Troy with legendary screenwriting guru Syd Field at StoryExpo in 2013.
Troy DeVolld is a writer/producer in the reality television genre and is widely recognized as one of the world’s top speakers on reality television.
DeVolld began his career working on Mtv’s Fear and The Osbournes and has gone on to write and/or produce for major reality hits Dancing With the Stars, The Surreal Life, Flipping Out, Black Gold, Hollywood Game Night and more. He and his producing team were jointly nominated for a Daytime Emmy® for their work on Style Network’s Split Ends.
Troy’s 2011 book, Reality TV: An Insider’s Guide to Television’s Hottest Market, has remained on a number of bestseller lists since its release, and is widely regarded as the definitive text on reality television’s storytelling process. He has lectured in places as far-flung as Los Angeles, London, Chicago and Tel Aviv, and is easily one of the most sought-after experts on the genre, having made countless radio and TV appearances and being quoted by Time, NewsWeek, Emmy® Magazine and more.
He is a graduate of Full Sail University (where he was the ninth alumnus inducted into their Hall of Fame) and a member of The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, The Caucus for Producers Writers and Directors, and the WGAw’s Nonfiction Writers Caucus.
Troy is represented by Beth Bohn of Bohn Management.
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Click HERE for a list of Troy’s TV credits
Interview for Package on Showbiz Tonight
Interview with AV Club
Quoted in EW on the occasion of Queer Eye’s anniversary
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“The King of Reality Television.” – Dov Simens
REALITYTVBOOK.COM 
Troy,
I am currently putting together a prospectus for a reality series and was wondering about casting. I am putting down “types” of characters or types of people who we would like to cast to maximize the amount of drama. What advice do you have for casting and getting those drama filled characters?
Thanks,
James Herrholz
James:
While I realize that this isn’t much help in the way of an answer, I’d tell you to consider casting people with widely varied backgrounds and interests, favorite genuine souls over those who offer you a manic version of themselves in casting — those folks often burn out under trying to keep up the facade they felt they had to put up to get your attention.
Avoid outright cliches, but look for genuinely big personalities and people with backstories and motivations that viewers can identify with. Vary the tone. Ten outrageous people are exhausting. Five outrageous people and five introverts are a show.
Any help?
-Troy
Hey Troy, Read the book fantastic thanks for all the great info. I got a quick question for you if you don’t mind. I’m design professional by trade (run a toy design studio) and have dealt with invention and licensing of concepts in my world. I have a concept for a reality TV show(story arch, sets, character, pacing ect.) So how does one protect ones idea and get it down on paper? Do I do a NDA, a rough story arch, some storyboards maybe a logo? Is there anyone I should hire to help me in this process?(agent, writer, guild) Thanks a bunch and if you ever need any product design advice let me know.
Hi, Blake. Please tell me your current job is as cool as I am imagining that it is.
Once you’ve created a show and have it down in detail, you can register it online at http://www.wga.org for all of about twenty bucks, which date stamps it and serves as proof of a creation date for five years. I’ve never pressed production companies for NDA’s, and what you’ll probably need to sell the show is all outlined in the book. A snappy logo or sizzle that helps to get your idea across is good, too — but remember that in a meeting, the idea can be toyed with a little by the execs and your job is to say “Of COURSE it can be made into a game show” or “Heck, YEAH, I can totally see that in another city with totally different leads than the cast I have currently!”
Odds are you won’t be the one executing the show, so the goal is to get a production company interested. With a truly unique pitch and talent attachments, you may be able to get a meeting yourself, though I suggest going through an agency or entertainment attorney.
Good luck!
Awsome thanks, and yep it’s as fun as it sounds!
I love Flipping Out!