The TV Campfire

SYFY presents a first-look conversation for their new summer series, SurrealEstate, starring former Schitt's Creek co-stars Tim Rozon and Sarah Levy. The 10-episode series from SYFY and Blue Ice Pictures follows real estate agent Roman (Rozon) and his elite team of specialists research, investigate, and attempt to “fix” haunted and possessed homes - all while dealing with demons of their own . Sur...

...And we're back! Over the next few months, we'll be bringing you exclusive releases of some of our favorite conversations and Q&As from Season 10 of ATX TV Festival. This week we're diving right in with "Showrunner State of the Union," an impassioned and wide-ranging conversation with TV’s top showrunners about the current (and future) state of TV, production, and leadership within the indus...

Can you believe it’s already been a week since ATX TV..from the Couch! kicked off? Caitlin and Emily come back to close out the season with a look back at the weekend and everything that led up to it. They discuss the last minute changes, the difficult conversations to decide whether or not to continue on, and the in-front-of and behind-the-scenes moments that were full of much needed laughte...

Tomorrow starts the first ever ATX TV...from the Couch! Caitlin and Emily discuss the power of story and why they decided to continue to hold the virtual festival this weekend. They share their beliefs on television being a powerful platform and tool for change, and the need to not shy away from difficult conversations but rather to lean into and amplify them. They also highlight the stories being...

We’re just one week away (or 7 days as Emily would say) from ATX TV...From the Couch! In this week’s episode of The TV Campfire, Caitlin & Emily discuss 9 years of working through Memorial Day, and watching other people kick into Summer gear as they’re full on sprinting towards the festival (taking a few food breaks along the way).   Then we release a 2017 panel all about friendships...

ATX TV...from the Couch! gets closer and closer as Caitlin and Emily continue to share programming, festival details, and stories of sleepless nights, FaceTime breakfast dates, and of course, more takeout and binge watching.  Following that is our ATX Season 4 (2015) conversation with Marta Kauffman in an intimate discussion she looks back at a career which includes creating one of HBO’s firs...

Now, more than ever, we are working hard to adapt our lifestyles to a new normal with the hope that we evolve into some better ways of life -- whether that is reimagining our business, new ways to share a meal with friends, or even how we record this podcast. Adaptation in media is also an evolution -- with many of our favorite TV series transitioning to the small screen from books and movies. The...

Caitlin + Emily (ATX Festival co-founders) continue to navigate through the wild west of Quarantine life.  They’ve been “at home” for 56 days here in Austin, and have 28 days to go until ATX TV...from the Couch! And they continue to have no idea what day of the week today is. This week they discuss launching registration (which is free!) and announced virtual programming, as well continuing t...

This week Caitlin + Emily (ATX Festival co-founders) start by discussing their quarantine queues (and what they’re eating while they watch), but then share some breaking news on ATX TV...from the Couch! They also deep dive into how ATX became a destination for reunions while reflecting on some of their favorite past gatherings and how they all came together! The second half of the episode is the e...

We’re back and bringing y’all some of our favorite past conversations along with behind-the-scenes stories of how they were put together. Caitlin and Emily give you up-to-date insight into what’s happening with this year’s virtual festival: ATX TV...from the Couch! It’s like a flashback episode and a spoiler alert all rolled into one.  This week’s episode has our co founders sharing their cur...

Caitlin and Emily return by bringing y’all some of their favorite past panels along with behind-the-scenes stories of how they were put together. They also give you up-to-date insight into what’s happening with this year’s virtual festival...ATX TV...from the Couch! It’s like a flashback episode and a spoiler alert all rolled into one.  This week’s episode has the first look at going virtual,...

The “male gaze,” largely acknowledged as “the act of depicting women and the world from a masculine, heterosexual perspective that represents women as sexual objects,” has been the dominant viewpoint since the beginning of art and culture -- but what happens when women become the subject instead of the object? This conversation will explore the “female gaze” with writers & directors who are re...

A look into the depictions of classes in America, and TV’s relationship to the ever-changing definition of the working & middle classes. Panelists: Laura Chinn (Creator/Executive Producer/Actor, Florida Girls ) Dee Harris-Lawrence (Showrunner/Executive Producer, David Makes Man ) Jenniffer Gomez (Writer, Vida ) Gladys Rodriguez (Writer, Vida ) Moderator:  Tara Ariano ( Extra Hot Great ) -...

How authentic do plotlines about police need to be? Criminal justice plotlines and police procedurals have been a staple of both current and past TV programming. Shows today however, have the opportunity--and some say the obligation-- to explore the nuances and the contradictions inherent in real-life characterizations of police, the criminal legal system they work in, and the communities they aff...

As networks and studios look to diversify their writers rooms through non-traditional routes, playwrights have quickly become some of TV’s top staffing contenders and most influential showrunners. Hear from several writers who made the jump from the theater to the writers room as they discuss what drew them to television, the unique challenges of writing for both stage and screen, and what this tr...

Following the 2016 presidential election, U.S. culture saw a dangerous rise in anti-Muslim sentiment, rousing many in the entertainment industry to resist with a counter-narrative of inclusion. Within days MPAC (the Muslim Public Affairs Council) was flooded with inquiries requesting consultation on television shows with Muslim characters and recommendations for repped Muslim screenwriters to join...

While it’s true that television productions are increasingly aware of the emotional & physical stakes of performers on-set — many writers, actors, and directors still struggle with how to safely navigate scenes that contain intimate or sexual content. Join the creatives involved in crafting these scenes from start to finish for an honest discussion about empowering both writers and actors, and...

While the original Twilight Zone (1959) helped popularize the format, the anthology series has taken on new life with the success of series like True Detective, Fargo, and Black Mirror. It's unique style of contained storytelling has attracted everyone from "movie stars," to fresh faces, to troupes of familiar players looking for variety onscreen. In this conversation, join the Casting Directors b...

Through innate intimacy and week-to-week stories, television is arguably our most impactful medium, having the power to change hearts and minds. Hear creators, writers, and actors discuss how series can rise above trends and token characters by weaving in storylines of gender, race, religion, aging, immigration, health care, and many more — all with the belief that exposing audiences to a variety...

The cast and creatives behind Hulu's hit import LETTERKENNY discuss going from web series to full-fledged show, Canadian humor, and pulling pranks in this Q&A from ATX Season 8. Season 7 of Letterkenny is now streaming on Hulu ! Panelists: Jacob Tierney (EP/Director/Cast) Mark Montefiore (EP) Nathan Dales (Cast) Michelle Mylett (Cast) K. Trevor Wilson (Cast) Moderator: Joanna Robinson (Vanity...

TV series broaching stories of mental health and mental illness are on the rise, from anxiety and depression to bipolar disorder and PTSD. By exploring everything from diagnosis and treatment, to daily ups-and-downs, they’re bringing to light what often goes unsaid: the journey towards mental health is universal. Join the writers from a few of TV’s bravest, smartest, weirdest, kindest, most challe...

As the crisis at the border continues, Amnesty International has been mobilizing and uniting people to welcome refugees and asylum seekers who are fleeing violence and persecution. Too often, these people are portrayed in politics and in the media as two-dimensional tropes -- victims or villains -- without a platform or access to tell their own stories. So what is the role of television in breakin...

Each year, ATX seeks to recognize an individual whose body of work encompasses the very best of the medium; whose career endures as thought-provoking, lasting, genuine, expansive - and ultimately - entertaining. This year we were honored to present our "Award in Television eXcellence" to legendary actress Phylicia Rashad ( David Makes Man, The Cosby Show ), who was joined in conversation by friend...

As the spectrum of inclusivity on TV grows, so has the number of shows exploring later-in-life narratives. Never before has there been such an array of characters who redefine what life is like after sixty-five. From series that center on the senior experience, to characters who are part of a multi-generational story, to unpredictable yet relatable solo journeys -- join the writers and actors behi...

TV has often told deeply affecting stories of loss, death, and trauma, but rarely has it leaned into its unique ability to linger in the messy, uncomfortable business of grief. Recently a number of series have turned their focus to this universal experience, ranging from animated to comedy to horror, from freshman series to established ones and from broadcast networks to digital platforms. Hear fr...