Interview with Claudette Roper, Creator and Director, "The Man Project" WBEW 89.5 FM
Milana Walter, Executive Producer, TV-OP Interview with Santita Jackson WVON 1690 AM
For Immediate Release
TV-OP 2008 International Television Festival Launches at
Columbia College Chicago 2nd Annual Festival Focused on Creating Program Diversity and Career Opportunities in TV and Broadband Programming
Chicago, (August 13, 2008) The doors of opportunity will be opened for professionals of color and women in the powerful medium of television on September 19 and 20, 2008 at the TV-OP Festival held at Columbia College. This festival, the brainchild of former NBC executive Milana L.Walter, is the only one of its kind. It was created to advocate diversity in front of and behind the cameras and connect the entrepreneurial creators of viable, entertaining productions by and about women and people of color with global companies in need of quality content.
Newly christened TV-OP, the festival is in its second year following the successful soft introduction in 2007 at the Black Harvest Film Festival. Nielsen Media Research and TV One have returned this year and will join Columbia College as the proud presenting sponsors of this important effort to expose talented producers with their multicultural stories and varied viewpoints to key industry decision-makers.
“When 96 percent of WGA TV writers are white males, there is plenty of room for diversity,” said Milana L. Walter, founder and CEO of TV-OP. “Besides, there is a thriving global TV culture we haven’t even tapped. Extraordinary stories are being told in India (Bollywood), Latin America, Africa, Europe and the Caribbean. These global stories, plus our own uniquely American stories and our diverse female experiences need a conduit to the small screen.”
’ÄúInclusiveness is critical in any industry, especially one as influential as television’Äù said Bernard Bell, senior vice president, TV One. We are pleased and very excited to support TV-OP for the second year in their mission to bring forth change.’Äù
In its first year, the festival awarded Joseph L. Lewis ll and Eugene Haynes co-creators of the animated pilot, “The Adventures of Teddy P. Brains” an all expense paid trip to TV One headquarters to meet and pitch their executives; and honored Emmy winner, Barbara E. Allen with the 1st Chicago TV Excellence Award for her work on Paper Trail: 100 Years of The Chicago Defender. It also featured panel discussions and presentations by top television executives such as Johnathan Rodgers, CEO TV One; Bruce DuMont, president of the Museum of Broadcast Communications; Jenny Alonzo, former SVP, Lifetime Entertainment; Ken Smikle, president, Target Market News; and others.
This year promises to be even bigger; featuring a sizzling, experiential event honoring trailblazers and industry legends and appearances by established television industry decision-makers and notables from around the globe.
Highlights include: * A return of TV-OP’s signature panel: “Ratings, Race and Ramifications” in addition to a forum on distribution and networking sessions.
* The TV-OP awards ceremony honoring creators of multicultural TV productions, including vintage TV and reality shows, plus comedy, drama, animation and documentaries. TV-OP will be inducting Nat King Cole in the TV-OP hall of fame for his groundbreaking television show that ran for 64 consecutive episodes (1956-1957). His twin daughters, Timolin & Casey Cole co-founders - Nat King Cole Generation of Hope Foundationwill accept this award.
* A conversation with industry insider Warrington Hudlin of “Boomerang” and “Bebe Kids” fame interviewed by celebrity host Roland Martin (invited). Hudlin will share critical details on what it takes to develop and sustain a TV production and his pilots: “Big Head People” and “Katrina” will be screened.
* Screenings of the pilots from the TV-OP/TV One Grand Jury Award finalists (grand prize winner will receive an all expense paid trip to Washington D.C. to have pitch meeting with TV One executives).
* TV-OP World Premiere of TV One’s, “Murder in Black and White” featuring Q & A with executive producer Keith Beauchamp.
* Screening of TV special in progress: “The Man Project” created/produced by Claudette Roper, award winning creator of the documentary/multimedia installation “other state.”
* Intense networking with industry professionals who are primed to view and consider a broad range of storytelling.
The festival will be held at Columbia College’s Film Row Cinema, 1104 S. Wabash in Chicago.
