Progressing with two different outlays of the same parent company (Viacom) shows the dexterity of programming strategy needed to engage the current viewer whether the structure is intent to grab the youth demographic or an older more subtextual intonation. The differences between Showtime and CW show this balance with a cacophony of conceptual prowess but also accepted possibilities.
“Rebirth” examines the affectations and emotions integrating with the coming anniversary of 9/11 and it affects the idea of coping with the tragedy from its inception on.
Director Jim Whitaker relates that focusing on a specific emotion on the film “brought about an incredible evolution” in that getting older changes perspectives of certain things. One of the essential steps within the film, he says, was music. In getting Philip Glass to see and score the film made him understand what the film is truly about: hopefulness.
One of the subjects of the film, Tanya Villanueva, lost her fiance, a firefighter, during the attacks, and relays that, in making the documentary, the closer she got with Jim [the director], the easier it became to talk. She still hangs up Sergio’s picture and encourages that “people need to take stock and remember the victims”. She adds that during production, she was “already very reflective in therapy” which helped in that “I was already in that space”
In continuation, Paul McCartney’s new documentary “The Love We Make” takes a relative progression as when the 9/11 attacks hit, Sir Paul was sitting on the tarmac at JFK Airport waiting to take off. In personifying the texture of his life, McCartney says “I believe in magic…I have to.” He recalls that one of the most famous songs he ever wrote: “Yesterday” came to him “in a dream” continuing that “I have no idea where it came from”. He ironically speaks that “there’s no way out of it” because “I have no other rational explanation”.
In terms of the musical exploration as far as finding new talent on shows such as “Idol” or “X-Factor”, he says that “he loves the fact that it can reach that” many people and that “all of that is cool in what’s happening today”. However, in a way, he “feels a little sorry for the performers” because “we had years to figure it out” while for “most of these people, it is overnight” or nothing.
In terms of what he watches, ESPN is a big draw though he says “I sometimes get completely hooked on The Shopping Network”. The texture becomes a little more current as he discusses his embroilment in the News Corp hacking scandal purely saying “apparently I’ve been hacked” and “I will be talking to them about it” adding that “I think it is a horrendous violation of privacy”.
Bringing the perception back to The Beatles, McCartney says that “it was a fabulous thing because it evolved”. He explains that “we came up with 10 years…and that was pushing it”. He explains that “we didn’t think it was going to last too long” and “you learn as you go along”. He admits that “at ‘The Beatles’ stage we were better” because “there were still nerves attached”.
Taking the reverse of a real-life progression, “Web Therapy” starring Lisa Kudrow was originally a concept only created for the Internet as a series of vignettes but grew because of the incorporation of different possibilities in terms of expansion.
Kudrow, commenting on the reflective nature of the material, jokes that “we are fans of therapy, and it being done well”. Their new production of discussions grows in texture every week but, for her, “it is complicated” because “of the twists and turns”. In her estimation, “therapy is meant to be in private, not with someone recording your sessions”. For her preparation, it usually begins by “watching politicians” because “sometimes you see them and they don’t seem to be making sense” yet “they stay on message”.
Dan Bucatinksy, one of the creators on the show, reflects that they wanted to do the series “in a non-traditional way” which “changed it instantly” because “it became about only what Fiona [Kudrow's character] is seeing on her desktop”.
Changing structure into the CW, the influx of “The Secret Circle” reflects into the notion of the supernatural making the comparisons to “The Vampire Diaries” evolve as the series take shape
Exec Producer Gina Giralamo predicates that “the books are as old as ‘The Vampire Diaries’ and because of that success, this seemed like a potential new companion”. Kevin Williamson, who knows a thing or two about genre with the success of his “Vampire Diaries” as well as the “Scream” franchise, “doesn’t think of vampires as a younger generation” because they are “164 years old”. The key is to “have sort of an ageless attitude” and “not stay too much in high school”. As with all things “it is about the act one of it all”. What intrigues him most about the show is that “it is a multi-generational show” and “while they ‘are’ teenagers, they will become adult very fast”. Moving into the lore, the fear becomes “if you can do a spell, why can’t you do another spell” and “how to you make it and ground” yourself? Pointing to that as “our chief concern”, Williamson says “you will rightly see” that “the answers lie”.
Thomas Dekker, recently of Fox’s “Sarah Connor Chronicles”, says that the key, as far as the story goes, is that “it is not just teen lustful attraction” which points to “probably the central inner conflict”.
With the conception of the viewing public changing, reality television needs to make a transition through the CW but with an element of surprise.
Using the idea of stalking against both the common man and the celeb, “H8R” uses the perception of speaking out of turn but actually coming and make that accusation to a person’s face when they can defend themselves. Mario Lopez, host of TV’s “Extra”, interacts with alot of these personalities and when he approaches them, he simply says “Here’s the show”. If it gets them “fired up”, “they want to come in and take it on.
Michael Fleiss, who has exec produced “The Bachelor”, explains that “we try to make good decisions about who to go after” because “you see how these famous people are wounded and hurt when people hate on them”.
Using therapy as an ongoing perception whether it be confrontation or a simple psychological work-up, the inclusion of Dr. Drew and his new show “Lifechangers” continues with a media proliferation that can rival mass marketers with tenacity.
Drew, heavily known for “Loveline” as well as “Celeb Rehab” wanted to differentiate himself. This specific concept “had the breathe and storytelling of a hybrid piece”. Something like the HLN Network, he says, “is based around the news hooks of the day”. Intermingling on his possible overexposure, Drew “finds that curious” and “understands that people could think that”. From his point of view he says “my instinct is that media has changed so much that it has become splintered, existing on multiple platforms and within different demographics”. He continues that “if you would have told me I would be sitting here” years ago, “it was so far from what my head was” adding “I was motivated by the AIDS epidemic” and “did outreach for the next ten years for free”. All that time, “I wanted to be the best doctor” but “the week my wife got pregnant with triplets is when KROQ asked me about doing five nights a week” at which point “my wife said ‘no more community service’”
Circling through the different formulas within the mediums, the basis revolving within the sphere of Showtime and CW shows a penchant for pushing the boundaries while still relating to the wants and needs of the consumer.
