Reality TV

As many of you have heard, SoM has been asked by some TV producers in LA to help them in the development of a reality tv based show.

They are looking for ideas revolving around pagaism, wicca, magic, spiritualism, the occult etc.

Right now they are fishing around looking for ideas so almost anything is possible. they simply need to know if there is enough material for a show and what type of people and stories would be in the show.

You can read some selected posts about the idea here:
http://www.spellsofmagic.com/read_post.html?post=492527

If you are interested in being part of the show, or have ideas to share, please share them here:
http://www.spellsofmagic.com/tv.html

Once SoM has collected about a dozen or so responses we will forward the info off to the producers.

Juat a bump on this. I'll keep the applications open for 1 more week then send them off, so get yours in if you want to contribute to the reality show

Can I submit my son? He's 11 but he knows of the occult

@ Fuscus, why do you want your 11 year old on a reality show? sorry, i just find it odd, if your kid wants to be on tv that's one thing, but putting him on tv without him actually wanting to be is another. [not that i know if he does or not]

i hate reality tv, so i'd personally want no part in it, like you said in the other forum 'Keep in mind that this is television, it is entertainment, and like all reality shows would be loosely scripted and exaggerated'. my dislike of reality tv mentioned, i will say it sounds like a good idea. i'd like a show for pagans, showing we're normal people, showing our struggles for acceptance and the like. how likely it'll be that's what the program would show however is anyone's guess.

what is the format of the show anyway? is it like 'Hoarders' where a camera crew will interview us one on one and follow us around for a few days, or is it more like 'The Real Housewifes of...' where it's a group of pagan 'friends'. the example of different people from SoM all meeting up at the end of the season at Pagan Pride Day sounds like an interesting idea. still though, unsure what the tv show will be, what station approached you, what country is it exclusive to [american probably] how many episodes, what's the format [contest, documentary, story series] i'd like to know, i'm most likely not going to apply, but it would still be important to know.

overall, i feel it's a good idea, but it comes down to who's filming it? if it's someone like fox or possibly A&E, i wouldn't trust it too much as they tend to put drama before fact most of the time. i can see a 'pagan reality show' shot by them as being a bunch of fluffies and people protesting. i understand, it would get ratings, but it's not what the community needs. something filmed by discovery or history showing all walks, in an unbiased light, to educate more than entertain, would be better, but it's rather unlikely it would be made. just my two cents.

if they're worried about cost, why not submit our own video's of our own stories and they just compile them? just a thought. anyway, good luck to anyone who tries out, fingers crossed this show doesn't exploit people.

Those are all good questions, and they are questions the producers have too. Until they talk to people, get some stories and ideas anything is possible.

If they produce a show, it will be developed based on the people and applications they receive now. If they receive 20 fluffy applications and they decide to go forward then it will be a fluffy show. If they receive mostly applications of serious practitioners then that will be the focus of the show.

So right now they are just looking for info and possibilities from people willing to help be part of the entire process of a reality tv show.

If they decide to move forward they will put a story together and develop a few episodes, kinda like a pilot episode, selecting people from the applications and those people will get paid for their work, just like any other actor in a reality tv show pilot.

How many applications/ideas are they wanting to get in all? I love writing and may have a few ideas up my sleve, but I practice in secret so I wouldn't be able to actually go on TV though I wish I could sometimes. Is it excepted to go multiple seasons or will they just make episodes as ideas come and go? Plus if there are any fluffy ideas, why not change them to common sence. Explain why certain things will not work and all that. Like making fluffy ideas actually have some teaching in them and telling people the difference between Hollywood and real magick, if possible.

the problem with that Legend is, what would get more ratings? people sitting around a circle thanking the Lord and Lady for a bountiful harvest, or people dressed all in black claiming they can turn you into a toad?

your story might be interesting tv, someone practicing in secret, then coming out of the broom closet to his parents. i can see that being made. however, i think it might be made in such a way that your parents fly off the handle and either you or them are painted as the bad guy.

i feel if it's shot more like Hoarders and it shows the different lifestyles, both fluffy and non-fluffy, the casual practitioner, the daily practitioner, those in the broom closet and out, families of Witches and households with just one Witch. i feel that would be much better. this show would have to be handled cautiously, it could be very helpful or hurtful depending on which way they go. they probably want ratings over facts, so they'll more than likely stage things, or film a lot of fluffy people because more people would like to sit and laugh at the absurdity of our religion than actually see our way of life. [see Honey Boo-Boo]

while i don't want to be in the show, i might submit some idea's, just to be heard, and try to sway things in a positive light. worth a shot.

Fuscus Why would you want you child on TV talking about this, don't you think it it's like throwing them into the lion's den? I certainly wouldn't be putting any other my children on TV talking about this stuff reason begin we have enough of a hard time with the funny looks, the comments, people believing rubbish they heard about us (witches/Wiccan/pagan) without having my children begin on TV talking about Wicca/pagansim & the occult etc & for them to be bullied at school & begin called freak! I personally am honest about my path, I'm not ashamed & don't give a bleep when it comes to ignorance but I do worry about the kids! I have to be careful even in this day & age, we could get our house bricked if I'm not careful. I feel in away the TV reality show would be good to *try* & change people's opinions of us & to show the truth, for us to come out of the shadows a bit more. However I feel it maybe damaging to our community if LA producers are anything like our producers here in the UK they'll edit it to there advantage, add things in, take things out make us look like raving loonies & people will fear us/hate us/don't like us even more. I hope it's successfully I really do but I have my worries! Are they using SOM to make a good TV show & abuse us. We have to protect the magickal community even in if we're not in the same country. It will be shown all over in time, your the US so of-course it'll be shown all over. I wish the show well, just hope it goes how we want not how they want.

also I've done reality TV before, it was the worst mistake in my life! it nearly destroyed my family! It coursed a lot of trouble, it was me, my Mom & my sister. Me & my sister actually came across quite well but my mom came across like a religious nutter (she's a Christian) it was horrible how the edited it & my mom ended booking into a hospital for a while after. Which was horrible as my mom is the strongest lady I know but just crumble like that. It's tuck years to get over it! They used us. I was even told to swear, throw a chair at my mom. I said I'm not doing that! I don't swear & wont be shouting at my mom or throwing things, are you insane? They edit how they want it to look. your watch after & say I never said that!! I just think SOM need to think carefully & really be carful when it comes to taking this to the TV.

sorry to hear about that pinkwitch, i've read a few articles about 'reality' tv shows, and they seldom turn out good. my mom and sister love The Biggest Looser, [that show always rubbed me the wrong way] first almost everyone gains back all the weight they lost because they're dehydrating themselves, and most wind up with eating disorders. a few people have broken their contracts to speak out, rather inhumane stuff happened in their seasons. i read one about a girl who tore the ligaments in her legs [season 3 if memory serves] the doctors told her to rest, but when she approached her trainer, the person basically called the doctor crazy and demanded she kept going. when the woman refused, they shot the episode to paint her as a lazy complainer.

anyway, Fuscus, why not your whole family audition if you want your son to be a part of this. sit your family down, and discuss the pro's [fame, money] and cons [no privacy, bullying] of being on the show. i'm sure they would like to see what a family of witches is like.