The North Fork TV Festival has unveiled that it is honoring “The West Wing” actor Richard Schiff as the Ambassador for the Arts. The organization has also revealed the full list of winners of the Independent Pilot competition, including Sue Zarco Kramer’s comedy “Swipe NYC,” which Schiff co-stars in. The festival will take place in Greenport, NY on Aug. 27 and Aug. 28.
Al Julian and Vince Eisenson’s drama “The Sessions,” Juliana Piscina’s comedy “The Ladies” and Scott Kruse, Josh Long and Kurt Quinn’s sketch pilot “Typical Dan Peterson Stuff” all have been chosen as winners for the competition.
“This year’s winners include a riveting therapy group for convicted killers, a coming-into-age comedy with a hilarious backdrop of online dating in Brooklyn, an off-the-wall sketch comedy, and the feel-good story of a high school girls basketball team,” said Mike Stern, artistic director of the festival and a television and film writer and producer. “The eclectic creativity on display in this year’s winners once again cement North Fork as a premiere destination for the independent television movement.”
Actors John Turturro (“Severance”) and Marcia Gay Harden (“The Morning Show”) will also join the festival, with Turturro leading a conversation on the evolution of television and Harden being presented with the Canopy Award. Other participants include Bridget Moynahan (“Blue Bloods”) and Kelsey Grammer (“Frasier,” “Cheers”).
Additionally, a panel with veteran television showrunners Kevin Wade (“Blue Bloods”) and Chris Brancato (“Hotel Cocaine”) will take place during the festival. Moderated by Roy Ashton, the conversation will pull back the curtain on the creative and organizational process involved in developing and producing network and streaming content.
The festival has also announced the winners of the pilot script competition, including Gregory Abbey for his coming-of-age drama “Shark,” as well as Heidi-Marie Ferren for her Cherokee police detective drama, “Backwoods Chief.”
