The fourth/final day of the ATX TV Festival Season 12 was a short one for me, with just 2 panels, both of which were in the same room!
After checking out of my hotel, I headed over to the Driskill Maximilian room for “The Camera’s Eye presented by Panavision”. Ben Travers of IndieWire led cinematographers Todd McMullen (Waco: The Aftermath, The Leftovers) and Abe Martinez (Cobra Kai, 61st Street, National Treasure: Edge of History) in a discussion of their craft and the numerous projects they have worked on. They discussed the DP’s role in defining the look of a series or movie, all of the different departments they collaborate with, how their role differs from the director, and more. A lot of Martinez’s projects have been series based off of existing properties, so he discussed how that does/doesn’t affect how he goes about his work—he said that he usually just goes for his own vision. The DPs also talked about some of the new technology that has been shaping and changing the industry recently, and what could come in the future. It was a really interesting discussion.
I left the room and used my final Fast Pass to head right back in for my the last panel of the convention for me, “The Women of The Good Doctor presented by Sony Pictures Television”. Moderated by Dani Dudek (Austin.com), the panelists included Executive Producer Erin Gunn, and actresses Christina Chang, Fiona Gubelmann and Bria Samoné Henderson. Due to the WGA strike, the panelists didn’t know any specifics as to where the series was going to be headed in the upcoming season, but they did talk about some of the storylines and character arcs from the past and previous seasons, and what they would love to see happen to their characters in the future. The women also discussed some of the positive fan interactions and feedback they have received, how they were originally cast on the show, the importance of representation, and what makes them proud to portray these characters.
After the panel I headed over to 800 Congress for the “Festival Finale Brunch: Sending You Off With Love” to hopefully grab some food before I had to head out to the airport. There were several panelists from this season milling about and talking with people, and I saw the Jane Leo duet there as well. However, unlike last year where the brunch was set up like a buffet, this year it was small bites being passed around by servers. People were hovering by the door where the servers were coming out, and it was like watching a pack of hungry birds attack and clear each plate the second it came out of the kitchen. Needless to say, there was no way I was going to be getting any food, so I gave up, and chatted a bit with some friends before heading back to my hotel to grab my bags and call a Lyft to the airport.
This year’s convention felt a little strange not having most of my usual posse there, and the WGA strike changed things up a bit—though there was still plenty to see, and I enjoyed having a lot more of the actors on the panels. I also got to try out some new things this season, like the TV Trivia (which was a lot of fun), and the new ACL Live venue used for some of the marquee events was nice and big (even if it was a bit of a hike to get there). Also, I need to remember to bring a raincoat next year, just in case! Overall, it was another fun and successful season of TV Camp, and I look forward to returning again to the ATX Television Festival next season.
