"Burning Love"--reality spoof with Ken Marino, Kristen Bell, Malin Ackerman

[Charles Papert]

'Bachelor' parody: Ben Stiller, Kristen Bell in 'Burning Love' | PopWatch | EW.com

I've managed to avoid reality TV (both working on it and watching it) but this spoof of the genre involved some of my favorite peeps so I couldn't turn it down. I watched a few episodes of The Bachelor to prepare and figure out how to simulate the look of the show with a very different set of resources. Any show that has a mansion/house that all the contestants live in utilize a sizeable rigging crew to build a pre-lit environment. I had a much smaller crew with no rigging possibillities, so I had to work from the floor shot-by-shot which was often pretty hairy (cross-shooting the ceremonies without seeing stands etc). The lighting style was one that was completely alien to me--I can't remember the last time I had to peg skin tones so hot, nor use such gaudy color splashes for accents--but Ken (Marino's) edict to me was "make it look like the Bachelor" and that's what they do...

I've seen all of the episodes, it's funny stuff. Lots of familiar faces!

[Chris Tangey]

Charles, i think the reason people aren't replying is they are finding the video hard to find.

Regards

[Charles Papert]

Hadn't thought about it much Chris, I've been working like a madman and forgot about it myself!

The video was on an exclusive on that site for a built but it's on YouTube now.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gx03b48L_5k

[Charles Papert]

Burning Love has premiered! Hope the site is visible internationally, you guys tell me.

Burning Love

[Charles Papert]

So do I assume the site is not viewable outside the U.S...?

[Jerry Karvasale]

Just found this thread and tore through the first six episodes. I love it, great spoof! I'm surprised so many people I love signed onto the project too. Any insight on how so many great people were signed on?

I wasn't familiar with Yahoo screen, but apparently they're spending a lot to build up their internet TV. Makes sense to me, most TV I watch is either online or DVR-ed.

Also, any insight on what the production schedule is like, I'm very curious about the business end since I only work with small businesses and bands.

[Charles Papert]

Originally Posted by Jerry Karvasale

I'm surprised so many people I love signed onto the project too. Any insight on how so many great people were signed on?

If you do a "Six Degrees of Ken Marino", you can trace back a lot of the other actors to his prior TV shows and features--starting with "The State", continuing through "Veronica Mars", "Party Down", "Children's Hospital", "Wanderlust" etc.

Also, any insight on what the production schedule is like, I'm very curious about the business end since I only work with small businesses and bands.

We had a very compact production schedule on this--principal photography was nine days with a second unit in New York for the Ben Stiller stuff. It was a massive challenge to shoot what ended up being nearly two hours of total runtime (i.e. a generous sized feature film!) in that short of a time period.

[Chris Soucy]

You're correct Charles, seems it's only available in the USA, certainly not in NZ.


CS

[Charles Papert]

The beautiful and hilarious Natasha Leggero plugs "Burning Love" on the Tonight Show--nice one Natasha!

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno - Natasha Leggero, Part 1 (6/19/12) - Video - NBC.com

[Charles Papert]

The show has been airing on E! on Mondays, repackaged into half hour segments. I think it's funny that a network known for straight-up reality shows is running this--I wonder how many people think it's real at first glance.