2014 Independent Pilot Competition Awards

 

“Best of the Fest”:

Dispatch
Created by: Dan Berk and Robert Olsen (Brooklyn, NY)

NYTVF Audience Award:

The Neighborhood
created by James Manzello and Matt Pavich (Queens, NY)

NYTVF Critics Award:

Witnesses
Created by: David Eisenberg and Jon Higgins (Queens, NY)

Best Comedy Pilot:

Cowards
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 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

This Old Thing (Los Angeles, CA)

Best Actor: Chris Mast

Go, Bolivia, Go! (Los Angeles, CA)

Best Directing: David Eisenberg

Witnesses (Queens, NY)

Best Editor: Matt VanDaniker

The Neighborhood (Queens, NY)

Best Writing: Sean Skelton

Trouble (New York, NY)

 

 

Descriptions and trailers for all IPC selections can be found below.

 


 

2014 Official Selections

 

The New York Television Festival is proud to announce the following 62 Official Selections to the 2014 Independent Pilot Competition.

The pilots selected for this year’s IPC represent talented writers, producers and actors from across the U.S. – including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, New Orleans and Denver, as well as a record ten international selections from the UK and Australia.

Additionally, they feature a number of names, faces, and voices recognizable to TV fans, including Michael K Williams (The Wire, Boardwalk Empire), Carrie Preston (The Good Wife, True Blood), Pete Holmes (The Pete Holmes Show), Malcolm McDowell (Franklin & Bash, A Clockwork Orange), Janet Varney (Burning Love, The Legend of Korra), Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street), André Holland (The Knick), Zandy Hartig (Childrens Hospital), Scott Evans (One Live to Live), Eisa Davis (Hart of Dixie), Jim O'Heir (Parks and Recreation), Samantha Smith (Supernatural), Jim Meskimen (The Boondocks), Dennis Coard (Home and Away), Jamie Lee (Girl Code), and Kel Mitchell (Kenan & Kel).

 

 

Individual pilots, including trailers where available, are below.

 


Animated Pilots

BFE (Animated Comedy)
Created by David Harris and Scabfarm - Los Angeles, CA and Austin, TX

Teenage punk Pixie Waller and her new family go looking for trouble in the small town of Egypt, Texas.

Distraction Team (Animated Comedy)
Created by Jake Greene and Patrick Danaher - Los Angeles, CA

A team of government agents work to distract the population from terrible events by creating even bigger news. However, their efforts often blow up in their face.

Future Duck! (Adult Animated Comedy)
Created by Henry Dalton and Paul Cope - London, UK

Promises to make it into your top three “shows about a duck that comes from the future who now lives with a semi-evolved whale with legs, a thawed-out female T. Rex, and a sentient English muffin.”

NWAR (Animated Detective Comedy)
Created by Dan Markowitz - New York, NY

An animated film noir parody following a gritty detective and his coterie of clients, marks, and innocent bystanders.

[COLLAPSE ANIMATED]



Comedy Pilots

Apartment Guy (Workplace Sitcom)
Created by Bill Boehler - Chicago, IL

Bill and his colleagues at a real estate agency navigate the woes of apartment-hunting in Chicago, getting into trouble and overcompensating for their mistakes along the way.

Assassins in Love (Sitcom)
Created by Kevin Scott - New York, NY

Junior high school is a battle ground for the members of the Assassination Re-Creation Club as they encounter enemies from inside and out.

BLEAK (Comedy)
Created by Kate McLennan and Kate McCartney - Fairfield, VIC, Australia

A web series about rebuilding your life in a home that’s falling apart.

The Brothel (Workplace Comedy)
Created by Laura Grey, Langan Kingsley, Kristy Lopez-Bernal, Natasha Vaynblat, and Moujan Zolfaghari - New York, NY

When Sara is thrust into an office job at The Institute of Pleasure, she quickly learns that the oldest profession is still a profession, and sometimes you need to get your hands dirty to keep the lights on...or off.

The Come Up (Comedy)
Created by Ben Snyder and Ari Issler - Brooklyn, NY

A group of men in New York navigate adulthood while avoiding the trappings that come with the territory – career, commitment, and any kind of compromise.

CosmoNots (Comedy)
Created by Jason Cooper and Dani Oliver - West Hollywood, CA

Dani, an aspiring culture blogger, sets out to research how popular media speaks to women, pawning off the outrageous and misguided advice from the pages of women's magazines on three of her friends.

Cowards (Sitcom)
Created by Megan Green, Joe Kwaczala, Joe McAdam, and Chris Stephens - Los Angeles, CA

Four anxious friends continually find themselves in situations where they have to face their worst fear: social interaction.

Gary Saves the Graveyard (Comedy)
Created by Todd Bieber - New York, NY

As the new caretaker of a graveyard, Gary discovers that he must play referee to the numerous dead residents that come to life each night – including his childhood best friend.

Giving Up (Dark Comedy)
Created by Kris Lefcoe - New York, NY

After realizing their deadline to “make it in NY” is imminent, Ira and Mo try to remember their back-up plan.

Go, Bolivia, Go! (Period Spy Comedy)
Created by Logan Leikam and Chris Mast - Venice, CA

Set in groovy 1968, psychologist and CIA operative Tom Bolivia embarks on a global mission, employing his uncanny reconnaissance and assessment skills to get the job done.

Hot Fail (Sitcom)
Created by Tracy Weiler and Tim Drucker - New York, NY

After her life falls apart, Charlie Kennedy embarks on a journey of first dates, food blogging, and taking bad advice from friends.

Hunter n Hornet (Satirical Comedy)
Created by Sonny Vrebac - Sydney, Australia

Two wannabe pick-up artists, desperate to meet women, dedicate themselves to perfecting dating science.

Jacques (High School Comedy)
Created by Eric Gross and Kai Crouse - Los Angeles, CA

French foreign-exchange students Jacques Brossard and Jacques DuBois along with their beret-wearing cat, Toulouse-Lautrec, vow to civilize their unruly American high school.

The Jamz (Comedy)
Created by Jim Kozyra - Chicago, IL

In an attempt to land a coveted morning show gig, two radio DJs endeavor to create a successful radio show in their current late-night slot.

Kid Farm

Kid Farm (Mockumentary)
Created by Jamie Lee and Pete Holmes - Los Angeles, CA

Meet Bill and Jean Engvall and their myriad children. With a household bursting at the seams, the Engvalls try to manage their growing family by scheduling appointments with each of their children – if they can remember which is which.

Larpers (Comedy)
Created by Travis Bible and Kemerton Hargrove - Santa Monica, CA

A group of friends struggle to balance real life with their passion for Live Action Role Playing.

Lazy Me (Single Camera Comedy)
Created by Kevin Wu, Justin Dec, and Ian Edwards - Los Angeles, CA

Kev is a struggling YouTube personality attempting to cross over into mainstream media, but every time he tries to move forward his Lazy side holds him back.

Married, For Real?! (Sitcom)
Created by Richard C. Brooks - Los Angeles, CA

Newlyweds navigate the ups and downs of married life, and, despite their differences, attempt to find a happy medium that will keep their marriage moving right along.

Mizz Miraculous (Dark Musical Comedy)
Created by Jess Lane and Danny Cohen -Los Angeles, CA

Mizz, a self-professed rap sensation, and her ragtag crew navigate Hollywood and the music industry with a trailer park mentality.

The Neighborhood (Character Sitcom)
Created by James Manzello and Matt Pavich - Queens, NY

James and Matt are childhood friends turned aimless grown-ups who devise unsuccessful schemes to escape their neighborhood and its crazy inhabitants.

Newsers (Workplace Comedy)
Created by Mark Sarian - Hoboken, NJ

Five members of an odd-ball news team get in and out of trouble as they deliver the not-so-breaking news of a small town.

O, the Ennui (Comedy)
Created by Mark Millner and Sutton Dewey - Brooklyn, NY

Two Brooklyn dudes tackle the finer points of snacking, roommate woes, and general listlessness in this existential bromance.

Off the Record (Workplace Sitcom)
Created by Stewart Gold and Mark Haapala - Los Angeles, CA

Well-intentioned but painfully insecure reporter Justin Pfeffer and his best friend find themselves reporting on insane, off-the-wall stories in an attempt to save their small town newspaper.

Rain on Film (Romantic Comedy)
Created by Phil Drinkwater and Tim Woodall - United Kingdom

A cinema-obsessed young woman attempts to direct her own life as if it were a rom-com.

Scott's Lookalikes (Mockumentary Spoof)
Created by Greg Ash - United Kingdom

A glimpse behind the scenes at a new Hollywood lookalikes agency run by hapless British lookalike agent (and former Macaulay Culkin-lookalike) Scott Johnson.

Small Doses (Romantic Comedy)
Created by Tami Soligan and Fred Soligan - Brooklyn, NY

This quirky comedy tells the story of a young woman living in a world where 'being single' is considered a medical condition and the doctor who tries to 'cure' her.

Space Drifters (Space Sitcom)
Created by James Dwyer, Kent Kincannon, and Langan Kingsley - Brooklyn, NY

Stranded in space, a group of hapless astronauts must use their skills to stay alive as their only connection back on earth attempts to bring them home. Warning: beware of sexy, Russian cosmonauts!

Think Tank (Workplace Sitcom)
Created by Jeff Galante, Ira Rosensweig, and Josh Shader - Los Angeles, CA

The Woodbine Foundation, a non-partisan think tank in the heart of Brooklyn, is concerned with finding the solution to the world's biggest (and smallest) problems.

This Old Thing (Dark Buddy-Comedy)
Created by Caroline Fox and Daniel Obzejta - Los Angeles, CA

At the Rosewood Home for Assisted Living, an unlikely friendship is formed between its newest caretaker and the home’s strangest, youngest, and seemingly healthiest resident.

Today's Special (Coming-of-Age Comedy)
Created by Bradley Ross and Brendan Walsh - New York, NY

Four misguided twenty-somethings transition into adulthood while managing their short attention spans, addictive personalities, and destructive tendencies amid the general anarchy that comes with waiting tables for a living.

Twinzies (Comedy)
Created by Lauren Bond and Jennifer Bond - Los Angeles, CA

Lauren and Jennifer try to fix their relationship, dealing with personal challenges that unfortunately aren't as identical as they are.

Unconventional (Ensemble Sitcom)
Created by Jason Huber and Michael Carbone - Burbank, CA

Failed comic book writer/artist Nate Jacobs and his misfit employees try to mount their own monthly pop culture, sci-fi, comic book convention: The Wrath of Con.

Unidentified (Sci-Fi Comedy)
Created by Graceann Dorse and Mark Bracamonte - Brooklyn, NY

A father/daughter UFO investigation team uncover the truth about what’s a million light-years away...and what’s right in front of their faces.

Union County's Own (Ensemble Sitcom)
Created by Zachary Goldbaum and Brian Morrissey - Brooklyn, NY

A group of old friends and hopeless misfits try to recapture their high school dreams of being rock stars...by getting the band back together.

[COLLAPSE COMEDY]



Drama Pilots

Annie Undocumented (High School Dramedy)
Created by Daniel Hsia and Elaine Low - Los Angeles, CA

A pretty and popular high school student has everything she could ever want – until she discovers she is an illegal immigrant and her life is turned upside down.

Bad Ambulance (Psychological Horror Thriller)
Created by Daniel Klein - Chicago, IL

At your time of greatest need, when you call out for help, can you trust the first responders?

Called to Serve (Coming-of-Age Dramedy)
Created by Michael Van Orden - Los Angeles, CA

Four Mormon missionaries come of age in a world full of temptation.

The Carrier (Dramatic Sci-Fi Mystery)
Created by Tess Smalley and Joe Smalley - Brooklyn, NY

One man searches for answers to his sister's disappearance in a world where aliens have interfered with human evolution since the dawn of time.

Compromised (Drama Mystery Thriller)
Created by Tom Wardach and Christopher Stadulis - Forest Hills, NY

Shortly after the government mandated human chip implantation, an unexpected act of terrorism, by an unsuspecting citizen, suggests a breach in the system.

Cyber Vice (Procedural Drama)
Created by Josh Woodle and James Bird - Los Angeles, CA

After his father is murdered, Devon Evers assumes a false identity and teams with special agents of the cyber crime division in Los Angeles to bring down a notorious criminal.

Dispatch (Dramedy)
Created by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen - Brooklyn, NY

After being fired from his desk job, Bobby is forced to take a gig as a weed deliveryman in NYC.

The Fight Room (Sci-Fi Action Thriller)
Created by Emily Corcoran and Gillian MacGregor - London, UK

In a futuristic dystopia, kidnapped women are blackmailed into participating in internet-broadcast battles in order to gain their freedom.

Near Death (Medical Thriller)
Created by Owen Hornstein III - New Orleans, LA

An emotionally detached doctor offers down-and-out patients a unique, but illegal, near death experience to reaffirm their faith in the world.

thE rEAsOn (Situation Dramedy)
Created by Lauren Snowden - Los Angeles, CA

When the love of her life resurfaces ten years after a painful break-up, Maya must decide whether she wants to face her past mistakes and move on or continue hiding behind a decade-old lie.

Recorded Lives (Family Drama)
Created by Guy Shalem - Malibu, CA

This “found footage” series reveals the secrets of a wealthy Malibu family as they reunite, consider extramarital temptations, struggle with old addictions, and fall in love.

Sanitarium (Psychological Horror Thriller)
Created by Kerry Valderrama - San Antonio, TX

This anthology series explores the narratives of various mentally institutionalized patients as they tell the tale that led to their current state of mind.

Trouble (Dramedy)
Created by Sean Skelton - New York, NY

Fragile, young, A-list starlet Mia Warren’s career (and personal life) hangs precariously in the balance as she navigates the cold-blooded world of show business.

The Wake (Sci-Fi Drama)
Created by Noah Kloor and Jeff Bloom - Chicago, IL

In a post-apocalyptic world where resources are scarce, a small population tries to solve the mystery surrounding the power plant on the outskirts of their settlement.

Whatever Linda (Ponzi Scheme Dramedy)
Created by Hannah Cheesman and Julian DeZotti - Toronto, ON, CA

What if it wasn’t Bernie Madoff who embezzled billions, but his cunning secretary? This web series explores the real story behind the epic rise and fall of the largest financial fraud in history.

Witnesses (Drama Thriller)
Created by David Eisenberg and Jon Higgins - Astoria, NY

Two young drifters scout their next targets by posing as Jehovah's Witnesses, until their paths collide with a local police chief and judge who take a different approach when handing out justice.

[COLLAPSE DRAMA]



Unscripted Pilots

Better Than the Rest (Game Show)
Created by Massimiliano Bulgheroni and David Gersamia - London, England

Six ordinary strangers in search of a fortune battle it out in a series of physical and mental challenges designed to find the one that's...better than the rest.

Dare2Draw (Competition Game Show)
Created by Charles David Chenet - New York, NY

Four hopeful comic book artists are brought together to compete and showcase their artwork under the watchful eye of top masters in the field.

Jones Sweet Ass TV Pitch (Spoof Reality)
Created by Pedro Castro and Ramiro Castro Jr. - Los Angeles, CA

Businessman Toby Jones will do anything to get on TV...for the right price.

Love Spitters (Dating Game Show)
Created by Rich Seng and Nicholas Charles Peters - Chicago, IL

To win the heart of one hip hop vixen, four freestyle emcees must answer a series of questions – on a beat and in rhyme – in this dating competition full of wit and swagger.

Man Scout (Docu-Reality Comedy)
Created by Shawn Bowers and Colin Hogan - Chicago, IL

As a kid, Colin wasn't 'scout material.' Now, as a boyish man, he endeavors to earn all the badges he never could in this docu-comedy that proves it's never too late to go after your dreams.

Man vs. Feelings (Comedy Docu-Series)
Created by Ethan T. Berlin - New York, NY

In this comedy-social experiment-hybrid, our host explores mental health topics using his deadpan sense of humor, relentless curiosity, and vast wealth of emotional turmoil.

Our Mysterious World (Investigative Docu-Series)
Created by Brian Gates - Denver, CO

This visually stimulating web series presents some of the most bizarre and unexplainable mysteries known to man in a thrilling, albeit brief, journey through human history.

Secret Studio (Game Show)
Created by James Spokoini and Sipho Sondiyazi - United Kingdom

Families are tested on how well they know their loved ones in this game show within a game show.

[COLLAPSE UNSCRIPTED]

The New York Television Festival was founded in 2005 as the industry’s first creative festival for television artists. A pioneer of the “independent television” movement, the Festival strives to construct new and innovative paths of development and talent identification, while simultaneously complementing the traditional television development model.