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

The Podcast That Hears Listeners’ Reality TV and Documentary Series Pitches.

Sound Advice on Dreams and Success from Todd C. Burns 09/28/2021

Sound Advice on Dreams and Success from Todd C. Burns 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 on overcoming adversity to be successful in the entertainment industry. Like us, Todd came into this crazy business not knowing anyone, hustling to make things happen, and facing some obstacles so big the /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/20636027

Uncharted: Jon Kroll Produces Gordon Ramsay Awesomeness 06/24/2021

Uncharted: Jon Kroll Produces Gordon Ramsay Awesomeness 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 a super nice guy!) Now, he’s here to share his incredible experience producing UNCHARTED. It stars one of the greatest reality TV personalities of all time, famous chef Gordon Ramsay. Oh…and this globe-trotting action adventure cooki /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/19575776

3 Ways Podcasting is Changing TV 04/30/2021

3 Ways Podcasting is Changing TV 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 of as a geeky pass time (hello, Biagio!) It’s now exploded in popularity. In some cases podcasts have even beaten TV at the game of winning pop culture buzz. Being TV producers and /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/18932003

Troy DeVolld: Sheer Poetry – Life, Dreams, Work and Reality in Los Angeles 02/21/2021

Troy DeVolld: Sheer Poetry – Life, Dreams, Work and Reality in Los Angeles 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. Some move on. But one thing is for sure – L.A. has its own special kind of magic. Now, TV Producer extraordinaire and best-selling author Troy DeVolld has taken the time to really explore why /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/18024962

2021: Staying Creative, Productive and Motivated 01/26/2021

2021: Staying Creative, Productive and Motivated 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 today we’re breaking down how we’ve managed to stay at least semi-productive and almost sane. Plus, the four-and-a-half year journey to our new 10-hour anthology TV series…which, or course, we� /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/17699918

‘Twas the Nightmare Before Editing! 10/30/2020

‘Twas the Nightmare Before Editing! 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 TERRIFYING amount of footage. So we decided to focus today’s episode on three spine-tingling things that can haunt you in post-pr /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/16621481

3 Things Ted Lasso Can Teach You About Making TV & Film 09/29/2020

3 Things Ted Lasso Can Teach You About Making TV & Film 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 coach at its center to reveal truths about working in the entertainment industry. In a time when we can all use a pick me up, this show fits the bill. G /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/16207775

What Do Producers Actually Do? Ask Our Kids! 07/25/2020

What Do Producers Actually Do? Ask Our Kids! 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 we’d ask some special people to give us their opinion…our kids!
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Making TV In Quarantine 04/29/2020

Making TV In Quarantine 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 team members could finish the show…from home. Not as easy as it sounds. Today we take you through the process of making cable TV from your spare bedroom, share how the day to day of the enterta /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/14202266

Producing Personal Projects with Emmy Winner Steve Mazan 03/31/2020

Producing Personal Projects with Emmy Winner Steve Mazan 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, doctors told Steve he might only have five years to live. A stand-up comedian, Steve decided to dedicate whatever was left of his life to living his dream: performing on David Letterman /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/13780895

Hiring in Hollywood: The Flipside 02/28/2020

Hiring in Hollywood: The Flipside 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. Applying for jobs in the entertainment industry? Interviewing potential candidates for your next TV or film project? Here’s everything you need to know about hiring, firing, recr /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/13344680

2020 Perspective for Filmmakers, Producers, and Creatives 01/30/2020

2020 Perspective for Filmmakers, Producers, and Creatives
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Our Top 3 Scariest Moments on Set 10/31/2019

Our Top 3 Scariest Moments on Set
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Getting Engaged to Netflix 09/30/2019

Getting Engaged to Netflix
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Making Truly Independent TV with Filmmaker Brian Speciale 08/30/2019

Making Truly Independent TV with Filmmaker Brian Speciale 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 your indie TV show? And of course, is it worth it? Producer Brian Speciale shares his insider information on the process…plus, some great tips for producers.
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Make 70 Million Dollars on Shark Tank: Producer Brian Speciale Tells All 07/30/2019

Make 70 Million Dollars on Shark Tank: Producer Brian Speciale Tells All 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 year. But today’s episode is much more than one man’s incredible story. It’s an inspirational look at using the producing or filmmaking skills you already have to think outside the box, find opportu /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/10714583

Create Great Titles for Your Projects: Tons of Tips… 06/28/2019

Create Great Titles for Your Projects: Tons of Tips… 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 films, shows, or videos. We’ve got lots of practical advice and tips on thinking about, creating, and presenting titles that get attention. /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/10333253

Showbiz and Your Mental Well-Being: It’s Just TV… 05/30/2019

Showbiz and Your Mental Well-Being: It’s Just TV… 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, too. Through pop culture we do occasionally hear about the stresses of life in front of the camera. But it’s rare we hear about how those /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/9987092

3 Worst Kinds of Shows for New Producers to Pitch…Unless 04/30/2019

3 Worst Kinds of Shows for New Producers to Pitch…Unless 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 same mistakes we made way back when. So today our goal is to save you a ton of time, headaches, and heartaches. We’re telling you the three worst kinds of shows for /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/9594668

Pat Postiglione: Becoming a TV Personality 03/26/2019

Pat Postiglione: Becoming a TV Personality 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 can’t believe. Pat never even considered working in television during his 25+ years as a homicide detective in Nashville. Now, he’s appearing on shows like Dr. O /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/9141362

Deadly Recall – Pitch Detective Based True Crime – 5 Tips 02/28/2019

Deadly Recall – Pitch Detective Based True Crime – 5 Tips 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 everything we know. Plus, what you can learn from the behind the scenes of our new Investigation Discovery series Deadly Recall.
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3 Tips from RealScreen 2019 01/31/2019

3 Tips from RealScreen 2019 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 business of unscripted and non-fiction entertainment. That’s a fancy way of saying a lot of big players in the unscripted industry are there. As well a /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/8473064

Hollywood Stocking Stuffers – Three Tips from the Trenches 12/20/2018

Hollywood Stocking Stuffers – Three Tips from the Trenches 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 advice, to how to keep busy when you aren’t in production. So grab some hot chocolate, start up the fire and get ready for our last podcast of 2018!
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Spooky: Pitching Paranormal Shows – 4 Tips & Happy Halloween! 10/30/2018

Spooky: Pitching Paranormal Shows – 4 Tips & Happy Halloween! 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 most often when people pitch this genre? Which missteps scare network execs off? How to do make a network scream (with excitement) for your pitch? Get ready for some scary facts abou /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/7372730

Roger Nygard: How to Work Both Scripted and Unscripted 09/25/2018

Roger Nygard: How to Work Both Scripted and 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 earned an Emmy nomination). He’s also a successful documentarian, with box office hits like Trekkies. Plus, his upcoming doc, The Truth About Marriage p /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/7087842

Amazing Career Advice From Legendary Producer Jon Kroll 08/28/2018

Amazing Career Advice From Legendary Producer Jon Kroll 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, you will learn so much from Jon today. Just like we did when he guest-lectured at a course we took, back when were were trying to break in the industry. Jon shares his his take on how to find a gre /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/6978488

Pitching Family-Based Docuseries – A Kardashians Study 07/31/2018

Pitching Family-Based Docuseries – A Kardashians Study 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 to be pitch-ready. How do these traits translate to the real world when pitching family-based shows? Well, to help answer that, we’re taking a look at one of the most successful family-based TV show /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/6867057

Top 3 Pitch Cover Letter Mistakes 06/30/2018

Top 3 Pitch Cover Letter Mistakes 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 occasions – and none of them help the pitch. In most cases, they hurt it. So today we’re going to share the three most prevalent mistakes we see on /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/6759733

Getting Your First TV Producer Credit with Marc Jackson 05/30/2018

Getting Your First TV Producer Credit with Marc Jackson 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 portal, and we developed it together. We’ve now set it up as a television pilot at a major cable network. Marc’s earning his first producer credit and jumping in the deep end of te /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/6651614

Puzzling Together Story with Jon Collins 04/24/2018

Puzzling Together Story with Jon Collins 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 list goes on and on. Today, Jon shares the kind of advice that can only be garnered from two decades of experience. From dealing with the notes process, to putting together story in post, shap /episode/index/show/producingunscripted/id/6496837

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

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