New TV Channel To Showcase Competition For Best Indie Films and Web Series

LOS ANGELES, CA, October 28, 2012 (Press-News.org) Online television network, FirstRun.tv (www.FirstRun.tv) and NexTV Entertainment (www.mynextv.com) have announced an alliance whereby FirstRun.tv will launch a new channel to showcase entries to NexTV's Web Series and Indie Film Competitions. The new channel will be called NexTV and will occupy Channel 6 within FirstRun.tv's lineup.

Entering their fourth year, the NexTv competitions present submitted independent web series, shorts, TV pilots, features, documentaries, and animation to a panel of judges consisting of Hollywood insiders. NexTV panels have included agents from ICM, WME, UTA, APA, TGA, IA, executives from studios such as Disney, Fox, Paramount, and MGM, as well as producers from HBO, NBC, and CBS.

"Our goal is to find the best content from around the web that can be adapted for television," said Randy Becker, President of NexTV. "The competition was created to connect tomorrow's top artists with an elite panel of Hollywood decision makers," he added.

Becker notes that filmmakers and animators spend countless hours creating content, most of which lands on shelves or in some obscure corner of cyberspace. The competitions provide an opportunity to infuse value in these productions by framing them as part of a pitch for something bigger, such as a TV series or major motion picture. There have been a number of success stories where a low budget project turned into a successful TV series, such as It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, or a high-grossing feature such as Paranormal Activity. Submissions to past NexTV competitions have been sold to HBO, FOX, Nat Geo, BET, SyFy, BBC and others. In addition, corporate sponsors have donated over $450,000 in cash, goods, and services to competition winners.

"FirstRun.tv and NextTV are the perfect match," said Gary Kleinman, President and CEO of FirstRun.tv, and former Disney Studios VP. "FirstRun.tv's mission is to build an innovative television network based on the expanding community of talented, creative people who are writing and producing their own series and films - the same community that is submitted their work to NexTV competitions," said Kleinman. "The NexTV channel will provide a platform for the public to watch these unseen shows. It's great exposure for the producers, and great entertainment for our viewers," he added.

Content producers can submit their work for the NexTV competitions at http://www.mynextv.com/web.
The NexTV channel can be viewed at http://www.FirstRun.tv.

FirstRun.tv is owned and operated by Innovation Organization, LLC, a company Kleinman founded in 2010 to develop entertainment and software for new media platforms.

This press release and photos are available online at: http://www.FirstRun.tv/Press-Publicity.htm

FirstRun.tv is a new TV network launched by veteran Disney Studios executive, Gary Kleinman. FirstRun.tv features 10 channels of new shows from independent producers, aimed at mobile viewers with smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices.