Just saw this article at Locus Magazine regarding their new Clarion reality show. I have to say, their death match concept intrigues me.
Bowing to hard economic times, Clarions East and West1 have joined forces under the auspices of newly appointed director Dave Itzkoff and signed with the SyFy channel to participate in a new reality show called “Clarion Call: “Fight to Write.” Effective immediately, both workshops will be scaled back to three weeks and 15 students each. At the end of every day of shooting, one student will be eliminated. After the first 15 episodes have aired, the survivors of both Clarions will take each other on in a cage match televised live by SyFy and their new affiliate Shyte TV.
This has inspired me.
I’m going to borrow a video camera from my good friend Andrew LeBlanc and shoot a guerrilla-style Clarion West reality show, then upload it here (and by extension YouTube). Though Andy seems to think differently, I kind of believe a “battle to the death” style show starring writers would be boring as hell, but an informative documentary about a bunch of budding writers on the cusp of succeeding might be fun. And, as far as I’m aware, it’s never been done before.
So all you Clarionites, get ready to mug, cause you’re going to be on camera!
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Sweet! How many folks were freaking out today over that one?
It would be interesting, except the elimination bit adds (more) stress and phoniness. Even if it was just online, I’d watch. Especially if it was online.
Hey, no fair! The Clarion reality show was my idea! I commented on it somewhere recently… But a documentary might be cool, too. It would need an angle, though. Maybe if the Clarions were a part of a broader exploration of the future of SF writing and publishing (with RoF’s recent trouble and all).
I’ve commented in chatrooms for years on the Clarion reality show idea. I even drafted a couple articles on the idea. Maybe I’ll dig one up and post it to my blog. If fashion designers can have their own reality show, why not writers? It could take some of the price sting out of the workshop. It could be a webisode thing or a joint television-internet thing. Ooh, and have Harlan Ellison run it…tears are good for ratings.
Yes, I really have put a lot of thought into this.
-Oso
Tanya, I’m up for the Writers of the Future Gold award in August, so I’ll be sweating for the cameras then, but only for about 10 minutes. I can’t imagine doing it for six weeks.
Scott, I had no idea you blogged about this. If you end up getting in, we can work on it together!!
I just added this stuff to my blog, but it’s old stuff of mine. I don’t think it was ever produced publicly in this fashion, but I have discussed it places. Anyway, I put up two posts.
http://osomuerte.wordpress.com/2009/04/02/how-i-would-sell-out-the-milford-model/
http://osomuerte.wordpress.com/2009/04/02/wow-i-put-way-too-much-time-into-this/
Wow, I need a life.
Um, am I Tanya?
You guys should totally document your Clarion experiences. You know, for the (extra) envy it will generate.
Ack! I’m sorry Tracie. I’m pretty touchy about my name, so I’m usually pretty good with the names of others. I’ll get it right from now on!