The Welcome Return of AMC Networks' Annual Programming Summit

Instead of devoting panels to individual series with lots of promotional repartee among talent on both sides of the camera AMC arranged a quartet of panels by theme One panel focused on the portrayal of relationships among AfricanAmericans on TV while another focused on the horror content genre the focus of sister channel Shudder as a safe space to deal with issues from racism to class warfare and being gay lesbian or transgenderInvite job candidates to apply live during the Media and Advertising Communityamp8217s Black Talent Outreach Week at MediaVillagecom and AdvancingDiversityorg October 1720 Apply for jobssubmit your resume hereamp160All this originated from the thirdfloor rooftop of 74 Wythe a multifloor presentation space in the heart of Brooklyn39s Greenpoint district Mother Nature made a positive contribution to the atmosphere by offering up a wide bright view of the Manhattan skyline across the East River behind the stage at all times Attendees could grab coffee tea or milk on the left side of the room or check out a breakfast menu on the right side that included vegan banana nut and orange chocolate chip muffins and pretzel croissants filled with egg cheese and a strip of bacon On the way out attendees could pick up a boxed lunch of their choice and chat with participants in a redcarpet areaFrom the start AMC Networks Entertainment President Dan McDermott framed the event as the launchpad for a new programming era at his organization quotWe39re in the early days of a creative renaissancequot he declared quotThere39s something in the water here something fueling a move into elevated scripted TV We focus on creative and quality not clutterquotOne centerpiece of this renaissance will be multiple series based on the Anne Rice supernatural chronicles beginning with Interview with a Vampire scheduled to premiere October 2 As proof of faith in AMC building a major Anne Rice franchise over the rest of the decade McDermott announced the greenlighting of Interview39s second season before bringing on executive producer Mark Johnson for the opening panel and costars Sam Reid and Jacob Anderson for the closing panel Reid and Anderson are pictured at topquotI don39t want to tell dark storiesquot Johnson said during his panel explaining why he39s on board for this venture quotI want to tell positive stories and want to walk away feeling that there is hope Rice39s books deal with family values and faith in the futurequotPictured above left to right Sam Reid Jacob Anderson Emma McDonald Zahn McClarnon Okieriete Onaodowan Carrie Gillogly and Harry HamlinJohnson also will oversee an effort to develop a new AMC series out of Seconds the controversial 1960s movie directed by John Frankenheimer about a middleaged man who through a clandestine medical procedure becomes a youthful man played by Rock Hudson quotWhich one of us wouldn39t want to escape into another body and live an alternate lifequot Johnson asked quotThis concept is less fantastical and more appropriate to look at todayquotAnother Rice franchise Anne Rice39s Mayfair Witches is scheduled to arrive on AMC andor megacontent sister service AMC early 2023 quotI hope we get picked up for a second seasonquot said Harry Hamlin the former LA Law star who has a key role in the showamp160 quotI get to play this character who39s a Southern gentleman amp8230 and kind of insane Love the rolequotSeveral times on the second panel dealing with AfricanAmerican TV portrayals participants urged more content creators of color to get into TV then be accountable for generating a diversity of series that showcase contemporary relationships issues and resolutions quotI39m inspired to create what I don39t seequot explained David Shanks creator of 61st Street the gritty drama series starring Courtney Vance that will be back for a second season on AMC quotWe need to tell our stories from a place of truth and a place of complexity we deal with in its entiretyquot he addedIn a separate fireside chat McDermott disclosed that going forward there will be more experimentation with how series debut then play over AMC39s service portfolio Example some original scripted series on ALLBLK are getting a simulcast or second window on WE tv quotWe39ll copremiere some shows on AMC and AMC while some series will be exclusive to AMCquot he said quotWe39re forwardleaningquotClose ties with creators will be the key to generating AMC39s next assortment of series with a chance to be as iconic as The Walking Dead Mad Men Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul stated Scripted TV Vice President Carrie Gillogly a late addition to the closing panel quotWe care as much as the creators doquot she asserted quotWe want to support them every step of the way We need to get on the same page with the artists It39s not just about standing out It39s about being rememberedquotPhoto credit group image above Craig BarrittGetty Images for AMC NetworksPhoto credit image at top Evan AgostiniInvision for AMC NetworksAP ImagesClick the social buttons to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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The Welcome Return of AMC Networks' Annual Programming Summit

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Simon Applebaum

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The Welcome Return of AMC Networks' Annual Programming Summit

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