NBCU :: DIVERSITY INITIATIVE

In 2006, NBC had a concept for a film festival celebrating diversity - KELDOF was hired as a consultant to brainstorm and develop the project. Soon after, employing all 3 branches (id, content, and multimedia), Keldof took the lead, creating the identity for this initiative and strategies to raise the awareness and buzz necessary to make it an international success. Keldof first expanded the initiative to every network/studio within the NBCU family (including nbc, bravo, scifi, usa, telemundo, focus, rogue and universal). After launching DiverseCityNBC.com, an online newsletter website featuring the latest news and updates on the diverse happenings in entertainment, Keldof focused on attaching like minded partners from Blockbuster, Starwood Hotels, and Myspace to SAG, DGA, PGA, and WGA – all coming together to launch the Comedy Short Cuts 1st annual DiverseCity film festival.

Additionally, in celebrating the launch of a new show truly representing the face of diversity, Keldof worked with cast members from nbc’s HEROES as well other recognizable nbc faces, including cast members from My Name is Earl, Las Vegas and the president of NBC, to create promos announcing the festival for both online and national network air. Keldof also produced bicoastal launches for the initiative in both NYC and LA. All finalists received industry standard equipment from entertainment partners, final draft and studiosystem while the festival winner received an avid editing system and an online pilot deal with nbc’s broadband channel DOTcomedy. Select 2006 finalists also aired on 2007 NBCU partner, The Sundance Channel.

In 2007, with Heroes launched to critical acclaim and diverse hits like Syfy’s Battlestar and USA’s Psych with major fanbases – Keldof collaborated to create a hub site for all the diversity programs occurring at nbcu, truly expanding the diversity program umbrella over the entire NBCU family. Keldof then went to the sets of hit NBCU shows, creating more promos with cast members from Chuck and Heroes, as well as one on the set of THE OFFICE in order to add a new component to the Short Cuts Festival: NBC-YOU, a promo competition allowing fans across America to create promos for one of their favorite shows, including 30rock, the office, and heroes. Again, Keldof produced bicoastal launches for the initiative in both NBC and LA. Finalists for the 2007 festival received everything from Blackberry Curves to round tickets from American Airlines and the winner of the 2007 film festival received a pilot deal with NBC.

With annual partners from NBC, E!, Bravo, SyFy, Telemundo, G4, Focus Features, Universal, the Sundance Institute & USA Networks, the NBCUniversal SHORT CUTS festival is presently in its 7th year - now a four day bi-coastal festival including high profile panels, as well as a widely anticipated showcase of independent short films under 20 minutes in length, featuring a culturally or ethnically diverse production team, cast or theme. For more information, visit www.NBCshortcuts.com