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Reality Check: The Business and Art of Producing Reality TV
Do you have a concept for a reality TV show, but aren't sure about the next steps? Loaded with practical, step-by-step advice on the art and business of reality TV producing, and featuring insights from Mark Burnett, Dick Clark, and other top producers, Reality Check takes you from idea to...reality! At age 13, Michael Essany launched a lowly cable access TV talk show from his parents' basement in Valparaiso, Indiana. Fast forward to 2001, and Michael had turned his little talk show, The Michael Essany Show , into a multimillion-dollar project that quickly became one of the most talked about reality television shows. If Michael can do it, so can you. But be prepared for a lot of hard work and a few reality checks. This book includes compelling advice on how
* Better understand the nature, complexities, and potential of the reality genre
* Physically produce original reality programming
* Get past the gatekeepers and deliver quality pitches to major networks and production companies
* Legally protect yourself, your work, and your intellectual property
* Learn from glories and the gaffes of those who toiled before you
* Utilize the internet and other multimedia outlets to create and generate revenue from reality programming
* Avoid the professional pitfalls of the reality TV industry
* Parlay reality television projects into a successful and enduring career
* Better understand the nature, complexities, and potential of the reality genre
* Physically produce original reality programming
* Get past the gatekeepers and deliver quality pitches to major networks and production companies
* Legally protect yourself, your work, and your intellectual property
* Learn from glories and the gaffes of those who toiled before you
* Utilize the internet and other multimedia outlets to create and generate revenue from reality programming
* Avoid the professional pitfalls of the reality TV industry
* Parlay reality television projects into a successful and enduring career
285 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
5 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
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March 7, 2026
This book had a ton of information but somehow managed not to be all that helpful nonetheless. It's clear that the author feels people would be better off simply not doing reality tv, and that attitude colors the whole book. I'm not sure why he wrote this at all.
Also, I'm not really interested in pitching a real show to a real tv network. I just want to do kind of a homespun reality show lite on my YouTube channel. What I mainly wanted was insight into how to craft a compelling story arc for the episode, season, and multiple seasons. This book wasn't about that and really didn't cover much about story engineering at all.
Notes:
p. 8
Personal improvement/makeover show structure: find someone to make over, team makes them over, show audience the transformation. Appeal: viewer's desire for self-improvement. Leaves viewers uplifted and inspired - no humiliation or meanness required.
p. 9
Renovation and design - need tangible result, emotional response, enjoyable experience. I.e., dramatic change, challenging life story of the homeowner to gut at viewers' heart strings, charming and thoughtful host to keep everyone feeling calm and ok through the ups and downs.
P. 64 getting a pitch meeting is hard. Getting an agent is even harder. Skip the agent and team up with a production company to get taken seriously. Watch the credits of similar shows to find the production companies that made them.
P. 69
Relate your show to existing successful shows (“it’s South Park meets Scrubs”)
P. 70
Paths to getting your show made
- work in the industry, starting at the bottom, and make connections
- team up with someone who already has connections
- know all the right people and show up with the right idea at the right time
p. 75
steps to getting a pitch meeting
1. great idea
2. make sure this great idea hasn't already been made
3. log line: 1-2 sentence summary of your concept
4. 4-8 paragraph synopsis describing the show, general theme, characters, etc. Includ outline of first 10-12 episodes
5. brief but gripping argument as to why your show will be profitable and popular, supported by research
6. register the show idea with WGA
7. query letter
8. research networks and production companies to send it to
9. snail mail your pitch with a SASE
10. allow 4-8 weeks for review. If you hear nothing, follow up as aggressively as you're comfortable doing
P. 78
Another option: record pitch, post on YouTube with the tag “reality show pitch.” If you do this, register it with the writer Guild of America (wga.org) or start making at least a few minutes of the show to post on YouTube.
P. 127 ignore “we don’t accept unsolicited pitches”—pitch anyway. Try celebrities’ production companies.
9list in book) Pitch everyone.
P.135
Once you get the green light, first step is to find cast to execute the storyline you’ve planned. Then put them in the situations that will create the reactions or plot you planned.
P.137
Next, choose locations based on how well the way they feel matches the feel of the show.
P. 139
To fill in gaps in the storyline, do interviews with cast members and ask pointed questions to elicit the response you need. Ex. “What was your reaction when Mabel slapped your boyfriend and insulted your mother?”
—emotion, anger, humor, or suspense will make it on air. This is how you get sound bites.
P. 165
5 releases:
General release so you can use name, image, and likeness of anyone filmed who’s not in the performers’ unions
Talent release so you can use name, image, and likeness of the pros in the performers’ unions
Minor release for any minors
Materials release for any media, film, videos or photos used (signed by the copyright owners)
Location release for property, signed by the property owner
P. 168
You’re a bad fit for reality tv if you’re thin-skinned, set in your ways, or not a fan of teamwork. Also bad: stubbornness, being easily discouraged, not great at communicating.
Have to put in lots of preparation but roll with the punches when everything changes or doesn’t work as planned.
P. 172
Cocktail Party Rule: if you can’t imagine talking enthusiastically about the project at a cocktail party, don’t take the job. Passion is what makes great work
P. 186
Don’t have energy-sucking idiots on your team. The only way to succeed is with awesome people who add energy and/or protect yours.
P. 186
“In reality television, the producer should be concerned primarily with compelling ways of conveying the human element. Extraordinary producers are extraordinary storytellers. “ Nigel Lythgoe, executive producer of American Idol. Attributes show’s success to the way they introduce the audience to each performer’s story, what makes them tick, and why they want to sing. Get people caring.
No matter the type of show, it’s human drama that makes it work. Poignant, inspiring, embarrassing, illustrative, or comical personal stories are the key to it all.
P. 188
Be decisive. Make a decision and go with it. But also be flexible. Adapt to the conditions you find yourself in.
P. 190
Cherry-pick the people who exude positivity energy, share your vision, and balance your team’s collective strengths and weaknesses. Having a great team makes all the difference.
P. 206
If you want to produce reality shows, start as a production intern. Find new shows in Variety and the Hollywood Reporter. Use the contact information there to call and ask if they have any openings for production interns. If they don’t, they may help you find someone who does. It’s an unpaid position but it’s a safe place to learn and make the connections to get the real job.
P. 208 set up your profile on IMDB even if you don’t have any credits yet.
P. 216
Begin your production career with multiple projects at once so that, if your main show flops, you still have other things going. Your resume isn’t just one show that flopped.
P. 218
If you have one idea, turn it into three similar pitches, one tailored to each network you want to pitch. register all three with WGA. Then send them off. (At the time of writing, the best thing to do was mail them to MTV, Comedy Central, and Discovery, all of which were still accepting unsolicited pitches by mail)
P. 219
Get the Hollywood Creative Directory of contact information for production companies, television shows, and network executives.
P. 224
Categories of reality tv: documentary, self-improvement, aspirational, undercover, competition, makeover, forced environment, fear-based, celebrity, renovation and design, romance, sports
P. 226
Have lots of ideas to pitch all over the place, and never turn down an opportunity to pitch, no matter who you’d be pitching to.
p. 227
steps to successful pitching
1. research to get familiar with the state of the art
2. prepare a brief, descriptive outline your show idea(s) (3-5 pages)
3. register your show concept with WGA
4. pick production companies and networks that would be a good fit
5. follow up with everyone to get pitch meetings
6. prepare to the hilt
7. try to get someone credible to go with you, whether it's a production company, someone people have heard of, or consultant
8. present as many relevant and compelling examples and resources as possible (handouts, video clips, testimonies, etc.)
9. leave room for executives to imagine their vision for your project
10. repeat as needed
P. 227
Start building your own fame by putting your projects on YouTube.
P. 228
Always use a lawyer!
Also, I'm not really interested in pitching a real show to a real tv network. I just want to do kind of a homespun reality show lite on my YouTube channel. What I mainly wanted was insight into how to craft a compelling story arc for the episode, season, and multiple seasons. This book wasn't about that and really didn't cover much about story engineering at all.
Notes:
p. 8
Personal improvement/makeover show structure: find someone to make over, team makes them over, show audience the transformation. Appeal: viewer's desire for self-improvement. Leaves viewers uplifted and inspired - no humiliation or meanness required.
p. 9
Renovation and design - need tangible result, emotional response, enjoyable experience. I.e., dramatic change, challenging life story of the homeowner to gut at viewers' heart strings, charming and thoughtful host to keep everyone feeling calm and ok through the ups and downs.
P. 64 getting a pitch meeting is hard. Getting an agent is even harder. Skip the agent and team up with a production company to get taken seriously. Watch the credits of similar shows to find the production companies that made them.
P. 69
Relate your show to existing successful shows (“it’s South Park meets Scrubs”)
P. 70
Paths to getting your show made
- work in the industry, starting at the bottom, and make connections
- team up with someone who already has connections
- know all the right people and show up with the right idea at the right time
p. 75
steps to getting a pitch meeting
1. great idea
2. make sure this great idea hasn't already been made
3. log line: 1-2 sentence summary of your concept
4. 4-8 paragraph synopsis describing the show, general theme, characters, etc. Includ outline of first 10-12 episodes
5. brief but gripping argument as to why your show will be profitable and popular, supported by research
6. register the show idea with WGA
7. query letter
8. research networks and production companies to send it to
9. snail mail your pitch with a SASE
10. allow 4-8 weeks for review. If you hear nothing, follow up as aggressively as you're comfortable doing
P. 78
Another option: record pitch, post on YouTube with the tag “reality show pitch.” If you do this, register it with the writer Guild of America (wga.org) or start making at least a few minutes of the show to post on YouTube.
P. 127 ignore “we don’t accept unsolicited pitches”—pitch anyway. Try celebrities’ production companies.
9list in book) Pitch everyone.
P.135
Once you get the green light, first step is to find cast to execute the storyline you’ve planned. Then put them in the situations that will create the reactions or plot you planned.
P.137
Next, choose locations based on how well the way they feel matches the feel of the show.
P. 139
To fill in gaps in the storyline, do interviews with cast members and ask pointed questions to elicit the response you need. Ex. “What was your reaction when Mabel slapped your boyfriend and insulted your mother?”
—emotion, anger, humor, or suspense will make it on air. This is how you get sound bites.
P. 165
5 releases:
General release so you can use name, image, and likeness of anyone filmed who’s not in the performers’ unions
Talent release so you can use name, image, and likeness of the pros in the performers’ unions
Minor release for any minors
Materials release for any media, film, videos or photos used (signed by the copyright owners)
Location release for property, signed by the property owner
P. 168
You’re a bad fit for reality tv if you’re thin-skinned, set in your ways, or not a fan of teamwork. Also bad: stubbornness, being easily discouraged, not great at communicating.
Have to put in lots of preparation but roll with the punches when everything changes or doesn’t work as planned.
P. 172
Cocktail Party Rule: if you can’t imagine talking enthusiastically about the project at a cocktail party, don’t take the job. Passion is what makes great work
P. 186
Don’t have energy-sucking idiots on your team. The only way to succeed is with awesome people who add energy and/or protect yours.
P. 186
“In reality television, the producer should be concerned primarily with compelling ways of conveying the human element. Extraordinary producers are extraordinary storytellers. “ Nigel Lythgoe, executive producer of American Idol. Attributes show’s success to the way they introduce the audience to each performer’s story, what makes them tick, and why they want to sing. Get people caring.
No matter the type of show, it’s human drama that makes it work. Poignant, inspiring, embarrassing, illustrative, or comical personal stories are the key to it all.
P. 188
Be decisive. Make a decision and go with it. But also be flexible. Adapt to the conditions you find yourself in.
P. 190
Cherry-pick the people who exude positivity energy, share your vision, and balance your team’s collective strengths and weaknesses. Having a great team makes all the difference.
P. 206
If you want to produce reality shows, start as a production intern. Find new shows in Variety and the Hollywood Reporter. Use the contact information there to call and ask if they have any openings for production interns. If they don’t, they may help you find someone who does. It’s an unpaid position but it’s a safe place to learn and make the connections to get the real job.
P. 208 set up your profile on IMDB even if you don’t have any credits yet.
P. 216
Begin your production career with multiple projects at once so that, if your main show flops, you still have other things going. Your resume isn’t just one show that flopped.
P. 218
If you have one idea, turn it into three similar pitches, one tailored to each network you want to pitch. register all three with WGA. Then send them off. (At the time of writing, the best thing to do was mail them to MTV, Comedy Central, and Discovery, all of which were still accepting unsolicited pitches by mail)
P. 219
Get the Hollywood Creative Directory of contact information for production companies, television shows, and network executives.
P. 224
Categories of reality tv: documentary, self-improvement, aspirational, undercover, competition, makeover, forced environment, fear-based, celebrity, renovation and design, romance, sports
P. 226
Have lots of ideas to pitch all over the place, and never turn down an opportunity to pitch, no matter who you’d be pitching to.
p. 227
steps to successful pitching
1. research to get familiar with the state of the art
2. prepare a brief, descriptive outline your show idea(s) (3-5 pages)
3. register your show concept with WGA
4. pick production companies and networks that would be a good fit
5. follow up with everyone to get pitch meetings
6. prepare to the hilt
7. try to get someone credible to go with you, whether it's a production company, someone people have heard of, or consultant
8. present as many relevant and compelling examples and resources as possible (handouts, video clips, testimonies, etc.)
9. leave room for executives to imagine their vision for your project
10. repeat as needed
P. 227
Start building your own fame by putting your projects on YouTube.
P. 228
Always use a lawyer!
Displaying 1 of 1 review