Catalyst Story Institute & Content Festival
Catalyst Story Institute & Content Festival, formerly the ITVFest (The Independent Television Festival), is an arts organization and an annual festival gathering of fans, artists and executives from around the world to celebrate outstanding independent narrative production. 
The festival gives independent television and narrative artists the opportunity to share their work with television professionals and a larger community of independent TV producers. 
Catalyst Story Institute & Content Festival is the only independent television festival in the United States. ITVFest is the first festival dedicated to independently produced pilots and webseries, with an emphasis on new media. 
Festival support has come from companies and media outlets including Sony, The TV Academy (the Emmys), Fox TV Studios, RDF, Comedy Central, SyFy, FX (TV channel), GSN, HBO, Current TV, The Hollywood Reporter, Tubefilter, Stickam, B-Side and Comcast.
== History ==
Catalyst Story Institute & Content Festival was founded as The Independent Television Festival in 2006 by producer AJ Tesler, and was originally held in Los Angeles, California.
In 2013, Philip Gilpin, Jr. took over as the festival's Executive Director. ITVFest moved from Los Angeles to Vermont to find a rural setting where industry leaders and creators could escape the big city to build relationships with the goal of creating an industry pipeline for independent television creators to have direct access to industry decision makers. In 2015, on attending ITVFest IndieWire called independent television is a real, new part of the industry that deserves attention.
In 2017, ITVFest partnered with HBO in a deal that awarded festival winners meetings with top executives. Bob Bakish, CEO of Viacom, keynoted at ITVFest 2017. In 2018, Adaptive Studios bought the rights to Astral, a television drama set to include actors Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, from a creator met at ITV Festival. Powderkeg's Laura Fischer and Gary Dourdan were among the judges at ITVFest in 2018. After ITVFest 2018, Vermont officials dropped their support for television and film in the state.
In 2019, ITVFest moved to Duluth, Minnesota, attracting thousands of attendees. 
Also in 2019, ITVFest contracted a multiyear sponsorship with Abrams Artists Agency, marking the first direct connection between a TV festival and an agency, while simultaneously rebranding to Catalyst Story Investitute & Content Festival.
== Previous winners ==
2024 winnersPitchWorld Champions (Best Series Pitch): Secondchance Maggie - Rebecca Knowles; Branson - Erin BradfordBest Student Script: Monday School
Best Drama Script: Rebeccas - Megen Musegades
Best Comedy Script: Tamarack - Elle Thoni
Best Sci-fi and Fantasy Script: Nightfall - David Guthrie
Best Kids and Animation Script: Bright Blue - Mary McGloin
Best Thriller/Horror Script: Shuttlecock - Tapan Sharma; Magnolia Hill - Terra WellingtonBest Animation Pilot: Chorus to Dero - Dana Corrigan, Joseph Solinsky
Best Comedy Pilot: The Countdown - Melanie Renfroe, Shannon McLemore, Heidi-Marie Ferren, Yorke Fryer, James Renfroe, Kelly Roberts, Noah Hougland, Peter Beirne, David Gielan
Best Documentary Pilot: Woman at the End of the World - Martyna Wojciechowska, Hanna Jewsiewicka, Ewa Marcinowska, Jowita Baraniecka-Ogden
Best Drama Pilot: Madam - Tom Hern, Halaifonua Finau, Marci Wiseman, Nick Spicer, Aram Tertzakian, Belindalee Hope, Kacie Anning, Madeleine Sami, Peter Salmon, Shoshana McCallum, and Harry McNaughton
Best Reality Pilot: Affiliated - Truman Kewley, Terry 'Carver Tee' Williams, Deawnne Buckmire
Best Sci-Fi and Fantasy Pilot: Two Breaths - Kateryna Kurganska, Timur Guseynov, Don John, c Craig
Best Short Form and Experimental Pilot: My Dearest Elizabeth - MaryLynn Suchan, Poonam Basu
Best Sports Pilot: Mary Queen of Van Life - Jasia Ka
Best Podcast: abandoned: The All American RuinsBest of Fest: Madam - Tom Hern, Halaifonua Finau, Marci Wiseman, Nick Spicer, Aram Tertzakian, Belindalee Hope, Kacie Anning, Madeleine Sami, Peter Salmon, Shoshana McCallum, and Harry McNaughton2019 winnersBest Breakout Creators - Sam and Colby
Best Breakout Series - Challenge Accepted
Best Script Pitch - Georgi & the Bot
Best Documentary - Beneath the Ink
Best Reality Series - Run
Best Animation - Starship Goldfish
Best Short Film - Lose It
Best Short Comedy Series - Doxxed
Best Short Drama Series - Dad Man Walking
Best Comedy Series - This Isn't Me
Best Drama Series - Home Turf
Best Comedy Script - Wendy Braff, Mr. Trivia
Best Drama Script - Justin Moran, Rust
Best Cinematography -  Ryan Z. Emanuel, Chosen
Best Writing - Brandon Garegnani, Scribbles
Best Directing -  Mara Joly, Home Turf
Best Editing - Oliver Parker, The System
Best Comedy Actor - Ben Kawaller, This Isn't Me
Best Comedy Actress - Ani Tatintsyan, Pre-Mortem
Best Drama Actor - Akintola Jiboyewa, The System
Best Drama Actress - Alison Jaye, Chosen
Best of Festival - Work/Friends2019 Documentary Official SelectionBeneath the Ink
Caminantes (Walkers)
Jeffrey T. Larson
Magnolia's Hope
Outsourced: The New Wisconsin Idea2018 winnersBest Podcast - Yarn Story Podcast
Best Drama Script - Near Death, Owen Hornstein III, Andrew Bryan, And James Roe
Best Comedy Script - Not Liz, Liz Murpy
Best Documentary - Jacks & Jills
Best Short Film - Monday
Best Cinematography - Adrian Correia, Avenues
Best Reality - Charlie Bee Company
Best Writing - Stephen Ohl, White River Tales
Best Editing - Darian Dauchan, The New Adventures of Brobot Johnson
Best Drama Actor - Kolman Domingo, Nothingham
Best Drama Actress - Vongai Shava, Patiri in the Promise Land
Best Comedy Actor - Tomy Kang, Taking a Hit
Best Comedy Actress - Caroline Parsons, The Russian Cousin
Best Directing - Yair Valer, Wild Weeds
Web Short Comedy Series - Susaneland
Best Short Drama Series - Revenge Tour
Best Drama Series - Currency
Best Comedy Series - Filth City
Best of ITVFest  - 882016 winnersBest TV Short Drama - People Like Us2015 winnersBest Visual Effects - Border Queen Archived 2018-04-20 at the Wayback Machine
Best Reality - Kickin' it Caucasian
Best Short Film - February
Best Writing - The Wake
Best Cinematography - Zero Point
Best Acting Ensemble - Fu@K I Love U
Best Actor - Darrell Lake, The Incredible Life of Darrell
Best Actress - Alex Trow, Cooking for One
Best Director - Kerry Valderrama, Sanitarium
Best Documentary - Port of Indecision
Web Web Series Comedy - The KATEering SHow
Best Web Series Drama - Farr
Best TV Drama - Trouble
Best TV Comedy - Life Sucks
Best of ITVFest  - The Wake2013 winnersBest in Show - Old Souls
Best Acting - Mythos
Best Comedy - Preggers
Best Drama - Event Zero
Best Documentary - Comrade Sunshine2012 winnersBest Writer - Underwater, Nathan Marshall & Michael Traynor
Best Actress in a Drama - Underwater, Rachel Nichols2010 winnersInnovator Award - Illeana Douglas
Best Overall Web - Octane Pistols of Fury, Chris Prine, Greg Stees
Best Overall TV - Going to Pot, Leo Simone, Scott Perlman, Jamie Kennedy
Best Documentary - Going to Pot, Leo Simone, Scott Perlman, Jamie Kennedy
Best Animated Pilot- Time Traveling Finger, Stephen Leonard
Best Drama - the_source, Marc D’Agostino
Best Comedy- Octane Pistols of Fury, Chris Prine, Greg Stees
Mobifest Winner - Phobias, Kasi Brown and Brandon Walter
Best Actor - La Manzana, Paula Roman
Best Director - 15 Minutes, Bobby Salomon
Best Writer - Odd Jobs, Jeremy Redleaf
Best Cinematographer - Goodsam & Max, Gil Nievo2009 winnersI Am Independent Award - Kevin Pollak
Best Overall Web - OzGirl, Nicholas Carlton, Sophie Tilson
Best Overall TV - Dog, Barry Gribble
Best Documentary - Pushing The Limits, Javier Bermudez
Best Animated Pilot- Wentworth & Buxbury, Lucas Crandles, Timothy Nash and Hayden Grubb
Best Drama - Urban Wolf, Napoleon Premiere, Laurent Touil-Tartour
Best Comedy- MERRIme.com, Kaily Smith
Mobifest Winner - Chelsey & Kelsey, Claire Coffee, Ellie Knaus, Marie-Amelie Rechberg
Best Actor - OzGirl, Shanrah Wakefield, Sophie Tilson
Best Director - Dark Room Theater, Benjamin Pollack
Best Writer - Imaginary Bitches, Andrew Miller
Best Cinematographer - Goodsam & Max, Gil Nievo2008 winnersBest Dramatic Program - Turnover, Michael Blieden
Best Comedic Program - Small Bits of Happiness, Blake Barrie and Thiago Gadelha
Best Documentary Program - Wal-Mart Nation - Andrew Munger
Best Alternative Program - Welcome to Plainville - Jason Frederick, Anne Gregory, Kevin McShane, Opus Moreschi, Charlotte Newhouse
Best Webseries - Violent Jake, Samuel Smith, Clint Gossett and Tansy Brook
Audience Award - Small Town News - Sarah Babineau
Best Director - Turnover, Michael Blieden
Best Writer - Hit Factor, James Cromwell, Saba Homayoon, Neil Hopkins, Jamie Rosenblatt, Kerry Sullivan
Best Ensemble Acting - Hit Factor, James Cromwell, Saba Homayoon, Neil Hopkins, Jamie Rosenblatt, Kerry Sullivan2007 WinnersBest Dramatic Program - The Collectors, Steve Alper
Best Comedic Program - Partners - Seth Menachem, Avi Rothman
Best Documentary Program - Gusto - Mike Maniglia, Subterra Films
Best Alternative Program - King Kaiser - Steven Burrows, The Burrows of Hollywood
Best Webseries - Trekant, Diaperdog Productions
Audience Award - King Kaiser - Steven Burrows, The Burrows of Hollywood
Webseries Audience Award - Flipper Nation, Space Shank Media
Vuze Second Chance Competition - Adam Ray TV, Adam Ray
Best Director - Mr. Jackson's Neighborhood, Nathan Marshall
Best Writer - Deal With It, Steven Muterspaugh, Michael Kary, Jamey Hood and Karin Kary
Best Ensemble Acting - Grounds Zero, Alan Keller2006 WinnersBest Dramatic Program - FBI Guys - Paul Darrigo, 2 Wolves Production
Best Comedic Program - As Seen on TV - Ryan Sage
Best Variety Program - Loading Zone - Nick Barnes, Frog Island Films
Best Reality Program - Meet Tom Kramer - Rachael Pihlaja
Audience Award - This is My Friend - Jeremy Konner, Morning Knight Films
Best Director - The Perverts - John Gegenhuber, The Perverts Pictures
Best Writer - As Seen on TV - Ryan Sage
Best Ensemble Acting - Van Stone: Tour of Duty - Tim Bennett, DakotaList of television festivals

== External links ==
Official Website Archived 2010-03-28 at the Wayback Machine
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