The TV Campfire

At 34 seasons (751 episodes) and counting, The Simpsons holds the rare distinction of being the longest running American sitcom, scripted primetime series and American animated series. Of course, a lot can change over the course of 34 seasons, both inside and outside of a series — from animation styles, casting, and comedic voice, to the culture in which the show exists (and satirizes). In this co...

From rehearsal and choreography, to recording sessions and performing live, having musical elements in a series adds a whole new layer of preparation, skill, and meaning to hitting your mark. Join Kevin McHale and Ashley Fink ( Glee ) for a conversation about the hard work and fun that goes into creating these musical magic moments. This conversation was recorded live at ATX TV Festival Season 12...

Creator/executive producer Aaron Benward joins us for a deeper dive into Freevee's original docuseries God. Family. Football. to discuss the project's years long development process, what drew him to the story of Evangel, the unpredictable nature of unscripted TV, drawing inspiration from Friday Night Lights , and more. God. Family. Football. features the rich, diverse personal stories of Evangel’...

The team behind the independent comedy series Everyone is Doing Great  gathered their friends, raised money, and shot a full 8-episode season of high quality TV. Twice. Hear how they made it work... their way. This conversation was recorded live at ATX TV Festival Season 12 (June 1-4, 2023) in Austin, TX. PANELISTS: James Lafferty (Creator / Writer / EP / Actor, Everyone Is Doing Great )...

As "prestige" TV continues to trend towards more and more morally ambiguous characters, the space between hero and anti-hero has become less clearly-defined, raising questions of whether the characters we love to watch are "good" or "likable," and if that should affect whether or not we root for them. Join eOne executive Jacqueline Sacerio and producer Sarah Timberman as they unpack this topical t...

Executive from Tubi and Pluto TV joins us to break down the differences between FAST, AVOD, SVOD and everything in between, why more consumers than ever are seeking out FAST and AVOD services, what these models mean for the future of TV, and much more in this deep dive presented by RCA . This conversation was recorded live at ATX TV Festival Season 12 (June 1-4, 2023) in Austin, TX. PANELISTS: Sam...

Journalist, author, narrator, and producer Bill Kurtis ( Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me, Cold Case Files ) joins ATX TV Co-Founder Emily Gipson for a conversation about his role as narrator and producer of Hulu 's new true crime docuseries Cold Case Files: DNA Speaks , his origins as an investigative journalist, how advances in technology have impacted cold cases and wrongful convictions, his investme...

A conversation with showrunners/writers Julie Plec ( The Vampire Diaries, The Originals ) and Gina Fattore ( Dare Me, Californication ) about exploring the darkness within and without, treading the line between hero and anti-hero, and why unscrupulous characters and worlds remain so compelling -- even at their worst. PANELISTS: Gina Fattore (Showrunner / Writer / Producer,  Dare Me, Californi...

Representatives from Everytown , Brady , and Hollywood, Health & Society are joined by three writer/producers for a discussion about mindfulness & conscious storytelling around depictions of gun violence and gun safety on TV. They explore the ways in which TV has & has not engaged with our real-life epidemic of gun violence across the U.S. — from conversations about how and when guns a...

Despite an industry-wide cost-cutting and a “Peak” TV landscape that may be reaching its true peak, unscripted content continues to thrive across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms, serving as a reliably entertaining, occasionally informative, and cost-effective alternative to scripted fare. The “unscripted” umbrella is large and varied, ranging from social commentary and true crime, to spo...

A showrunner/writer’s job does not end with the completion of a script, or even the end of production. In fact, the writing process extends far beyond the page, as a script takes on new life on set, and again in post-production, all the way through to the final cut that ends up on screen. Writers Gina Fattore ( Dare Me, Californication ) and Javier Grillo-Marxuach ( Cowboy Bebop, The Dark Crystal:...

As audiences continue to demand more visibility for communities of color in entertainment, we are seeing an uptick in diverse storytelling across all genres in TV. Universal Studio Group presents this conversation with Harlem star Jerrie Johnson and Primo star Christina Vidal about the importance of inclusivity and representation specifically in comedy - what that looks today and how we hope to se...

DVDs, Blu Rays, and Bonus Features may have fallen to the wayside thanks to an exponential rise in streaming libraries and digital content… but with the world of streaming more uncertain than ever, is it time for a comeback? Writer/producer/showrunner/director Alena Smith ( Dickinson ) and The Hollywood Reporter 's Dan Fienberg dig into complicated questions of licensing & ownership in the str...

Georgie Hurford-Jones (EVP, Current Programming, Universal Television Alternative Studio), J.J. Duncan (Showrunner/Executive Producer) and David Collins (Executive Producer/Co-Founder, Scout Productions) discuss bringing  The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning  to television audiences, and the series’ unique ability to normalize one of our worst fears, death, by reminding us of all the...

Mo Ryan's book  Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood  is a deep dive into the trends that led to #MeToo and various racial reckonings in the industry, as well as a look at how much has changed in TV and film (and how much hasn’t). She joins industry veterans Melinda Hsu Taylor and Javier Grillo-Marxuach (two respected voices also highlighted in the book) fo...

The thought of changing career paths in an already unpredictable industry can be daunting – but with great risk can come great reward. In this conversation from Season 12, actor/producer turned post-production supervisor Michele L. Williams ( Grey's Anatom y), development assistant turned production supervisor Beatriz Chahin ( Grand Crew ) and publicist turned producer Ngoc Nguyen ( Everyone Is Do...

Whether a series is set in the present, the past, or a different universe altogether, costume design can be the first thing a viewer notices about a character and world. It has the ability to spark curiosity, nostalgia, or sense of place by telling us who a character is (or more interestingly, who they’re trying to be). In our first in-depth look at costuming, costume designers Trayce Gigi Field (...

Join music supervisors Tom Vale (Frog Music Licensing), Jason Harkins, and Maggie Phillips (Deep Cut Music) for a conversation about creating opportunities for Austin musicians, and using your favorite TV soundtracks to help elevate local artists. This conversation was recorded live at ATX TV Festival Season 12 (June 1-4, 2023) in Austin, TX. PANELISTS: Maggie Phillips (Music Supervisor,  The...

Any casual viewer can tell you that the business of adaptations is booming -- and while popular IP might come with name recognition and a built-in fanbase, it also comes with built-in expectations from those fans (and detractors). As one of the earliest pieces of the equation, casting is often at the heart of those expectations, setting the tone for a project and sparking commentary before a singl...

Writer Greg Iwinkski ( Late Night with Stephen Colbert, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver ) joins moderator Sarah Pitre (Alamo Drafthouse) for a wide-ranging discussion about his personal path into writing comedy, what a typical day as a late night writer looks like, late night TV's unique position in the larger culture, the ongoing writers strike and labor movement, and more. PANELISTS: Greg Iwi...

Emmy award-winning director/producer Jack Bender sits down for an inside look at crafting the world of shows like  FROM ,  Mr. Mercedes , and  Lost , the role of a producing director, working with actors to shape character, and more. PANELISTS: Jack Bender (Director / EP,  FROM ,  Lost ) MODERATOR: Michael Schneider (Variety) SUBSCRIBE  to youtube.com/ATXTV  for...

Outlander star/executive producer Caitríona Balfe and executive producer Maril Davis joined fans at ATX TV Festival on World Outlander Day (June 1, 2023) to give a sneak peek at Season 7 and discuss directing, onscreen chemistry, taking on new roles, and what to expect as the groundbreaking series heads towards it's final season. This conversation was recorded at ATX TV Festival Season 12 (June 1-...

Artificial Intelligence is no longer an abstract, futuristic concept – it’s here, changing our lives in countless ways, from social media algorithms and self-driving cars, to operating rooms and autonomous weapons. As our reliance on technology grows, and the possibilities of AI become seemingly limitless, its tangible and philosophical presence in our culture becomes more and more inextricable. I...

With fair pay, streaming residuals, artificial intelligence, writers rooms, and on-set experience all on the table, the writers of the WGA have gone pencils down for the first time in 15 years. Join writers Beau Willimon (WGA East), Julie Plec (WGA West), Zoanne Clack (WGA West), and Greg Iwinski (WGA East) for a first-hand discussion of the issues at stake, the safeguards that writers are fightin...

Television remains one of the most impactful mediums, armed with the power to reach audiences in their personal spaces and connect them with people, experiences, and worlds they might not encounter otherwise. In our Season 11 finale, the Television Academy presents a conversation with creators/showrunners Robin Thede ( A Black Lady Sketch Show ), Sierra Teller Ornelas ( Rutherford Falls ), and Jas...