North Fork TV Festival Returns to Greenport to Celebrate the Best of the Television Industry

Beginning in 2016, the North Fork TV Festival has commemorated the evolution of television each year with TV actors, executives, celebrities and independently produced television pilots with a spirited itinerary in the heart of Greenport.

The ninth annual North Fork TV Festival will take place with a two-day schedule on Tuesday, August 27 and Wednesday, August 28 with awards and honors, two annual competitions, and plenty of opportunities to network with television personalities and professionals.

“Since the festival’s inception, we have strived to cultivate up-and-coming creators by providing a platform to launch their television careers,” says Noah Doyle, founder and secretary of the festival. “As we enter our ninth year, we are excited to continue the tradition of celebrating diverse and compelling programming through our Independent Pilot & Script Competition.”

The North Fork TV Festival team and board members are dedicated to highlighting the best independent television around the world with the annual Independent Pilot & Script Competition. In alignment with the synonymous goal to feature rising stars at the festival, the judges and the selection committee will decide on a winner based on projects that reflect the spirit of independent storytelling. The competition aims to craft climbing productions with top industry panels, artist development workshops, networking parties and highly curated programming.

This year’s four judges for the TV Pilot Competition are Merrick Stone of MTV, Todd Lituchy of New Media Vision, Allison Dorenbosch of Moonbug Entertainment, and Eric Bjorklund of Disney.

Script Competition judges Oanh-Nhi Nguyen, directing fellow at the American Film Institute Conservatory; JT Tsou, producer at Paramount; Kristine Patnugot, screenwriter/producer; and Aidan Largey, screenwriter/director.

“The level of talent and stories submitted each year is astonishing, and we cannot wait to screen and celebrate this year’s selections,” Doyle says.

Each year an expert committee also chooses four independent pilots to be exclusively released and screened at the event. The creators are then mentored and provided development tips, with the goal of getting their pilots produced into on-air series.

The event, along with its competitions to spark attention toward talented productions, is made possible by its executive committee comprising President Alan Doyle, Treasurer/Cofounder Jonathan Shafter, Secretary/Founder Noah Doyle, and Artistic Director Mike Stern.

The North Fork TV Festival has also announced Marcia Gay Harden as the recipient of the festival’s 2024 Canopy Award, which is presented each year to a notable member of the New York television community as an individual whose “persistence and integrity, bound by the twin spirits of independence and collaboration, stoke the creative ambitions of diverse people who have important stories to tell.”

Harden, an Academy Award winner for Best Supporting Actress in Pollock, will be honored with the Canopy Award on August 28 during a formal ceremony at The Halyard at the Sound View Greenport. She is a prominent figure in television for similar contributions to her roles as Ava Gardner in Sinatra and Celeste Boyle in Mystic River.

More recently, Harden has contributed lauded television projects including her Emmy-nominated role in the latest season of The Morning Show alongside Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon.

“Her extraordinary contributions to the world of film and television embody the spirit of excellence we celebrate at the North Fork TV Festival,” Doyle shares. “We couldn’t be more excited to honor her achievements and welcome her to our festival this year.”

The ceremony on August 28 includes a conversation between Harden and Variety magazine Senior Business Writer Jennifer Maas. A Q&A with the audience  follows the discussion.

Notable actors honored in recent years include Kelsey Grammer of Cheers and Frasier, Stephen Moyer and Carrie Preston of True Blood, and Christopher Jackson of Hamilton and Bull, among many others.

In recent years, the North Fork TV Festival has seen more than 4,000 attendees, with its most recent schedule packed with events including the 2023 opening night happy hour with guest bartender Kelsey Grammer, a passholder brunch, screening of the new Paramount+ Frasier reboot and more.

Tickets are now on sale for the 2024 festival, starting at $250, and are available for purchase at northfork.tv. The full North Fork TV Festival itinerary has yet to be released but will be posted on the website as the festival approaches.