacKenzie, Jarett Wieselman (BuzzFeed)
Date: Friday, 6/10
Time: 5 PM
Venue: Alamo Drafthouse Ritz – Theater 1
Panelists: Darren Star (Creator/Writer/EP); Cast: Sutton Foster, Debi Mazar, Miriam Shor, Nico Tortorella, Molly Bernard, Peter Hermann, Dan Amboyer
Moderator: Elizabeth Wagmeister (Variety)
