There’s a new festival circuit for diehard TV fans
It’s been said we’re in a second golden age of television. There’s more content on more platforms than ever before, but the sheer volume of TV shows can make it hard for new programs to stand out. Enter the television fest. It’s like a film festival but for episodic content. Elizabeth Wagmeister writes for Variety, and she recently covered the TV festival circuit in a piece called “Why Television Is Hitting the Road for Festivals.”
On why TV shows are turning to festivals:
Festivals make sense for television because the TV industry is booming … festivals are a great place for new shows and returning shows to get exposure. The best fans for TV are the ones that are going to these festivals…. When they’re there, they’re going to go on Facebook. They’re going to go on Instagram, and then the buzz spreads.
On how TV festivals operate:
Some of them will have different screenings at a time, so you have to choose. A big example of that is Comi-Con, which of course is film and TV, but there’s so many fans that want to go that every room is jam packed. Other ones, they’ll just have one screening at a time and it depends on how mature these festivals are.
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