Magical Elves Productions - An overview of a popular reality television production company

For this post, I decided to highlight Magical Elves Productions, a reality television production company  that is doing quite well. Magical Elves Productions is a highly successful Los Angeles based reality television production company most well known for shows such as 2010 Emmy winning, “Top Chef”, “Top Chef: Just Desserts”, “Braxton Family Values” and “Americas Next Best Restaurant”, to name a few.

With a name like Magical Elves, there’s bound to be something interesting, and dare I say, magical, about their programming. In order to get a feel for the company, let’s take a brief look into the main masterminds behind it. Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz formed a working relationship back in 1999 when they both worked for VH1. Hitting Number 19 on “The Hollywood Reporter’s” Reality Power List, the pair has been a force to be reckoned with over the last decade.

In an interview with Variety, this last August, Jane and Dan share that one of the secrets to their success is keeping a sense of humor. From the Variety interview:

"What has characterized our relationship from day one is that in times of great crisis, we usually find a way to make it funny," says Cutforth. "We literally end up laughing about it and then we figure it out. First we freak out, then we laugh about the fact that we freaked out. Then we fix it."

This duo has proved that thinking fast while under pressure is one major key to success in their industry. Another big key to their success is taking on projects that are new and challenging, and maybe outside of their norm. A great example of this is the undertaking of producing the undeniably successful documentary, “Never Say Never” featuring the success of teen sensation, Justin Bieber.  They have proven that stepping outside of the box can prove incredibly beneficial.  According to the website “The Numbers”, “Never Say Never” has grossed over 121 million dollars worldwide in theater and DVD sales. With their track record, Magical Elves shows no signs of letting up in their success. This truly is a company to keep an eye on.

Reality Television in the Digital Age : Self Publishing on Blip.tv

It’s no secret in this day and age that the digital landscape has taken over pretty much every area of life. From online shopping to reading your favorite magazine, the Internet and now smart phones and/or other handheld technological devices, life has drastically changed. The way we consume media has especially changed. Brick and mortar buildings in some cases are becoming a thing of the past, especially regarding music and video stores. Another area of media that is also changing due to the digital revolution is reality television.

Reality television is one of the fastest growing genres of television and shows no sign of stopping. It seems every one and their brother has a great idea for reality television, the trick is how to get your show produced and distributed amongst all of the competition. If you or someone you know has tried to create a reality program you are probably aware that the odds are against you in succeeding. Chances are someone else has already taken your idea and it’s on a major network, or no one cares to listen to your awesome pitch. What now?

That’s where the digital age has changed the game for many aspiring reality show producers. I have recently learned about a website titled, blip.tv that is host for dozens of original web series including reality programming. If you have an idea, a video camera, and a tripod, says COO Dina Kaplan you can host a web series on blip.tv (click to see a video with more from Dina). It’s that easy. Instead of waiting for the big dogs (producers and networks) to come to you, why not get your show out there in cyber world on a new and growing in popularity medium.

Though blip seems to still be a little bit of a niche market and not quite as mainstream as Youtube, it’s growing and gaining a bit of a following. From Google Ad Sense, they report that every month blip.tv receives over 3.2 millions users, of which, close to 30% are men between the ages of 24-34 with some college education and an average annual household income of $25,000-$49,999.

Another great aspect of blip.tv is that you receive revenue every time your shows are viewed due to advertisement you can allow at a few different times during your show. Blip.tv offers a 50/50 compensation plan with it’s show creators(click here for more details). In order to get the most “bang for your buck” blip would recommend opting for pre-roll, overlay, post-roll and mid-roll ads. To learn more about how to earn revenue with blip click here for a video explanation from Steve Woolf, the West Coast Director of Content for blip.tv.

Good luck, self-producers! 

From Pitch, to Pilot, to Millions…or at least enough to pay your studio apartment rent.

With my last post focusing on landing an agent and having that unique proprietary element to get you ahead in the rat race that is reality television, I thought I would point in the direction of some tools I have found helpful in getting one step further to producing great reality television. An interesting website I came across last year is videojug.com. Videojug.com is an assorted jungle of wonderful information whether you’re learning how to cook, date, or most importantly ;-), learn how to produce reality television.  

Here you’ll find some great videos featuring interviews with some very successful reality television executives, giving their inside scoop on how to “make it happen”. Mark Cronin, a reality television executive producer and owner of 51 Minds, takes some time and explains what happens after the pitch and a network actually does like your idea. If a network does indeed bite on your idea they may give you a small amount of money for a treatment, which is usually about a 1-5 page outline of what the show will be. It includes a short logline, a several paragraph synopsis, and then a short breakdown of each episode. From there they may give you money to shoot a pilot, and if they like what they see from there, they may fork out some additional cash to produce the entire series to hopefully air in the “big leagues”.

Cronin gives some simple advice for those looking to pitch. First and foremost, be entertaining. Whatever your show is, make it that way in the pitch. If it’s incredible high energy, make it high energy. If it’s thought provoking and serious, make it just that. Either way, leave your audience looking wanting to know more.

Hopefully this brief post will be at least a little helpful for those who are in the beginning stages of getting their show produced and distributed. Though it may take quite a few years to have the clout to pitch to executives, the time in between is incredibly valuable. Make the most of whatever opportunities come your way, no matter how big or small. Don’t despise the small beginnings; they could one day lead to a big wide open door.

Takes One to Know One: Finding An Agent to Represent Your Work in Reality Television… and THEN what?

Greetings, to the blogosphere world-

I’ve been on a somewhat of a five-month hiatus from my program at Full Sail University, and this is my first month back in the saddle again. It feels great to be immersed in learning about the industry once again, and even being able to immediately apply the knowledge. The class that I’m picking up with is Entertainment Media Publishing and Distribution. It’s an incredibly practical class offering up invaluable tips and tools in order to get one’s creative worked published or in distribution.

I thought I’d write about some of the things I have been learning in regards to one of my main areas of interest in the industry, which is reality television. One of the first areas we have covered in the class is the topic of agents, and whether or not they are necessary. What I have learned, is in order to get your reality television show pitched, you’ll more than likely need an agent; and in order to get an agent, you’re going to have to prove that you’re experienced and very good at what you do, otherwise an agent won’t give you the time of day. They are only interested in pitching projects to the networks they know will more than likely be a success. So, it sounds to me like it’s almost near impossible to find an agent, which means it might be near impossible to pitch your idea you’ve been dying to share with the world. Incredibly encouraging, huh? ;-)

Well, what if you are indeed one of the lucky that break through and find an agent who is willing to risk their career for a rookie, wet behind the ears, who they see a great deal of promise in? How likely will it be to have your pitch picked up by a network? This week, on Full Sail’s campus, they’ve been hosting a number of industry professional workshops as a part of Hall of Fame week. I sat in on a seminar very creatively titled, “The Reality of Reality Television”, with several seasoned reality professionals including Full Sail 2010 Hall of Famer, Troy Devolld, most well-known for his success with VH1’s number one hit, “Basketball Wives”.

While speaking to the audience, these professionals gave us students some great advice in pursuing our dreams, especially in relation to reality television. One take away I picked up in response to the question I just posed about the likelihood of your pitched being picked up even if you do have a rock solid agent is the importance of having a unique proprietary element, or a unique set of rights you control. An example of this would be pitching a competition reality show centered on a specific well-known host, and having proof that you already have an exclusive contract with that person. Having this sort of proprietary element could make you stand out among the clamoring crowd with the same idea. Be sure that your idea is most likely not new, you’ll just have a key element that gives you clout over the next guy with the identical pitch.

So, with that, my take away from the week is to get out there, network like crazy with people in your field, which could lead to snagging the ever-elusive agent; find your unique proprietary element; be willing to start at the bottom, and you just may find yourself in that boardroom of executives ready to pitch the new best reality series of the season…or at least one step out 472 more, closer. :-)

Summary of Entertainment Law Podcast - Bob Ambrogi and Gordon Firemark

This week I listened to an episode of “Lawyer to Lawyer”, hosted by Bob Ambrogi, who practices law in Massachusetts, focusing on media and technology law. In this episode, Ambrogi interviewed Gordon Firemark, a Los Angeles based lawyer who has his hands in a several areas of entertainment law.While most lawyers have one focus within entertainment, Firemark has a wide focus of theater, film and finance. He has a background in theater having been involved since junior high, and has been a sound technician in theater throughout the years.

            During the podcast, Firemark and Ambrogi, touch on a variety of topics spanning entertainment law. One specific area I found interesting was their discussion on IP (intellectual property) and the common errors podcasters encounter when dealing with it. Firemark goes on to say that there are some common misconceptions people apply to IP when podcasting. He has noticed that many podcasters don’t think that fair use laws apply to their show because it’s not for profit, when in fact, that is not an accurate assumption. Another area he has helped navigate is web design. He mentions that companies often will hire a designer to make a big, new beautiful site, only to find a couple years down the road the owners of the stock photos used on that site are calling them out for not having the proper licensing.

            Another discussion I found particularly intriguing was surrounding celebrities and moral clauses in their contracts with management teams. This was a timely discussion as earlier in the evening I was working on an assignment for my Advanced Entertainment Law class through Full Sail University, and had to assess an endorsement agreement for an athlete that had an undefined moral clause in it. After hearing Firemark discuss moral clauses and why they are important I had a better understanding of why a company would even request someone to sign it. What I gather is that a moral clause is not necessarily present in every contract, but might be present if a client has a history of running into the law, or causing trouble.

Firemark also gives a brief run down of how competitive the entertainment industry is especially when it comes to practicing law. He makes mention that many of the larger firms are cutting back on lawyers due to the economy and unless you are able to open your own smaller firm, it’s incredibly competitive to get into entertainment law.

From listening to this podcast I realize that practicing law I the entertainment industry can be grueling, and hard to break into, not unlike most aspects of the industry. In order to succeed you’ll need to work incredibly hard and make yourself stand out among the crowd, showing that your law skills surpass your competition.

Link to the podcast: Entertainment Law and the Challenges of Celebrity- http://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/lawyer-2-lawyer/2010/10/entertainment-law-the-challenges-of-celebrity/

All is fair in love and reality television...well, almost...

I’m currently enrolled in an Entertainment Law class through Full Sail University where we’re delving into the very common, yet very unfortunate issues of legal problems in the entertainment world. I’m currently working on a business plan for a reality television production company that produces family-friendly reality shows while also highlighting major global social issues. As I’m researching the field, I’m finding that it’s very critical to know copyright laws when diving into this territory.

This post will take a look at three recent issues regarding reality television and legal trouble. It surprised me, in a way, that I didn’t have to look very long to find some pretty major cases taking place that as I read through them, seems they could have been prevented had the parties involved done a little research, or done simple things such as writing out an actual contract. It amazes me what heartache can be avoided by simply covering all your bases before even making a move on a project.

http://entertainmentlitigation.com/2011/04/23/4-million-verdict-against-ae-television-affirmed-in-favor-of-flip-this-house-creator/

The first article I read was, “$4 million verdict against A&E Television affirmed in favor of ‘Flip This House’ creator” written by Hank Fasthoof. It’s about a recent decision from the courts to award Richard Davis $4 million from A&E for his wildly popular reality show “Flip This House”.  Davis claims that as he and A&E executive Charles Norlander negotiated a deal for A&E to take on Davis’ idea, A&E would split the profits 50/50 with Davis; the main problem here being, there was no written contract spelling out these agreements. Davis took A&E took court after the show filmed a pilot and 13 episodes and saw no money, says Fasthoof in the court case summary. The major dispute that erupted was due to the fact the Norlander and Davis never wrote down their agreements in writing. Much of their “agreement” was somewhat wishy-washy. Through it all, a jury in an appeals court did indeed side with Davis saying that Norlander, though he never came out and directly said that A&E agreed with the 50/50 revenue split, his comment, “Okay, Okay, I get it, I get”, during their initial deliberations was a sufficient verbal contract legally binding A&E to their of the 50/50 bargain, therefore landing Davis with a $4 million paycheck. Not bad for never putting in writing.

What I see from this case is a very unfortunate example of how important a mutually accepted written contract can be. Though it did end up working out for Davis in the end, much time, money and probably professional relationships could have been saved if the two had just been proactive enough to be adults, sit down and hash out both sides of their expectations by writing out a legally binding contract so there was absolutely no question of who expected what. Unfortunately that was not the case, and it cost A&E a HUGE chunk of change they were not expecting to part with, and I imagine some big red flags to be raised by both parties in how to execute further deals. It goes to show, no one is immune to legal trouble.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/09/27/us-hilton-idUSTRE68Q04Z20100927

Another recent case I found is what you could say is indirectly related to reality television. Back in September of 2010, Paris Hilton, star of hit reality show “The Simple Life” was awarded a major undisclosed settlement from Hallmark when they used her coined phrase “That’s hot”, made popular by her role in “The Simple Life”, with then best friend, Nicole Richie. Hallmark made a bad choice to use her jargon in a greeting card line back in 2007, which caused Hilton and legal team to jump on the legal wagon to prove a publicity rights infringement. The 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals eventually sided with Hilton saying that her phrase was indeed infringed upon, and that Hallmark could not claim First Amendment rights on this one.  In my opinion, Hallmark needs to back up off Hilton…they’re just jealous they didn’t think of that phrase themselves. :-) In all honesty I did find this article very intriguing. While the judgment doesn’t necessarily surprise me, after all, I’m pretty sure Paris’ legal team will only pounce when they have significant proof that they will succeed, I am slightly surprised that Hallmark was not aware of the dangers of publicity rights infringement…who do they think they are…Paris Hilton? ;-)

http://thecommunicationsjournal.com/can-reality-be-copyrighted/

And last, but certainly not least, the above link is a recent case surrounding the wildly popular NBC reality show, “The Biggest Loser”. If there’s one thing I have been learning about  court cases related to reality television it’s the terms “substantial similarities” and “scenes a faire”.  The former is what the courts will judge a copyright infringement case against, in this case, “Phat Farm/Fat Pharm” vs. The Biggest Loser. The creator of “Phat Farm” accused NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” of stealing their concept for a weight loss show. To make a long story short, in the end the court threw out the case before trial stating that there were no substantial similarities between the shows and that the concepts were protected as “scenes a faire”, meaning they concepts are so common that they are not protectable. According the article, courts will ask three main questions in these copyright cases: 1. Is there an official Library of Congress Registration? 2. Was there access to the material claiming to be infringed upon? 3. With the independent creation and the creative expression found within, is there any substantial similarity within the element of that creative expression? In this case, there was no evidence pointing to the fact that NBC had infringed in any way upon “Phat Farm’s” concept.

I’m learning that it’s pretty much a race to get your idea out there first. The chances of you being the ONLY person with your particular concept is fairly slim, and whoever gets to the finish line first will have a serious advantage. I’m also amazed that people don’t do their homework in knowing the law and understanding just what constitutes illegal copyright infringement and what does not. From what I have seen in the reality television sector, unless someone comes out with a show that is almost identical to an existing one, one is not going to have a shot in the courtroom with claiming copyright infringement. It’s seems all is fair in love and reality television…well, almost...

Please leave your comments, opinions or questions below. Would love to hear your thoughts on these issues. Thanks for reading!

"Cuz Baby I Perform This Way..."

As I look back at what I’ve learned this past month in my Artist and Product Management class through Full Sail University’s master’s program concentrating in Entertainment Business, I am full of new ideas, concepts and overall excitement for a career in the industry in the near future. In my time at Full Sail, I’ve gotten totally sucked in to my class reading, many of the books are ones that I’ve browsed pre-Full Sail and wanted to buy…now I get to read them for my educational enrichment! Along with these educational reads, I also have been creating a PLN (Personal Learning Network) that spans Twitter, LinkedIn, many RSS feeds and, of course, facebook. As my PLN grows, so does my knack to find the most recent and riveting entertainment news. With all of that said, this post is dedicated to some of the earth-shaking news in the world of entertainment, and how it ties into what I’ve been learning this past month. What is the topic and breaking news? None other than our dear friends Lady Gaga and Weird Al Yankovic…

How do these two even fit in the same sentence together besides the obvious fact that, well, they are both just plain ole weird? In a recent flurry of events this past week, Weird Al made it known that he attempted to parody Gaga’s  “Born This Way” with his “I Perform This Way” single, but was rejected by Gaga and her management team to move forward. Weird Al has for years been making parodies of well-known artists song from “White and Nerdy” to “I’m Fat” and thought he would give a shot at Lady Gaga, who thus far had escaped his good-fun poking parodies. Though Weird Al doesn’t need permission to release these parodies, he’s made it a general rule of thumb to get approval from the artist. In this case, Weird Al’s management team contacted Gaga’s team and eventually got a “no-go” after hearing the song. Mr. Yankovic was so shocked and bummed by the news that he wrote about his feelings on his blog and posted the “what would-be” song for fans to hear despite not actually officially releasing it. All of the profits would be going to the Human Rights Campaign if released.

Here’s where the drama continues to unfold…turns out Gaga never actually heard the song, and her manager took the liberty of rejecting the song. After all of the hoopla, Gaga ended up hearing the song a few days ago, and actually loved it, and also approved it. Phew, huh? ;-) It all goes to show you, artist and manager relationships can at times over-step boundaries. Now, let’s be honest, this managerial decision to reject Weird Al’s song isn’t the end of the world, unless you’re a die hard Weird Al fan, but in the end it makes me question Gaga’s relationship with her manager a little bit. I’m sure he/she’s a great guy or gal, and is just trying to keep her focused on preparing for her tour, but at the end of the day, that should have been Gaga’s decision. Those are the types of bumps that are likely to happen along the way unless an artist and manager sit down and hash out their communication plan and what’s most important. Again, overall, not the biggest decision in the world about Weird Al’s song, but it brings up a good point of keeping communication lines open with your manager, or the artist you are managing. Let’s face it, at the end of the day you could be missing out on a Weird Al parody. Word to the wise: Managers- communicate to your artists. Artists - communicate with your managers. Thanks for listening, family and friends. :-)

Facts referenced from this article: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20056596-10391698.html

And, for a listen of the highly anticipated single: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUxXKfQkswE

Artist Management: What ARE those managers looking for?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SKjPrr9yTE

Panda Band Management interview at SXSW

As I watched this interview with a manager from Panda Band Management, I am reminded of once again how difficult this business of music can be to break into. It takes some intense focus, vision, planning and execution to even come close to making it big. This blog will focus briefly on the interview with Ray of Panda at SXSW, and then talk about some very important factors artist managers need to be looking for when taking on new talent. In essence, this post could be very helpful to both someone looking to become an artist manager, and also a band looking to gain a manager.

From the interview, Ray says the most important step is to have a plan, and have a plan on several levels…recording, distribution, touring. Management is there to help you achieve your goals, but you need to have goals, first. He suggests that the band is ready to record, or already have recorded. It also comes down to who they want their audience to be. In order to reach those audiences, they will have to make a product that appeals to them.

Ray also mentions first tours doesn’t usually make money, they end up being more of an investment to broader your audience. You get to meet a lot of new people and make new fans. You are also far more attractive to your fans at home because you are expanding your resume in a sense.

So, with that advice from a manager to a new artist or band getting started, I thought it would good to expand upon what a manager should be looking for before committing to new talent. From “This Business of Artist Management”, a book I’m reading for my Product and Management class through Full Sail University, I have been learning about what a manager is looking for beyond business organization assets. It’s very important to assess the creative skills and package that the artist or artists bring to the table. It’s not good enough for an artist to just have a good voice, but they need to bring the “whole package”, if you will. Some suggestions the book give from Chapter 10 are: taking inventory of your artist’s sound, their material and physical appearance.

When listening to an artist it’s important to see what differentiates them from the crowd. If you’re signing another Christina Aguilera, you are going to need to find a new angle to market her. It would be really helpful to sign an artist off-the-bat who is unique and offers something new. Physical appearance, as unfortunate and shallow as it may be, is also incredibly important in the entertainment industry. In order to be taken seriously, an artist needs to look their best and show some edge and pizzazz. A manager’s job is to point these things out, and make sure they are managing an artist who is unique and has a great look.

By taking a full inventory of an artist, a manager can have a good grasp on what direction the professional relationship will go. Overall, it’s important to plan as an artist and also a manager. In order to gain success in the music business goals need to be established and carried out. The relationship between the two is crucial and will set stage for success.

Artist Negotiations : Interview with Sherida Morrison, founder of Energy Theory Management (NRG Theory)

Over the weekend I interviewed Sherida Morrison, founder of NRG Theory management, an artist management/consulting company. She started the company a couple of years ago under the name S&M Management, but officially went on the books as NRG Theory about a year ago. Currently the company operates with a small team that packs a punch in the industry managing- 3 performing artists, 1 audio engineer, 1 graphic designer, and 1 web designer. They work on both a contractual and non-contractual basis with their artists.

Sherida and I are in the same Negotiation and Deal Making class for our Master’s of Entertainment Business program through Full Sail University and have been learning the art of negotiation in the industry. In my brief phone conversation with Sherida I asked her some questions about how often she negotiates, what she negotiates, and some challenges that she faces on a regular basis. Though she is fairly new on the scene I figured I could learn from her experience. Sherida negotiates on a fairly regular basis for job whether it’s how much her audio engineer should be paid for gig, or negotiating fees for her performers.

When I asked her about her previous of negotiating knowledge before entering the business, she mentioned that she had not been formally trained. She explained that she learned from a lot of trial and error at the beginning. Like many of us without formal training in negotiating Sherida made mention that she would sell herself short walking into a deal because she wasn’t sure what she was capable of even if she was representing someone who had notable talent. There were many times when she would fall, but the most important thing she conveyed was that she picked herself back up again time and time again. Though it was hard and she made some mistakes, she was able to push forward and make solid progress and learn from each negotiation.

I asked Sherida what has changed in her approach from when she was just beginning in the industry until now and she mentions confidence being a key factor. She mentioned that before “I was afraid to ask for what I was worth and if they said “no” I would just retract.” It’s a different ball game for Sherida now as she is extremely confident in the artists she is managing, knowing that she is promoting someone incredibly gifted and worth the money.

If there’s been one thing I have learned about negotiation and deal making in this current course at Full Sail University it’s be confident and walk into a negotiation prepared. The more you set yourself up on the front end with research and self-confidence, the more you be able to walk out of a negotiation with not only a great deal, but a mutually beneficial deal that will help build your rapport in order to build a wider clientele base.

For more information on NRGTheory, visit their website. 

Any "Biggest Losers" out there???

Things are ramping up again for Biggest Loser contestant hopefuls all around the country. This weekend begins the 5 city stretch of open casting calls for the next season of NBC’s beloved series geared towards Americans who have over 100 pounds to lose. For a complete listing of cities click here: CLICK HERE.

For many it’s the break they have been looking for with a lifelong struggle and all out battle with their weight. These hopefuls come with the dream of being whisked away to the Biggest Loser ranch where they can once and for all focus on getting healthy.

So, what to expect when putting oneself through the grind at a Biggest Loser casting call? First of all, come with plenty of rest and nutrition in your body. These are long days. Biggest Loser casting director, Holland Striplin, who has been casting for the show since Season 5, recommends bringing plenty of healthy snacks, water, and lawn chairs since it is a lot of waiting in line. Holland also recommends to just be yourself in front of the casting directors. This is a common request from casting directors from shows that don’t require the normal “Let’s Make a Deal” attire throughout the duration of a season. Most, if not all of the time, these costumes serve as a distraction from the casting directors seeing who you really will be during the season. At the ranch, all costumes are stripped, and contestants can’t hide behind the façade of character they’ve made up, which is the beauty of the show, and how the breakthroughs happen. For more tips, check out this article: CLICK HERE.

 For more information on losing weight in a healthy way even if you’re not a part of the next season of Biggest Loser, head over to their website and sign up to be a part of their online community. Just because you were not chosen for this season, or subsequent seasons, it does not mean you still can’t win the battle against weight. A new and healthy life is possible, but more likely to be achieved within the context of community.

Now get out there and audition, and even more importantly, begin changing your life now! 

Blush Free television? It could happen.

I’m a girl who comes with a lot of passion for reality television. Ever since the creation of shows such as “Survivor” and “American Idol”, something in my gut has been stirred and fire up. I love watching, celebrating, and also critiquing it. One my main critiques stems from the profane themes that run rampant within this type of programming. It comes as no surprise that reality television produces some of the most profane content on the tube currently.

Even with so-called “family-friendly” shows like “American Idol”, with the addition of beloved Steven Tyler (I really do love him), we’ve also seen an incredible increase in the show logo used as bleep symbol over Mr. Tyler’s mouth over the few weeks of this new season. American Idol is not the only show out there that provides an obscene amount of obscenities (no pun intended).

I happened across an article on the website, Parents Television Council, written back in 2002 highlighting the increase of profanity in all forms on reality television. I was shocked (and yet not) when I browsed through the statistics the shared. For instance, no surprise, “The Osbourne’s”, which follows the life of legendary rocker, Ozzy Osbourne and his family, holds the record for the most profanities per hour. This MTV show, as reported from the PTC website, had a combined average of 140.5 instances of offensive content per hour, due to their vulgar language. Wow!

Check out the article to read more about the crazy statistics regarding profanity/ violence, etc.: http://www.parentstv.org/ptc/publications/reports/realitytv/main.asp

What if there was an alternative? What if those of us who love reality television and see the potential for what amazing good it could do began to produce something different? Something clean…and dare I say, blush free? Stumbling upon this article was even more of an affirmation for the project I have been working on in my Business Storytelling and Brand Development class through Full Sail University. We had to create an entertainment company and conduct several projects regarding the creation of our company. In a last minute decision I decided to create a reality television production company, called “Blush Free Productions”.

Our mission statement: Our mission at Blush Free Productions is to create family-friendly programming that highlights major social issues, providing viewers with a call to action, all the while entertaining through exceptional storytelling.

I have posted one of my latest projects regarding the creation of Blush Free Productions. Take a look, and dream with me what profanity free, yet entertaining and meaningful reality television could like! 

Ptaszek.molly bsb.projectthree

View more presentations from Molly Ptaszek.

NAPTE 2011 || Content First

NAPTE is the National Association of Television Program Executives.

This organization serves exactly who you think- those working as executives within television. Their current tagline is, “Content First”, which in incredibly encouraging. In a day when much of television is as solid in content as a jet-puffed marshmallow, NAPTE truly is working toward partnering with and training leaders in the television sector to produce excellent content in programming.

When sifting through the NAPTE website one can find many helpful resources. One resource I was drawn to immediately was the annual conference, which just took place in Miami over the 3^rd weekend in January. It was event full of executives in every facet of business from: marketing, to finance, and technology. The NAPTE conference is chock full of networking and learning opportunities for both the seasoned exec, as well as the fresh-out-of-the-gates execs.

According to their website, the conference is the one of its kind in America that reaches out to a very broad international market as well. It’s said that they were 76 countries represented at last weeks conference.  From what I can see on the NAPTE site, this is THE place to be in January if you are in the television industry. They state that their organization is here to be a catalyst for new opportunities, and provide excellent networking opportunities with executives from around the world. The website is a gold mine of resources that are available at any time and place around the world. They feature the latest news in industry trends and connect members with global opportunities.

Judging from these comments, I know where I should be in future years come the month of January…NAPTE convention here I come!

 “Everything we are talking about doesn’t work, unless you engage in great content.”

“It’s a place where you can look a few years ahead.”

“It’s all about meeting people.” 

Click here to watch the NAPTE conference preview. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEHmXnhp-wo

Naomi Klein: Addicted to risk | Video on TED.com

Naomi Klein: Addicted to risk | Video on TED.com

In this lecture titled, "Addicted to Risk", journalist Naomi Klein takes us through a really interesting lecture dealing with risk and how much is too much when it comes to the way we handle our countries resources. I was fascinated by her examples of ways that your country has taken full-blown 5-alarm risks in the name financial gain. She talks quite a bit about the BP oil leak and how some of those closely involved in the leak responded. She quotes Tony Hayward, the CEO of B.P. as saying this in regards to the spill “The Gulf of Mexico is a very large ocean. The amount of oil and dispersant we are putting into it is tiny in relation to the total water volume.” It is incredible to hear a comment like this that seems to reduce the implications of this environmental atrocity. What rings true in my ears about this comment is wildly risky behavior; making poor choices and minimizing the outrageous outcomes.

Klein goes into more detail regarding the risks our government takes to run our country especially regarding finances. Their decisions sometimes reflect the belief that somehow, someday everything will work itself out, so let’s take this monumental financial risk and see what happens. She also makes a bold statement in equating many of these decisions with men at the forefront, and women there to clean up the mess afterward. I am not sure to what extent this comment truly is accurate, but it was interesting to ponder. Women seem to approach large risky decisions with a more level approach, thinking about the far-reaching effects and consequences, whereas men are focusing more on how this decision help them right now.

Though Klein talks more about taking environmental risks than anything in this lecture, the same concepts and principals can be applied to any aspect of life; but since this is an entertainment blog, we’ll look at from the entertainment perspective. What she is presenting here is some great advice for those in the entertainment industry. I am currently in a master’s program for entertainment business through Full Sail University, and we are all working on creating our own entertainment companies. Klein’s advice about assessing the risks and being proactive about the consequences of those risks is imperative for my fellow upcoming business owners and me.

We need to take a serious look at how feasible our business ideas are, do incredible amounts of market research, and then do some more, and also make wise decisions about the funding of these companies. I have seen the ideas of my classmates over the past couple of months, and have been so encouraged and motivated by their ideas, that I would not want to see them any of them fail because of making risky decisions that end up doing more harm in the long run.

Moral of the story, get some great mentors and business advisers to surround and give you sound advice as you start up your new venture. Just because it’s your dream and passion, doesn’t mean it will be a cakewalk. The more wise counsel you receive, the more likely you will not be dealing with a business catastrophe the size of the B.P. gas leak! Good luck, everyone!