LATV Festival

I came to NATPE's LATV Festival from Missouri as a housewife and stay at home mom with an idea for a TV show. I took what I learned at NATPE's seminars and put them to use at Pitch Pit and got a yes during several of my meetings!  Shortly after returning home, I signed a television development deal. I am so thankful every day I attended NATPE's LA TV Festival.  It changed my life!
"Mutha Mae" Mason, MuthaMae.com

"The 2008 NATPE Diversity fellowship was a remarkable experience for me. I not only had the opportunity to network with over 20 diversity fellows, but I have now made lifelong friends. The workshops and seminars were all top-rate and meeting and networking with some of the top names in the industry was tremendous."
Chris Rose

"As a working producer of online content, I found the NATPE Diversity Fellowship incredibly helpful. The conference networking opportunities were invaluable (especially through the sessions focused on digital content), and my peers provided a wonderful "traditional television" perspective on my burgeoning webisode business. The support provided by NATPE also contributed to the positive experience of being a Diversity Fellow -- we felt as if we were an important part of a larger organization, not an afterthought. As a result of my fellowship and the relationships I maintained after the conference, I landed two development deals for my online content production company. I've participated in other diversity training programs, and NATPE's was the most supportive and influential on my current work.
Nathan Kitada, Director, 5432 Films

"The NATPE diversity fellowship taught me so much about Hollywood. I learned how to present myself, position my company and navigate the art of setting up pitch meetings. I have made great friends in our group and I hope to stay in touch with them. My business partner and I always joke that if there was a book written about doing business in Hollywood it would be outdated by the time it hit the press. That's why the NATPE diversity fellowship is so important - the advice our mentors are giving us is current, valuable and insightful."
Micaela Choo

"The NATPE Diversity Fellowship has been an extremely wonderful experience. I have been educated on new trends and production models from today's pioneers in television and new media; exposed to a diverse set of executives at premiere events and encouraged by my fellow colleagues who are all uniquely dynamic. What I will value most from the fellowship is the impression management training provided by our chief mentor Carole Kirshner. Her strategic positioning advice helped me get the most out of the festivals and conferences. But more than that, it empowered me take initiatives and build relationships that are creating opportunities for my advancement now and at every level of my career."
Wanda Weithers

	"Before I attended the conference, I did research on the specific panelists and speakers & decided beforehand who I wanted to speak to. I contacted them before the festival and met with several of them & furthered my relationships with them during the event. One of those relationships lead to me hiring a new vice president of creative development at my production company. Our combined efforts have contributed to my show being picked up for a second season and is now currently syndicated on ABC affiliates." - Jake Sasseville (Executive Producer: Foot in Mouth Productions, Host/Producer of "The Edge with Jake Sasseville")
	"At the LATVF 2007 I made the connections that enabled me to create, produce, and distribute a series entitled, "The African Minute". I also connected with another creator/producer named Charles Flemings, and we are currently launching a series that will be in nearly 16 million homes on CoLours TV very soon. Not only did these connections result in these series, but I learned a ton of helpful information and got to meet so many interesting people in the process. The people, topics, and information were invaluable." - Arthur O. Thomas (Producer: Main Man Films)
	"LATVF changed my life. Instead of chasing another job I wasn't passionate about, the festival made me realize the enormous range of opportunities open to me. I met a former CW executive at the festival - and since then have begun a new/old media production company with him. Now I can throw my energy behind something I have a passion for." - Mildred Lewis
	"As a television outsider with a vision for my own project, "Fit and Fabulous Outdoors," I went into the pitch pit and got some valuable information and feedback on how to move forward. The festival gave me access to buyers and decision makers that I could have never had otherwise. Those contacts and connections lead to others who helped me champion my project. Not only that, but it helped me learn the "language of television" which helped me brand my product and market it to producers and agents for support!" - Lorrie Sullenberger (Creator: Fit & Fabulous Outdoors / FitandFabulousOutdoors.com)
	"The LATVF helped me understand how fast things can move and how valuable opportunities can be missed if you are not prepared. I learned to research the companies I wanted to pitch to at the festival as well as what crucial networking opportunities I had to take advantage of. I then later applied my knowledge from the festival to tailor my pitches at the huge NATPE conference held each year in Las Vegas. Using what I had learned - I was able to sign a show each year I attended the conference - all from the preparation I gained from the festival." - Charles Flemings (Executive Producer/Director: Brook Entertainment/BrookEntertainment.com)
	"Through my involvement with the LATV Festival in 2007, I ended up forming a strategic online media partnership with another woman I had met there. Also, as an independent content producer I learned so much from meeting other producers facing similar challenges and was inspired to new solutions through idea-sharing and brainstorming. I found the festival a great place to network with other industry professionals in an open, friendly, fun, and educational environment." - Lori Harfenist (Creator: The Resident/Theresident.net)
	"I went to the LATV festival, and it allowed me to reconnect with some knowledgeable and skilled women who have become wonderful resources to me. I pitched to several companies, and both Lifetime & Hallmark indicated interest in my ideas. The rep from Lifetime took my script right there, while Hallmark sent me a release – and the positive feedback encouraged me to continue writing. I have made connections with Presidents from both companies, have solidified my projects, and am currently in the process of moving ahead on both." Karen Fitzgerald (President: Leap Forward Productions)
	"The 2007 LATV Festival was a watershed for me and my project 'The Tales of The Pencilneck'. Just by attending the conference and attending the lectures, I could see very quickly that I was on the right track, except for a couple of key points that were missing from my pitches and treatments. The pitch pit and the advice have been HUGE!!!" Owen Garrett (Creator: Tales of a Pencilneck)