How Would You Do It?

[madmanike]

Jun 25, 2009 7:37:58 GMT -5 Oti said:

I'm willing to split it into many episodes to build suspense and make it last.

There is a middle ground. If you put it on the internet, you can put it in 3-6 downloads (roughly 30-60 minutes apiece). That way people can decide on how they want to watch it. D/L it all at once or in segments. Viewer's choice.

Jun 25, 2009 7:37:58 GMT -5 Oti said:

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.

After thinking about it, doing a reality show at first would seem to be putting the cart before the horse. If something like this were to come about (fan popularity would most likely dictate this), it'd best be done after the first event as people will pick their own favorites. Then we can see if it's viable from there. And to stay away from the canned variety of reality shows out there, what I'd suggest is getting those who end up as fan favs to tape themselves (training, at jobs, with family, whatnot). I mean, how many of us would love to see footage of what Nagano, Takeda, Yamamoto, etc do on a daily basis and how Sasuke has impacted their lives. G4 finally got around to letting us get a taste for that when they sent Levi out to train with them for a few hours. Quite frankly, I thought that was the best part of the warm up show. And since it'll be on the web most likely, quality is pretty much up to the person who submits. Maybe even throw in some team ups, for example like you and UncleSam getting together for the day just training and goofing off or whatnot. That way people can be themselves and not worry about the usual BS that goes on with those type of shows.

Jun 25, 2009 7:37:58 GMT -5 Oti said:

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.

I think there you are throwing away a way to get people invested into the competitors. As I suggested earlier, Sasukemania had a good model for keeping people interested in Sasuke during the breaks. Maybe get with Arsenette and some other to figure out how to improve and adapt the formula. Just my thoughts on the issue.

[Oti]

LOL you sound so defensive when this is all hypothetical.

This isn't hypothetical. I just can't do it right now.

[arsenette]

Your own thing? or a Sasuke spinoff? I don't think you have the money to pay M9 for the licensing rights if it's Sasuke v2.

[lazarus0280]

Nah, more for me personally I hate watching the events in pieces. I'd rather watch the whole event straight through like I do football games or other sporting events. I was thinking of ways to build up to the event itself. Then just hold a big superbowl caliber event with the lights and all that good stuff.

Definately agree though I think internet version would be the best way to go. Then interest would be sparked and if it successful there, it's more likely to be picked up by a big company. I definately wouldn't want it cheesy. Curious, anyone have any idea how much those courses cost? What's your best guess?

[Oti]

It's loosely based on Sasuke. It uses the principle of man vs. course.

Besides, I plan on having the money anyway, so don't worry.

The price depends on how big everything is, how many obstacles you have, how well they're made ( quality of wood, etc.).

[lazarus0280]

Yeah I was just curious say like the course of Sasuke 22. Looks pretty high dollar. Think it's in the 7 figures? Obviously that'd be the goal, to get to something like that. Baby steps though, hehe. (What's your money making technique...lol fill me in.)

[Oti]

It's probably in the 12 figures. Yen is good like that.

[madmanike]

Something you could add is like what Radiohead did. Basically offer it as a "pay what you think it's worth" kind of deal. And have a Paypal account set up for whatever (if anything) people throw your way. May not make much, but you know, couldn't hurt to have it as an option.

[Oti]

Yeah, like a donation thing.

Well, if it caught on, more and more people would donate to see it get bigger and better.

[Lennon]

So yeah, I had to catch up and read all four pages of this stuff. Crazy.. I know. It was interesting to hear everybody's ideas for sure. I was thinking though, with Lazarus's idea of hyping up the "big show." Now this is not really a reality show type thing. It's more like an actual 'sport' type thing. Ya know in football, and baseball they have their normal games through out the year, and then finally, the top two teams take it out at the big finale (Super Bowl, World Series.) What if we did something similar. Except hype up trials. Make the trials a major part of the sport, and of course the guys who really outstood from the rest will play at the big league, the main obstacle course at the end of whatever set of months. I dunno, just a quick idea I was thinking.

[madmanike]

It is a nice idea, but the problem with that is money, time, and people. Just gettting to have the main event would be alot of money to get the course up and time for people to

a)manage time out of their schedules to come out
b) help build the course
c) test the course out and work out the kinks
d) actually run the course.

It's alot of time management involved for all parties involved. And if people don't show up, then it's just a waste of money. It would be something to do after the show has gotten some popularity, funding, and bigger staff to go out and offer trial courses. And if eventuality manages to happen, I would love to see them held in different parts of the country. Kind of like regional qualifiers.

[joemello]

Jun 25, 2009 18:58:06 GMT -5 lazarus0280 said:

Yeah I was just curious say like the course of Sasuke 22. Looks pretty high dollar. Think it's in the 7 figures?

I'd be very surprised if the course cost over US$250k, especially now that a lot of stuff just gets recycled. You'd probably spend more on labor and design than on the building materials and actual construction.

Hell, if Mr. Higuchi came out tomorrow and set that the course cost less than ¥10 000 000 to build, I would not bat an eyelash.

[madmanike]

Depending on what exactly is being build, you could probably getaway with it for about 50K. Labor could be all of us pitching in to build it, though you'd best to hire a mechanical engineer to oversee and maybe help with design. Materials would be the bulk of it I'd think. And as far as a film and sound crew goes, maybe find some that are trying to break into the field. While I'm sure some pay would be invovled, I'd imagine just getting the experience would be payment enough. Maybe a local school on broadcasting might be up for it as field training for their students.

[TCM]

Jun 30, 2009 23:04:53 GMT -5 joemello said:

Jun 25, 2009 18:58:06 GMT -5 lazarus0280 said:

Yeah I was just curious say like the course of Sasuke 22. Looks pretty high dollar. Think it's in the 7 figures?

I'd be very surprised if the course cost over US$250k, especially now that a lot of stuff just gets recycled. You'd probably spend more on labor and design than on the building materials and actual construction.

Hell, if Mr. Higuchi came out tomorrow and set that the course cost less than ¥10 000 000 to build, I would not bat an eyelash.

Seeing as how ¥10,000,000 is about $103,314.75. For the whole course that isnt bad at all.

[Oti]

Yeah, it all depends on size and type of material. Look at the path you have to run on on Sasuke - it's pretty narrow. And the scaffolding? One of the cheapest ways to build relatively big structures.

I'm willing to spend $500,000 easily.

[quasikoz]

I gotta think that course is more expensive than your estimates. There's maintenance going on during the competition (especially in Stage 1) and you gotta factor builders, regulations, etc. I think there's too much red tape for it to be $500,000.

Then again, maybe they're more lenient on certain things in Japan than they are in America.

[Oti]

I don't agree. It looks pretty cheap.

At least they're getting their money's worth. Every obstacle can be reused in the next competition.

[joemello]

Now this is heavily based off The Price is Right, but what I think happens is that when shooting is over, the course is deconstructed and the larger parts are put away to sit in a warehouse(s). Then, after the course layout is finalized during the next production cycle, they go to the warehouse and inspect everything, making sure that there's not too much wear. Closer to tape date, take out the pieces they need as well as get the new pieces (made by a third party, I'm sure, perhaps even unionized) and set everything up on-site. The process then repeats itself.

I still stand by my previous estimates. If you want to blow $500k just on course construction, then I have some bridges I want to sell to you, as well.

[Captain Obvious]

Jul 3, 2009 21:25:44 GMT -5 joemello said:

The Price is Right

*competely off-topic complaint about whichever idiot left Penny Ante out in the rain*

Anyway, The Price is Right is a really good example of how to do things inexpensively without sacrificing gameplay or looking ugly. Pull 13 games out of the warehouse (6 for each each episode of the tape day and Pick-A-Number in case something goes awry and you need a replacement game that can be ready to go in 2 minutes), make sure nothing is broken, move them to set, and you're good to go.

All in all, they've had 37 years to get it "just right" and they've pretty much done it while only using 103 different games. I'd find it difficult to believe there isn't a significant set of similarities with the Sasuke obstacles, especially since they pulled out the Curtain Cling for that thing off-camera for the 21st tournament.