Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Emily Gipson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Emily, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
Creating and building ATX TV over the past eleven years has been such an incredible adventure. More than I could have ever dreamed. It expands so many different areas that I care deeply about, including bringing together a community ofs TV fans, industry leaders, actors and more to learn, talk and celebrate TV of all genres. Within ATX TV, the areas that have become the most meaningful to me are our Membership Program, The Pitch Competition, and the Social Issues track of Programming. The Membership Program was built to bring our community together year-round. It is a passionate group of attendees that we meet with virtually multiple times a month to talk TV, both with special guests and without. They have grown into a support system for each other and the Festival and have become some very dear friends. The Pitch Competition is a way to support a new group of writers each year in the next steps in their careers. I meet with them regularly throughout the year and connect them with industry leaders to further develop their skills and projects. And the Social Issues track at the Festival focuses on understanding the importance of telling authentic stories and the potential impact they can have on television audiences.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
There are thousands of film and music festivals around the world (and even in Austin!), but ATX TV is really unique because we view it as a “TV camp” and a way to bring TV fans and professionals together to celebrate TV as a whole, where it came from and where it’s going. Our programming includes panels, screenings and events with all sorts of TV experts. I’m constantly inspired by the attendees and how passionate they are about our programming year-round. This definitely helps drive us and fuels our passion for what we’ve created here. I’m also inspired by the discovery – people are constantly coming to the Festival, to our Virtual Events, and to our Social Media pages (YouTube, Instagram, etc.) and finding their new favorite show, new favorite actor, or just getting inspired by a TV theme or topical conversation. There’s something for everyone, and that’s really the best part!
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I know every business owner can agree that COVID changed everything. As scary as it was, it gave us the opportunity to pivot, shift and succeed in a way that at first felt so daunting. The pandemic came about approximately three months before our 2020 Festival, and we quickly had to decide whether to cancel or take the leap to pivot online. At that point, we had never even heard of Zoom! But we took this risk, and it was a new and unique experience, and felt so much like the first festival where we just had to try it to see what would happen! Fortunately, at that point, we had almost a decade of relationships with panelists, studios, networks, and attendees that willing to go through it with us. We obviously missed being together in person, but it gave us a chance to try new things. I’m so proud of our team, but I’m so glad to be back in person because that’s truly where the magic lies.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
It all comes down to this community, the joy of bringing people together and being able to witness them experiencing new things that keep me going. The fact that people can discover new TV shows or panelists (writers, directors, creatives, actors) they love through ATX TV is what keeps me going. I think the beauty of working in a creative industry is being able to witness people together in a place of pure love and joy. What could be better than that? I do still handle some of the backend necessities (like finances and a LOT of spreadsheets), but I’m able to be oh-so creative while doing so. 
Contact Info:
- Website: https://atxfestival.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atxfestival/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ATXFestival
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ATXFestival
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/atxtv
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@atxtv
Image Credits
Jack Plunkett, Michelle Maurin, Jeff Cohen