What do you want to know about unscripted production? Ask me here!
Our show Uncharted Freedom has officially wrapped principal photograph today! In its wake, we are putting together a discussion and seminar on "unscripted" production. But we thought we'd open it up here to S32 members who have questions on the format. I have extensive experience in major unscripted shows in different formats, from Mob Wives and Jeff Ross Roasts America through Criss Angel Believe, Hell's Kitchen and American Ninja Warrior. It covers the entire process from development through delivery.I am one of the Showrunners on Uncharted Freedom along with Diamond Monique Washington. So... what are you most curious about in the realm of unscripted or "reality" production?
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Hi, Shadow Dragu-Mihai. Hope you're having a great week! Thanks for answering our questions! What should a writer have when they're pitching an unscripted show?
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Maurice Vaughan First and foremost, unscripted is concerned with personality. So your concept should be about someone in particular. Often but not always they should be involved in doing something that most people do not do,but what they do is much less important than the person themselves, and the opportunity inherent in their lives for some kind of engaging dramatic elements. But it's the peculiarities of personality that the genre is concerned with. This is less so, of course, in competition style shows, but in general it is the "first" most important thing that you should have. The second thing is the situation the cast is in that will imply or permit drama or engaging circumstances. For instance, a show like Mob Wives is about actual real mob wives - but of course it was cast with specific people. Naked And Afraid puts different personalities into a realistic (not necessarily real) survival situation. Kitchen Nightmares is about Gordon Ramsey's passion about the art of cooking and about restaurateurs (that's the correct spelling) in general, and the places he goes to are selected in part because of the personalities of the people running those restaurants.
Thank you, Shadow Dragu-Mihai! This really helps!
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Hi, Shadow, check the (two page pitch for an) unscripted tv showTHE TRUMAN SHOW DELUSION under it's logline, and tell me if it could work? Good stand-up comedians made unrecognizable, and acting. They are stand-up comedians suffering from TSD.
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Rutger Oosterhoff 2 That reads like a scripted film to me. What is the unscripted (ie. real people in real situations) part? However, when pitching unscripted, it is important to understand that you must match the kind of show and its themes to the production companies and networks that might consider it. As well, there has to be a fair bit of wiggle room in the concept for the actual producers to put their specific stamp on it. So where would you like this concept to end up being produced by?
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Congrats on wrapping! Love the idea of opening this up to the community. Unscripted work is such a different beast—excited to learn from your experiences.
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Phuc Quang Vu Dao Thanks!