Connor Paolo’s scripted pilot “Savage” won the inaugural Indie TV Pilot Showcase at ATX TV Festival, beating out other finalists and marking a major step for independent creators turning early prototypes into audience-ready stories. “It’s Not You, It’s Me: Chi
A new indie pilot spotlight finally has its first champion.
ATX TV Festival announced that Connor Paolo’s “Savage” has been named the winner of its inaugural Indie TV Pilot Showcase, taking the top scripted prize.
Written by Paolo and directed by Josh Bowman. “Savage” is built around its lead character: “a mother and private investigator desperate to fund her daughter’s cancer treatment. [who’s] offered a missing persons case near a swamp where something terrifyingly ancient lurks beneath every lie.” The premise threads financial urgency into a mystery that turns increasingly dark. with every clue carrying the weight of something older than the people searching for it.
The pilot’s production team includes Nicholas Logan. Brittany Fallow. and Bridget Regan. who also stars alongside Paolo. Barbara Crampton. JR Bourne. Zach Roerig. Nicholas Logan. and Dylan Sprayberry. In a joint statement. the team said winning at ATX TV Festival “was an honour. ” adding: “A huge thank you to the entire staff. The community they’re creating around the Indie TV space is inspiring, and we’re excited to build on it. ‘Savage’ has been a labor of love and we’re so grateful for the wonderful work our cast and crew put into it. We can’t wait for what’s next as we bring this unique story to life.”.
The festival also crowned a winner in the Unscripted category. “It’s Not You. It’s Me: Chicago” took home the prize for Best Indie TV Pilot – Unscripted after a screening and Q&A. Anthony L. Williams created and directed the series. which follows “three bachelors who re-embark into the dating scene while receiving expert guidance on healthy relationships. sex. and vulnerability. the niches and experiences of modern queer dating.”.
Behind these two wins sits a bigger shift in how independent projects are built and introduced. The ATX TV Festival announced its first-ever Indie Pilot Showcase in December 2025. Co-founders Caitlin McFarland and Emily Gipson. alongside a dedicated programming team. designed the showcase “to build community and increase marketplace opportunities for independently created series.” The final round of selections was featured in the Indie TV Showcase on May 30 during Season 15 of the festival.
McFarland framed the decision as a response to what creators are facing now. “We have showcased Indie TV at the festival for over a decade. first with ‘Everyone is Doing Great’ during their crowdfunding stage. and last year expanding to showcase ‘You Belong Here’ and a panel of leading voices across producers. platforms and creatives. ” she said. “This year we had to lean in further. With the shifting marketplace across traditional TV. and a rise in leaders turning to making TV before securing distribution. this felt like a natural next step. ‘Savage’ showcases everything independent TV can do without sacrificing any of what you see on screen.”.
The scripted field wasn’t small. Additional scripted finalists included “Freelance,” written by Julien Turner, and “The Ladies,” written by Juliana Piscina.
Jurors for the final round of competition were Joe Lewis. founder and CEO of Amplify Pictures; Aram Rappaport. founder of The Network; Alissa Bachner. EVP of development at Tomorrow Studios; Rick Gomez. founder of Macaroni Art Productions; and Daniel Fienberg. chief TV critic at The Hollywood Reporter.
The Indie Pilot Competition and Showcase also connects to ATX TV’s broader path for new voices. It’s the latest addition to ATX TV’s open submission opportunities. joining the annual Pitch Competition & Mentorship Program. which aims to give burgeoning TV writers the community. support. and tools needed to take the next steps in their careers.
ATX TV Festival Season 15 ran from May 28 – 31, 2026, in Austin, TX. Opening night included a sneak peek at “House of the Dragon” Season 3, and panel highlights featured the 20th-anniversary reunion of the “Friday Night Lights” cast and producers.
For Paolo and Bowman, “Savage” now has a spotlight that started as a showcase idea and ended with a winner’s announcement—exactly the kind of moment an indie pilot needs when the next step depends on reaching the right audience at the right time.
ATX TV Festival Indie TV Pilot Showcase Connor Paolo Savage Josh Bowman Bridget Regan It’s Not You It’s Me: Chicago Anthony L. Williams Austin TX
Savage?? Sounds like a murder show lol.
So this is like a pilot that actually won something at a festival? Good for them. Also the missing persons near a swamp thing feels super “Horror Channel” to me. I don’t even know who those actors are but Barbara Crampton name sounds familiar.
Wait, is “It’s Not You, It’s Me: Chi A new indie pilot spotlight…” like the one that won? Or is that just a tagline? The article is kinda mashed together. Either way, cancer + private investigator + ancient something is kinda heavy. I hope they don’t glamorize the “desperate mom” part too much.
I feel like ATX just picks the weirdest titles and calls it a win. “Indie TV Pilot Showcase” sounds like something you submit to and then they hype it. Also they said it’s the inaugural, so like… first one ever. That doesn’t mean it’s best, just means they didn’t have many entries. But hey if it gets audiences then whatever.