Procter & Gamble Productions and the New York Television Festival Launch Nationwide Talent Search to Cast New Comedy Pilot

Procter & Gamble Productions and the New York Television Festival Launch Nationwide Talent Search to Cast New Comedy Pilot

'The Procter & Gamble Productions Players' will perform an original show live at 2007 indie TV fest as part of a new sketch comedy TV pilot

NEW YORK, June 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Procter & Gamble Productions (PGP) and the New York Television Festival (NYTVF) today announced the launch of the PGP-NYTVF Comedy Talent Search, a nationwide contest to cast a new troupe of comedy performers named "The Procter & Gamble Productions Players." Actors, comedians, and improvisational performers from all over the country are eligible to audition for the group by submitting short comedy sketches featuring their performances of original material. From the search, a cast of six to fifteen performers will be invited to Manhattan to attend the NYTVF in September, where they will help develop and star in a new comedy pilot, The Procter & Gamble Productions Comedy Hour, recorded live for NYTVF audiences.

"We are thrilled to work with Procter & Gamble Productions on the PGP- NYTVF Comedy Talent Search," said NYTVF founder Terence Gray. "We look forward to discovering a new wave of talent that will breathe life into conventional sketch comedy programs. Independent artists now have a next- generation comedic platform on which to showcase their talents."

"As a major production presence in New York for many decades, we are proud to be associated with the NYTVF," said Brian T. Cahill, Senior VP, Managing Director of TeleVest Daytime Programs, Inc., which manages production of soap operas and other television and new media content for PGP. "Adding this innovative project to our diverse production portfolio is a great way for us to discover new talent and create a contemporary and compelling program for a broad audience."

As part of the Talent Search, PGP and NYTVF will divide the United States into three regions, Eastern, Central, and Western. To enter the competition, performers in all three regions are invited to record a video of an original short comedy sketch running 2 to 4 minutes in length. Each sketch must include a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 5 performers. The sketches can be submitted online by uploading them to the New York Television Festival Web site at nytvf.com/2007_contests_pgp. Sketches must also be uploaded for public viewing on MSN Soapbox. The deadline to submit sketches for the Talent Search is August 3rd, 2007.

The top sketch from each region will be determined by a combination of online user ratings on MSN Soapbox and a panel of industry figures. The team members featured in the winning sketch from each of the three regions will be named to the inaugural "Procter & Gamble Productions Players."

The newly formed cast of the Procter & Gamble Productions Players will be flown to Manhattan to attend the New York Television Festival, which runs from September 5th through September 10th. Once the teams arrive, members will be shuffled from their original teams into three new groups. These groups have 48 hours to create and rehearse three new comedy sketches. At the end of the second day, the troupe will star in a live performance for TV executives and industry attendees of the New York Television Festival. This live performance will be paired with rehearsal footage and backstage interviews to comprise The Procter & Gamble Productions Comedy Hour, a new TV pilot produced by Procter & Gamble Productions and the New York Television Festival.

The Procter & Gamble Productions Comedy Hour combines the movements of user-generated content, Web 2.0 interactivity, and independent television to create a unique sketch comedy format. Starring some of the most talented new performers in the country, the pilot episode will be showcased to all network partners of the NYTVF and will be available for viewing on MSN Video.

The NYTVF is supported by Signature Sponsors MSN, Xbox, and PGP. Additional sponsors include the William Morris Agency, TV Guide, Variety, NBC Universal, FOX, ABC, and A&E. The NYTVF debuted in 2005 as the industry's first showcase for independent television. Recent pilots that premiered at the Festival have been sold to major networks including NBC, A&E, and Versus.

For more information, please visit www.newyorktelevisionfestival.com.

About Procter & Gamble Productions, Inc.

Incorporated in 1949, PGP is America's foremost producer of high-quality serial programming. Its mission is to produce or acquire compelling, educational, platform-neutral content of superior quality that creates value for the consumer and for PGP. PGP focuses on creating relevant content for marketers and brands to communicate and build relationships with consumers. PGP is an official sponsor of the 2007 NYTVF.

Source: Procter & Gamble Productions, Inc.; New York Television Festival

CONTACT: Eben Russell, eben@nytvf.com, for New York Television Festival;
or Alan Locher, alan.locher@televest.com, for Procter & Gamble Productions,
Inc.

Web site:

http://www.newyorktelevisionfestival.com/

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