This is still just in the brainstorming stages, but I was wondering if anyone had any input into this idea:

"Brian's Strange Sundays."

The idea: I make a posting on Craigslist's "Activity Partners" section for Austin. Then we meet up on Sundays for three hours, do the activity, film it, edit it, and put it on the Web.

Something like:

Wanted: Superhero Lessons.
--- Are you a superhero? Looking for superhero to teach superheroing lessons to curious newbie.

or

Wanted: Elaborate Practical Joke Organizer
--- Can you organize 15 people or more to pull off an elaborate, but non-mean spirited, practical joke? If so, I'd like to talk to you!

or

Wanted: Strange Cook
--- If it were featured on a reality TV show, would it be considered a "delicacy?" Chicken hearts, fried larvae... Hufu, the healthy alternative for vegetarian cannibals... whatever! I'm hungry and have a taste for adventure!

Looking for brainstorming ideas - both with the technical aspect and with the show concept. Ideally they'd all be done in less than 10 minutes.

-- Brian.

The first one was actually done with Stan Lee; the second sounds like Ashton Kutcher's "Punk'd"; and the third one sounds like "Iron Chef".

I won't go within a mile of reality series, be they destined for TV or the web. Aside from the fact that I consider them to be creative black holes and that the web is still not viable as a source of revenue, you have so many people pitching reality TV concepts that everything has been done, or is being done right now.

The ONLY factor that makes a project successful anymore is star power. Two of the three reality shows I cited above are standard, tired concepts but with at least one celebrity to get people to tune in.

My recommendation is abandon the reality TV format and work on short fiction. More rewarding creatively as well as financially (and that's considering that shorts make very little money).


J.