Thank you Iron Brides – Here are Some Comments from Emails and News Outlets after Closing of Poll:
Thank you everyone! What an experience we all had! Its time for everyone to enjoy life: many memories lie ahead…, I hope everyone has a life filled with much love, laughter, happiness and fun! Take care, With love and gratitude, Tricia
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Laurie Kay, a current Iron Brides’ Season 2 Contender writes:
I did see the winners and I am so excited for them. But I thought that it was great and a real surprise to see that all the girls received a gift. They all deserved it. I feel so bad for darlene and will be praying for her you never know it might still work out and if not there will be something better out there for her. I hope she is doing ok. I can’t imagine how hard it was to keep filming with a broken heart.
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Seacoast Online in Portsmouth reported in an article entitled: York woman drops out of N.H. reality TV show-Darlene Ramsey is no longer an ‘Iron Bride’ … but she could be a ‘Cougar’:
Ramsey and other seven contestants took part in competitions such as shooting a commercial for a “Pink Raspberry Martiki” at Short Sands Beach in York, on a day when the temperature was well below zero.
That doesn’t mean the show was a waste of time, according to Ramsey. Quite the contrary.
“The show changed my life,” she said in her on-air final interview. “I’m a new person, that’s probably why I’m not getting married. … You guys gave me 10 years of therapy in one week. I already feel like an Iron Bride, I’m a winner.”
Toughest brides-to-be hail from the Seacoast; Locals win Iron… Foster’s Daily Democrat – Dover,NH,USA
Comi and Szlosek will receive wedding videography services from Iron Brides Productions LLC and wedding photography from Rhapsody Studios, Methuen, Mass. …
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No ‘Iron Bride’ for Belmont Laconia Citizen – Laconia,NH,USA
By HARRISON HAAS New England’s own reality television show, Iron Brides, announced its Season I: New Hampshire winners after the final viewers voting were …
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Joann, you are so cute with your lyrics, I love quoting song lyrics! I am very happy for everyone, yay Iron Brides season one team!!!! Much Love! Nicole
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Thankyou to the ironbrides team. Thankyou all, it’s been quite an experience that I’ll never forget.
Love ya all, Kylin
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“FROM TARRYN” Wow JO ur good. Atleast if my memory serves me well! We will hopefully have date confirmed nxt weekend (either 08/14/10 or 08/21/10) Whatever will become of this show, prizes, voting, blah blah blah…. I wish u all so much happiness in your future and your marriages and your lives. This experience was like no other despite the drama, the conflicts, the disagreements, etc etc you r one of 8 who were able to experience this very first season… whether it be part of your wedding planning experience, your lives, or your growth in the person you have become. Cheers ladies to the very first and only SEASON ONE of the IB that will ever exist!:)
Episode 4 in Season 1 features the Iron Brides traveling to the Law Offices of Linda Argenti, Esq. (Nashua, NH) where they learn about some of the legal challenges facing couples prior to marriage. Later in the episode the Iron Brides receive a bridal consultant and try on bridal gowns at Madeleine’s Daughter in Portsmouth, NH. The theme of the spisode is “… every little girl is a princess” drawn from the film “A Little Princess,” which the Iron Brides watched at Sunset Hill House during the filming of Season1.
I guess it’s really official when the production staff start to blog. At least that’s what it says in blogging for dummies — or something like that. The pre-production on the show is moving at an exponential pace. The reactions and comments we are getting at www.youtube.com/ironbrides are interesting, spicy and at times unexpected. That seems to be the way it’s supposed to go.
We have a lot planned for the show. Right now I’m busy looking for as many good examples of reality TV production as I can find. Any suggestions on what you think works would be greatly appreciated.
We originally decided to do the YouTube Audition route based on the success the producers had with it with “The Interior.” www.theinterior.tv. It’s a great show by the way. I’m drawn to the way “The Academy” is produced and edited. Also drawn to “Hotel Palace2” – particularly the editing style.
I also liked Jill’s enthusiasm and her presentation in her Host audition:
I also like these cinematography and quick editing formats. What do you think?
Decided to respond to overdue emails today. Received this one from Emily:
“i don’t understand why a bunch of 40-50 something year old men are interested in putting together a show like this.
just curious…”
She’s in the photography business and does great work, as is evident from her website. www.livefreephotography.com
I thought about it a minute and responded like this:
“Hi Emily:
Apologies for the delayed response. We took our inspiration from the Iron Chef concept and combined it with the approach taken by the producers of The Interior in terms of internet marketing. See www.theinterior.tv . We are interested in the show providing an outlet for regional advertisers/sponsors in terms of product or service placement in the show. Traditionally, regional NH and northern MA advertisers have not had an outlet like this in the wedding industry to display, promote what they do directly to brides to be and to an audience like this. That’s the short answer to why were are doing this. We also laughed a lot as we developed the concept. That’s worth something in today’s world. Thanks for the interest.”
Just found this. Subject matter is rough, but what do you think of the Reality TV style and POV of the camera?
Field production is always a challenge. We needed to do a series of radio spots. Interesting sound set — and we didn’t even drink wine. So much for expensive sound sets.
Yesterday I added a new page to the blog featuring comments about the process of Open Casting using YouTube as the portal. Take a look at the right hand column. We are very interested in your experiences with Open Casting and using YouTube to conduct auditions. Feed back?
We just added the followign social networking links for Iron Brides. We will be carrying on forums at both locations and reaching out to our communities and audiences.
Use of the Internet is growing exponentially. Iron Brides just joined www.realitywanted.com which specializes in reality TV shows and joining talent with open casting calls.
Here is a comment from a recent actress and her use of the Internet to respond to reality TV casting calls.
I only started using realitywanted. com about 4 months ago and already I’ve been emailed by 3 separate casting directors about 3 different shows. Aside from that yesterday I got a phone call from a casting producer for MTV that wants me to go in to the city TOMORROW to meet with him about a new show! before reality wanted I tried every approach I could think of to get on reality TV but I never even got as much as a second glance. Now casting directors are calling ME thank you so much Mark and Jason, I owe this all to you and realitywanted.com and I will NEVER forget the opportunities you’ve opened for me.
Kate’s great Iron Brides Audition was just uploaded. The Iron Brides’ Production team is excited. Kate did a great job. Many other Iron Brides applicants are in process of producing their auditions and several others are to be submitted over the weekend. Let us know what you think by commenting on the videos.
“I don’t know what truth is. Truth is something unattainable. We can’t think we’re creating truth with a camera. But what we can do, is reveal something to viewers that allows them to discover their own truth.” — Michel Brault http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/
This Show is Presented as a Reality TV program seeking contestants. What do you think of the presentation and production values?
Here’s a second show … bit more racy.
FROM THE STREETS TO THE RUNWAY, Access Styles is the Reality Show about two groups of models. The first group are the Access Style Troop Models, these are models who have proven to be the best in the business of urban modeling and whom have worked with the shows producer/director H. “Tiger” Leonard. The second group of models are comprised of men and women from that we recruited from the city that we are repping for that edition, these models are our “City-Wide Models”. The will be in front of thousands of fans at one of Atlanta’s hottest venues, Club 1150. The City Wide Models are trying to win a spot on our tour by knocking off the weakest of the Troop Models. The best male and the best female “City-Wide Model” will eliminate the weakest link of the troop models and become the next Access Style Model. In episode number 1 we visited the city of Atlanta, to find the cream of the crop. What you are about to see is what happens before during and after the show as we take models from the streets and put them on the runway, This is Access Styles…. The Show Will Officially Launch On the iTunes Music Store in June, this is just for promotional purposes only
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Some viewers may assume that “reality TV” — from MTV’s The Real World to Fox’s Cops to more recent entries like Survivor — arrived sui generis on the world’s TV screens. But this increasingly popular syndrome has a predecessor with a rather powerful pedigree: cinéma vérité. We have chosen this format and production values associated with it to deliver Iron Brides to our audience. Some of our audience has asked — why?
This cinéma vérité movement became a widespread, identifiable movement with the postwar convergence of television, a nascent radical culture, and portable cameras with synch sound. The movement appeared under different names according to locale: in France it was “cinéma vérité,” in England “free cinema,” and in the U.S. “direct cinema.” The goal was roughly the same in each case: to celebrate the ordinary and capture the moment with a kind of freshness and spontaneity previously unseen on movie and television screens.
Another type of reality TV is “reality-competition”, or so-called “reality game shows“, in which participants are filmed competing to win a prize, often while living together in a confined environment. In many cases, participants are removed until only one person or team remains, who/which is then declared the winner. Usually this is done by eliminating participants one at a time, in balloon debate style, through either disapproval voting or by voting for the most popular choice to win. Voting is done by either the viewing audience, the show’s own participants, a panel of judges, or some combination of the three. (These programs have also been called “game operas,” a term coined by Steve Beverly, a college professor in Tennessee and webmaster of TVGameShows.net.)
A well-known example of a reality-competition show is the globally-syndicated Big Brother, in which cast members live together in the same house, with participants removed at regular intervals by either the viewing audience or, in the case of the American version, by the participants themselves.
There remains some disagreement over whether talent-search shows such as the Idol series, America’s Got Talent, Dancing with the Stars, and Celebrity Duets are truly reality television, or just newer incarnations of shows such as Star Search. Although the shows involve a traditional talent search, the shows follow the reality-competition conventions of removing one or more contestants per episode and allowing the public to vote on who is removed; the Idol series also require the contestants to live together during the run of the show (though their daily life is never shown onscreen). Additionally, there is a good deal of interaction shown between contestants and judges. As a result, such shows are often considered reality television, and the American Primetime Emmy Awards have nominated both American Idol and Dancing with the Stars for the Outstanding Reality-Competition Program Emmy.
Modern game shows like Weakest Link, Greed, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, American Gladiators, Dog Eat Dog and Deal or No Deal also lie in a gray area: like traditional game shows (e.g., The Price Is Right, Jeopardy!), the action takes place in an enclosed TV studio over a short period of time; however, they have higher production values, more dramatic background music, and higher stakes than traditional shows (done either through putting contestants into physical danger or offering large cash prizes). In addition, there is more interaction between contestants and hosts, and in some cases they feature reality-style contestant competition and/or elimination as well. These factors, as well as these shows’ rise in global popularity at the same time as the arrival of the reality craze, lead many people to group them under the reality TV umbrella instead of the traditional game show one.[11]
There are various hybrid reality-competition shows, like the worldwide-syndicated Star Academy, which combines the Big Brother and Pop Idol formats, The Biggest Loser and The Pick-up Artist which combine competition with the self-improvement format, and American Inventor, which uses the Pop Idol format for products instead of people. Some shows, such as Making the Band and Project Greenlight, devote the first part of the season to selecting a winner, and the second part to showing that person or group of people working on a project.
Some reality television shows cover a person or group of people improving their lives. Sometimes the same group of people are covered over an entire season (as in The Swan, Celebrity Fit Club, but usually there is a new target for improvement in each episode. Despite differences in the content, the format is usually the same: first the show introduces the subjects in their current, less-than-ideal environment. Then the subjects meet with a group of experts, who give the subjects instructions on how to improve things; they offer aid and encouragement along the way. Finally, the subjects are placed back in their environment and they, along with their friends and family and the experts, appraise the changes that have occurred. Other self-improvement or makeover shows include The Biggest Loser and Fat March, (which covers weight loss), Extreme Makeover (entire physical appearance), Queer Eye For The Straight Guy (style and grooming), Supernanny (child-rearing), Made (attaining difficult goals), What Not to Wear (fashion and grooming), Trinny & Susannah Undress (fashion makeover and marriage), The Bad Girls Club (lifestyles and actions), and Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School & Rock of Love Girls: Charm School 2 (manners).
The amount of traffice at www.ironbrides.tv and our YouTube site www.youtube.com/ironbrides is incredible. Potential hosts are communicating with us daily and some video auditions are up at the site. Give us your comments on who you think should be the male host and who should be the female host?
What to you think of these folks and their use of video for viral marketing? He’s a quote:
“Viral Marketing with Video Widgets
Since blogging is a key viral driver of Social Media Optimization I wanted to share our latest RAMP project. Working with GotVMail (as well as being a customer RAMP helped strategize, build, deploy and optimize a widget and supporting experiences for their Gary Busey on Business viral marketing campaign being launched today. That’s right, business advice straight from the mind of Gary Busey. Egats!
Certainly there is nothing more viral than video. Video widgets present the ability to continually add new content once a person has expressed interest by embedding the widget or forwarding one or all of the content pieces. But there’s a lot more to think about and execute on than just throwing some videos on YouTube. Ultimately, like everything else in digital marketing, your success is predicated on the quality of your content. Of course the arbiter of that quality is the audience. As it should be.
GotVMail created this awareness campaign in-house. The project was a collaboration between RAMP, GotVMail and a couple of great Portland, OR companies, StepChange Group and SplashCast. Here’s what we created:
I haven’t been blogging last 2 days getting ready for and directing open auditions at the Holiday Inn Nashua yesterday, October 4th. Many of the people who came to audition for hosts, brides, concierges, comedians and music scores found out about Iron Brides from the Internet, YouTube and from our radio advertising. It was a great day. Hectic. But very satisfying. We all asked a lot of questions on tape developing and confirming our demographic and market research. The auditions by the hosts, the brides, concierges, comedians and music score artists were outstanding, and I want to personally thank each and everyone for their participation in making the open casting day an over the top success.
When the Iron Brides’ team was concepting “how the day would or should go” … George presented us with an idea of doing skits. Some were developed ahead of time, some “on the fly”. At one moment it looked like the set on Home Improvement as two brides appeared in bridal dresses, veils but wearing tool belts and holding Dewalt electric drills “announcing I’m an Iron Bride.” The skits were an overwhelming success. Kudos to George. Brides, hosts, concierges, comedians and even friends who showed up all played parts on camera in some outrageous fun.
It gave the Iron Brides’ team a chance to see each contender “in action” under improv conditions, interacting in various ways with one another. We did a number of takes — the outtakes may be better than what we edit out and put at YouTube. But stay tuned …
Lakes Region Bride is promoting the event and invited us to attend recently. We are working out the details, however we are planning to meet with over 80 NH brides at A Castle Wedding Affair, discuss Iron Brides with them and that we’d like to interview them at the show. Iron Brides contines to speak with and meet with potential sponsors for our show. We are also defining and meeting with strategic alliance potential partners who share the Iron Brides vision:
Now to editing and uploading what we shot on October 5th … stay tuned.
Iron Brides TV (tm) finished its Flickr site and it is now operational. We will be featuring the behind the scenes stills on our pre-production events here, audition stills and head shots, and various other still images which tell the story of the growth of the Iron Brides’ TV series. Here are some of the first photos from the October 4th Open Casting Audition at the Holiday Inn Nashua.
I’ve been knee high in tapes and editing the open casting call auditions we did at the Holiday Inn Nashua. We’ve made a decision to stream the videos at the www.youtube.com/ironbrides site over to our main site at www.ironbrides.tv . Watch for daily updates. But back to the title of this blog.
Amid the edits, Iron Brides received an email from one of the prospective female hosts that indicated someone went on-line and signed up for YouTube. Within nanoseconds, the new YouTuber proceeded to leave a nastygram rating and comment at the prospective Iron Brides’ host’s own YouTube site.
It’s tough out there. Furr is officially on the floor … and the “games” have begun.
We shot two more host auditions last night in Nashua, and we expect to shoot two more brides auditions today. More — this afternoon.
There is a lot going on. A lot. We need a couple of intern APs to work with Jo. Let us know if you know of anyone who wants to jump in to help.
George received an email yesterday from WE tv (http://www.wetv.com/ ), which is interested in Iron Brides. Their current slate is 52 weeks of wedding material including Bridezillas. We are digesting this opportunity at the moment and will provide details as our discussions proceed. We now have a presence at FaceBook where our upcoming Open Casting Call Auditions in Portsmouth (October 17th) and at Castle in the Clouds (October 19th) are featured. Go to Facebook and type in “Iron Brides” to find us, our videos and out photos. We have put up all the brides auditions at www.youtube.com/ironbrides and those will soom be playing in a custom video player at www.ironbrides.tv
On October 4, 2008 the creators of Iron Brides asked bride audition candidates to bring tool belts and tools to the audition location for still shots and to be used in audition skits. Our brides did just that and it was great fun.
Our show format will include footage of our brides shopping with our hosts at a major home improvement retail store (hmmm …) purchasing hand tools which our brides (post marriage) will need to carry on as Iron Brides who can fix and repair items in the home. Hey these girls can do it all after they go through our show … We’ll have a a NH carpenter, electrician and plumber teaching our brides on cam how to fix or repair 10 of the most common problems they confront in their homes … and then there will be a contest. Don’t want to say too much … spoils the fun.
So our brides did show up with tools at the auditions. Lots and lots of DeWalt and Black & Decker tools among others. So what do YOU THINK? Is DeWalt or Black & Decker a good marriage partner ( product placement ) for Iron Brides, or do you think we should still keep on courting?
The October 4th Open Casting auditions were a blast. The bride candidates auditioned and participated with the host contenders in a series of skits. We appreciate everyone willing to have fun. The skit videos should be edited and uploaded to www.youtube.com/ironbrides by the end of this weekend. Enjoy …
Iron Brides TV is seeking a second editor with strong FCP experience … Why? Reality TV has its highs and lows. There are some tricks in the story telling and editing process:
” … imagine having to edit down hundreds of hours of video into a dramatic, entertaining, provocative television show–with no script to follow and an intractable airdate. That’s the challenge facing editors of reality TV shows–the hot genre featuring real people and their experiences as they battle towards a monetary, professional or social goal.
Editors describe the creative process as solving a complex puzzle or searching for a needle in a haystack because they must search through tons of footage and put together those clips that best tell the story and create a heightened sense of drama that holds the viewers’ attention for that episode as well as the entire season.
“Film is a director’s medium. Dramatic television is a writer’s medium. But reality TV is an editor’s medium,” says Mark Raudonis, director of post production for Bunim-Murray Productions (www.bunimmurray.com) in Van Nuys, CA. “Reality editors must make sense out of tons of unscripted video captured from real life situations.”
Bunim-Murray Productions pioneered the reality TV genre over a decade ago when co-founders, Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jon Murray produced several reality series, including the MTV hit, The Real World. Today, Bunim-Murray Productions has five reality series on the air, including: The Real World and Road Rules for MTV; The Rebel Billionaire and The Simple Life for Fox; and Starting Over for NBC Universal Domestic Television.
“Of all these shows, Starting Over is the most daunting challenge because they shoot seven days a week, 12 to 15 hours a day, generating 30 to 50 hours of video per day. It’s a massive amount of footage that has to be edited into five one-hour weekly shows,” says Raudonis.
Starting Over follows the real-life drama experienced by a group of women who move into a Hollywood Hills home. Cameras watch as they face their personal problems, such as losing weight, abuse, or financial problems, and get advice from skilled “life coaches’ so they can start a new life.
“Scenes are covered by multiple cameras, including a Sony IMX camcorder, Sony PD170 DVCAM camcorders, and lipstick cameras,” Raudonis says. “We quickly whittle a 200:1 shooting ratio down to 60:1 by selecting the best angles of each scene as it’s running in multi-cam mode on our Avid Meridien Media Composers. It’s not unusual to have 50 editors working in two shifts and sharing centralized storage. But, the craft of editing is all about the art of storytelling.”
EXTREME MAKEOVER: THE HOME EDITION
“Reality TV is a huge part of what we do,” says Kenny Fields, president of West Post Digital (www.westpostdigital.com) in Santa Monica, CA. “If a production is under the gun to get their shows finished and on-the-air, we have options. With our Avid Symphony systems tied to a Unity server, we can be digitizing footage from two systems and have several editors editing different segments of the show simultaneously, which speeds up the process tremendously.”
Among its on-going projects, West Post Digital is finishing two reality TV series–Extreme Makeover: The Home Edition and How’d They Do That? Designed as companion series, Extreme Makeover: The Home Edition focuses on the story of a family in desperate need of home renovations (such as a family with a handicapped son who needed the home to be wheelchair accessible); while How’d They Do That? focuses on the work done by hundreds of carpenters who must complete the renovation in one week.
“We’ve been given a directive from the production company, Lock and Key Productions (Mike Malloy, supervising producer), that their shows are to be the highest quality they can be, and they have demonstrated this commitment by making creative changes to the show up to the very end,” explains Fields.
The production has been using Sony IMX (MPEG) for acquisition, which Fields says, “is as good or better than Betacam SP but without the dropouts. Dropouts are very time-consuming to fix, so this format gives us one less problem to worry about. Recently, the production switched to Sony’s XDCAM (disk-based) format, so our online editors will have random access to any clips as opposed to shuttling back and forth on tapes. With 200 to 300 tapes and 1,500 cuts per show, jumping from one timecode to another instantly saves a tremendous amount of time.”
Rather than color correcting on the Symphony. West Post Digital moves the project to its color correction bay where colorist Randy Starnes (Desperate Housewives) does the color timing on a da Vinci 2K. Fields says. “This is the highest quality tool for color timing and the most efficient way to go. And this frees up our Symphony systems for building the graphics and titling to keep the project moving forward.”
QUEER EYE FOR THE STRAIGHT GUY
For each one-hour episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy seen weekly on Bravo, “We have to watch about 30 hours of footage to make sure we’ve explored all the options to tell the story clearly and concisely,” says Michael LaHaie, senior editor for Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, which is edited at PostWorks/NY and produced by Scout Productions, in Boston.
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THE MANSION
“Editing reality TV shows can be daunting, depending upon the delivery schedule, and how many rounds of reviews the team needs to do,” says Sharon Morrissette, supervising producer for Evolution Film and Tape (www.evolutionusa.com) in Burbank, CA, which produced The Mansion for TBS. “In the case of The Mansion, we send work in progress to executives at TBS, as well as our own production executives.”
A home improvement reality show, The Mansion is set in Cincinnati on a three-acre estate where a 1926 mansion is in need of repair. Eight contestants–amateurs possessing home repair skills–compete on the basis of how well they performed various repair tasks at the mansion. The prize is the property itself. Shown on TBS last Fall, The Mansion was comprised of eight weekly, one-hour episodes, with the final one taped in a broadcast style, as if it were live.
“The first seven episodes included footage of the contestants renovating the house, as well as ‘on-the-fly’ interviews with each contestant talking about their working relationships and conflicts during the contest,” says Morrissette.
The shows were shot ENG-style using Sony’s XDCAM disk-based camcorders, which record to Sony PFD-23 Professional Disc media. This footage was bumped to Sony IMX media for ingestion into an Avid Unity serving several Avid Symphonies. “For the first seven shows, we shot 1,500 hours of footage, and had eight editors sharing nearly 3.5 TB on Unity,” notes Morrissette. “We also had eight ‘loggers’ using Pilot’s PilotWare logging software to log and track video assets.” Editing took place at Fotokem in Burbank.
COLD TURKEY
Cold Turkey is the only reality show where the story producers view raw footage, and put together a rough edit rather than just a “paper cut.”
“The benefit is that our story producers can flesh out the stories before it ever gets into the editor’s hands, saving untold hours of editing,” explains Rob Claridge, post producer and supervising editor of the show. Cold Turkey, which airs on Pax TV, is edited at Visual Frontier (www.visualfrontier.com), a production company in Los Angeles. Visual Frontier’s John Holmes is executive producer in association with Stuart Krakow of Stuart Krakow Productions, Los Angeles.
The innovative editing set-up includes five Avid Meridien Media Composer 9000 systems and six Avid Xpress DV Pro stations connected via an Avid LANshare EX network to an Avid Unity with 3 TB of shared storage.
“Our story producers can view clips in low-res from laptops, and string them together,” says Claridge. “I can import their segments into my Media Composer and finish them into one-hour weekly shows.”
The premise of Cold Turkey is that 10 smokers are lured to a house under the false pretense that they would be participating in a reality show to win whatever they wanted most–to drive a NASCAR stock car or to travel into space with NASA. “But, in the first episode, our host AJ Benza, revealed the truth–that they were going to go ‘cold turkey’ and not smoke for 24 days. Their reaction to this news was priceless,” says Claridge. While they were given the choice to leave, all of the contestants chose to stay.
“Editing reality TV is a great challenge because each show has to be compelling to new viewers and stand on its own,” says Claridge. “And you have to sift through thousands of hours of footage and come up with a captivating story that fits into a concise format.
“If you can edit reality TV,” says Claridge, “you can edit anything.”
COPYRIGHT 2005 Post LLC
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group”
Okay, the Iron Brides’ Director and family (Marie and 3 children) have decided NH is it … relocate … We like the Nashua and Manchester areas. Looking for 3BR house or apt rental (12 mos or month to month is also fine) in area with decent schools … any ideas? Contact 603.809.8122 or ironbrides@gmail.com and Thank you.
I just ran across this rant about reality TV production in a search. It engages the reader:
I have deep respect for editors, story producers, segment producers, and everyone else who works on producing reality television shows. The time I’ve spent observing productions has easily proven what a complicated job it truly is. As a writer and reporter, I often experience the difficulty of narrowing material, and thus I realize that it must be quite challenging to cut hundreds of hours of footage into 22 or 44 minutes of engaging, dramatic television.
But that also doesn’t excuse fictionalizing reality shows. It’s one thing to use a reaction shot from another moment in time if it matches the participant’s genuine reaction; it’s another to fabricate a romantic relationship or construct dialogue that was never spoken and place it in a context in which it didn’t take place. The contestants may agree to such manipulation in their contracts, but the show’s contract with the audience demands that they be true to the reality of the cast’s experience. Anything less is betrayal of our trust.
Iron Brides will be contacting locally drawn crew members to organize group viewing and discussion of much of the content appearing below. Good production is about organization and communication. Our Iron Brides production team, regardless of prior experience will be on the same page after these discussions. Even if you have been in reality TV production “for years” these short films are instructive of “what’s working” and “what’s not working” in the Reality TV market today … If you can watch these short films ahead of time, our meetings will go shorter For details on location and times of crew meetings please contact:Associate Producer Joann Mills ~ 603.717.2727
1. Richard Hall
1. What are the various phases of a reality TV show production?
2. How do producers plan shoots for reality shows?
3. How many cameras are used on reality shows?
4. What is a ‘run and gun’ television shooting style?
5. How is sound recorded on a reality TV show?
6. What is a ‘boom’ microphone?
7. What are the challenges of recording sound on reality TV shows?
8. Do crews and cast members interact on reality TV shows?
9. How are hidden cameras disguised in reality shows?
Reality Show Appreciation
1. Mark Cronin
VideoJug: Mark Cronin
1. What are the various types of reality shows?
2. What are some of the most influential modern reality shows?
3. What are the most underrated reality shows?
4. Who are the most memorable reality show stars?
5. What are your most memorable reality show moments?
6. Why do so many reality shows feature competitions?
7. What new direction is the reality TV genre taking?
Reality TV Business
1. Mark Cronin
1. What does a reality TV production company do?
2. What is a production company’s relationship to the TV networks?
3. How do reality TV producers know what networks are looking for?
4. How much creative control does a reality show’s production company have?
5. What is a network ‘development department’?
6. What function do network executives serve on a reality show?
7. What does ‘greenlighting’ mean in the television business?
8. How do networks decide which shows to ‘greenlight’?
9. Who pays for the cost of producing a reality show?
10. What are some new trends in reality show funding?
11. What makes a good reality TV producer?
Reality Show Pitching
1. Mark Cronin
1. What is a reality show ‘pitch’?
2. How does a reality show idea become a pitch?
3. What is reality show ‘formatting’?
4. What makes a great reality show pitch?
5. How can I pitch a reality show about my job, family or life?
6. Do I have to be an established producer to pitch a reality show?
7. Do I need an agent to pitch a reality show?
8. If I have a reality show idea, should I partner with a production company?
9. What do networks look for in a reality show?
10. What are the chances of selling a reality show on a pitch?
Reality Shows – The Pitch Meeting
1. Mark Cronin
1. How can I get a pitch meeting with a network?
2. What are the various levels of network executives?
3. Is it worthwhile to pitch a reality show to a lower-level executive?
4. How should I pitch if the person I’m meeting is a lower-level executive?
5. Can I insist on meeting with a high-level executive when pitching a reality show?
6. How can I tell who the power player is in a pitch meeting?
7. Do I need to have tape to show when pitching a reality show?
8. What’s the secret to selling a show?
Reality Shows – From Pitch To Pilot
1. Mark Cronin
1. If a network likes a reality show pitch, what is the next step?
2. What is a reality show ‘pilot’?
3. Does a network ever buy a show without making a pilot?
4. Do reality show pilots make it onto TV?
5. What is a reality show ‘sizzle reel’?
6. What makes a successful reality show pilot?
7. Should I put my own money into producing a reality show pilot or series?
8. Is the amount of funding given for a reality show pilot negotiable?
9. If a network produces a pilot for my show, does that mean I’ve sold my show?
Reality Show Storytelling
1. Mark Cronin
1. What are the essential elements of a great reality show?
2. Does reality TV use scripts?
3. What is a ‘soft-scripted’ show versus an unscripted show?
4. What is a reality show ‘set piece’?
5. How do reality show producers decide which stories to focus on?
6. What happens if the stories that emerge during a reality show shoot aren’t interesting?
The Impact Of Reality TV
1. Mark Cronin
1. How ‘real’ are reality shows?
2. What is the impact of reality TV on scripted TV shows?
3. What is the impact of reality TV on movies?
4. What are the effects of reality TV on pop culture?
5. What are some of the lessons of reality TV?
6. Does reality TV play a role in the ‘dumbing down’ of American culture?
7. Why does reality TV use so many ‘train wreck’ characters?
Reality Shows – From Pilot To Broadcast
1. Mark Cronin
1. What is a ‘focus group’ in reality show development?
2. How do focus groups impact the success of a reality show?
3. What is a network ‘pickup’ or ‘episode order’?
4. What is the standard episode order in reality TV?
5. What makes a reality show a hit?
6. What happens if there are creative differences between a reality show’s creators and its network?
1. Richard Hall
1. What are the key staff and crew positions on a reality show?
2. What does a reality TV show runner or executive producer do?
3. What does a reality TV ‘casting producer’ do?
4. What does a reality TV ‘story producer’ do?
5. What does a reality TV ‘field producer’ do?
6. What does a reality TV ‘editor’ do?
7. What does reality TV ‘art department’ do?
8. What does a reality TV director do?
1. Richard Hall
1. Where do TV crews stay when shooting in the wilderness or extreme settings?
2. How do adventure reality show producers prevent crew members from helping the cast?
3. Are the settings for adventure reality shows as remote and rustic as they seem?
4. How dangerous are the stunts on adventure reality shows?
5. How do the crew members endure extreme conditions on adventure reality shows?
6. What is a ‘pickup’ in reality TV production?
1. Richard Hall
1. What are ‘field notes’ on a reality show?
2. How long does it take to edit a reality show?
3. What is a reality show ‘line cut’?
4. What is a reality show ‘radio cut’?
5. What is a reality show ‘rough cut’?
6. What is ‘b-roll’ in reality TV editing?
7. What is a ‘jump cut’ in reality TV editing?
8. What is ‘lip-flap’ in reality TV editing?
9. How are ‘reaction shots’ used in reality TV editing?
10. How much footage do reality shows shoot?
11. What is a ‘story arc’?
1. Richard Hall
1. Do reality show producers ‘coach’ cast members during a shoot?
2. How do reality show producers generate drama when shooting a scene?
3. What if a reality show scene falls flat?
4. How do reality show producers mold a cast member into a ‘character’?
5. How can reality show cast members ‘be themselves’ with cameras around?
6. What happens if a cast member has a breakdown during a reality show shoot?
7. What do reality show producers look for in a shoot?
8. How do reality show producers handle conflict on set?
9. What is a TV show ‘reveal’?
10. What happens if a ‘reveal’ on a reality show is flubbed?
11. Are reality show storylines written ahead of time?
1. Richard Hall
1. What part do interviews play in reality shows?
2. When are interviews taped?
3. Why are interviews used so often in reality shows?
4. What is an ‘OTF’?
5. What do reality show producers hope to get out of an interview?
6. What makes a great reality show interview?
Popular Questions
* How do producers plan shoots for reality shows?
* How are hidden cameras disguised in reality shows?
* What are some of the most influential modern reality shows?
* What makes a good reality TV producer?
* What are the chances of selling a reality show on a pitch?
* How can I get a pitch meeting with a network?
* How should I pitch if the person I’m meeting is a lower-level executive?
* How can I tell who the power player is in a pitch meeting?
* What is a reality show ‘pilot’?
* Does a network ever buy a show without making a pilot?
* Should I put my own money into producing a reality show pilot or series?
* Does reality TV use scripts?
* What happens if the stories that emerge during a reality show shoot aren’t interesting?
* How ‘real’ are reality shows?
* Why does reality TV use so many ‘train wreck’ characters?
* How do focus groups impact the success of a reality show?
* What makes a reality show a hit?
* What does a reality TV ‘casting producer’ do?
* What does reality TV ‘art department’ do?
* Where do TV crews stay when shooting in the wilderness or extreme settings?
* How do adventure reality show producers prevent crew members from helping the cast?
* How dangerous are the stunts on adventure reality shows?
* How are ‘reaction shots’ used in reality TV editing?
* What is a ‘story arc’?
* Do reality show producers ‘coach’ cast members during a shoot?
* What happens if a cast member has a breakdown during a reality show shoot?
* Are reality show storylines written ahead of time?
* What do reality show producers hope to get out of an interview?
* What makes a great reality show interview?
We’re busy with production activities and finalizing edits on the skits footage from October 4th. Potential sponsors have contacted George about opportunities for sponsoring the show, and appointments are being made and met.
On October 4, 2008 Iron Brides Productions LLC held the first of a number of open casting call auditions. The first was at the Holiday Inn Nashua. We had two video cameras and two still cameras working almost full time for most of the day. Lots of pleasant surprises. Executive Producer George Jobel developed and organized a series of improv scripts to bring out the character of some of our host audition applicants and some of our brides. The improv skits were just to evaluate the hosts primarily and to observe their versatility. Needless to say the day was fun and it loosened up folks. We had great comments from the prospective brides and hosts. Even the newspapers picked up on the audition event and stories ran in the Manchester Union Leader, Fosters Daily Democrat, Seacoast Online, Concord Monitor and the Hippo. The Boston Herald subsequently interviewed George Jobel and has indicated it will be running a story on Iron Brides stay tuned. Reality TV has never been like this www.ironbrides.tv . Here’s 2 of the 4 below … more to follow.
We had an awesome audition at Portsmouth NH on Friday the 17th and another series at Castle in the Clouds on October 19th. We would like to thank all those who participated and helped with the coordination of a very ambitious shooting schedule. A special thank you to Hilary and to Kathleen Hopper for the tremendous support.
As we have had a free moment during our open casting auditions, many people “in the biz” and without have asked the obvious question, “why New Hampshire? … This has never been done before …” Most have commented Reality-TV production is confined to LA and NY, with national distribution objectives.
In general that is true. Iron Brides Productions is producing Iron Brides in a regional distribution format, with the strategy of regional cable airing the program for one simple reason. We’re thinking “outside of the box” in order to give our sponsors product and service placement opportunities and advertising in segments beyond the simple 30 second spot TV model of the past. Our sponsors products and services are woven into the program. We’re inspired by Bravo’s numerous programs which use this cutting edge advertising method.
We live in a new digital age where converged media, viral marketing and promotion of a sponsor’s brand provide new opportunities to the producer who can multi-task and continually think outside of the box from the point of view of a sponsor who wants to improve brand recoginition in challenging financial times. At the same time, we are using a tried and true primer for our Iron Brides’ sponsor strategy drawn from the highly successful PBS Frontline series entitled “The Persuaders“. At the current Frontline website on the subject it is reported: “In a competitive, product-saturated marketplace, a new product needs to have something beyond the brand — an added value, an idea, a “story” behind the brand.” (Kevin Roberts, CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi)
Iron Brides is Thinking Outside the Box and we are acting on this strategy. Our desire is to develop and engage sponsor’s products and services in our show creatively — creating in the audience’s mind a “loyalty beyond reason.” The idea is to go around a viewer’s rational functioning and appeal to them on an emotional level. After all, there is no “reason” to buy one brand over another. As Kevin Roberts goes on to say: “… ‘the consumer has moved from products to experiences, the power of brands in a market where, thanks to the Internet, the consumer will soon have full control’ … ’The goal of any marketing manager should be to create loyalty beyond reason for their product … You want lifetime customers, and you want them to have a love affair with you so that no matter what Wal-Mart is offering cheaper, they will stay with you and they will pay a premium.’ “
Thinking outside the box is to think differently, unconventionally, from a new perspective. This phrase often refers to novel, creative and smart thinking. This is sometimes called a process of lateral thought. It’s about reasoning that is not immediately obvious and about ideas that may not be obtainable by using only traditional step-by-step logic. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outside_the_box )
The Iron Brides Productions Team is paying close attention to the trends on the Internet, combining creative multi-platform distribution of content … stay tuned.
The October 4th open casting auditions were fun and very helpful to the Production Team. Check them out at www.youtube.com/ironbrides . We’ve had a few “anxious” October 17th brides and host candidates contact us with — did I mention — anxiety about when the new auditions will be up? We’re peddling the bike as fast as we can. They will be up soon Thanks for staying in contact … by the minute.
Hey folks. We’re gettin’ through the rough edits quickly. Some of the anxious brides to be who auditioned can now see their auditions at www.youtube.com/ironbrides . We are getting very high traffic at our YouTube site. Help us keep it up. Have friends
and whoever go online and comment on your video and why they feel you should be one of the 8 brides chosen …
In between shooting, editing and uploading to YouTube, there is time to research and blog. What’s working in reality TV and what’s not? You’d be surprised. Directors actually talk “amongst themselves” about such things. A snapshot of the Iron Brides format is given at www.ironbrides.tv . You can see some of the backstories of our bride candidates at www.youtube.com/ironbrides . But that’s not the “big picture” of where this reality TV show is headed … and it’s all because of our amazing responses and comments at the YouTube site. It’s because of you.
Reality TV and scripted Tv differ in many ways, and there are similarities. A director employs the camera—determining how many cameras are needed, where to place them, and what shots to take—is the same for both reality and scripted shows. Brenton Covington gave this interview when he was auditioning for the director for a reality TV show. The vid gives viewers great insights …
As one of the co-creators and the director of Iron Brides, I am in constant contact with camera operators who have expressed an interest in being on the Iron Brides team. I have told them, we need to “watch” … to “see” the same movie … be on the same page for the show to be shot in a way which compels the audience and drives the narrative. A meeting is taking place tomorrow in Nashua NH with another of the camera operators who has expressed interest in joining the Iron Brides’ Production Team. Stay tuned.
Directors use a camera (multiple angles) to drive the story forward in visual terms … capturing the right shot for narrative purposes. It’s true with or without a script. It presents unique and specific challenges.
Example: Unlike quarterbacking a scripted show, with reality TV, it’s one take … no PLAN B’s … get it right the first time. No pressure right?
Pacing is critical. It all happens in real time. The masters of the genre agree directing reality TV is about being able to see the moments developing and listening very carefully to what’s unfolding. Intuition and the ability to anticipate what will happen next is rewarded highly. What a cast member might do and how she might respond determines where the cameras are placed. With reality TV, there isn’t the same kind of control you have with a script.
Directing film or TV is a trade — an art form of its own — it’s not a profession. It’s why I am passionate about it.
I begin today’s blog with a simple thought quoted by one of my childhood heroes ripped from our grasp: Attorney General Robert Kennedy, who quoted poet laureat George Bernard Shaw. The same quote was delivered by Ted Kennedy at President John F. Kennedy’s funeral:
“Some see things the way they are and ask, “Why?” I dream things that never were, and ask “Why not?
Those were days in my youth … perhaps yours … and I have never forgotten them. It meant something.
One of my mentors in the film business is David Gertner. We are close as friends, and I owe so much to his kindness and willingness to listen to a ranting director “on the edge” who felt there was no work in New England. David worked in production with Marvin Davis who owned a majority interest in Fox until his death in 2002. David has always supported me, more than a therapist and without pay. He’s helped me through the struggles of someone who envisions a dream like Iron Brides, but must “wait patiently” for it to happen … to mature.
When I told David about Iron Brides and its success on YouTube and in the media, he responded with the same enthusiasm that we all observed when Robin Williams mc’d with the whole world as Matt Damon received his award for Good Will Hunting. Robin had already received his accolades many times over, but the Good Will Hunting launched Matt Damon’s and Ben Affleck’s careers. Those Academy Awards brought a tear to my eye … perhaps yours … and I said “one day: … “one day”. That’s just good stuff and we all know it. Okay — enough melodrama. Iron Brides represents a dream that was conceived outside of the box by the Executive Producer George and myself.
Iron Brides is the budding metaphor for a new type of reality TV … a medium where all the traditional elements of the successful Reality TV programming are there with one thing added … throughout the 13 episodes. we … and yes you, get to observe “personal best moments” of our brides. Yes there is a prize. Yes it is hotly contested. But more than this which is expected by the audience, there are challenges, moments when each bride and the audience realizes something unique … perhaps special has occurred in their lives … a moment only that bride only can experience … A dear friend of mine who left this world in an untimely manner once asked me when he walked over to a wall and pretended to observe the Every Ready Bunny hitting the wall over and over again as if it would never end until the batteries ran out. He asked me rhetorically, attempting to reach down and turn the bunny away form the wall setting it free from hitting it over and over again and having now an open path without obstacle to travel miles down a road. What is it worth to this Every Ready Bunny to turn him away from the wall. I met with our personal trainer candidate yesterday and she mentioned one phrase “starfish moment” in her recall of a discussion with her husband. I smiled understanding what she meant … perhaps to her surprise .. perhaps not:
There is an old story that tells of a man walking along a beach when up ahead in the distance, he catches sight of another man acting strangely. As he gets closer, he notices the man is picking things up from the sand and throwing them into the water. Upon reaching him, he sees the objects being tossed are starfish, stranded on shore by the retreating tide.
Curious about his intentions, the first man asked, “What are you doing?” “I am saving these starfish,” he replied. “They won’t survive in the sun until the tide returns.” Totally taken aback by this statement, the first man said, rather indignantly, “Aren’t you being a little silly? Do you not realize how many hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of starfish there are in the sea and that by throwing a few back will make absolutely no difference at all?” The second man said nothing but was unfazed. He picked up yet another starfish and threw it out into the waves. He hesitated for a moment, then looked back the first man and said, “I just made a difference for that one.”
What a great blog you posted today! A dream is always worth fighting for, without dreams and people who were willing to see them through…..all of the wonderful things and people that we have had the chance to enjoy would not exist.
Life is an amazing journey, when my mom got sick I saw first hand the importance of putting up a good fight…..and though she lost her life in the end…..to me she had already won…being victorious isnt about the end result its about the heart and work…that you put in while trying to win.
A producer once came up to me and asked ” Are you a movie star?” and I said well I make movies….and I’ve been a star since the day I was born….so yes..I am.
Anyway, hope you guys are well!
Keep thinking and dreaming BIG!!!
Hilary
________________________
My friend David Gertner writes:
Jeffrey,
It looks like it’s all coming together. Very hip. I like it.
I also appreciate your kind words. I’ve always been a big fan of getting more credit than I deserve. Thank you.
I’m sure that you’ve already thought of this, but there are a ton of D-list celebs trying to get back into the biz after raising their families, rehab, etc. You might want to check out some of their on-line resumes. As an example…
It’s almost like nostalgia casting and you can get them at bargain prices. Talking with them starts a buzz and makes a statement to the network people at the same time.
I’m waiting for your first appearance on TMZ as you and the guys walk out of some trendy place in L.A. Just remember to let Lucas and Spielberg pick up the check.
As many of you may appreciate, film and TV production presents unique challenges. The tabloids and tabloid news channels are full of people attempting to cope with the pressures and deadlines … many times not very well. In my mind the real realities of Reality TV continue to loom in before us. It’s exciting and daunting … stress forming. In the 1990′s I studied with Jon Kabat-Zinn at the Omega Institute (New York) for a week and then on and off for years afterward in a mindfulness meditation program, after he wrote Full Catastrophe Living. Jon is well known for bringing mindfulness into mainstream medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center and many other places.
I searched to reacquaint myself with Jon and found he was recently invited to Google headquarters to speak and train with the employees in California. It was purely good fortune to find this at YouTube. Thank you Jon – Namaste …
It is claimed that a customer tells an average of three people about a product or service he/she likes, and eleven people about a product or service which he/she did not like. Viral marketing is based on this natural human behavior. While the Internet is an ideal carrier for viral marketing, the hosts (or personal computer users) are the ones that actually do the hard work for the viral marketing creators, spreading a viral message via email at the click of a button. A recipient (new host) may effectively spread the viral message like a virus if that virus is deemed worthy in their eyes, exponentially increasing the distribution and overall effectiveness of the campaign.
The other key component in successful viral marketing is inherent third-party validation (similar to receiving an industry award or recognition in the press), which can be just one of the rewards for known, credible virus senders. Iron Brides has created and enjoyed that type of recognition in the media:
The process of spreading the virus comes down to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: everyone wants to feel a sense of belonging and feed their esteem needs. One way to enhance one’s personal image is to be the first to pass along a particularly funny, interesting or unique virus.
DEFINITION – On the Internet, viral marketing is any marketing technique that induces Web sites or users to pass on a marketing message to other sites or users, creating a potentially exponential growth in the message’s visibility and effect. One example of successful viral marketing is Hotmail, a company, now owned by Microsoft, that promotes its service and its own advertisers’ messages in every user’s e-mail notes.
Iron Brides Productions highly values and is employing many viral marketing techniques as a method of increasing brand awareness for the Iron Brides reality TV series, but more importantly for our sponsors – their products and their services. WE WILL BE ANNOUNCING SEVERAL NEW PROGRAMS TO OUR EXTENSIVE ON-LINE COMMUNITY SOON. IRON BRIDES TV IS ABOUT A CONTEST BETWEEN 8 BRIDES. IT’S ALSO ABOUT WEDDINGS RIGHT? — ALL SERVICES AND PRODUCTS USED BY BRIDES AND THEIR FAMILIES IN A WEDDING.
The tradition model has been for TV programs to thank sponsors with the insertion of :30 or :60 second spots during the program. That model has changed with the Internet. Production companies now have the opportunity to bring focus to and create a viral marketing buzz about their sponsors well in advance of of the show actually being taped and eventually broadcast. This has been and remains Iron Brides’ marketing strategy.
The word ‘viral’, dauntingly close to ‘virus’ sounds like something you’d rather avoid. Nevertheless, a virus is something that grows exponentially in the right environment and that is the point of ‘viral marketing’. It takes your message and powerfully and quickly spreads it across the Internet, just like the age-old concept of “word-of-mouth“, but in an electronic context. Any marketer worth his salt knows that referrals are the most powerful marketing tool available. Viral marketing extends this into the digital domain by harnessing the electronic connectivity of individuals to spread your message.
Just got a call from George. Today is the last day for audition submissions for Iron Brides – Season One. Very busy with the final editing and outputting of the Portsmouth audition skits and sponsor profile videos. thank you for your amazing performances …
“It is not uncommon for people to work long hours on a set of any entertainment show, whether that be a movie or a production for the small screen — even live theatre. Twelve-hour days for actors and directors are routine. However, given the robust compensation the mainstays of the production enjoy, such as the stars and the director, long hours go with the territory. The same cannot be said, however, for front-line workers and support staff that fail to command the high salaries paid to the principles. … It should be noted, for the most part, that reality TV shows are produced by independent producers and/or production companies, and not by the networks directly. However, it is not known if such producers of hugely popular TV shows reap the rewards gleaned from high ratings and advertising revenues.”
And then I think about what one reality TV editor/writer recently wrote: Yes, reality TV stories are developed:
Such preparation is half the battle, but the magic really happens after filming. In its one- to four-week scripting phase, the story producers pinpoint scenes, moments and interviews from a mountain of VHS tapes, then structure them to tell the strongest story. After it’s approved by the executive producer, this script is given to an editor, who cuts it together. Six-day workweeks and long hours are expected–and get longer midway through editing, when a decision is invariably made to change the show’s direction. As story producers, the responsibility for that reshaping falls to us.
Iron Brides Skits using NewBlue Cartoonr Effects in three different, distinct ways (read description below). Let us know your thoughts.
Reality TV continues to reinvent itself with changes in editing technologies that offer an audience a viewing experience that is “outside the box.” In the mid-1990s, Bob Sabiston, an animator and computer scientist veteran of the MIT Media Lab, developed a computer-assisted “interpolated rotoscoping” process which the director Richard Linklater later employed in the full-length feature films Waking Life (2001) and A Scanner Darkly (2006). Linklater licensed the same proprietary rotoscoping process for the look of both films. Linklater is the first director to use digital rotoscoping to create an entire feature film. Additionally, a 2005-08 advertising campaign by Charles Schwab uses rotoscoping for a series of television spots, under the tagline “Talk to Chuck.” This distinctive look is also the work of Bob Sabiston.
Here’s a quick video giving Schwab’s vision and highlighting its excitement with the choice to use rotoscoping:
Waking Life and Scanner Darkly took this to a different level, more in line with what Iron Brides will utilize in transitional portions of our series.
The digital age has brought many innovations to the producer of TV and film content. Iron Brides TV maybe the first independent production company to combine the genres of Reality TV, with documentary, news run and gun and dramatic film production techniques. The canvass is wide open and people are more ready now than ever for a fusion of the genres which has a history in the music and food business. A fusion music genre combines two or more genres. For example,rock and roll originally developed as a fusion of blues, gospel and country music. The main characteristics of fusion genres are variations in tempo, rhythm and sometimes the use of long musical “journeys” that can be divided into smaller parts, each with their own dynamics, style and tempo. Fusion cuisine is a general term for the combination of various forms of cookery, the concept can take several forms. One approach is regional fusion that combines the cuisine of a region or sub-region into a single eating experience. Of these sort, Asian fusion restaurants have become popular in many parts of the United States, often featuring Indian, East Asian, and South-East Asian dishes alongside one another and offering dishes that are inspired combinations of such cuisines.
Iron Brides is now introducing fusion Reality TV production as a genre blending the “run and gun” style of solo journalism with documentary cinema verite techniques, music video and feature film creativity. Were are drawing outside the traditional lines, keeping in mind our audience wants to be entertained and informed. It’s the next step in the evolution of this artform. Without giving away too many secrets, the cameramen are no longer simply getting the coverage. They are interviewing on the set and creating as well as covering the story and character arcs. Traditional Reality TV roles are being intentionally blended together to keep the coverage spontaneous, in the moment and not scripted or rehearsed. It’s a morphology brought on and made possible by the digital age. Everything is on the table and potentially “in frame.” It’s about the story … it’s only about turning everything into compelling story.
Everything that happens on the set and behind the set is potentially part of the story or character arcs. Tripods, cameras, shadows and even boom poles are no longer a problem. Even the production team is part of the story arc and open for being made an integral part of the production.
Our demographic and audience wants to know how the coverage was shot as well as follow the story inside the shot.
Iron brides completed its January 18-25 shooting schedule late last night. Our final segment at the Radisson in Nashua had the Oprah and Ellen “feel” and quality we were looking for with statements about the show, tears from the brides and tears from the crew. All I can say is the show is b reaking down all the traditional rules where crew and cast actually interact and are transformed in the process. To the 8 Iron Brides who participated … you gals are awesome. To our hosts Brian and Jill … I am in deep gratitude to you both. To our camera people Dave, Kyle, Jennifer and Liz … I can only say thank you as many times as I can. To Jo … you’re the anchor for this show … and to George … well … you know I love you man … you are very patient if you can hang with this director for more than 5 minutes
I end with a quote Marie sent to me while on the 8 day shoot. It could not be more appropriate.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Nelson Mandela
With deep gratitude:
Thank you
PSS. This recent email note from the Assistant Director Dave Petty really touch me deeply.
Jeff,
As you know I’m not the most articulate knife in the drawer. I wanted to share this with you as it really expresses what I have received from my Iron Brides experience:
Uncertainty is the fertile ground of pure creativity and freedom.
Uncertainty means stepping into the unknown in every moment
of our existence. The unknown is the field of all possibilities,
ever fresh, ever new, always open to the creation of new
manifestations. Without uncertainty and the unknown, life
is just the stale repetition of outworn memories. You become
the victim of the past, and your tormenter today is your self
left over from yesterday.
from -”The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success”
by Deepak Chopra
Thank you for the opportunity of creative release.
Another Iron Brides’ Sponsor Recognized by the Press
You have to love this. I just picked up a feed from the Nashua Telegraph and the Portsmouth Herald. After receiving our instructions to make a video of preparing a Voodoo Tiki Tequila drink as part of the competition, Amy Dole, Darlene Ramsey and Tricia Comi went to York Beach in 15 degree weather and mini skirts to make their video. You have to love this. http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090207/NEWS02/302079986/-1/news
Assistant Director Dave Petty just responded to the Vibration article via email:
“Iron brides” is definitely a predestined experience, Whether planned or not, you and George have touched the lives of all involved with this project. We have all entered a new enlightened stage in our lives. Thanks for the inspiration to travel down this new path of awareness.”
Definitely on track. Here is what was sent out in large part to some of the crew.
Iron Brides is a Reality TV Show … But What is Really Happening?
It may be of interest to those following this blog that the crew and the brides experienced, witnessed changes over the course of the taping season. Until now, I was not sure how to describe what occurred. Throughout the pre-production of Season One, we felt the show “might” head in a direction that we see interwoven into some of the Oprah and the Ellen shows — women overcoming glass ceilings, becoming empowered, breaking though fears and becoming comfortable “outside” their comfort zones. This was a clear discussion bounced around by the production team from time to time.
It happened. We did not do it. The brides produced the show in essence by reacting in powerful ways to the challenges that were laid before them. I watched … considered … watched again … was amazed. At times it brought the crew and third party observes to the point of tears. I reflected back on some of my personal interests in such matters and recalled the principles of sympathetic vibratory physics. Yes I was and have been a student of the writings of John Worrell Keely ( http://www.svpvril.com/ ) and a Walter Russell ( http://www.philosophy.org/ ).
So the Oprah Factor that I saw develop on the set was what some have recently termed the “Law of Attraction”> I has been described in “The Secret” and in many other publications over the last 200 years and is based in physical laws commonly referred to as “sympathetic vibration of thoughts”:
The Law of Attraction is based on ‘sympathetic vibration‘. So, anything that disrupts this flow of energy from point A to point Z will cause the flow to stop. I refer to this as ‘congestion‘. The absence of congestion is ‘clarity‘. If a person is clear of inhibitions and beliefs that throw a wrench into the gears, then the opportunity to achieve the preferred outcome is much better. There are some other factors, but I am not going to discuss them at the moment.
Think of it this way: If you want to shoot an arrow into the bulls eye, then you don’t want anything to get into the way of the arrow. A single blade of grass can deviate the arrow so it lands off target. If a stick or such gets in the way, you may miss the target all together. By you having obstacles that your arrow must navigate, what do you think your chances are of reaching your objective? Probably Nil. If you continue to shoot arrows and none end up at the target, no matter how accurate you are with your archery, you will develop and strengthen a belief that you cannot and never will be able to hit the target – your objective. You have nobody to blame but yourself. You have actually done it to yourself. That’s hard to swallow!
It May be More than this … I did some more research and found this recent article which I sent to the crew of Iron Brides indicating it might be of interest.
VIBRATION EXPLAINED
“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision,
then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid”.
Audre Lorde, American writer and activist, 1934-1992.
Transformation Inspiration
Responsibility is the Key to deep and satisfying change. Responsibility is a key in expanding your belief that you are in fact the creator of your experience at any given moment.
The amount of responsibility that you accept is the exact amount of creation ability that you utilise for your experience.
To be completely responsible for your experience is to know that without a doubt, that the Law of attraction is at work at all times and in harmony with your Inner-Beings broader intentions.
It is operating whether you consciously participate or not.
In addition, the free will that is inherent in the human condition is unconditional. You are free to do anything, be anything, and believe anything in any way it pleases you.
The Law of attraction says that everything is energy and like energy attracts like energy. Therefore, everything in your experience is always a vibrational match to your beliefs and thought feelings, like it or not!
Free will is the right to experience the result of all your thought feelings, words and actions, so that you will be able to experience the results of your choices. When your feeling experience does not match your desire you are in the vibrational gap of where you are and where you want to be and you do not yet believe fully in your desire.
In order to have, you must first be of vibrational match. To change any experience that you do not want, you must take responsibility for what your currently vibrating (feeling/thinking/believing) which is not a match to what you are wanting.
Then you must choose to “feel” the essence of the way you want to feel now, and to think the thoughts that trigger those feelings now. Your reality is never about someone else’s thoughts, words, actions etc. They are only a mirror of your current point of attraction as is your health and wealth.
You will ALWAYS be tested to remember to choose to feel the way you want to feel now, and to really feel what it is you must live in the matching thoughts.
Let us say it is hard to actually feel healthy when there is so much disease and despair in your experience right now and you feel the lack of well being. On the other hand, it is hard to feel wealthy when in your own experience there so much lack in your own bank account and you feel despair and you think poverty thoughts based in lack.
Is it the conditions of the environment you are in that made you feel this way? No! You are choosing to allow yourself to feel and think this way based on a back story given to you long ago about disease and poverty and now you are a perfect vibrational match for the experience.
Law of Attraction always delivers that which you are a perfect vibrational match for, repeatedly, until you deliberately change the story. Do you control your thoughts and feelings or does your back-story and environment? You do! You make the choice.
You can chose to change any belief you have about anything and bring about change from any point in your current experience.
Accept your responsibility to choose how you think and feel in every moment. Your perception of your environment, wealth, health and quality of your relationships are always showing you exactly how you feel, think and believe to provide contrast so you can exercise choice, the choice of how you want to believe, think and feel in any given situation.
The choice to consciously lift your experience and connect to your broader perspective will always bring alignment with the essence of how you want to feel, from a vantage point you begin to vibrate with your inner being and all that you desire.
Your Greatest Gift to Give Is Your Happiness
The greatest gift that you could ever give to another is your own happiness, for when you are in a state of joy, happiness or appreciation, you are fully connected to the stream of pure, positive Source Energy that is truly who you are.
When you are in that state of connection anything or anyone that you are holding as an object of attention benefits from your attention. No one else needs you to be or do things for them in order for them to be fullfilled, for all of them have the same access to the Stream of Well-Being that you do.
Often, others (who do not understand that they have access to the stream), suffer in their inability to hold themselves in a place of feeling good and ask you to behave in a way that they believe will make them feel better.
Not only do they hold you in a place of discomfort as they try to make you responsable for their joy, they hold themselves in a place of bondage as well. For they cannot control the way any other behaves and if that control is necessary for their happiness, then they truly are in trouble.
Your Happiness Does Not Depend On What Others Do.
Change is possible from any point in your experience. There is nothing too small or to big for the Law of Attraction and your inner being to deliver. Once you have taken full vibrational responsibility for where you are, you can with ease and grace move to the next best place.
It is the law and the promise of always staying connected to your core and moving from within! I am not saying that this process of change will always be easy but it will be deeply satisfying and get easier with practice.
Depending on where you are currently, it will take time and committed focus for change to happen. Therefore, start small and intend to see results and build your confidence with the process of change from this perspective.
Moreover, allow yourself to receive assistance with this process, this idea may initially seem impossible and experienced help will be beneficial in navigating the journey with you! Have fun with it!
Where are you and where do you want to be ?
Have you seen the global positioning navigational systems that are available in vehicles today ? An antenna on the roof of your vehicle sends a signal to satelites in the sky that identify your current location.
Once you enter your desired destination into the keypad, the computer calculates the route between where you are and where you want to go.
The monitor informs you of the distance you have to travel and recommends the best route to get there and once you begin, the system will give you (by spoken word or text) specific directions to lead you to your new destination.
The navigational system never asks “where have you been” ? it does not ask “why have you been there so long” ? Its only mission is to assist you in getting from where you are, to where you want to be.
Your emotions provide a similar guidance system for you, for their primary function is also to help you travel the distance from where you are to where ever you want to be.
It is extremely important that you know where you are in relationship to where you want to be, in order to effectively move closer to where you want to be. An understanding of both where you are and where you want to be, is essential if you are to make any deliberate decisions about your journey.
You are surrounded by many influences in your physical environment and often others ask or insist that you behave differently in order to positively affect their experience.
You are deluged with laws, rules and expectations that are imposed by others and almost everyone seems to have an opinion about how you should behave. It is not possible for you to stay on track between where you are and where you want to be, if you are using those kinds of outside influences to guide you.
Often you are pulled this way and that, in an attempt to please another, only to discover that no matter how hard you try, you cannot consistently move in any pleasing direction and so you not only do not please them but you also do not please yourself.
Due to you being pulled in so many different directions, your path to where you want to be usually gets lost in the process.
Your Happiness does not depend on what others do but only upon your own vibrational balance. The happiness of others does not depend on you but only on their own vibrational balance, for the way anyone feels, in any moment, is only about their own mix of energies.
The way you feel is simply, clearly and always the indicator of the vibrational balance between your desires and your vibrational offering.
There is nothing in all of the Universe more important for anyone to understand than how the vibration they are offering is matching the vibrations of their desires and the way you feel is your indicator of whether you are allowing your connection to Source or not.
Every good feeling, every positive creation, all of your abundance, clarity, health, vitality and well-being and all the things that you consider to be good are dependant upon the way you are feeling right now and on the relationship that that feeling vibration has to the vibration of who you really are and what you really desire.
Each Thought Moves You Closer To, or Farther From Your Destination.
Just as it is easy for you to contemplate a successful trip from one city to another, it will be easy for you to contemplate a successful trip from financial insecurity for example, to financial security, from sickness to wellness, from confusion to clarity….
On your trip from one city to another, there will be no major unknowns, for you understand the distance between the two cities, you know where you are along the way and you understand what moving in the wrong direction means to your success.
Once you understand your own Emotional Guidance system, you will never again be confused about where you are in relationship to where you want to be. Also, you will feel with each thought that you offer, whether you are moving closer to, or further from your desired outcome.
If you are using any other influence as your source of guidance, you will get lost and go off track, for no others understand, as you do, the distance between where you are and where you want to be.
Even though others cannot understand your desires purely, they will still continually add their desires to the mix and so, only when you pay attention to the way you feel can you guide yourself steadily toward your own goals.
Why Does Saying No to it, Mean Saying Yes ?
Your vibrational Universe has the Law of Attraction as its basis. That means that your Universe is about inclusion. When you give your attention to something that you desire and you say yes to it, you are including it in your vibration.
When you look at something you do not want and you say no to it, you are also including it in your vibration. When you give no attention to it, you do not include it but you cannot exclude anything that you are giving your attention to because your attention to it includes it in your vibration, every time, without exception.
“Please take the time to watch the moving, educational and inspirational video clips available at the bottom of most of the web site pages.
I have to admit. I am a researcher at heart, a writer, and then someone behind a camera. It’s the questions that intrigue me … far less the answers. So when I saw this sympathetic vibration principle arise before the lens during season 1 I thought re-investigating what’s actually going on is really important. Maybe you do as well. If not, as the old farmer once said to his horse: “eat the hay and leave the sticks”.
Sympathetic Vibration
We sometimes wonder at the admirable docility with which the unlearned accept mystifying explanations. After being told that things act so and so because they have an “affinity” for each other, they feel that there is no more to be said. The question is answered. One mystery has been explained by another. But now we are on the track of this inscrutable “affinity”.
Every atom behaves as it does because of its essential nature. It is not helplessly drifting in space, waiting for stray streams of energy to gather it up and determine its fate. It has an attribute which compels it to find its own place in creation. It has inherently a certain rate of vibration, and an impulse to join others constituted with a like rate of velocity or one numerically allied to it. This tendency, this sympathetic hunger, is “affinity”. Oh, the depth of meaning in those words, “sympathy” and “affinity”! They are the world-builders, the creative agents which brought order out of chaos.
For an uncomprehended reason, atoms have arranged themselves according to their numerical affinities. Those with like velocities of a certain kind were drawn into close union and became rocks. Others singing a different rhythm came together in less stable combination, and are gases. And so down to the minutest classification of matter, all has been arranged by the compelling law of sympathetic vibration.
It is a well-known fact that when a musical note is sounded over a piano, all the strings attuned to the same, or to a numerically related number of vibrations, will sing in response.
This is “sympathetic vibration”.
The reason the string gives audible response is because its molecular condition has been sympathetically stimulated to activity. This activity is of course a manifestation of energy, and according to Mr. Lascelles-Scott (Physicist at the Government Laboratories, at Forest-Gate near London), and other competent observers, this energy is often sufficient to tear the atoms apart; as illustrated by the breaking of a glass tankard by singing near it its “response note”, which was in this instance the bass note D flat, which is not far from the lowest audible form of musical energy.
Now if in some of its lowest appreciable forms energy thus sympathetically evolved will break a glass tankard, or “fiddle a bridge down”, what must be the force which might be sympathetically awakened in its higher rates of velocity?
Professor Tyndall says- “With a few vibrations a second sound is generated. When more numerous, you may have light, heat and electricity. Again multiplying these by the square of millions, who can say what might, or might not, be the result?” Now we are compelled to believe that every step of acceleration from sixteen vibrations a second to the velocities attained when “multiplied by the square of millions” (as Professor Tyndall says), that every step of this steeply ascending increase is capable of being acted upon sympathetically, if the response note could be found.
Is there any limit to the energies thus slumbering in the apparent void? Whether Mr. Keely has captured them or not, these streams of potential energy are a reality, and might be liberated by just the means he is using. But of one thing there can be no slightest doubt. As man has risen to higher stages of development he has appropriated progressively higher stages of energy. There was a period when stored sunshine (light) was sufficient for his material uses. Then heat was harnessed and drove his engines, his wheels and spindles. Then he reached higher and captured electricity, which was found to be no less obedient and vastly more effective. Who dare say this is the end? It was after drawing upon the resources of the invisible, that such enormous impulse came into the life of humanity; and the farther we have gone into that supersensible creation, the swifter has been the advance!
It will be seen that as we pass through these ascending grades of energy, its manifestations become more subtle. Increase of power means a corresponding increase of subtlety. The waves of light and heat must be like the heavy beatings of the surf, and the motions of electricity gross and sluggish, compared with the rhythm of those ethereal vibrations which could only be wielded by Omnipotence! And is it not obvious that the agent which sympathetically reaches these, must become correspondingly fine? Is thought such an agent?
If a single tone of the human voice be the initial stage of an energy so inconceivable, what, on the other hand, does that voice become when attenuated “by the square of millions”? Does this measure the distance between an audible human cry and the thought which produces it? Is “the heart’s sincere desire”, the note attuned to those energies whose subtlety, as well as velocity, has been “multiplied by the square of millions”?
The mind cannot go back or stop on such a journey. It, is compelled to go on and on until it reaches something with sufficient potency to tear the stars from their orbits, and yet so attenuated that it trembles responsively to something as light as thought. If this be not “spiritual energy”, it bears a strange resemblance to it!
Have we by inevitable steps reached the verge of that kingdom we have been accustomed to regard as separate and distinct? If so, matter is lifted from its long abasement. The pulsations in the heart of granite are the throbbings of the Divine, as truly as when it makes the soul of man tremble with new life. And what wonder that music thrills, if it be a manifestation different in degree, but identical in kind, with the spiritual energy which nourishes the universe?
If the phenomena of matter and of spirit are controlled by the same force, only in different degrees of development, then reasonable cause and effect take the place of magic and of mystery.
If it be true that spiritual atoms, no less than material ones, are arranging themselves according to their velocities, then every relation, human and divine, is comprehensible. If this law underlies both worlds, then those spiritual atoms numerically and rhythmically allied have an “affinity” for each other; they rush together in irresistible embrace; and there is a scientific basis for human affections, for conduct, and for prayer!
Race affinities exist because of a general rhythmic identity. Individual temperament is determined by the rate at which the spiritual atoms of the man move — making, as it were, a musical-key to which his being is set. Observe that when you sing a C note over the piano, not alone the C strings, but E, G and B vibrate responsively, because harmoniously related. So two beings who love each other may make a richer harmony for not having identically the same rhythm in their souls. But on the other hand, union with one outside this harmonious group is impossible. Discord is a violation of nature. Two notes inharmoniously related can never combine. They may be simultaneously sounded; but they do not blend. Discord is in its essence a destructive force. Unhappy marriages, in fact one-half the tragedies of human life, find their solution in the laws which govern music; and the language of metaphor is profoundly and scientifically true.
The unfolding soul invites to itself vibrations constructive and destructive, and grows by what it feeds upon toward heaven or hell; harmonious vibrations making for the one, and discordant ones for the other. If, as is probable, these velocities have a tendency to be accelerated in multiples of the same rate, we can see how the wretched being is sometimes lost in the vortex of a terrible rhythm, only to be rescued by that one flawless rhythm left by Christ upon earth.
Does this sound fantastic? Will it be worse than fantastic, prosaic, to say that every human impulse is in its last analysis a mathematical fact? That love, hate and all their diverse manifestations might be expressed by mathematical formula? A mathematical basis for spiritual phenomena sounds uninteresting. But to the soul that comprehends it, it is sublime. Mathematical conceptions are the only ones which do not vanish in the analysis of an illusive, elusive, creation. The multiplication table would survive the wreck of worlds and of matter!
The magnitudes of time and space– what are they? Nothing but modes of thought depending upon a point of view. They exist only relatively to your perception. The “solidity” of matter is a fiction. Were you created on a different scale you might gaze through the intermolecular spaces of granite, and see its whirling atoms as constellations in your heaven of ether!
We look out upon the world through a refracting, twisting, distorting medium, so that nothing is what it seems, and were it not for mathematical relations, we should be in a universe of dissolving dreams. But they are everlastingly true. They are the rock-ribbed realities which hold together the shifting, vanishing phenomena of existence. Change your point of view as you may, they are undisturbed.
A truth which has for its mission the upholding of all other truths, has need to be well buttressed and strengthened; and the rocks which bear the Andes on their bosom are not more immovable than the mathematics upon which rests the law of sympathetic vibration.
If there be such scientific basis for human phenomena, then metaphysics and psychology, with their intricacies and complexities expressed in an involved terminology, are artificially contrived systems, and what wonder that they are bewildering, and the despair of ordinary minds?
The human mind is perfectly capable of mastering an artificial system expressed through arbitrary symbols. It has been doing it for ages. (Alas!) But with what result? A few of the initiated know the system, and its terminologies; but neither they, nor any one else, has a vital grip upon the subject. But can a subject be made comprehensible, when its most essential truth is veiled? And what wonder there is confusion existing in men’s minds regarding the most vital things? The following definitions of Religion are quoted in Kidd’s “Social Evolution.” We select them at random. Comte, “The worship of humanity.” Hegel, “The knowledge acquired by the finite spirit of, its essence as an absolute spirit.” Huxley, “Reverence and love for the ethical ideal.” Matthew Arnold, “Morality touched by emotion.”
These definitions are by men who are masters of thought and of expression, and offer, presumably. the best the world has to say on the subject. Are they convincing ?– satisfying? Would any one know that any two of them were intended to define the same thing?
Hear now the definition of religion if sympathetic vibration be a fundamental law. Religion is an expression of a universal impulse, which draws the human heart into rhythmic unity with the Divine heart.
How simple – how true. It is the unconscious utterance of the unlettered in all ages; and of poets, from King David to Tennyson; and at the same time a precise scientific statement, which is – to Omniscience at least – capable of mathematical demonstration.
But how can there be a satisfying definition if the fact underlying all other facts be not considered ?- i.e., that there are precise definite atomic changes in spiritual experiences no less real, for having vanished into a region infinitely subtle, than if transposed to the lower key of sound, heat and light, or to the still lower condition of the visible and ponderable.
Men have discovered a great progressive movement in all organic things which they have called “Evolution”. We see it as an imposing mysterious thing moving with awful sincerity on grand lines. But if the source of energy lies in the atom, its beginnings are infinitely small. It is the aggregate of a minute atomic hunger for unity with the Divine. That is the sublime consummation toward which all creation moves; and evolution is a religious impulse! Nature is thinking of the atom – not the mass. All earthly systems which sacrifice the atom are foredoomed, because the great mother knows no great and no small, but only a stern necessity for an adaptation, precise and true, to the Eternal rhythm, which, in the evolutionary process, means an infinite progression, while its absence means disintegration and elimination.
Science might have looked forever in vain through the telescope. Not till it turned its vision – in toward the invisible – the supersensible – did any true comprehension come of creative and cosmic realities. And the deeper it penetrates into this region, the stronger does it feel the throbbing of the Divine heart. Its own path is leading it, whether it will or no, where it must some day find itself face to face with Deity.
Two lines started in certain directions from given points in the earth’s orbit, must meet at a certain point millions of miles away. You have never been there to see it. But you know it. It is a necessity of thought to believe it. And so, certain truths compel the existence of certain other truths. The mind cannot escape them.
Just such compelling power is in the law of sympathetic vibration. Once started on its ascending ladder, it is impossible to stop, until we find ourselves confronted with energies inconceivably great and inconceivably fine. Surely it is not venturesome to leap the little chasm of uncertainly and call these “spiritual energies”, nor to believe that they by their sympathetic action may be the basis of all the phenomena of the life of the soul.
There is something new and strange in the air. A new element in the spiritual as well as the material atmosphere. Men are vaguely conscious of an impending crisis in the life of humanity. Is this because we have reached the confines of the old, and are entering, upon anew dispensation of force, one which will enter into the processes of life in a manner more vital even than electricity has done?
However this may be, if the trend of progress is to be in the future the same as it has been in the past, it is man’s inevitable destiny to grasp and appropriate higher and higher conditions of an energy which at each remove becomes more spiritualized in its expression. Whether this in fact merges at last into the “spiritual energy” which is the life of the soul, is a question this article is intended to ask – not to answer.
The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.”
There can be no doubt that searching is taking place at the present moment. Production of a Reality TV show is a very different animal than most people expect. Challenges arise in unexpected places calling upon all the resources of the core group to overcome them. I am reminded … perhaps comforted by a quote attributed to Oprah Winfrey:
You’ve got to follow your passion. You’ve got to figure out what it is you love–who you really are. And have the courage to do that. I believe that the only courage anybody ever needs is the courage to follow your own dream.
A CURRENT EDITOR OF A POPULAR REALITY TV SHOW HAS WRITTEN: It’s like some kind of dream for an editor — you get an endless supply of tapes, or digital files, and your job is to shape the content into a winning TV program that will engross skads of viewers once it’s passed muster with your producers, your director and the network. But there is no script. And you have to turn out a fresh, great-looking show every week. And the competition for those viewers could not be more fierce. And the tapes just keep coming and coming. It could give you a new definition for “going postal.”
“Reality TV” is the genre that surely rewrote the rules of television production with unscripted, often competition-based programming that would put non-SAG “real people” onscreen and pit them against each other, sometimes for months, with fabulous prizes waiting at season’s end. To make such shows viable entertainment, of course, you need lots of cameras recording the actions and reactions of lots of participants. And then, back at the ranch, you need lots of loggers, story editors and video editors, sometimes working round-the-clock shifts to find those needle-in-a-haystack moments that need to be cut into that week’s installment.
… “Story is always the most important part,” says Kimbrough. The editors build their contestants’ story around the audio: “We’ll take our reality moment and, if you close your eyes, it tells the story without picture.”
“The editors cutting all the reality segments do so much work to create the story,” says Arnett. In the show’s early going, when there are more contestants, they can see 120 hour-long tapes come in per night. 3Ball shoots Sony MPEG IMX-format for the competitive segments and MiniDV tape for the “confessional” segments. “Coming from scripted and going into reality is much more challenging,” says Kimbrough, who is himself a veteran of spots and feature films. “There are 100 different ways you can put together a story.” The various camera crews on the competitive segments use time-of-day timecode in order to better show how different teams are faring against one another. “When you’re cutting a story you can always hop over to the other camera crew to see what they were doing at that given moment.” Arnett adds, “The only way you can do it with groups of cameras is with time-of-day timecode.”
Iron Brides, by all indications in the press and by some of the peer comments, is a great idea in the making. It is unique and something which may set a new trend in regional TV programming. That’s the vision and hatching that vision has entailed very hard work, perseverence and the testing of the limits of our endurance. To say it has challenged our faith is an understatement, but we remain resolved to produce the best product we can despite significant challenges.
I am again reminded of inspirational words under the circumstances:
“I do believe that when we face challenges in life that are far beyond our own power, it’s an opportunity to build on our faith, inner strength, and courage. I’ve learned that how we face challenges plays a big role in the outcome of them.” – Sasha Azevedo
A long time ago, a young man called Mohan lived in a village. His parents had died many years ago and he had no one to care for him, or to cook and sew for him. He lived at the very edge of the village in a small lodge made from bark and branches. His hair was always a tangled mess, and his clothes were old and tattered cast-offs he had been given in trade.
The village children were cruel and made fun of him because of the way he looked and because he was an orphan. This was a time when people did not have stories to teach them how to respect and care for others. Young Mohan was an excellent hunter with his bow and arrows. He traded the birds and animals he killed for parched corn, other food and clothes.
As winter drew nearer, Mohan had to go further and further into the woods to hunt. One day he went further than he had ever been before. Eventually he came to a clearing where there was a large flat smooth stone with another round stone sitting on top of it.
Mohan sat on the flat stone and rested his back against the round one. He laid the birds he had killed next to him. Then he reached into his buckskin pouch for some parched corn, and began to tighten his bowstring.
“Shall I tell you a story?” asked a deep rumbling voice near him.
Mohan got such a fright he nearly choked. He jumped up quickly, spitting corn from his mouth and looked around but could see no one.
“Who’s there?” shouted Mohan. “Come out and show yourself.”
The clearing was silent. Nothing moved.
“I must be hearing things,” Mohan said to himself. “And now I’m talking to myself too.”
With a laugh, he sat down again and rested his back against the round stone.
“Shall I tell you a story?” asked the deep voice again. Mohan sprang to his feet and shouted
“All right, that’s enough. Show yourself now!”
Again, the clearing was silent and nothing moved. Then Mohan looked at the round stone he’d been resting against. He could see a face in it. He realised it was the stone’s voice he’d heard.
“Who are you, and what are you?” asked Mohan.
“I am grandfather stone. I’ve been here since time began,” answered the stone. “Shall I tell you a story?” asked the deep rumbling voice.
“What is a story?” asked Mohan. “What does it mean to tell a story?”
“Stories tell us of all things that happened before this time,” answered grandfather stone. “Give me a gift of your birds and I will tell you how the world came to be.”
“You may have the birds,” said Mohan. He sat down in front of the stone. Its deep voice told him of a time before this one, how the world came into being. When he finished one story, the stone told another and then another. On and on he went.
As the sun began to set the stone said, “That’s enough for today. Come back tomorrow and I will tell you more stories. But don’t tell anyone about what you’ve heard today.”
Mohan ran back to the village. He managed to kill a few birds on the way to trade for hot food and parched corn.
When he traded the birds with a woman in the village she asked him “Why have you brought back so few birds from your hunting?”
“Winter is getting nearer and it’s harder to find anything to hunt,” answered Mohan. Early the next morning, Mohan went into the woods with his bow and arrow. He hunted for birds and then rushed back to the clearing.
“Grandfather stone, I’ve brought you more birds as gifts,” said Mohan. He put the birds down on the flat stone. “Please tell me some more stories.” Mohan sat down and the stone started telling one story after another until it was nearly nightfall. This happened for many days. Mohan brought back fewer and fewer birds to the village. The children of the village were even crueller to him. They made fun of him and told him that now he wasn’t even a good hunter.
One day Mohan came to the clearing, placed his gift on the stone and said, “Grandfather stone, please tell me some more stories.”
But the stone answered, “I have no more stories to tell. You have heard all that has happened before this time. Now you must pass on the knowledge you have learned from the stories. You will be the first storyteller. You must tell others what you have heard, and also add stories of what happens from now on. The people you tell will remember your stories. Some will remember better than others. Some will tell different versions when they pass them on. It doesn’t matter. The truths and lessons from the stories will be remembered.”
“Thank you grandfather stone,” said Mohan. “I will make sure the stories are not forgotten.” Mohan went back to the village. He knew it was time to move on. The people here didn’t respect him and wouldn’t listen. He collected his few belongings and left the village without telling anyone. No one missed him.
Mohan travelled far and eventually came to another village. The people welcomed him warmly. They invited him to come in out of the cold wind, sit by the fire and share their food.
After he had finished eating Mohan said, “You have been so kind I’d like to share something with you.” He began to tell the stories he had learned from grandfather stone. He told them of the time when animals could speak, and when the turtle raced the bear. That night the lodge house seemed warmer and the sound of the first storyteller’s voice could be heard above the howling wind outside. People went to sleep dreaming of the stories they had heard. The chief of the village sent runners to other villages, inviting everyone to come and hear the stories. They brought gifts of food and clothing for Mohan to thank him.
A beautiful young woman came and sat by him every time he spoke. She listened to every story. Many seasons passed. Mohan stayed in the village and married the young woman. When he had shared all the stories with the people of the village and its neighbours, Mohan and his wife left and travelled to other villages further away, to tell the stories.
Eventually they came to the first village where he had lived before. The people didn’t recognise him in his fine clothes and with his beautiful wife. The village chief welcomed them, inviting them to sit by the fire and share their food. Mohan told his stories. The people listened with their ears and their hearts.
Mohan told them, “You must not forget the stories and legends. You must pass them on to your children and your grandchildren, and they must pass them onto theirs. We can never again forget the stories and their wisdom.” And that is how it has been from that day to this. The stories from grandfather stone have been handed down from generation to generation and storytellers are still honoured today by those who listen.
Well the Iron Brides Season 1 Premiere is this evening. We just received a call from Gene Steinberg, Chief Creative Officer at My TV (Boston, Derry). Gene loves the show, loves the production values of the show and was highly complimentary. You know, that means a lot – a whole lot – to our production and creative team. All of you are to be commended.
Gene made a great suggestion for a minor change in the beginning of Episode 1 and that change is being made before the airing of Episode 1 on Thursday evening at 11PM on My TV, Channel 18 and Channel 50, depending on your geography in NH and Massachusetts.
By the way, we also have posted 3 of 8 commercials that will be running for the show at our www.youtube.com/ironbrides site. You guessed it. Each of the 8 brides will have an intro to one of the commercials giving them about the same amount of “face time.”
Here they are:
Back to editing. So many tapes and so little time.
At Madeleines Daughter Bridal Shop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire WCVB Boston (Channel 5) filmed the shooting of a segment of Iron Brides Season 1. This segment “Media Makers” was aired on December 16, 2008 on “The Chronicle” and produced by Jason Potts. the segment is used with permission.
RAMP helped strategize, build, deploy and optimize a widget and supporting experiences for their Gary Busey on Business viral marketing campaign being launched today. That’s right, business advice straight from the mind of Gary Busey. Egats!
