Producing Unscripted: Make Reality TV Shows and Documentary Series with Joke and Biagio

Are you ever too young — or too old — to chase a dream? Is success in the entertainment industry possible when you don't know anyone? Can there be one setback that's just too daunting to get past? Today, prolific composer and all around great person Todd C. Burns is here to share hard-earned advice […] The post Sound Advice on Dreams and Success from Todd C. Burns appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Jon Kroll is the man behind some the biggest unscripted TV shows of all time. From Big Brother to The Amazing Race, he's been in the industry for close to 30 years. (Not to mention he is a mentor to the two of us, and one of the first industry people we ever met. Plus […] The post Uncharted: Jon Kroll Produces Gordon Ramsay Awesomeness appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

It’s an exciting time to be a content creator – for all of us! Not long ago, documentaries were gloomily known as the “D” word…since no one wanted to buy them. Now they’re hot as ever thanks to streamers like Netflix and cable networks who’ve followed suit. On the flip side, podcasting was once thought […] The post 3 Ways Podcasting is Changing TV appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

The lure of the entertainment industry, and of course, Los Angeles. It’s something many of us dream about. If you’re a kid from Cleveland like me (Biagio) or a girl from Belgium like Joke, it can seem larger than life, like a fantasy world that’s a million miles away. Many of us come. Some stay. […] The post Troy DeVolld: Sheer Poetry – Life, Dreams, Work and Reality in Los Angeles appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

It’s 2021, and we all know it can be near-impossible to stay motivated in this most challenging of times. If you’re anything like us, things like quarantine, no social interaction, and global pandemics tend to slow down the old creative juices. It’s been hard for us, and probably for a lot of you, too. So […] The post 2021: Staying Creative, Productive and Motivated appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

It’s Halloween time and episode 128 is our annual “spooky” take on the unscripted film and television business. This episode’s question was inspired by a Producing Unscripted podcast listener named Justin, who wrote in with a question about editing. We’re just beginning post-production on our brand new TV series (more coming soon!) and facing a […] The post ‘Twas the Nightmare Before Editing! appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

For episode 127 we’re mining great advice from an unlikely place…the new Apple TV series Ted Lasso. What on earth does a fish-out-of-water sports sitcom have to do with making unscripted film and television? Quite a lot, actually! We’ve been inspired by this show, and we’re using the great advice delivered by the unsinkable, everyman […] The post 3 Things Ted Lasso Can Teach You About Making TV & Film appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

For episode 126 we, like you, are stuck in quarantine. It’s turned into a long, hot, “can’t go anywhere” summer. We thought it was time for a little popsicle. One of the questions we get from friends and family members who aren’t in the business is “what does a producer do, anyway?” So we thought […] The post What Do Producers Actually Do? Ask Our Kids! appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

First of all, we hope you’re doing okay – we know it’s a very strange, sometimes scary and confusing time. It has certainly scared us – especially because we were smack-dab in the middle of finishing a TV series when the shut down happened. We had to figure out how we and a smattering of […] The post Making TV In Quarantine appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

The world’s a little crazy at the moment – so we thought this would be a good time to bring you a truly inspirational tale. Emmy winner Steve Mazan, subject of our theatrically released feature documentary Dying to do Letterman, is here today to make you laugh, appreciate life, and believe in the impossible. See, […] The post Producing Personal Projects with Emmy Winner Steve Mazan appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Want to work in Hollywood? Want to make something in Hollywood? Then one way or the other, you’ll be dealing with the process of hiring in Hollywood. Today we share our hiring philosophy, helpful anecdotes, and straight talk on the challenges of interviewing and hiring. We even share what we ourselves need to do better. […] The post Hiring in Hollywood: The Flipside appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Holy cow, it’s 2020! As we enter our seventh year (!) of the Producing Unscripted podcast, we’re so grateful to all of you who’ve supported us on this journey. With a New Year comes new podcast episodes, beginning with today’s. We’re discussing the big picture of working in the entertainment industry in 2020. Our goal […] The post 2020 Perspective for Filmmakers, Producers, and Creatives appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

It’s Halloween, so pull out your sage, salt, and white candles! Today we’re talking about something truly spooky…our top 3 scariest moments on set! If you’ve been around production of any kind, you know things pretty much never go as planned. And sometimes, those “fun developments” can scare the pants off of you. Here are […] The post Our Top 3 Scariest Moments on Set appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Get out the Tim Tams and the Vegemite…cause we’re going down under! Well, actually, the “down under” came to visit us, so we could give you an episode all about working with Netflix. We’re talking with PJ Madam and Tim Noonan (who speak with amazing Australian accents!) They deep dive into the making of their […] The post Getting Engaged to Netflix appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

It sounds like a myth, or some kind of Hollywood urban legend, but some people actually put their own shows on television by buying airtime and selling ads themselves. They make truly independent TV. How does it work? How much do you have to pay for he airtime? Is it easy to get sponsors for […] The post Making Truly Independent TV with Filmmaker Brian Speciale appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Brian Speciale isn’t just special because of his name. Not only is he a great producer, but he used his producing skills to flip the script, get himself cast on a little show called Shark Tank, and score a huge deal. In fact, he’s on track to do $70,000,000 (yes, seventy-million dollars!) in sales this […] The post Make 70 Million Dollars on Shark Tank: Producer Brian Speciale Tells All appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Great titles…Survivor. Big Brother. The Curse of Oak Island. Say Yes to the Dress. Unmasking a Killer. These shows have catchy titles to help viewers… and network execs…understand what the show is all about. Today’s episode of Producing Unscripted is a deep-dive into choosing titles that help you, rather than hurt you, when developing your […] The post Create Great Titles for Your Projects: Tons of Tips… appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so on this Producing Unscripted podcast episode we‘re discussing some of the more difficult aspects of working in the entertainment industry…especially on big productions. Anybody who‘s been around it for more than five minutes knows showbiz is an incredibly tough trade to compete in. Pressure is high, and the stakes are, […] The post Showbiz and Your Mental Well-Being: It’s Just TV… appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

We remember when we were just starting out in the industry. Didn’t know anyone. Couldn’t get a meeting. But…we thought we knew everything! Turns out, like a lot of new producers, we were pitching the worst kinds of projects to launch our careers. Now, years later, receiving hundreds of unscripted television pitches ourselves, we see […] The post 3 Worst Kinds of Shows for New Producers to Pitch…Unless appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Are you a producer? Or do you see yourself as on-camera talent? Either way, it’s important to realize the challenges and realities of becoming a TV personality. Pat Postiglione is in the throws of that journey right now. He’s the star and host of the new Investigation Discovery series Deadly Recall – something he still […] The post Pat Postiglione: Becoming a TV Personality appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

If you’ve ever wondered about building a true crime series around a real police detective, today’s episode is for you. We’re sharing everything you need to know, broken down in five easily-digestible tips. What kind of detectives? Which cases to pitch? How do you know if your detective can sustain a series? We’re giving away […] The post Deadly Recall – Pitch Detective Based True Crime – 5 Tips appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Today’s episode is coming to you straight from the waiting area of the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport! Why? Because we just attended RealScreen 2019, and we’ve got some stuff to share. What is the RealScreen Summit? Well, according to their site: The Realscreen Summit is the definitive global market and conference for the […] The post 3 Tips from RealScreen 2019 appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Happy Holidays from Producing Unscripted! ’Tis the season to be jolly, and if you asked Santa for a new episode of Producing Unscripted, you’re in luck! Today we share some important stocking stuffers with you – three Hollywood tips to make the most of the season. We cover everything under the tree, from important industry […] The post Hollywood Stocking Stuffers – Three Tips from the Trenches appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

It’s Halloween…and do we have a treat for you. A spooky treat that is! This week we cover all things paranormal. Ghost shows, alien shows, psychic shows…they’ve been a staple of television for years. But how can you make your paranormal pitch stand out? What are the pitfalls to avoid, and the mistakes we see […] The post Spooky: Pitching Paranormal Shows – 4 Tips & Happy Halloween! appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

We travelled the streets of Los Angeles for the 109th episode of Producing Unscripted. Well, we went a couple of exits down the 101, where we met with this week’s guest, the multitalented Roger Nygard. Roger has edited on many highly acclaimed television series, including Grey’s Anatomy, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Veep (for which he’s […] The post Roger Nygard: How to Work Both Scripted and Unscripted appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Jon Kroll is the man behind some of your favorite unscripted television shows. From Big Brother to The Amazing Race, he’s been in the industry for over 25 years. He’s here today to share his secrets to success and amazing career advice. Like the students he teaches in the Peter Stark Producing Program at USC, […] The post Amazing Career Advice From Legendary Producer Jon Kroll appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

It’s time for Episode 107! And to celebrate, we’re taking you all the way back to Episode 6 (ah, so long ago.) Pitches come in every day framed as family-centered docuseries. How can you make yours stand out? We checked our own advice, looking back at the six traits that Reality TV characters must have […] The post Pitching Family-Based Docuseries – A Kardashians Study appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

When you’re pitching a project, whether to us or anyone else, you’ll be sending a cover letter (or providing information) to briefly explain what the project is about. Unfortunately, this is where many newcomers go wrong. There are certain statements that both we and our network executive friends have read from numerous people on multiple […] The post Top 3 Pitch Cover Letter Mistakes appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Marc Jackson says he feels like he’s living his dream. A retired police officer, Marc wanted to start a new career in filmmaking and TV production – but had no production experience. Like many of you, Marc discovered the Producing Unscripted podcast and this site. He trusted us with his concept, pitched it through our […] The post Getting Your First TV Producer Credit with Marc Jackson appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Jon Collins has been working in unscripted television for nearly 20 years. He started as a tape logger on the first season of HBO’s Project Greenlight. His credits include The Bachelor and Bacheloette, Project Runway, and House Hunters, just to name a few. And he’s worked on shows at MTV, TLC, E!, HGTV – the […] The post Puzzling Together Story with Jon Collins appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Unmasking a Killer is our new true crime documentary series for CNN and HLN. It premieres Sunday, March 18, at 9pm on HLN. Todd Lindsey brought us the show. Additionally, he became the series Supervising Producer. A true passion project, we were thrilled when Todd trusted us to be his partners. Today, Todd discusses the […] The post Unmasking a Killer with Todd Lindsey appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Daniel Strange is a TV commercial director who has also dabbled in unscripted television – and he’s one of the most honest people you’ll ever meet. Today, Dan shares tips and stories about working in the entertainment industry. More importantly, he discusses finding true success and happiness. The conversation is a no-holds-barred discussion of day-to-day […] The post Success & Happiness in the Entertainment Industry with Daniel Strange appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Many people visit this site to learn how to pitch their own TV shows. Today, we give you an inside look at what happens when our production company teams up with an aspiring producer. We met Abra Chouinard through this very podcast and our newsletter. We did not know her before she submitted her concept […] The post The Journey from Seed Idea to Pitching TV Networks with Abra Chouinard appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Episode 100! Thanks for supporting us over nearly five years. To celebrate, we made you a “thank you” gift. It’s a brand new resource we wish we had when we started in this business. It’s completely free, and it will save you hours of time. Plus, a very special tip from Joke. And of course, […] The post 100 Tips. 1 Million Thanks. appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Casting true crime projects takes special care. With networks hungry for true crime programming, the genre is currently exploding. But every true crime project has one essential element that can’t be forgotten. At its center is someone who went through a tragedy. It might be a survivor, or friends and family members of a victim. […] The post Casting True Crime Projects with Alexis Linkletter appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

If you have, or know, kids — well, you know it’s that time of year…back to school! Being parents, we feel it’s only right to celebrate the spirit of education we feel filling our household. So, we’re sharing our favorite 2017 resources for learning and improving filmmaking skills. We have a wide range of resources […] The post Back To School: TV & Film Style! appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

If you want to work your way up in the entertainment industry — especially in unscripted television — chances are you are going to spend more time freelancing than working staff jobs. Today, Joey Korenman, entertainment professional and author the book The Freelance Manifesto is here to inspire you to greatness. Get practical, hands-on tips […] The post How To Freelance in Hollywood with Joey Korenman appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Who owns a TV show in the land of unscripted television? Like it or not, when it comes to documentary series, reality TV, true crime, and anything else that is considered “unscripted” — the owner is not usually the producer (not in America, anyway. Europe is different.) Just like us, you may spend months or […] The post Who Owns a TV Show? Can it be You? appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Just a tiny bit over four years ago this site launched with its very first podcast episode. To be honest, we didn’t know if anyone would listen, or be interested in learning the nuts and bolts of unscripted television, documentary series, and reality TV. How It All Started Way back in 2009 we started a […] The post Producer Takeaways from Four Years of Podcasts appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

“Deep Dive” True Crime Series – you’ve seen them. The Jinx. Making a Murderer. Our own upcoming CNN/HLN series, Unmasking a Killer, is also a deep dive. How do these series work? How can you develop true crime series like these? And why do these types of series come with far more responsibility than others? […] The post 5 Tips: True Crime Series – Develop Deep Dives appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Shalandra Champ is more than just one of our favorite cast members from Beauty and the Geek. She's a working mom, a fearless go-getter, and as of now…officially a “Beauty” turned “Geek!” Today she shares the truth about life after being a reality TV star, and so much more. Listen in on a spirited, intimate ... Read more The post Life After Reality TV with Shalandra Champ of Beauty and the Geek appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Shalandra Champ is more than just one of our favorite cast members from Beauty and the Geek. She’s a working mom, a fearless go-getter, and as of now…officially a “Beauty” turned “Geek!” Today she shares the truth about life after being a reality TV star, and so much more. Listen in on a spirited, intimate […] The post Life After Reality TV with Shalandra Champ of Beauty and the Geek appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

TV Network Executives: the elite group that filmmakers and producers wish to meet, hope to pitch, and pray will fund their projects. For some, they seem to be mysterious, god-like figures who can make dreams come true. To others, they seem a closed-door group impossible to access. Today, Paul Croce is here to shed light ... Read more The post TV Network Executives – What You Need to Know from Paul Croce appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

TV Network Executives: the elite group that filmmakers and producers wish to meet, hope to pitch, and pray will fund their projects. For some, they seem to be mysterious, god-like figures who can make dreams come true. To others, they seem a closed-door group impossible to access. Today, Paul Croce is here to shed light […] The post TV Network Executives – What You Need to Know from Paul Croce appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Producing documentaries sounds alluring or terrifying. It depends on where you're sitting. Today, we're sitting with Sundance fellow and TV producer Amanda Spain. Amanda is one of those rare people who's managed to bring her talents to both the doc and unscripted TV worlds. As a seasoned filmmaker and newly minted Sundance fellow, she has ... Read more The post Producing Documentaries with Sundance Fellow Amanda Spain appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Producing documentaries sounds alluring or terrifying. It depends on where you’re sitting. Today, we’re sitting with Sundance fellow and TV producer Amanda Spain. Amanda is one of those rare people who’s managed to bring her talents to both the doc and unscripted TV worlds. As a seasoned filmmaker and newly minted Sundance fellow, she has […] The post Producing Documentaries with Sundance Fellow Amanda Spain appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Dana Golder is one of the biggest casting directors in reality TV. Just some of her credits include The Biggest Loser, The Amazing Race, and Cash Cab. We've been lucky enough to work with her on Beauty and the Geek, Scream Queens, Ghost Inside My Child, and Don't Trust Andrew Mayne. Today, Dana is giving ... Read more The post How to Cast Reality TV with Top Casting Director Dana Golder appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Dana Golder is one of the biggest casting directors in reality TV. Just some of her credits include The Biggest Loser, The Amazing Race, and Cash Cab. We’ve been lucky enough to work with her on Beauty and the Geek, Scream Queens, Ghost Inside My Child, and Don’t Trust Andrew Mayne. Today, Dana is giving […] The post How to Cast Reality TV with Top Casting Director Dana Golder appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Mickey Ramos is not only a terrific, prolific TV producer who survived an attack by over 600 killer bees while filming Naked and Afraid. She's also the voice of Kenny's girlfriend on South Park (how cool!) Plus, she's dealt with some of the most difficult situations you can imagine in reality TV and documentary series. ... Read more The post Reality TV Stripped Naked with Mickey Ramos appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Mickey Ramos is not only a terrific, prolific TV producer who survived an attack by over 600 killer bees while filming Naked and Afraid. She’s also the voice of Kenny’s girlfriend on South Park (how cool!) Plus, she’s dealt with some of the most difficult situations you can imagine in reality TV and documentary series. […] The post Reality TV Stripped Naked with Mickey Ramos appeared first on Producing Unscripted.

Happy 2017! Today, on episode 88 of Producing Unscripted we're helping you kick off the new year right. Trying to break into unscripted television, documentary series, true crime or reality TV? Here are three ways you can stand out from the crowd in 2017.   2017 – The Year You Separate Yourself From the Hollywood ... Read more The post 3 Ways Aspiring TV Producers Can Stand Out in 2017 appeared first on Producing Unscripted.