LOCAL FILMMAKER WINS TV DEVELOPMENT DEALS IN NYC
September 27, 2011 by filmnashville
Filed under Indie Info
Mike Salva gets interest on animation projects..
The New York Television Festival was held September 19-24, 2011. Nashville animator Mike Salva left the festival with three development deals for his comedic animation work, more than any other artist received at the festival this year.
The New York Television Festival provides unprecedented access for emerging television artists looking to showcase new and innovative ideas for television programming.
NYTVF teamed up with Microsoft’s Bing search engine and Ben Silverman’s Electus studio to develop a new show created by a member of the NYTVF community. Mike Salva’s cartoon “Death Row Diet” won this competition, receiving a $25,000 development deal.
“Death Row Diet” stars Jonathan Katz (best known for Comedy Central’s “Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist”) and Tom Leopold (who wrote episodes for “Seinfeld”, “Cheers”, “Will & Grace”, others) about a man who is on death row and Weight Watchers.
MTV offered two development deals at the television festival for comedic animation submissions. The awards, each valued at $5,000, were to be presented to an outstanding comedic writer (“Voice”) and animator (“Vision”). Although the awards could have been given to separate entrants, NYTVF gave both awards to Mike Salva for his “Pound Dogs” cartoon.
“Pound Dogs” was a 100% Nashville-based production, with Nashville standup comedians Ryan Williams and Sean Parrott in the lead roles. Williams and Parrott play comedic cartoon dogs that live in an animal shelter. The cast also includes Andy Merrill (Brak from Adult Swim’s “Space Ghost Coast to Coast”; “Aqua Teen Hunger Force”), Samantha Newark (best known as Jem & Jerrica on the 80s animated series “Jem”) and Nashville filmmaker/singer/producer Steve Taylor.
More information about Salva’s animation work can be found at www.projectmeatball.com.
JPEG stills from “Death Row Diet” and “Pound Dogs” and video clips from both cartoons are available upon request. Contact: Mike Salva – 615-429-3407 – TheAnimationGuy@yahoo.com
