I know I often go off about reality shows. Let's face it: they're so prolific, there's just not much else on anymore, and it really offends me - as a writer, creator, and general artist - that they can't make a decent scripted show and they cancel the few they manage to before they get a real chance to come into their own. But I don't know whether or not to hold that against reality shows, TV executives, or the viewing public, so I take my shots at them all from time to time.
Still, there are some fun reality shows, and The Lot looks to be one of those.
With Carrie Fisher, Gary Marshall, and some guy, The Lot is about a bunch of filmmakers from around the world who get the chance to make a movie. They go through the entire process, from start to finish - from pitching to creating a short, and so forth - and are eliminated according to their performance(s) as they progress. Tonight, they did the pitch, then split into groups of three to create a two-minute short with three locations (one director per location).
I don't know what to say, really. It was good, but far from "groundbreaking." In fact, it was a paint-by-numbers, by-the-book reality TV show with absolutely no surprises. Of course, I'm sure they'll throw in a twist or fifty here and there - after all, that's by-the-book reality TV - but that's in following the formula. And if you know anything at all about the movie industry, you already know the process, so it's not like you're learning anything. Actually, even if you know next to nothing about the filmmaking industry, you're still not learning much.
But after only one episode, I have to say I did enjoy The Lot. Maybe I'm being a little hard on it, but I already explained my position on reality TV.
Still, there are some fun reality shows, and The Lot looks to be one of those.
With Carrie Fisher, Gary Marshall, and some guy, The Lot is about a bunch of filmmakers from around the world who get the chance to make a movie. They go through the entire process, from start to finish - from pitching to creating a short, and so forth - and are eliminated according to their performance(s) as they progress. Tonight, they did the pitch, then split into groups of three to create a two-minute short with three locations (one director per location).
I don't know what to say, really. It was good, but far from "groundbreaking." In fact, it was a paint-by-numbers, by-the-book reality TV show with absolutely no surprises. Of course, I'm sure they'll throw in a twist or fifty here and there - after all, that's by-the-book reality TV - but that's in following the formula. And if you know anything at all about the movie industry, you already know the process, so it's not like you're learning anything. Actually, even if you know next to nothing about the filmmaking industry, you're still not learning much.
But after only one episode, I have to say I did enjoy The Lot. Maybe I'm being a little hard on it, but I already explained my position on reality TV.
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