The 12th season of the ATX TV Festival will take place June 1-4, 2023 in Austin, Texas, and has announced its first round of programming.
The festival will present its annual “Achievement in Television eXcellence” Award to director, producer, creator, and author James Burrows. He will attend for a conversation spanning his career as the cocreator/director of Cheers, winner of 11 Emmy Awards, and director of more than 1,000 episodes of television, including iconic sitcoms Taxi, Friends, Frasier, Will & Grace, and more.
“James Burrows’ imprint on TV as a medium is unparalleled, and his impact on so many TV fans’ lives – including our own – cannot be overstated,” said Jennifer Morgan, ATX director of programming. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate his indelible career and the joy his work continues to bring to the industry and viewers alike.”
First presented in 2014, the “Achievement in Television eXcellence” Award seeks to recognize individuals whose career reflects the very best of television, through work that is thought-provoking, genuine, expansive, and entertaining. As the festival’s 2023 recipient, Burrows joins previous honorees Henry Winkler, James L. Brooks, Norman Lear, Marcy Carsey, Phylicia Rashad, Michael J. Fox, and Directors Guild of America President Lesli Linka Glatter.
In addition to the award presentation, Burrows will join cocreators and longtime collaborators Les and Glen Charles for a celebration of the 30-year anniversary of the finale of their seminal series, Cheers. The retrospective conversation will reflect on the series’ decade-long run, its definitive place in TV history, and provide an insider look into the beloved show. Additional panelists will be announced later.
The festival will also host a conversation with the creative team behind the Showtime thriller Homeland, which aired its series finale in April 2020. Over the course of its eight-season run, Homeland won five Golden Globes, eight Emmys, the 2011 Peabody Award, two WGA awards in the categories of Best New Series and Episodic Drama, and two DGA Awards for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series. Altogether, “Homeland” achieved a total of more than 60 wins and 175 nominations.
Creators/executive producers Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon (24), and director/executive producer Lesli Linka Glatter (Love and Death) will reunite for a unique inside look at the scope of the series’ sprawling, international production, which filmed in 10 locations across seven countries. Additional panelists will be announced at a later date.
Ticketing and programming details can be found on the festival’s newly relaunched website, atxfestival.com. Details on ATX TV’s year round programming, non-festival events, Membership program, and more can be found at the newly launched atxtv.co.
The festival has also opened submissions to “The Pitch Competition,” which provides an opportunity for the undiscovered burgeoning TV Writer to get their original idea and script in front of TV’s greatest showrunners, producers, and executives. ATX TV fulfills its mission of giving up-and-coming writers the opportunity, tools, and resources to get to the next stage of their writing career by forming a community of support with their panelists, alums, advisory board members, and competition partners all year long.
Writers have until January 29, 2023 to submit their best 90-second video pitch and writing sample for an original scripted series, which will be evaluated by several rounds of industry judges for a chance to pitch live at the festival in June.
All finalists will receive one (1) general meeting with one of the Pitch Competition Judges, year round virtual gatherings with showrunners, executives, and producers, plus access to additional opportunities with The Black List and Sundance Episodic Program. The winner will receive a mentorship with a Pitch Competition judge or ATX TV panelist, and the opportunity to pitch their series to one of the festival’s studio/network partners. Full details on how and where to submit can be found at atxfestival.com/pitch.