Lesson 1

[Patty Ruland]

Patty Ruland: Reality TV Lesson 1

[I will add the first part of the lesson later on today.]

What I learned doing this assignment is…

Putting my ideas on paper is a huge, satisfying step.

2. Select one idea and give us a 1st draft answer for each the following:

A. A one or two sentence explanation of the show.

Weekly telethon benefitting medical charities with comedians hosting and taking calls.

B. The format or hybrid format you’ve chosen.

Docu-series.

C. The real-life characters.

Based on my dream of Larry David appearing as a wise man as I pondered slipping past the rusting, peeling “gates” into the hereafter and telling me, “Get your butt back on Earth. You’ve got work to do.” Dream MC: The Wise Man himself.

Myself.

Guest comedians.

D. The situation these characters find themselves in.

Episodes feature filmed medical vignettes of medical heroics on the part of care-givers and patients alike.

E. The setting.

Television studio.

F. And the viewer experience.

Viewers are inspired by the stories shown and given the opportunity to make a difference by donating to the charity of their choice.

3. Tell us how you envision it being a SERIES that can run for one or more seasons.

Telethons of yore were serials. This one could feature a nearly inexhaustible cast of medical heroes and spotlight charities and facilities doing heroic work anywhere in the country or world.

4. Answer the question, “What I learned doing this assignment is…” and put that at the top of your assignments.

[Patty Ruland]

I forgot to say I had this dream while I was sedated in ICU after emergency surgery in February 2022.

[Daphne Hughes]

Daphne’s Alternative TV Project

ASSIGNMENT #1

What I learned doing this assignment is: How to delineate the various formats of reality TV shows.

Group 1: Tiger King. Format: Docu-Series.
The Vow NXIVM Documentary
Group 2: Below Deck. Format: Occu-Soap.
Group 3: Dating Around. Format: Structured Relationship.
Group 4: Expedition Unknown. Format: Adventure/Exploration.
Group 5: Cash Cab. Format: Game

ASSIGNMENT #2

What I learned doing this assignment is how to create a basic outline and address the questions that will be important when creating a reality TV show.

A. A one or two sentence
explanation of the show: What happens when “The Soloist”
meets “Intervention” and gets an “Extreme Makeover” for the mind, body and
soul? The result is an inspiring reality series featuring riveting real-life stories of people who fell on hard times and were forced to make the
streets their home — until the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries stepped
in to help change their lives.

B. The format or hybrid format
you’ve chosen: Docu-Series

C. The real-life characters: The clients and staff of the Detroit Rescue Mission
Ministries, a faith-based nonprofit that provides shelter, substance abuse
treatment, job skills, and temporary/permanent housing for individuals who
have taken a wrong path in life and are working toward recovery.

D. The situation
these characters find themselves in: The
clients find themselves having to adhere to the rules of the Detroit
Rescue Mission as they work on their recovery. That’s often not easy for
individuals who have spent a lot of time living on the streets. The staff,
many of whom are past clients, know how to deal with the clients to lead
them to success, although it is a difficult process in many instances.

E. The setting: The
multi locations of the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, including temporary/permanent
homes of some clients.

F. And the viewer experience: The docu-series will appeal to
viewers because it tells emotional stories that the audience can relate to,
gives hope that people can change for the better, and provides gripping
insight into the many circumstances that can lead to homelessness. Viewers
will follow these individuals as they receive assistance, services and
motivation from the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries. We will visually
relive what brought them to the Mission for help. We will hear from the people in their
lives: family, friends, counselors, treatment specialists, ministers,
Detroit Rescue Mission staff, vocational instructors and others.

3. Tell us how you envision it being a SERIES that can run for one or more seasons: The people profiled in each episode will be followed and filmed over approximately 12 weeks. The season finale(s) will reveal what has happened to these individuals. The programs primarily will be told in the clients’ own words. Viewers will be rooting for them, but will they all turn their lives around? Or will some return to life on the streets?

• This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by  Daphne Hughes.
• This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by  Daphne Hughes.