Reality shows

[DrFaroohk]

I suppose the term "reality show" covers a broad spectrum of shows, but I'm referring mostly to the ones that are candid camera type shows where people aren't supposed to know they're being filmed.

Here's a hint: STOP LOOKING AT THE DAMN CAMERA. That pretty much kills it.

Secondly are the ones where they know they are being filmed, but they pretend like they don't notice it. Which to me kills the authenticity. You telling me that the druggie that Dog just brought in doesn't notice a camera crew standing all around him and maybe asks "What the fuck are those guys here for? No way I want to be on TV!"

Then there's the ones where everyone's in on it, but we're supposed to believe it's all random and sincere. No scripting at all. Yeah, there just happens to be a camera on all these people 24/7.

And not just a camera, but a full sound setup too! I'm no expert on television but I doubt you can pull this stuff off with just a handheld and a little computer mic. I've seen some of the setups people use, boom mics, big camera equipment stuff, plus the van nearby to mix and record and edit and stuff (yeah I don't know what the hell they do).

But still my point is all these shows lack authenticity. Sometimes they have drama, it seems staged. Even those "regular folks" shows like American Idol or Extreme Makeover or Biggest Loser...I get the sense that every last one of the people involved is directly employed by the show and every single line of dialogue, every tear, every moment of drama was scripted from day damn 1.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

All of that is both true and completely unsurprising. I think, deep down, we all already knew that this was the case, it's not even surprising when some people don't get it. It's like the cost of business anymore, this is the crappy shit that let's the rest of us get cable television cheaper because the brainless flock to their reality shows. Walk in the park.

Also the van, if there is one, would be used to carry the crew and their equipment, as well as potentially if not usually/almost always serve as a mobile control room. It's possible that they would edit on-site, but highly unlikely. IMO

[Plaidman]

Hm. I always thought the hidden camera shows always had real hidden cameras. You can put a camera inside a fire alarm.

Alot of them look at cameras? Sure. I do too. I go into a convience store, or a big store, and if I'm in line I sometimes stare directly at the camera and even wave at them. I did it at a little casino once too, but while I was waving I only had the one finger up.

Same goes with nanny cams. You can get alot of info, good sound, and its from a teddy bear.


The ones in the street, same thing. Strange guy at a bustop with a briefcase? Camera in there. Camera inside trashcan. Man across street is videotyping his kids is really videotaping you as a strange woman is begging you to pull up her underwear.

[DrFaroohk]

And not sure how true this is, because I'm not on TV, but I heard that you can't get the sound quality they do on those shows without the people themselves being wired up. So unless they were drugged, kidnapped, and fitted with sound recording equipment (like the microphone on your collar or something), they're in on it.

So even if that guy across the street has a camera, where'd the sound come from? If that smoke alarm on the wall has a camera in it, how did they make the smoke alarm be able to get up and walk around the room?

As for the van, like I said I don't know what they do it in, but on TV I always see a van with a camera crew and there's a guy inside with a little console pushing buttons, turning knobs, talking on a headset and looking at a bunch of different screens.

I don't know what world these people must live in where they don't notice stuff like this. Me, I'd notice a pizza delivery van that's been there for three hours. I'd notice the same guy circling around whereever I am every ten minutes. I'd notice the guy carrying a boom mic following me around. And when I see this, and I see suddenly random shit start to happen, I got a pretty good idea i'm on TV.

Of course, that's just me, and I almost always feel and even behave as if I'm being watched. I wonder if that's what they call paranoia?

[Wingates_Hellsing]

There are a lot of trick they could use, but it really is more likely that it's scripted (hell, it's been proven to be scripted on numerous occasions anyway).

Like I said, the guy looking at the monitors and pressing knobs is either controlling remote cameras (thin) or directing the cameramen as to who/what they should be shooting and what kind of shot to get. On live-to-tape shows he'd be editing live among those cameras, otherwise all that button pressing and knob turning is either making adjustments for the cameramen (I remember m TV class's studio camera's iris and color temp were controlled from the booth to free up the operator a bit) or just plain doing it for show.

Besides, once you get the 'running cameramen' following people around, the whole thing would be blown anyway. Then again, it's possible all of these people suffer from NY blinders...

[Plaidman]

Well, I know that the panties girl one the girl had a mic on her, and since people were putting the underwear up for her, they were basically talking to her mic. Same with the ones at stores, the mic is the one they use to talk on the intercome.

Also, you'd be surprise what some disguises those vans are. They aren't always pizza trucks, or flower. Sometimes they'll flat out say CHANNEL X, like a news van. You see those everywhere.


I'm certain there are alot of staged shows too, but I'm just as certain there is at least an equal amount where there aren't stage. Not all mics have to be larger then a house. Depending on what area theyre in, for example outside? Like at a kids lemonade stand where the kid has strict NO CHANGE policy in small letters you can't see and won't give up the five dollar bill back, the mic might be right behind his sign of lemonade. My own little handhold camcorder can pick up sounds from across the street with pretty good cleareance. Once the joke is finished and agreements signed that it can be shown, they just clean it up by taking out the interference in it, and maybe asked the person to do SOME audio, but its after the joke been played out.

[Rebel]

There's also the fact that it's been shown that many 'contestants' are actors looking to fill out their resume. Didn't the girls on 'The Bachelor' admit that many of the feuds and physical fights on the show were prearranged and choreographed?
Reality shows are just so popular with producers right now because they're a lot cheaper to make (mainly because the actors are unknowns).

[Plaidman]

Reality shows are just so popular with producers right now because they're a lot cheaper to make (mainly because the actors are unknowns).

Which is why I like the prank shows over reality shows.

However, I do remember one time when I had to watch Jerry springer for a project, I recoginized the guy who just found out his wife of ten years was really a man (They had a strict no sex rule for religous reasons or something) had a few years earlier been on Jerry Springer for sleeping with his daughter and had to confront his wife. Mom didn't belive me until I plugged in her old tape of the same guy. We both laughed. We knew the show was fake, but yeah.

[Stormraven]

I recall hearing one of the contestants on Hell's Kitchen note that they're surrounded 24/7 by cameras and the like, and that before long, they just stop noticing them, stop being really aware of them.

That tracks with human nature - we'll often get used to something we see regularly, so that before long we won't even really see it anymore - unless or until something happens to it.