Xbox Live Contest Promotes Indie Television

Microsoft gives would-be TV producers a shot at big audiences through the Xbox 360.

TV networks aren’t the only way for emerging video producers to get their big breaks anymore. Microsoft and the New York Television Festival (NYTVF)  announced Monday that they will give one talented producer a chance to have his or her work seen by as many as six million eyes via the Xbox 360. The winning entry of the Xbox Live Originals contest will also be shown at the NYTVF in September.

Entrants are expected to produce a five to 15-minute comedy pilot, and submit it by June 29, 2007. After the initial entries are pared down, Microsoft will give air the work of selected finalists using Xbox Live’s video-on-demand service in July. The winner, announced at the end of the month, will receive a $100,000 production budget and the chance to produce six more comedy episodes to air on Xbox Live.

More than 1,500 hours of film and television series are already available through the Xbox Live marketplace, but users have never had the chance to upload their own creations before. “We are thrilled to be able to bring community-created TV content to the Xbox community for the first time," said Bill Nielsen, senior director of Xbox Live at Microsoft, in a statement.

The NYTVF was conceived to promote independent television, and its organizers believe a partnership with Microsoft will help achieve that. “The New York Television Festival has always strived to give artists opportunities to get their voices heard in the industry, and we think that showcasing their work on the Xbox 360 will give our artists unprecedented exposure," said Terence Gray, founder of NYTVF, in a press release.