[UUPoly-L] Two TV film companies seek polys for documentaries

alan7388@comcast.net · Sat, 28 Jul 2007 02:35:02 -0000

Folks,

I received the letter below from Pilgrim Films, a fairly bigtime TV production company in California. It has produced a bunch of mass-market TV series, including Ghost Hunters, American Chopper, American Hotrod, and Firehouse USA, as well as higher-brow historical documentaries such as "Queen Isabella and her Spain," "Mahatma Gandhi: Silent Revolution," and "From Every Shire's Ende: the World of Chaucer's Pilgrims" -- according to my very cursory Google search.

My guess is that this could be a worthwhile thing to pursue for people who will represent polyamory well.

My concern is that if people who represent the poly community well don't pursue it, God knows who or what they will display to represent us instead.

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Alan,
  I believe you had emailed my Associate Karen Happel awhile back about our new show on the polyamory community.  You asked if you could repost her info and I was wondering what groups you were associated with or if you just knew people.  The show will be documentary style and we just want couples to share their stories.  I would love to speak to you and/or feel free to pass along my info to anyone who may be interested.  Thanks so much and have a great weekend.

Becky Cattie
Casting Producer
Pilgrim Films
818-752-5552
beckyc@pilgrimfilms.tv

PILGRIM FILMS AND TELEVISION announced today a new documentary pilot that will chronicle the relationships of non-conventional couples.   The casting department is currently seeking people involved in three-way relationships and/or couples that live with or share additional lovers.  Stories will be told from the prospective of each relationship?s participant.  Craig Piligian will produce the series.

Mr. Piligian was the co-executive producer on ?Survivor: Borneo,?  ?Survivor: The Australian Outback,? and  ?Survivor: Africa.?  He is a creator and executive producer of ?The Ultimate Fighter?, ?The Cut,?  ?American Chopper,?  ?American Hot Rod,?  ?American Casino,? and ?Dirty Jobs,? among other productions.

For more information or to apply for the show, please contact:

Becky Cattie                        Casting Producer            818-752-5552

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Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, Gecko Films in England is also looking for people, not necessarily in the UK, to feature in a poly documentary for British TV. They appear to be very earnest about working with their subjects in depth, not just exhibiting them. Here is their letter:

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Hello everyone!

I wanted to introduce myself and let you know a little bit about what I?m doing. I work for a documentary company in the UK called Gecko Productions. I am aware that most of you are used to reading media requests which is why I intend to put all my efforts into making a good impression in the hope that some of you will come forward and communicate with me!

We are developing a programme about individuals from all over, who have been in, are currently in or are considering entering polyamorous relationships. As you know in recent years there have been quite a few documentaries and even dramas made about this topic, so one may ask why are we making another one?!

To put it simply, like programmes no relationship is the same; relationships are something that contain so many levels and intricacies which change all the time in this constantly evolving world. The subject of polyamorous relationships invites people to really question the conventional mould that so many people have adhered to for centuries and that?s what our programmes intend to do. We would really like to explore and share people?s experiences and make something a little bit different and refreshing from our predecessors. We like the contributors to shape the narrative, rather than leave it to over-zealous producers!

We?re in the pre-commission stages at the moment so are still developing the format of the programme. Therefore I invite all of you to put forward any suggestions that you may have. I imagine that we would like to interview and work closely with people who are at different stages in their relationships; I would love to talk to as many people as possible about what draws them to polyamory. Some documentaries merely prod at the surface of a subject, treating the contributors as if they are in a fish bowl or in a lab. Our documentaries like to go a deeper, it?s no good examining or assessing people from afar, it belittles the subject and patronises the audience.

Before I leave you, let me tell you a little bit about our company. Gecko Productions is made up of a small team of talented individuals who take great care in making well-produced, high profile documentaries that combine strong human interest stories with credible journalism.  Our films are not sensational or tabloid but rather balanced, thoughtful and intelligent explorations of iconic human stories. 

Our main output is for the leading broadcasters in the UK: Channel 4, BBC and Sky.  Our reputation for handling difficult subjects sensitively and building firm, trustworthy relationships with the contributors often enables us to gain exclusive access to excellent stories.  Recent films include a documentary called ?The Mermaid Baby? about a Peruvian baby born with sirenomelia and, "The Man who Slept for 19 years" which follows a man with a severe brain injury and his family, as he awakes from a permanent vegetative state after 19 years. One of our films was the highest ever rating science documentary screened on Channel 4.  Another has been nominated for the Grierson award, one of the highest accolades for documentary-filmmaking in the UK. Please feel free to email me or call me for more information on our past productions.

I hope that I have stirred at least a little interest in people to talk to me and will hear from some of you soon. If any of you would like more information please reply to this post or email me at klask@geckoproductions.tv

Many thanks

Kim [Lask]
Assistant Producer - Gecko Productions

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And a P.S. from me:

If you do plan to go on TV,

1)  Determine how you'll look on camera. Have someone interview your group together, throwing you tough questions while a camcorder is running on a tripod, and also following you around the home a bit -- then examine the tape for how you appear to react together. Is there visible brittleness or division in the body language between you? Do you, frankly, come off like the self-deluders the public is looking to see? How you appear may be quite different from how you imagine yourself. Adjust accordingly.

2)  Read the excellent advice from Susan Wright of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom about appearing in the media: http://www.ncsfreedom.org/media/community.htm

Cheers,

Alan