The New York Television Festival Partners With Procter & Gamble Productions on Flying Solo TV Pilot Contest

New York, NY (PRWEB) April 14, 2008 -- The New York Television Festival (http://www.nytvf.com) (NYTVF) joined with Procter & Gamble Productions (PGP) today to announce the launch of the Flying Solo TV Pilot Contest. This contest invites female college seniors to audition for the chance to make their lives the subject of a television pilot that will be shopped to network partners of the NYTVF. These pilots will combine professionally shot, third-person footage of the subject's life with first-person footage shot by the subject. The objective is to discover budding female storytellers who not only lead interesting lives, but also have a unique ability to capture and present them on video.

"The New York Television Festival fulfills its mission to give voice to a new generation of talented storytellers through initiatives such as the Flying Solo TV Pilot Contest," said NYTVF founder Terence Gray. "The NYTVF is thrilled to be working with Procter & Gamble Productions to provide young women with this incredible opportunity to become TV producers and stars."

"Now in our second year as a Signature Sponsor, we are proud to continue our support of the NYTVF," said Brian T. Cahill, Senior VP, Managing Director of TeleNext Media, Inc., which manages production of soap operas and other television and new media content for PGP. "Following the success of last year's PGP Comedy Show, we're excited to bring this wonderful, new opportunity to young women just starting out in the entertainment industry."

To be eligible for the Flying Solo TV Pilot Contest, a potential entrant must be female and must have graduated or be on track to graduate college during the 2007-2008 academic year. These entrants must shoot and produce an audition video introducing viewers to several aspects of their lives after graduation. These aspects may include: family members, friends, summer jobs, internships, career aspirations, relationships, travel plans, final days of college, commencement ceremonies, hobbies, etc.

The audition video must be between two and four minutes in length and must be shot primarily by the entrant. The video can be submitted online by uploading them to the official contest Web site located at http://nytvf.com/2008_pgp_info.htm. The deadline for submissions to the contest is May 23, 2008.

Officials from the NYTVF and PGP will screen the audition videos and select three winners. The winners will each star in their own new television pilot centering around their lives after graduation. The pilots, produced by Procter & Gamble Productions, will combine professionally produced third-person video footage with first-person footage taken by the subjects themselves for a more intimate and personal perspective on their lives and stories.

The NYTVF debuted in 2005 as the industry's first showcase for independent television. Television pilots that premiered at the Festival have been sold to major networks, including the scripted comedy Split the Difference to NBC Universal Television Studios and the improv comedy pilot Criss-Cross to A&E Television Networks. Additionally, the reality series Off the Hook was purchased and developed as a series in 2006 by Versus. The fourth annual NYTVF will be held in Midtown Manhattan September 12th through the 17th.

The 2007 NYTVF was supported by Signature Sponsors MSN, Xbox and Procter & Gamble Productions. TV Guide and the William Morris Agency were Official Supporting Sponsors. Official Network Sponsors for the 2007 NYTVF included NBC Universal, FOX, ABC, A&E, Bravo and E!. The NYTVF works in conjunction with the Mayor's Office of New York City.

For more information, please visit www.newyorktelevisionfestival.com.

About Procter & Gamble Productions

Incorporated in 1949 as division of The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE: PG), PGP creates relationships between consumers and brands through engaging content that is compelling, educational, and platform-neutral. PGP has a history of developing original content that engages consumers through storytelling using the latest technologies--which began in the 1930s when the company created soap operas on the radio, and evolved into television, award shows, television specials, movies of the week, sitcoms, and most recently into digital content that is relevant to the media habits and passion points of today's consumers. Current PGP properties include soap operas As The World Turns and Guiding Light, The People's Choice Awards, Gillette World Sport, and original content websites such as Capessa and Petside.com.

About the New York Television Festival

The NYTVF was founded in 2005 as the industry's first recognized independent television festival, providing a platform to elevate the work of artists creating for the small screen. Held annually each fall in New York City, the birthplace of modern television, the Festival unites artists, executives, industry figures, and fans together in one forum to celebrate the medium and to help shape its future. Along with the Independent Pilot Competition, the Festival features panel discussions, network premiere screenings, and other special events designed to honor television as an institution and as an art form.

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