North Fork TV Festival: Noah Doyle Talks One-on-Ones, Star Talent, and Festival Firsts

On June 17th and 18th, the tenth North Fork TV Festival will be hosted in Greenport. The North Fork TV Festival has always been an evolving, fluid event—just like the medium it honors. Every year, the festival’s founder, Noah Doyle, tinkers with the mechanics of the event to improve its impact and relevance. Judging by its growing success and popularity, his efforts are bearing fruit.

Founded in 2015, the North Fork TV Festival celebrates the evolution of television, both mainstream and independent, bringing together the minds of actors, executives, writers, and directors. Held annually in Greenport, New York, the festival supports independent program development and embraces exciting, innovative voices from around the world.

In what has become something of an annual pre-festival interview with Hamptons.com, Mr. Doyle was enthusiastically forthcoming about how this year’s changes will enhance the experience for attendees. He began by saying, “When I look at what we’re doing on Tuesday, June 17th, and Wednesday, June 18th, that we’ve never done before, I would put it into three buttons. The first is—and this has really come from listening to the community, listening to our friends, and hearing what they want from the festival—the first new festival feature is that on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, we are running a program called Behind the Pitch.”

Doyle explained that this new feature will allow creators and artists with TV series ideas to meet with industry members. Although it may sound like networking, he clarified, “…it’s a little bit more than that because it’s literally one-on-one meetings.” He continued, “If someone has an idea for a TV series and wants professional feedback on it—wants to get ideas on how to go do their homework—they can purchase one of these passes and show up at South D Court at 10 a.m. on Tuesday morning. We’ll set up a certain number of one-on-one, 10–15 minute meetings with a professional.” Doyle emphasized that this type of offering is new for the festival, noting that many professionals in the TV community want to help emerging artists, and many emerging artists already follow the festival. “We’ve never done this kind of program before, and my hope is that this type of programming becomes a staple of the festival over the next ten years. We’re trying it out for the first time in June.”

Another feature Doyle is introducing this year was inspired by feedback from past attendees. “The community loves having very intimate, small conversations with actors to learn about their careers and their successes. I grew up watching James Lipton’s Inside the Actors Studio, and I always loved those conversations. So, we’ve now created our own version of this: two microphones, two barstools, by the piano inside the Sound View Greenport—in a very small, intimate area—where we’ve curated one of the best, most diverse lineups of talent at different stages in their careers.” The confirmed participants include Anna Chlumsky (Veep), Richard Kind (Only Murders in the Building), Susan Kelechi Watson (This Is Us, The Residence), Chris Briney (The Summer I Turned Pretty), and Jenn Lyon (Claws).

The third change this year is the festival’s timing—now scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in June. Doyle explained, “A lot of people have asked why we moved it to this particular week in June. It’s because we really want to be an industry conference. This is the beginning of FYC voting and Emmy nominations season, the time when those series and actors are being considered for Emmy nominations.” He predicts that this strategic scheduling will help generate buzz.

As with every North Fork TV Festival, there will be a Canopy Award ceremony, which will take place on Wednesday, June 18th at the Greenport Brewery. This year’s recipient is Christopher Meloni of Law and Order fame.

In closing, Doyle reflected, “We’ve built something. We were thrown a few grenades and landmines—whatever you want to call what COVID was for the festival business. We were bottled into something else, and we’re happy.” He described the festival as intimate, professional, and industry-based at its core. “If someone wants to buy the $30 pass and watch the screenings or listen to a panel, they’re available on the website. If you want the Uber VIP experience and the chance to get a photo with one of the actors, there’s that type of pass for sale too.”

For more info, visit Northfork.tv