The Anatomy of a Game Show

When I first entered the business of television production back in 1991, I was a writer for a game show for kids on YTV called, Video and Arcade Top Ten.  I then helped create a show called Destructoe Brothers on the Run for YTV. A game show as well.  That wasn't enough.  I then sold a show concept and production bible to CHORUS Entertainment for a steeplechase game show called Hide and Seekers.  I had the pleasure of dealing directly with Monty Hall to create a show for kids based on Let's Make a Deal (unfortunately the lively themes of greed and larceny do not amuse parents or children's advocacy groups).  

Game shows are fun.  They have studio audiences. They have PRIZES!!!  (sorry for yelling that). They even have real people being put under the gun to win stuff we so badly wish we could fall into.  Game shows also tend to have my favorite TV celebrities: Game Show Hosts.  Love them.  All of them: Chuck Woolery, Pat Sajak, Chuck Barris, Alex Trebek and on and on. Did I miss yours?  I missed one for sure: Humble Howard. 

You see, I have just had the pleasure of working with the greatest bunch of people on a new game show for MenTV and SunTV in Canada called, ManUP!  It is a game show for guys with trivia and challenges and prize, a pretty assistant, and a championship belt to the winner of each episode (I know it's a cool prize).  

Here's the thing: The show is a laugh.  Every question and every challenge.  It makes you laugh. In some cases, it makes you wince. Mainly you will laugh. Hopefully you will laugh. There is no real need to actually compete in the show, but every guy does. They go nuts!  It is amazing.  We bought the belts for about a hundred bucks each and you would think it is made of real leather the way these guys are going for it. 

Why would they?  I know for sure that it has to do with they environment we bring them into. They are hyped by the time they arrive on stage and we say, "action".  Their host is a game hosting genius.  Part Lettermanesque sly humor, part 15 year old mischief-maker.  He makes you want to play the game.  He makes it okay to wear a speedo and fill it with sardines.  Howard is a gem. 

The game was conceived of when my pals Tim Keenleyside and Denny Wadds (great porn name, huh?) got in touch with me ass we all respectively were driving to the cottage on a long weekend this summer. Tim said, "Man Up!"  Denny said, "I know exactly where you are going with this".  I said, "I can pitch and help create that at our studios"  Don Gaudet at MenTV said, "I will take 13 to start" and the following Tuesday we began. 

I sent an email to Humble Howard (EZRock 97.3, Toronto Morning Show Host) asking if he would consider hosting the stupidest show in television history and his response stunned me:

"Based on those details, I am in.  Let's talk later about the details".   Within minutes, Howard became a co-creator on the show with the rest of us laughing to tears as he and Tim and I wrote and directed the show.  He is amazing talent on so many fronts.  I am thrilled to be watching the next big game show host do his thing. 

Yes, the easiest pitch, sale and pre-production in history.  Yes, the stupidest show on earth and I love every minute of it.  Production has a been a joy.    The show comes together very organically and often we are writing segment by segment based on what happens at that very moment. It is magic. 

I hope you will watch ManUp!   Visit manuptv.com for details about the show. 

These people are giants and made the show happen (last names?  where possible)

Don Gaudet

Humble Howard 

Tim Keenleyside

Denzil Wadds

Tarik Pirbhai

Kneale Mann

Jim Learoyd

Angela Schurmal

Andrew Newton

Jason Casarin

Alejandro 

Danny Patterson

Greg Newton

Nikki (way greek name I can't remember...but everyone will tell me now)

Monica (who is hilarious)

Philip from Iceberg Vodka

Thank you all very very much. 

The Economics of The Prime Time Shift

Sometimes, depending on how involved in the television broadcast media you are, I am going to come off a little obvious. Today's blog is one of those times where I thought I had the obvious info all lined up without any gaps and when I really thought about it, there is an economic trend that is maybe not being highlighted. It is certainly food for thought that your portfolio manager might not being thinking of.

 

If you think about prime time television and the change it has made even since 90210, the old one not 90211 or whatever they call it now, left the airwaves there has been a dramatic change in the way networks, cable stations (specialty stations) have us viewing: Rebirth and total take-over of mini-series programming on every specialty station from The Tudors to Shark Week, the staggered season premiers, and even reality TV (good god).

 

You see there are reasons that connect all of these in my mind...

The networks are taking less risks financially. That is why mini-series and theme weeks work well for what is known as destination tuning. This gives the networks like...umm...52 chances to get it right I guess. And based on research (a plug for research here) they choose the programming of this variety accordingly. It seems to work for now.

Less risk leads to the next link in the current business model for TV. Theme weeks, key sponsorship and even spot-buy media is easier to attach to advertiser dollars.  You know why? The ad agencies are risk-adverse as well. Smaller campaign commitments even at a premium might save your agency bacon in the end.  After all, clients tend to move around as often as the average run of a mini series these days. Seems suitable. 

 

Where does that leave reality TV?  Truthfully, in last place as far as I am concerned.  It is like breadsticks at a restaurant. Sure, fill up if you want, but our menu is better overall.

 

It seems to have filled the void for viewers who do not like to destination program their viewing habits but want to commit to long-term drama series or comedic and reality based shows.  This is still the mortar it seems, however the value of this kind of programming has been reduced from "Brought to you by"...in most cases to "closed captioning is provided by...".  Even the value of the commercial avails in these spots carry less weight than a highly-promoted event-style program or theme week.

In a world where 9 to 5 on the computer at work is the new prime time destination programming is going to continue to grow. Sponsors, advertisers and even viewers love a happening. 

What do you think?  I want to post your response. Even the ones pointing out what a dork I am.

Cheers,

Mike

You have never met a guy like Caz: Blogging Sucks.

You hear about the power of this here blogging stuff. Well let me tell you as a skeptic when it comes to social networking. I am starting to understand that we are not talking about social marketing. I am still not sure how this blog will ever sell anything. I thought maybe it will connect me with like minded people, though.  And it has.

I have reconnected with old friends, industry pals, and even had people I have never met before send me very interesting and, in most cases, kind notes.  Some bizarre.

However, I have had one experience regarding one of my blogs I shall never forget.  I seem to have offended one of my greatest friends on earth with a blog I wrote about how creative other people are.   They really are, you know.  Regardless, I mentioned a very talented editor at my firm named Angela.  She really is, you know (talented that is). I then linked her to our website which features an unbelievable amount of work that was edited, and in some cases, entirely conceived by my friend Caz or as some know him, Jason Casarin. 

The backlash has been outrageous. Not from Caz, but all of the people around me that read the blog and made note of the fact that I should have linked to Angela's work directly and how this was a down-right dastardly thing to do to my good buddy.  This is too true.  Here is another truth: I am not the world's most savvy blogger. Can you tell? I am sorry, Caz.  You are well-loved in case you wondered.   

So as long as we are talking about Jason Casarin.  Let me just give you a few points about this guy because I guarantee that you have never met anyone quite like him.  Here is what I know about him and have experienced with him (he is so mad right now reading this - oh well):

• Was the best stand-up comedian his Cambridge High School has ever seen.
  
• Was he lead singer of an amazing band - Seven Days Gone (that is a whole week shot).
  
• Caz sings like a real rock star. His voice and passion for music is astounding.
  
• Is one hell of a painter. Seriously (he is Rasta Phil approved).
  
• Caz is a major Eddie Vedder fan (ha ha ha ha ha ha)
  
• He is instantly the best guy you have ever met.
  
• When RedFish began it was me and Caz. And 13 Roadside Attractions, a laptop and a camera.
  
• He is one of Canada's hottest, most effective self-directed editor in my opinion.
  
• He THE FUNNIEST MAN ALIVE.  I am a good judge of this stuff.
  
• He now wants to puke if he got this far.  Gotta love it.
  
• He is a great boyfriend with eyes for only one chick (she's hot so no real challenge there).
  
• He will sing upon request. He will not always stop upon request.
  

There are so many cool things to say about Caz and the reason I am is because without him I would not be working at the place I love the best, RedFish Entertainment (city's best fish market).

So, I have asked Angela to put a reel of her work up so I can link to it in that blog and I will.

Below are some clips from YouTube that feature Caz.

Email me if you want his reel (I will send you mine).

Sorry everyone.  Sorry Caz.  You are great. Blogging sucks.

Mike Wixson (bracket-boy)

The People You Meet

I had a pretty wild encounter with someone I never expected to meet in my entire life. It happened a long time ago, but as I sit here wondering what to blog about today, he came to mind. He is an artist, a businessman, a visionary and remarkably rude.  I think that is one of the things I liked best about meeting him. Sound strange?  It does unless the person you run into inadvertently is John Lydon, former sex pistol and all around pistol.

It happened at the Metro Toronto Convention Center during Canadian Music Week about six years ago now. I guess he was a guest speaker at the world-class event. I was going up an elevator to a meeting when he pushed his way onto the elevator with me. He was instantly grumpy. I recognized him almost the instant he got on and google-eyed me like he might be ready to spit. 

I could not help it.  It was guy level. I said to him, "Never Mind the Bollocks" made my mother mental. I helped, too".  He stared at me.  He said, "Is she dead?" I told him that we was very much alive and still mental.  "Nice work. We did it together." He shared credit with me for making my mother a neurotic mess. I was thrilled. As we got off the elevator I said in typical Canadian fashion, "Nice to meet you".  His response: "Sod you!"

A great memory in the life of this aging punk.  

Sure...some fun today, but tomorrow there some serious tv and marketing stuff.

Broadcast Funding. A career unto iteslf.

I went to broadcast school. The closest thing they taught us to business was how to sell a grid of radio commercials against ratings that seems sketchy at best.  There was no course for dealing with getting funding from the government, dealing with the CRTC, making your case for a creative sale.  All of that was never even approached. 

I went to a community college for radio broadcasting and I have no real problems with the course, the teachers, the rate I paid to be there for three years... None of that is the issue.  The real issue in my mind is the fact that we let our government create such a big process about getting funding that there is no room for new and innovative thought in broadcast because by the time you get through the tax forms, the applications, the demo reels, the budgeting, and the tailor-fitting to that specific fund the creative spark is entirely dampened. 

There are great accounting firms and funding experts that you can hire to help you navigate the best funding for your project, but they are expensive and are an up-front cost to producers that come directly out of pocket. Imagine: We let our government make getting funding for innovative funding so difficult that you have to hire someone to find it. This is a job! Finding money hidden in different interest funds that are tucked into nooks at the provincial and federal level.  It is a career.  I wish these people who find finds for a living the best.  There is a need for them and they do good work, but it is wildly impossible for my brain to reconcile why we let this happen.  Did we not all watch Beachcombers!? Danger Bay?!  Do we make anything long-term that doesn't take place on or near the water? At or near a native reserve? In a law firm or a police station?  Come on.  We can do better with our money.

I know there has to be a process and a system for handing out government cash for production, but let's rise 30,000 fee above what we have done to the system and take a look overall.  I bet we would be better off making shows that are innovative today...not in 18 months when the market is watching on American TV. 

Let the broadcasters commit to funding that lets them invest in programming that we want to watch. Don't allocate every dime to rigid funds that make producers compromise their dreams away.  

I appreciate that you took the time to read what amounts to a rant. 

People have amazing ideas.

I think I am getting old.  I remember the days of having all the "most creative ideas". I think that was more desire than skill that drove me to think that way.  It seems more and more there are these people around me that have amazing ideas. Great creative solutions.  It is funny because so often I am charged with a creative task and what seems to surface is experience over creative.

You see, after hundreds of episodes, scores of campaigns, promotions and commercials I have seen the cart come off the rails with such velocity that is vaporized upon impact and I have watched creative execute with style of a budding orchid.  Now what feels most creative to me is to keep the cart on the rails using experience alongside desire. You can't imagine how seeing through the goggles of experience (holy moley, I am aging) can open your eyes to the skills of others. 

I use Angela Schermaul, a very talented young editor at RedFish Entertainment where I am the founder and partner. She was hired to work with me to develop creative concepts for television shows. She is amazing at that and loves to do it. I should mention that she is a talented artist and a very professional person - lots of fun, too. One day she asked me to look at something she had edited. EDITED? What the hell? It was brilliant. She is now quickly developing into the most talented editor I will likely ever meet. Guess what? She still develops TV shows! 

Seems I've been working on the rail road all the live long day (terrible song). I certainly don't feel less creative.

Now, the best thing I can offer Angela is a safe rail to glide along on and in exchange, she will help deliver a better vision. Partially mine, partially hers. It will be better for it.

Angela is not the only person around me who excels with safe guidance and a will to create something. Kneale Mann (my business partner and blogging hero) has quickly become a very savvy  business person in the field of television. He, as you may already know, has had a career in radio which had an impact on new music for over two decades as DJ on EDGE 102.1, music director at multiple stations and in the end, a program director consultant to stations launching in many parts of this fine country. 

Now...presto boffo blam: he is a television producer with creative approaches to broadcast that screech meetings to a halt as everyone slaps their heads saying, "of course!".  Sure he has a background in broadcast, but now he is cutting TV deals like he was made to do it and building concepts with integrated (really, though) media that make better sense. That used to be my job. Alone. I don't feel less creative. I feel like I have wings to do more, better. Now,  I have been where he wants to go and he is totally stoked about the journey, so now he can be creative on all fronts and feel safe. 

.....just to pass the time away....oh...I've been....(skip it)

Here is to all of the people, everywhere who are creative. You amaze me. I can see you now through my old-guy goggles. 

Visit our site to see some of Angela's Work.

Visit Kneales Blog> it's really, really good.

Pitching Between Floors on an Elevator

No matter what business you are in, there is someone in your group (hopefully or your employment is likely tenuous at best) who is selling a vision. They might be selling the vision to clients or to their colleagues. They may be selling the dream to investors or to managers of their own business. Regardless, these people are there to move the business along. In fact, in many cases they are the catalysts of product development on the basis of discovering needs...you guessed it...in the selling process. 

Here's the thing: so many of these "sales people" and "visionaries" who experience success and growth in their business are able to do something that I refer to in my business (television production) as "the elevator pitch".  It is used in politics, world finance, and I believe that we do it everyday as everyday people.  It is way of using as few words as possible to evoke a powerful combination of "feeling", "familiar" and "the twist".  

Feeling:  This vision feels like....A network news program

Familiar: This vision can be related to something familiar - Like NBC Nightly News

The Twist: What makes this show different is that it focuses on Hollywood,  not world news 

We call it: Entertainment Tonight.

That is the basis of an elevator pitch. I can almost guarantee that is how the pitch went down when Entertainment Tonight was explained for the first time to a programming decision-maker.  The prospective buyer/voter/programmer/investor (on an on...) needs to get the concept in a breath or two...Between Floors on an Elevator.

Seems to me that is the major cornerstone trait of a visionary who drives business in any capacity. The other major ingredient is the ability to tell the person you are pitching how they fit in, benefit and get glory.  Save that for another time.

Thanks for reading.  I did not proof it, so let me know.

Remember always proof sred your work.

Mike