Chasing Cars.........head Scratcher

[David Hawkins]

OK, I couldn't sleep last night so I was up late channel surfing and came across a Re-Run of Chasing Cars. The one that has my "SMI" Harley-Davidson Sportster going across the Auction Block. They have 4 Cars they are taking to Auction, a 56 Black Ford, a 70 Red Chevelle, a Pink Rambler and a51 Red Chevy. Here is the Head Scratcher: They are still in TEXAS getting the Cars ready for the Auction, a guy comes in and buys the 56 Black Ford BEFORE they even go to the Auction BUT, while they are sitting in the Shop talking about the deal of the Black Car, it is there in the Shop with them. I look behind the two guys and there it is, in the Shop, BEFORE they even go to the Auction, my SMI Harley. I'm thinking, HOW can my Harley be THERE, in his Shop NOW when he hasn't even been to the Auction yet to SEE the Bike? He didn't even know the Bike existed until he got to the Auction but, there it was, in his shop in Texas BEFORE the Auction. So NOW I am beginning to think THIS show is a "Set Up" as well.

 

[Carl Bishop]

No way, a 'Reality Show' that isn't real...................

[Z-man]

I was involved with the filming of one segment for a failed "reality show". I can tell you nothing is real about these shows. They are so heavily edited and controlled that they bear no resemblance at anything close to reality.

 

Z-man

[mavisky]

Everything is scripted to appeal to the end viewer. Some of these shows do a very good job of it, others are absolutely terrible at it. I remember an article online about the show "Pimp My Ride" where a forum using 240sx user got his car re-done. They removed some very nice JDM parts that they returned to him, and he had to answer his door 3 different times to "find" the host outside to let him know he was the winner because his first two takes weren't "animated enough" for TV.

[ViperNC]

+1

 

At the end of the day, reality TV is entertainment. I say it is all scripted to a certain extent depending on the show. Basically, train wreck TV for ratings.

[JeffJ]

Yes, they will often go back and have to do some takes after the original filming and recreate a scene that happens before another event. Happens all the time. There was a scene last season of Gold Rush where Freddy was picking up the trammel "Big Red" where he is crawling through it for inspection. That take was done long after "Big Red" was already moved and had been working for months. While there is reality in much of these shows, there is still a lot of scripting and story lines which are not.

[mywickedshelby]

I was involved with the filming of one segment for a failed "reality show". I can tell you nothing is real about these shows. They are so heavily edited and controlled that they bear no resemblance at anything close to reality.

 

Z-man

 

And this is a revelation?

 

 

hardly.

[Captain Beyond]

...street outlaws is real.

[Don Johnston]

Ever notice that when they arrive at a property in these shows, there is already a camera set to up to record the "surprise" visit on site and/or in the house for the "welcome".

My brother has been in the film production business for many years and I have assisted on occasion. The viewer expects to see a "reality" moment that looks like what they see in a television movie, not the spontaneous home movie style with awkward shots.

 

But I do like all the car shows on Velocity for entertainment now we no longer have the Speed channel.

[tekheavy]

Do you guys remember the show "Unique Whips" on the Speed Channel a few years ago? I now work with Chet, one of the installers on that show. He tells us about how he would have to do multiple takes until they got the shot right. And even after he would install a radio, they would make him take it out, disconnect the wiring, then redo it on camera so they could get the right shot. Was a real pain in the ass for him.