I worked in Reality TV & have no fucking clue how some of the crap I worked got taken to series, much less survived for multiple seasons…
Reality TV is pretty cheap compared to traditional scripted TV, right? I’m guessing it’s like buying a scratch-off at the gas station to some of these networks - just giving it a shot with the hope that’ll be the next 90 Day Fiance or whatever but no big loss if it isn’t.
Thanks for the context on the earlier comment. I was ignorantly assuming that was a bigger jump than it is!
Exactly. Networks sign development deals with smaller production companies. The companies will produce a series of mixed pitches including sizzle reels & pilots, which the network will consider for further development.
The companies will have some discretion as to what projects they sink the initial development money into, front-loading content they think is more likely to impress the network.
But it’s all, relatively speaking, cheaper to make than scripted.
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Reality TV is pretty cheap compared to traditional scripted TV, right? I’m guessing it’s like buying a scratch-off at the gas station to some of these networks - just giving it a shot with the hope that’ll be the next 90 Day Fiance or whatever but no big loss if it isn’t.
Thanks for the context on the earlier comment. I was ignorantly assuming that was a bigger jump than it is!
Exactly. Networks sign development deals with smaller production companies. The companies will produce a series of mixed pitches including sizzle reels & pilots, which the network will consider for further development.
The companies will have some discretion as to what projects they sink the initial development money into, front-loading content they think is more likely to impress the network.
But it’s all, relatively speaking, cheaper to make than scripted.