(NEW ORLEANS) – The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Economy in partnership with The New Orleans Video Access Center (NOVAC) announces Web Weekend 2014, an event for small screen content creators who want to learn about the craft, business, and opportunities of video on the web. NOVAC will present panel discussions, conversations, parties and featured video content from online and web series celebrities. Held from Nov. 7 – 9, Web Weekend 2014 will take place at various locations, but the main public event will be at the New Orleans BioInnovation Center, located at 1441 Canal St., on Nov. 8.
“Web Weekend is an opportunity for local content creators to participate in our state’s booming tech and film economies, and to learn the skills they need to compete on a national level,” said Scott Hutcheson, Senior Advisor to the Mayor for Cultural Economy. “Furthermore, it’s a chance for executives from these leading edge platforms and production companies to experience the depth of talent and ease of production that Louisiana content creators enjoy.”
With web-based video production and distribution in national boom, local and regional filmmakers are creating video content designed from inception to the web, transforming the way we watch movies and episodic programming as a culture. With more and more local filmmakers creating their own web content, NOVAC will bring national talent and expertise to New Orleans—hosting a conference that develops community, networking and learning opportunities for local and regional filmmakers with Web Weekend 2014.
“The landscape of film and video production is changing so rapidly and Web Weekend addresses new formats, new platforms, new narrative styles to support the work of our local filmmakers on the cutting edge,” said Darcy McKinnon, Executive Director of NOVAC.
This year’s Web Weekend will be anchored by Saturday’s public panels and conversations, with visiting presenters Luke Ryan (Executive Producer of Hulu’s “East Los High”), Sam Toles, Vimeo’s Vice President of Content Acquisition, who just oversaw the acquisition of the hit series “High Maintenance,” along with online stars Alex Anfanger (“Next Time on Lonny”) and Akilah Hughes (“Akilah, Obviously”).
A new feature of Web Weekend this year will be Perfect Pitch with North South Productions. The team responsible for reality series hits “Say Yes to the Dress” and “Impractical Jokers” will be attending Web Weekend and presenting on their search for the ultimate in reality content. In addition, Web Weekend attendees will be given the opportunity to pitch their ideas of the perfect reality show to executive producers from the company, and the right pitch could be made into the next hit series! To reserve a spot for a one-on-one with Perfect Pitch producers, participants should register for Web Weekend and complete the submission form at
As part of its organizational commitment to developing filmmakers, NOVAC will also host a Web Weekend Think Tank, an opportunity for selected local and international web series creators to get the one-on-one critical feedback from our visiting panelists and mentors that they need to improve and expand their projects. With four times the number of submissions as last year, NOVAC has invited 9 projects to participate in the Think Tank, and they will receive one on one mentoring from the visiting experts. Of the nine projects, 6 are locally produced, with two from California and one project produced in Scotland.
“We’ve seen the relationships and opportunities that emerge from artist cultivation labs like the Web Weekend Think Tank, and are happy to support these mentorship programs, and to host these innovative production companies in our city,” said NOVAC New Orleans Programs Manager Biliana Grozdanova.
Web Weekend attendees will be invited to attend the public panels on Saturday, the opening night mixer, and the party and screening of Think Tank participants’ projects, which will include the premiere of Web Weekend 2013 Think Tank participants’ Cookie Pig productions’ new series, “Enjoy Your Stay.”
Tickets for Web Weekend are on sale now, and participants may register for slots to pitch their own reality series on the Web Weekend web site.
