SHOWBIZ TONIGHT clip / TV WRITERS SUMMIT

Finalizing my materials for the TV Writers Summit in the eves this week.  Are you going?  www.tvwriterssummit.com

Also, here’s a reality TV package I appeared in late last year for CNN/HLN’s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT:

Basketball Wives Season 4 Trailer

Here’s what we’re working away on right now.  

http://www.vh1.com/video/misc/729252/season-4-promo.jhtml#id=1678127

It’s rare to see a show develop in such a way that subsequent seasons get better, so kudos to an incredible cast, field team, post story team, editorial staff and execs on both sides of the network/production company fence.  Tune in to VH1 on February 20th!

TV Writers Summit, February 11-12, 2012

By now, you’ve probably spotted ads just about everywhere for next month’s TV WRITERS SUMMIT, put together by Derek Christopher and featuring some tremendous folks like Jen Grisanti, Chad Gervich, Ellen Sandler and… well… me.  Talk about being humbled by great company!  At any rate, I’ll be the final speaker on the 12th, but seriously, folks — come for the whole enchilada.

More info here:  www.tvwriterssummit.com

 

Reality TV in current issue of TIME Magazine

If you’re a TIME subscriber or can pick it up at your local newsstand, the January 9, 2012 issue features STAR GAZING, an article by the delightful Belinda Luscombe that just happens to contain some interview content from me and a nice plug for the book.  Check it out!

 

Reality Pro Tip: Turn it Down, Will Ya?

In the wake of this month’s approval of the CALM act (CALM being an acronym representing “Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation”), wherein the FCC unanimously voted to make it illegal for advertisers to boost volume during ad breaks, comes my own gripe about too-loud-tv:  Uber-hot music mixes in shows.

A recent post by RealityBlurred.com‘s Andy Dehnart on Facebook quoted a letter he’d received from someone who’d written to complain about how loud the background music was on a reality program.  While the humor of the post was derived from the author of the email somehow thinking that Andy was in a position to do something about it, it actually raised a very real question for me:  Why the hell have reality shows started mixing their music so hot lately?

Look… sometimes, field content isn’t all that sensational, so every once in a while, editors throw in a good drum hit, a cricket, or some other oddball “sting” to call your attention to a particular action or phrase.  When a whole scene needs to be spiced up, though, it’s time to bring the pirates over the wall.

Yep, I’m guilty of coining that phrase.  Two people glaring at each other over coffee isn’t that exciting, but if you build a driving piece of music to a crazy crescendo over it, you can hang the end of an act or even an episode on it — so long as you’re using those big “pirates coming over the wall” tracks.  They do have a tendency to get loud, though.  Pirates are noisy buggers, after all.

The problem with that is that you have to apply that kind of thing sparingly.  You can’t do it in every scene or act or the audience will get audio shell shock.

Another reason music could be mixed hotter than normal might just be the amount of music placement going into shows.  Some pop artist has a new track that a media company wants to showcase, so suddenly, that track (complete with lyrics) gets dropped into a show somewhere.  A rough cut or two later, there might be a request to boost the soundtrack a little bit, as — of course –the network really wants to show off the song.  The danger in putting music ahead of story is simple to understand — you can easily be completely yanked out of the scene if the music is trumping story content.

Here’s another of my goofy metaphors: Let’s say two people are arguing on the street and some guy walks by blasting Sir Mix-A-Lot’s classic “Baby Got Back” out of a boombox.  You might find yourself suddenly following the music instead of the fight you were watching.  THAT’S WHAT’S WRONG WITH SCREAMING MUSIC TRACKS.

See how distracting the all-caps are?  BOOM. CONCENTRATION BLOWN BY NOISE.

At any rate, story and editing superfriends, keep watching those levels and remember — make your decisions in favor of story over noise whenever you can.

Creating a Reality Show (Again)

I’m starting to get those kinds of emails again.  Folks with “ideas” for shows that want advice on how to get access to networks, despite the fact that they’ve never worked in the industry before, have no representation, and are already worried more about how to keep someone from stealing their great ideas than how developed their idea really is.

I love you guys, but you should no more expect to start your career in reality television as a show creator than a newbie baker who’s never cracked an egg should expect to start off his or her career making ultra-complicated eight-tier wedding cakes.  Unless you’re bringing recognizable personalities into the mix (as in, “It’s a reality series about my cousin, Selina Gomez, who’s already signed a letter of interest”) or add some other kind of unique value to the project, it’s gonna be a tough road.

Complicating things further, reality TV is different from scripted in that you can’t really write a spec for a reality show that will get you hired as a reality producer.  It takes time to build your credits and become the kind of person that a production company or network would want to meet with, so starting at the bottom and putting the time in is how that works most of the time.

So once more, here’s how you break in and work your way up:

Starting Your Career in Reality Television

If you’ve decided not to take my advice, might I suggest that you check out this book by Donna Michelle Anderson:

The Show Starter Reality TV Made Simple System

 

Hey, Kindle Users! REALITY TV available now…

… and at less than half the full softcover price.

Click here to order:  http://www.amazon.com/Reality-TV-Insiders-Hottest-ebook/dp/B0069QEJME/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321643296&sr=1-7

Hey, Kindle Users! REALITY TV available now…

… and at less than half the full softcover price.  

Click here to order:  http://www.amazon.com/Reality-TV-Insiders-Hottest-ebook/dp/B0069QEJME/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321643296&sr=1-7

Bid to win lunch with me at the Beverly Hills Hotel’s legendary Polo Lounge!

Wanna have brunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel’s famed Polo Lounge with me while supporting a terrific cause?  Bid at the link below!  Just a week left to go!

http://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/272870

More on the Caucus Foundation here:

http://www.caucusfoundation.org

Questions? Email me.

Hi, folks.  Just a quick reminder that this blog is here to answer your questions and you’re welcome to ask me anything both here and at realitytvtroy(at)gmail.com.  I refer to these methods of contact in my book, and must make this request as it’s now getting out of hand: Don’t call me at the office.  Let me say that again…PLEASE don’t call me at the office.  Sugar on top.  PRETTY PLEASE don’t call me at the office.

Apparently, the number’s easy to figure out.  Since the book has been released, I’ve received over a dozen blind calls (usually asking me to hear pitches, which I don’t do) and as a result, have to restate my policy of not taking or returning calls, restricting my time and advice to off-hours email and blog queries only.  Even then, no pitches.

When I’m at work, I’m on my employers’ dime.  Drop me a line and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!