How Would You Do It?

[lazarus0280]

Aye well I agree with you. I think the hardest part is the initial audience. We need our following to "blowup". For the sake of argument, for a 2-3 nite event to air in primetime slot on a mainstream channel..... that's talking money. With an unproven show, that is gonna be tough. From your posts I am assuming your implying your building a course?? If your going that route I would talk to Jeff Tremaine or even Bam Margera. Jeff tremaine cause he's produced lower budget stuff and brought it main stream......(most of MTV's shows over the last ten years). Bam Margera has started his own production company, and while I don't know him personally, this seems like something he would love..... and he'd be someone i'd pitch it too...least for a season or two to get it on dvd. He producing his on dvds' back with cky and even now with the newer stuf......dunno, could work

[Oti]

My girlfriend actually has a ton of family members who are very high up in hollywood, such as producers, head of the actors' guild, etc.. I would probably consult with them and see what they thought.

The Bam Margera idea isn't bad, though.

[lazarus0280]

He,he...forgive me for beatin a dead horse. Assume you got Jeff Tremaine on board. Jackass, wildboyz, nitro circus and all those other series. For one, we'd have a handful of "stars" that the youth in america relate too. Obviously they have no qualms with risking life or limb. A tough a** course featuring them and some real competitors and the michael phelps or what have you from current atheletics. Mtv would run that show....and run it in the ground......even if it was only a week event. do that for 3 or 4 shows and you'll have a huge following.

With the opportunity of getting it on MTV, can ya imagine....with our pop culture, Eminem, Lil Wayne, or Metallica taking a dive in the mud....lol that's entertainment. Would laugh my a** off. Not to mention watching Johnny knox or steve-o get through the first stage and then eat it somewhere later on the course. While at the same time introducing the audience to our american heroes like levi and other top "contenders" to form our own all star team for the new fans to actually follow.

Relate it to auto racing. Potentially boring unless you have someone you can cheer on. So the ticket would be getting those "superstars" of the sport early. My other idea would be with Trump or Mcmahon....... think they both own the WWE now. Getting those Wrestelers involved.....that 's a huge market as well.

hehehhe, i having fun here brainstorming

[Oti]

I'd rather not have my course be associated with Jackass, MTV and stuff like that. :/

Besides, it's not like there's going to be serious danger on my course. There will be safety measures taken.

[lazarus0280]

Don't think it would be "associated" with those shows......your using a means to an ends. The argument is how to get it to take off. In no way am i wanting to make a joke of the sport at all. I am just throwing out the easiest options i think that could take our sport mainstream.

[Oti]

I'm pretty sure people would associate it with those shows...

[lazarus0280]

alright....tell me how it would be associated with those shows? just because a name is the "executive producer" I don't see how a tough obstacle course that pressed you to your limits could be associated with a jackass or something unless you implying that if you had a couple of those characters participate, then that would associate it.

but again that is what the japanese show does, utilizing 10=20 of there popular comedians...atheletes and other people.

once more..... you are starting with nothing...and I am trying to show you a way to build to something. we can spit stuff around the horn all day that could never happen. You got family in the entertainment business, my only point is, well it ain't happened yet. Fastest way we can get this sport in mainstream is to bring in an extreme sport or succesful extreme sport star...some one with clout. If jeff tremaine can turn a bunch of fools doing home video stunts into a commercially successful movie franchise..... i think i could trust him with a contest that presses people to there limits.....showing crazy wipeouts etc..... while at the same time using his already established clientele to help endorse our "product"......in essence that is what we are doing....trying to sell a product.

I don't care how cool your course is....or who you know. You will not get it on tv unlessyou can pay for the time slot you are using. we need a "break" so to speak. Where is that going to come from and how are you going to get it? No offense, I don't take well my mom and dad are in entertainment business too far, else if you loved the sport so much it'd already be in the works. No, am sorry, we got to sell it...and sell it to someone with a bit of clout, who could in turn pitch it to a network.

So, if jeff tremaine gets your goat cause you personally don't want to be associated with mtv then what is your suggestion? Again i have tossed out x'games..but that is assuming we have a bit of success. I know i personally can't come up with the money to fabricate such wonderful courses as we have seen. So who is your financier? Or do you plan on making the most wonderful 7 story plywood structure we have ever seen?

[Oti]

If I had the money, I would build it all myself, actually. That'd be fun as hell.

And how would it not be associated? Whenever someone comes out with something new, it says, "FROM THE MAN WHO BROUGHT YOU...". I don't want my course advertised like that.

Have you ever thought that I don't want to sell it to him? Maybe I don't want to sell it at all. Maybe I think this is America and that will ruin the entire point.

And even if I wanted to sell it, it's not like he's a production god. It's not like there aren't other people who would probably be more interested.

[joemello]

Jun 21, 2009 15:08:30 GMT -5 arsenette said:

Actually reality shows are very much a niche market. You have your die hard fans but for the most part... most people HATE reality TV shows with an utter and complete passion and blame TV execs for constantly rehashing shows over and over THINKING that is the in vogue thing. Personally the height of the reality shows is long gone.. only the has beens are left.

Except that your top five shows this season are all unscripted, two more make the top 20, and then there's also The Amazing Race (who has more Emmys than it knows what to do with), The Biggest Loser (which is a successful multi-faceted brand not to mention being the quintessential exception to the Reality Trash rule), I Survived a Japanese Gameshow (winner of the Rose d'Or--think of it as the Emmys meets the Olympics) and So You Think You Can Dance (which will eat your summer programming for breakfast). Cable is where the finger is usually indirectly pointed with all the crappy Bachelor(ette) clones and Real World/Road Rules permutations. Jon and Kate, too.

With TV ratings unilaterally eroding, a recession, and another major strike possible in 2011--this time involving all three guilds simultaneously--reality shows are cheap to produce and maintain, so they're a good low-risk option.

/Don't tell anyone that MythBusters is a reality show.
//Maybe I really should be the Pittsburgh Unscripted TV Examiner.

[lazarus0280]

Lol...hell yeah, that'd be alot of fun. Dude.....if material was on the job site i am there. You and i can build til kingdom come......I agree that'd be a blast.

Now maybe I misunderstood you. If you are wanting to do a backyard variety where people from this forum...and your friends etc compete that is one thing. If your talking about doing Sasuke as we see it on TV, then your going to need someone to front the bill. I definately wouldn't sell it right out....but what do you actually have to sell? I was only speaking in terms of how we could see Sasuke America in the near future. Utilizing your smaller version from what you build etc.....with home video and growing from there. Off the top of my head only person I know that has been super successful are the jackass people, CKY, and some of the more current SNL people utilizing youtube and the like. So, again unless you were assuming I was saying sell your course......not sure how you could be against it. Financial backing to make the badass course is what we are looking for. In order to get that we need someone with the funds...and clout. I agree when you go that route there are risks....but bringin someone like bam or jeff in on the project i think they'd be quicker to see the true nature of the sport as opposed to NbC or something out the gate. Not that I'm a big jeff fan or anything but he's been a big cog in bringing skateboarding into the mainstream. to be honest i could care less who we utilized and any suggestions are awesome....but really i haven't heard any as of yet....lol....so til i hear better my thoughts are through mtv or x'games

[Oti]

I wouldn't say Myth Busters is a reality show.

[lazarus0280]

hey thanx joe....basically nailed it on the head. obviously that'd be the struggle...we don't want it as a true reality show...but selling it as a true competition with no winner entirely likely yada yada, could make for exciting tv....hell g4 does a fine job with how they do it.......so how could we quickly get in the market and potentially "steal" from sasuke's fame. I am sure we all here are in agreement where we want it as a tough competition where we set the standards high and may the best man win. The only problem is breaking in. I believe once average america sees this and are exposed to it it will catch on like hotcakes. Hence my suggestions on how to quickly make it mainstream. you take a gentleman from detroit who'd just gotten laid off, with a middleaged ny teacher........along with your stereotypical cali' surfer or watier/actor. Cross that with a military peep and a few lesser known college atheletes and we have our first all star team that most demographics can relate too.

[joemello]

Jun 22, 2009 2:41:30 GMT -5 Oti said:

I wouldn't say Myth Busters is a reality show.

I would, especially in the first few seasons before the build team got on the front page. It's a MacGuffin-driven doc/reality show comparable to American Chopper.

As to how to promote, that seems pretty "simple": you use the AGT/AI/AR mode of "everyday" people with inspiring stories tackling exotic challenges and trying to persevere and be the best. It's the Wide World of Sports mantra--the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat; the human drama of athletic competition.

This is why the trials and tryouts are so integral to my version (and should be to any version which would try to play this straight) because you're able to establish and build up the stories of certain contestants so that the audience can readily identify with. That way, when it's time for The Big Show, you already have a core of invested viewers who will tune in to see more than just people falling down.

[Oti]

I still disagree. I see it as a simple science show, like Bill Nye.

The idea of building up stories and whatnot would probably work better if the contestants are chosen by the network to compete. And, in that case, most of the stories would probably be made up.

I like the idea of trials, though. That or video submission. Maybe both.

[lazarus0280]

Keep in mind as well that the contest probablly wouldn't be "live". So, since the tournament would have already taken place we could then in turn follow the more successful of the competitors after the tournament and then edit those stories into the final airing of the tournament. Hence people could grow attached to their favorite competitors, etc.

[lostinube]

Jun 22, 2009 2:51:36 GMT -5 lazarus0280 said:

you take a gentleman from detroit who'd just gotten laid off, with a middleaged ny teacher........along with your stereotypical cali' surfer or watier/actor. Cross that with a military peep and a few lesser known college atheletes and we have our first all star team that most demographics can relate too.

That sounds a bit contrived. You're making an obstacle course show, not the Village People.

[lazarus0280]

nah just implying the contestants. not that we'd handpick those particular people, but that is the gist of the contest... the average person coming out and competing then learning their backstories. Was my way of relating our jobs and lifestyles...or our fishermen and firefighters. our competitors would be from all over america obviously from all walks of life here.

[Oti]

I agree with Ube.

Honestly, I don't care if people relate to the competitors. It's not about that. Besides, how many of us are commercial fishermen who just had a baby? Or famous comedians? Or professional handball players? Or ribbon dancers in bikinis? We don't relate to the competitors on Sasuke at all and look how much we love it.

The course isn't about that, nor will mine be. If something like that evolves on its own, then fine, more power to it, but I'm not going to specifically make it like that. That takes it in the direction of FAKE, which is the problem with bringing it to America.

[lazarus0280]

It's not fake... my only point was say the first tournament. Whoever came to compete, well we'd cheer em on. whether they were a detroit laid off employee, or what have you, and through that the history is born as would be our so called "all-stars". those individuals that had been there for the first few tournaments and been successful. Names you recognize with our version of the sport. Like we take particular interest in the nagano's or shinsuke and the like. For me i get a laugh watching the fools, but what I want to see are the true competitors that come out there and try to beat the course. those are the people ya respect and through the course of several events you cheer em on and develop your favorites.

[obakemono]

Jun 22, 2009 17:20:50 GMT -5 Oti said:

We don't relate to the competitors on Sasuke at all and look how much we love it.

The entire appeal of the original All-Stars was that they were regular people who were outperforming the professional and celebrity athletes that the show was originally focused on.