Every year, Atlanta’s Savannah College of Art & Design holds aTVfest, a three-day event which “celebrates design, creativity, & innovation in television & digital media” (SCAD). They host various panels, screenings, and honor deserving actors with awards. This year’s aTVfest had screenings of shows like Scandal, Once Upon a Time, Shadowhunters, Quantico, Taken, Z: The Beginning of Everything, Imaginary Mary, and more. They had panels on everything from television writing, to inside tips from casting directors, to the entertainment industry’s future in Georgia. This year’s Spotlight Awards were given to Jennifer Morrison, Jenna Elfman and the cast of WGN’s Underground.
I attended the Once Upon A Time screening and panel. We were treated to a screening of the midseason premiere, which is set to air on March 5th. It was really cool to watch with a crowd, and react to everything with gasps and/or laughter as a group as we watched the episode. Watching the episode on a big screen from the fifth row from the stage was something I won’t forget. After the episode, a moderator lead a panel with actors Jennifer Morrison and Colin O’Donoghue, and executive producers and writers Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis. The atmosphere in the room was energetic, and the moderator asked a good balance of questions about most of the characters. They didn’t spoil much, but they did confirm there would be a musical episode before the end of season 6! A video of Jennifer Morrison accepting her award can be found here.
Photo courtesy of Jordan Potter.
While I only went to aTVfest for one program, I believe it would be very beneficial to anyone looking to work in the entertainment industry, or television lovers in general. They had a wide variety of events with professionals from all ends of the spectrum. It would be a great learning experience for anyone, and they had a variety of affordable day pass options and the option to just buy a ticket to a screening. The event was well-organized and staffed nicely, and any questions we had were answered swiftly. Their website and printed guide made for a smoothly-run evening. I, for one, will certainly look out for aTVfest’s schedule next year.
Gif from the panel, courtesy of onceland.