Emily Gipson and Caitlin McFarland, co-Founders and Executive Directors of ATX TV Festival. The fest returns, after a two-year virtual break, to in-person screenings in 2022 Credit: Photo by Jana Birchum

Clear your viewing schedule: ATX TV Festival is coming back as an in-person festival. After two years of virtual programming, the fest dedicated to all things small screen will be running all around downtown Austin, June 2-5 2022.

Not only that, but the fest has already started taking submissions for its pitch competition, opening today and running through Jan. 3, 2022. With returning partners the Black List and Sundance Episodic Labs, plus new supporters the Inevitable Foundation (focused on creating new opportunities for midcareer screenwriters with disabilities), the fest is accepting 90-second video pitches for scripted TV shows, plus a 10-page writing sample. Pitches will go on to be assessed and judged by a panel of TV industry experts and professionals, who will select 20 semi-finalists; from there, the final list of 10 will make their pitch in-person at ATX TV 2022.

Prizes for finalists include festival badges, a year’s free subscription to the ATX TV Membership Program, and a free second round application for consideration for the 2022 Sundance Institute Episodic Program. As for the overall winner, they will recieve feedback meetings with the judges, plus a pitch mentorship with a showrunner or executive, and a minimum of three general meetings with a studio, network, or pitch companies. Prior winners have included Chris Kyle, whose 2020 pitch Right on Sunset is currently in development with Liz Tigelaar and Stacey Silverman at Best Day Ever, Jessica Rhoades at Pacesetter Productions, and Amy Talkington; and 2021 winner Charlis Kindinger, who is being mentored by The Walking Dead‘s Glen Mazzara for his pitch, Forget Me Not.

No word on any regular programming yet, but in prior years the festival has combined big screenings like the Paramount Theatre premiere for Sharp Objects, with industry panels, and retrospectives for shows like The Wire, Battlestar Galactica, and, of course, Friday Night Lights. We’ll have all that TV guide news as soon as it’s scheduled.

ATX TV Fest Season 11, June 2-5, 2022. Info and badges at atxfestival.com.

This article appears in November 12 • 2021.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.