How Would You Do It?

[Oti]

The commercial would just show bits and pieces of people's runs, passing obstacles and falling terribly. It would describe, briefly, the goal: beat the course, not each other.

I doubt I'd show clips of Sasuke. Maybe, if I had permission, MAYBE, I would say something like, "based off the hit show Sasuke..." or something cheesy like that.

The site would be spammed everywhere I could post it, particularly in Sasuke, Ninja Warrior, Viking, MXC, Wipeout and American Gladiators forums. Even though it would be greatly different from the last three, I think a lot of people on those forums would be interested. I'm sure people have watched Wipeout and thought to themselves, "Man, I wish this were a serious competition."

To get the famous people/pro athletes, I'd simply contact them (or their agents, or whoever, you know) and pitch the idea to them. Briefly describe it to them and ask if they're interested. If so, great, if not, that's fine, thanks for your time.

And I would love to eventually get Nagano and the other All-stars on it, although if they think Sasuke is hard, they're about to find out what hard really means.

[madmanike]

Hal Sparks. Dressed as Cobra Commander. RATINGS BONANZA!!

Seriously tho, I think the best way to market it is also the hardest way to market it. Show it for what it is, man vs course. Americans are so used to everything being a competition, man vs man. I think if you show it in that way, that it is a competition, man vs environment, you just might get some interest. This is how Sasuke has hooked all of us. We like it for the pure sport of it, where other competitors actually cheer each other on for success.

The trick is to find the rally point. Much like the 4th of July and September 11th, we have to find the thing that will make people want to come together. And I think a good lead in would be to actually use a reality TV show to do it. But instead of showing the usual drama/elimiation BS, we show the true grit of it. Aside from the elimination bit of it, the WWE show Tough Enough Season 1 did a great job of it. You got to see how hard it is to even get ready to become a rookie in the WWE, much less one of the top draws. If we have a show where we recruit 10 guys/gals to live in a house for 6-8 weeks showing how tough it is to train and eventually run a course like Sasuke, it might actually draw some attention to lead into the main even. And there could be challenges, not for elimination, but for placement in the order to run. But ultimatley, it should show how everyone bonds together to beat a common foe, the course.

Cappy puts out a good plan to show how to produce the show. But as to the question on how to lead into it, this would be my answer to that. And to keep attention going after the main event has had it's showing, you could run something like Sasukemania. 30 minute shows with interviews, behind the scenes and other such. And Arsenette should so be in charge of that BTW, welcome back Gossip Girl

After the first show's out the door, then look to see what improvements need to be made. What works, what doesn't. And not just from a course standpoint, but marketing as well. As far as where to show it, MTV is a good choice as well as Spike, as I'm sure they'd love something that could compete with Ninja Warrior and Wipeout. Ok, I'm done ;D

[lazarus0280]

Excellent ideas. I know people have had the mixed reviews of making it realityesque. So that was sort of my point as well. How to turn a one day event into a "season", and in turn make it more marketable for our stations. While I think this formula can and would work, at least for the first couple of seasons, I think we all agree we'd want to stress the man vs course aspect. I for one definately wouldn't want to watch a house with drama or any of the real world crap. Stress that to the producers and hope that they could more catch the camraderie of training and all as opposed to seeing the housemates compete with each other. That would be the hard part I think. Since we tend to want to produce drama, and would blow up any fueds or anything in the house.

[Oti]

Madmanike, that's exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to make it perfectly clear that it is man vs. course.

I don't like the reality aspect, though. The only way I'm going to focus on people individually is if they become greats (all-stars) on the course and everyone loves them. The most I would dwell into the nobodies is to give them a brief introduction before they run my trials.

The interviews and whatnot isn't a bad idea for filler between competitions. Maybe right after and right before, like, "You didn't do so well in the competition..." and, "How has your training been going for the past 3 1/2 months?"

And Arsenette hosting (hostessing?) everything... maybe... I'm not so sure about that. But hey, anyone would be better than an airhead like Olivia.

The station to air it would be chosen based on popularity, current programming and how much freedom they would give us. If G4 offered to air it, for example, I'd be reading every bit of that contract, making sure we wouldn't be putting up with big, ugly a** logos and icons everywhere. If they refused to give us our way, alrighty. See ya, G4.

Lazarus, that really is the problem, isn't it? How do we please the Sasuke addicts AND the reality show zombies at the same time? I think the best way to fill our "season" would be with episodes of the course, of course (pun pun pun), followed by interviews and a closer look at the more popular people. Maybe.

[lazarus0280]

Gotcha there Oti...but assuming we're starting from scratch we wont have fillers per'se. Virtually the whole field is made up of nobodies. I'd rather have a house full of nobodies and watch them training there butt off over the course of a few weeks and watch them grow together.

For instance, say we picked ten of us from the forums that were taking it seriously. I'd go in the house understanding the concept, not that everyone else would. Going in, doing my thing day to day, and hopefully working with the rest of you. Pushing each other, showing the camraderie, etc. Through those couple of weeks the audience knowing us would pay a little closer attention come main event time. Not implying we'd be all-stars, but the average viewer would have a couple people they'd have followed a little bit and be more apt to watch a little closer. Then, hopefully, one of the house members would be successful...remotely so at least, and we could build from that. If anyone else won that wasn't featured in the lead up to the event we'd obviously focusing on for the next season as well. Of course we could all skunk it up and the next season would start from scratch. Or maybe one of us makes to final stage or something. He in turn comes back the next season as our first all star helping train the next group of guys, etc. Something like that....if that makes sense to you. Clear in my head not sure how clear all that ramble was to everyone else.

[Oti]

I wouldn't like that, though. It's not about the people in their spare time. It's not a reality show. It's about the people battling the course. Sasuke was able to grow without that boring reality aspect, why not this?

[lazarus0280]

Hehe, think that is the gist of the debate. Two totally different markets and two totally different times. From what others have been saying viewership numbers are down for the show over there. Either way it would be a gamble. In my mind though with the original japanese format I think would be hard to sell over here. Whoever did decide to pick up the show from you would be risking quite alot airing one 3 hour episode, or what have you. I agree with you about the competition and keeping it pure, but look at it from a marketing and tv standpoint. It's debatable if G4's portrayal of the event is working though, i bet alot of us have learned of the sport through them.

I guess I am coming at it more from a realist standpoint and how our current tv market is. Hell yeah if someone would sign off on a 3 hour "superbowl" like event that'd be awesome. I personally just don't know who would. Most tv companies now want some series or other. Specially if we only wanted to do it once or twice a year, which is how I'd want to keep it. So I guess I am meeting them in the middle. In no way taking from the sport or anything but trying to give it the most impact right away to get that following as quick as possible. Else it would probablly be a one hit wonder.

[Oti]

I don't think it would be too hard to sell. It's a new concept to American TV. When was the last time you saw something new on TV here?

On marketing: I would rather have a show I am proud of with a small, loyal following than a massive reality hit that makes me hate myself for making it.

Who said this has to be a massive three hour event? It could be broken up. I don't believe breaking Sasuke into episodes really ruins it, I just think the way G4 does it ruins it. I'm sure there are better ways to do it.

I'd make it four times a year, probably.

[madmanike]

I don't think doing a reality show to build up hype is selling out. What you are doing is getting people invested in the product before it actually shows. You forget that Sasuke is a spin off, so it really didn't have to do anything to get hyped up as it was just an extension of another show which brought along it's fans into it before becoming its own thing. Also, you really need something before hand to set it apart from the other shows before it aires, otherwise you have people calling it a "Clone" of the other shows. And once you get the show some exposure, you most likely won't have to do a second season for the reality show build up. Unless of course all of it becomes a hit. Just have to retain creative control on it so it doesn't turn into Big Brother or whatnot.

[arsenette]

Hey I'll host it. Lord knows I can say "you have shamed your ancestors and you don't belong on the planet.. now go kill yourself.." mwahahahhaha I can be eville

As for getting advertisers.. geez.. if G4 with no real programming can get advertisers.. anyone can.. LOL

[lazarus0280]

Dun, dun, dun......

And the debate continues. Obviously, none of us are producers or anything else we'd already have this show. New I should of changed my major in college. Again, I understand what your saying Oti, and therein is my point. Tv stations are all kind of sticking with the same formula. While there are individual shows i enjoy and all most are ongoing series or some reality show of some form or nother. Unless you spent a lot of time and money viral campaingning and tv advertising for the event to just build and air a 1 day competition and that be that, just sounds like a tough sell.

If I went in to say Fox studios to talk with there producers etc. "sir i need X amount of dollars to build this course. Insane course at this location. I want you to film it, and air the episode-episodes." It's a three hour event you can split up and air however." (Personally, I can't stand not watching a whole event all the way through...even with way G4 cuts it).

Just seems like a hard sell to me. Throw in the other portion that the studio can say alright so i can stretch this for 6-8 weeks or what have you. Again even setting up smaller courses through the reality show aspect and letting fans learn the history of the sport. Have some of the celeb competitors show up to spice up the episodes and have em train with our guys for a day or two. Could be fun. then watch em all at the event.

Again, I'm playing devil's advocate with you. Obviously I'm not a producer. The original concept could be picked up, and that'd be great.

Now, Oti, and everyone else think about this. We've went around and pitched the general premise of Sasuke around to all the TV companies. No one has bought off on it. What would you do then? Would you make allowances, change the format? Try the reality side of it then? Just let the dream fade?

[madmanike]

Ah, good question. I was thinking of an alternative to TV. That would be to go total grass roots, internet only. We get people together, try to find a few sponsers like Home Depot or AMP or something and put the whole thing together ourselves. That would include renting or buying the land, putting up the course ourselves (anyone a mechanical engineer?), hosting, filming, editing, and whatever else there is to do. Then get a domain name and place it on the net and see what happens. This would of course require quite a bit of money on our part for something that may or may not pick up interest. And of course, we'll have to listen to Arsenette insult our family heritage alot It would be alot of blood, sweat and tears (and alot of fun hopefully) to make it all go down and hopefully nothing goes wrong (and no one dies in the process). That's pretty much the only alternative I can think of for now. I'll have to grind the gears a bit more to see what else churns up.

[arsenette]

Jun 20, 2009 21:31:36 GMT -5 Oti said:

If you were in charge of an obstacle course like Sasuke, how would you produce it and give it to your audience? One massive night like TBS and G4 does, or perhaps over several nights like Wipeout?

I'm curious to see what ideas you peoples have. I realized a little while ago that I have no idea how I want to broadcast my obstacle course.

So... discuss!

This is the original post (I had to figure out what the original question and it got lost with all the tangents).

Provided it's an original idea and NOT Sasuke or Wipeout (though TBS is suing ABC for ripping off Takeshi's Castle/MXC) I'd actually work with the production companies that produced the original. Considering that the ones we like are either originals or copies of the originals.. I'd work with M9 to create an American version of an already existing show.. rather than come up with a lame copy and still be sued Personally I think that's what the problems are with producing a show of this kind. Most have been done. Anything that hasn't been done has a hard time proving that it's original.

[lazarus0280]

Yeah, I was thinking along those lines as well. Andy samberg and them guys got pretty famous that way. Not sure what thread it was but was kinda my thinking when I spoke of Jeff Tremaine, and or Bam Margera's production companies. Lower budget but have been very successful. That would be very fun though. Funding obviously the big problem though. Hence to really pull it off we'd need some kind of major backing.

Good point arsennette. I had got to thinking of that myself. Not familiar with the law, but I'd assume they'd have grounds to sue if it was a carbon copy even if it's here on US soil and the like. If not M9 then probablly G4. Curious if by putting the reality lead in would be enough to set it apart. Possibility there would be to allow G4 to run the re-airs after the original event. American Ninja or whatever.

[madmanike]

Ah, but if we went grass roots and just let people download for free, getting sued would be free advertising

[Oti]

If nobody wanted to air it in its true form, they all wanted a reality aspect and crap like that, we go to the internets with it.

[Oti]

I'll look for other ways, thanks.

[lazarus0280]

Look for other ways? Options are limited. That what so fun bout this thread. Hearing variations. Just curious though, why are ya so set on a single event aired? How are we or aren't we taking from the true spirit of the sport?

[Oti]

You're the one who seems to be set on having a single event. I'm willing to split it into many episodes to build suspense and make it last.

When you start talking about a house with competitors training and stuff like that, that's exactly what I want to avoid. That, honestly, to me, is stupid. I don't want my obstacle course to be about that.

Like I said, if a few competitors began to get popular (or some already are), we'll go into greater detail when we introduce them. And if they have past runs, we'll briefly show those. That's it, though.

The farthest I'm willing to stray from the course itself is the pre-/post-run interviews with the most popular competitors.

[arsenette]

LOL you sound so defensive when this is all hypothetical. Just cracks me up.