For the first time, the Oklahoma Film + Music Office (OF+MO) proudly partnered with SeriesFest, an award-winning annual independent television pilot festival based in Denver, Colorado, June 21-26, 2019. OF+MO’s partnership with SeriesFest included the opportunity to promote the State of Oklahoma as a top filming destination as the title sponsor and host of the festival’s PITCH-A-THON as well as many additional unique networking opportunities, screenings and events that the festival presented.
“In the ever-changing world of television and digital content creation, SeriesFest is truly a one-of-a-kind event that afforded OF+MO the opportunity to promote the state to new audiences, including the nation’s top television executives and industry members,” said OF+MO Director Tava Maloy Sofsky. “SeriesFest, aptly named Season 5 in honor of its fifth year, was a major win for Oklahoma, and we are hopeful for future partnerships in seasons to come.”
Dedicated to showcasing innovative episodic content and championing artists at the forefront of such storytelling, SeriesFest inspires, educates and connects a worldwide community of creators through its initiatives and programs. This year’s festival featured in-competition independent pilot screenings, panels, workshops, live readings, receptions and network television premieres, as well as a special musical performance from Stevie Wonder and a network screening at the world-renowned Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
The festival’s opening night included a talk with two top industry executives, Netflix COO Ted Sarandos and Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries, who discussed the evolving national and international television marketplace and how they lead their companies to be on the forefront in changing the way we access and consume content around the world.
As host of the PITCH-A-THON, OF+MO and SeriesFest welcomed eight independent content creators to participate in exclusive live pitch sessions with a panel of top television, new media and digital platform executives in hopes of moving their projects and careers forward. Panelists included representatives from such prestigious companies as IFC-TV (“Brockmire”, “Portlandia”), Shondaland (“Grey’s Anatomy”, “How to Get Away with Murder”) and others. Recipient of the festival’s $1,000 cash prize, Barrett Shuler was named the winner of the PITCH-A-THON for his proposed ensemble comedy “Bands”, which follows a local indie band struggling to navigate the highs and lows of a music scene that could care less for them.
“We proudly welcomed the Oklahoma Film + Music Office to SeriesFest: Season 5, as they offered valuable support as the hosts of our third annual PITCH-A-THON contest and provided a unique perspective of what Oklahoma offers content creators and buyers,” said Randi Kleiner, Cofounder/Chief Executive Officer of SeriesFest. “I believe many of our attendees were pleasantly surprised to learn about Oklahoma’s diverse locations and attractive cash incentives for filming in the center of the U.S., which is an important piece to the puzzle in today’s competitive marketplace for film and television production.”
For more information, visit seriesfest.com.
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About the Oklahoma Film + Music Office:
Created in 1979, the Oklahoma Film + Music Office strives to share all that Oklahoma has to offer by welcoming filmmakers and music professionals to the state and by creating a network of support to develop Oklahoma’s film and music industries. For more information about the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program or the Oklahoma Film + Music Office please visit okfilmmusic.org.
