Sailing the Pacific Puddle Jump While Filming a TV Show - Advice ?

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by SS Little-Devil

If anyone has any productive advice, I'd very much appreciate it. For instance, a suggested route from LA would be great. I's like to sail to PV if that's where everything starts so I can get some footage, but am not sure how long it will take to get there.

I would make the boat side largely incidental. and include plenty of tits and bums .....and aim it for an audience with a total IQ under 100 and the attention spans of a chipmunk.

And make it a bit of a Celebrity X Factor Dancing on Ice reality show (nowadays the Celebs don't even have to be famous = cheap ) - where every week one crew member gets to walk the plank . and if "accidently" one gets eaten by a shark, then that would be all very sad - apart from the ratings boost. Just sayin'

[capn_billl]

Sounds like a fun trip, I wish I could go. Well if not I'll be sure to watch it, it sounds like an interesting movie.

[SS Little-Devil]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

I would make the boat side largely incidental. and include plenty of tits and bums .....and aim it for an audience with a total IQ under 100 and the attention spans of a chipmunk.

And make it a bit of a Celebrity X Factor Dancing on Ice reality show (nowadays the Celebs don't even have to be famous = cheap ) - where every week one crew member gets to walk the plank . and if "accidently" one gets eaten by a shark, then that would be all very sad - apart from the ratings boost. Just sayin'

The plan is to get four different genres of TV shows out of the footage. Each will be its own show. One each of Lifestyle, Reality, Travel/destination and yes....T&A. So indeed I will cover that side of boating life. There is an audience for it, and of all of them, I'm sure that will be the easiest sell.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by SS Little-Devil

The plan is to get four different genres of TV shows out of the footage. Each will be its own show. One each of Lifestyle, Reality, Travel/destination and yes....T&A. So indeed I will cover that side of boating life. There is an audience for it, and of all of them, I'm sure that will be the easiest sell.

Are you going to set up own TV channel online?

[SS Little-Devil]

We'll have a youtube channel for sure. But that will just be for regular websisodes and to keep growing a fan base to help presell the show and keep the momentum going. I'm sure many people will want to follow our adventures. We'll edit that on board or at whatever port we happen to be.

The rest of the footage will be shipped back and/or uploaded to an editing partner. I'm meeting with a local company in Vancouver today who provides these services as well as VFX and animation. They expressed interest in handling the editing, but since they also do advertising post production and have a division that handles the negotiation and sale of product placement and brand integration, they might be a good fit. They will likely come on board on spec also. We'll see.

The shows themselves, with any luck will be aired on network television. Which network is obviously up in the air, but I'll be pitching it around.

Like I said, if it doesn't sell, I'll be broke with a boat in Australia, but I'll have had a real adventure and all the footage...whatever that's worth. Hopefully though I can make enough to keep going or at least cover some of my expenses. We'll see.

[Iron Gall]

Originally Posted by SS Little-Devil

We'll have a youtube channel for sure. But that will just be for regular websisodes and to keep growing a fan base to help presell the show and keep the momentum going. I'm sure many people will want to follow our adventures. We'll edit that on board or at whatever port we happen to be.

The rest of the footage will be shipped back and/or uploaded to an editing partner. I'm meeting with a local company in Vancouver today who provides these services as well as VFX and animation. They expressed interest in handling the editing, but since they also do advertising post production and have a division that handles the negotiation and sale of product placement and brand integration, they might be a good fit. They will likely come on board on spec also. We'll see.

The shows themselves, with any luck will be aired on network television. Which network is obviously up in the air, but I'll be pitching it around.

Like I said, if it doesn't sell, I'll be broke with a boat in Australia, but I'll have had a real adventure and all the footage...whatever that's worth. Hopefully though I can make enough to keep going or at least cover some of my expenses. We'll see.

Your entrepreneurial spirit is inspiring. I'm a bit younger than you and on the front side of my first business. Your attitude makes me wish I could join you. No doubt but that your willingness to risk everything will pay out. Saw a guy in the middle of Nowhere, Kansas the other day wearing a t-shirt with an illustration of gambling dice. The caption on the back read: "Nothing pays out like hard work."

It would be great if you started filming now so that we could see what you're doing to get started and some of the obstacles you're facing. Maybe start building a fan base. IMO, you've already started the most important part of the journey. If it were me, I'd already have the YouTube channel up and earning money from ads displayed on the site. The more fans and money you make now, the easier I think it'd be to convince a network to buy the show.

Please tell us when the channel is up. I'm subscribing along with my buddy at Dreamworks.

[SS Little-Devil]

IG:

Thanks man. I'm glad to hear some people like the idea. I was scared to post it thinking I would get trashed for promoting on the site or something or for my choice in boat at the very least.

I just had a meeting today that was very productive and have already spoken to a network, sent out some info to Travel and Escape TV in Canada and have posted ads looking for crew on the ground in LA, a web designer, a production manager, producer, and bunch of other positions.

I also sent off an email to a Yacht Broker in LA asking if he would be on camera and come with me while shopping for boats while a camera op and sound person followed us around so we could film an episode on how to buy a boat for a trip like this, and then will also film the retrofit and gearing up process. I'll also get a photographer so we have publicity stills.

I have been super gung ho to to get the boat purchase done, but as you said, I think we need to document that process, and in doing so, it will help provide a sizzle reel that will get us distribution and therefore some backers.

I'll also get some info up on my blog right away announcing the trip and will post regularly. Thanks for your support bud! Those kinds of comments inspire me too!!

[webejammin]

We just went thru the boat purchasing in California last year and after 3 years looking at boats that had 3 staterooms big enough for grand kids we found our Gemini 105Mc a great choice for us the runner up was a 51.5 foot Beneteau they have about the same amount of room for twice the money. I haven't been on a Cal 35 but you got to think about how much provisions you and a crew of 4 will need. A catamaran has a bigger deck to film on and from and those pic's of young ladies setting on the bow seats look really good. A couple from Vancouver BC is just about to finish there circumnavication on sv Slapdash www.theslapdash.com a Gemini 105Mc, you should read and watch there u-tubes about there adventure there waiting for a good weather window to cross the Atlantic to South Carolina where they started from. There's a young man sailing solo around the Americas in about a 30 footer www.solotheamericas.org and is within a week or so of going around the Horn of South America no video just posts but what an adventure. California has some really good deals on boats so look around and figure you will probably need to update rigging and sails if sailing off shore.
I like your idea of starting on the west coast of the USA. I have never seen any footage sailing down the west coast from BC to Mexico much less doing the southern pacific islands, I guess you can't get really good video of T & A if girls are wearing too many clothes in colder climates but the pic's would be purkey at best with goose bumps . With unemployment high you should have your pick of good looking stars. There's lots of video's out about BVI and Islands south on the Atlantic side which makes lots of compitition on selling your video.
I have a friend Darren who lives in Port Townsend WA that films the sailing videos for Latts and Atts Magizine that's shown on the cable sailing channel regularly, check out his videos on the Latt and Atts Seafaring web site.

[SS Little-Devil]

Hey Webejammin.

I've read some of that blog in the past. And I've looked a bit at the Geminis. Funny, you can tell they are Canadians, as they list no price for their boat, or even a model year, then tell the reader to go on yachtworld or any other online resource to establish fair market value yourself. Lol. Yeesh.

I've seen some older ones for the like $49k in the past, but I suspect that I'd be better off on a monohull. I'll look more at the blog of the dude with 27 footer, and certainly check out Darren's stuff. Thanks for the info!

[webejammin]

Originally Posted by SS Little-Devil

Hey Webejammin.

I've read some of that blog in the past. And I've looked a bit at the Geminis. Funny, you can tell they are Canadians, as they list no price for their boat, or even a model year, then tell the reader to go on yachtworld or any other online resource to establish fair market value yourself. Lol. Yeesh.

I've seen some older ones for the like $49k in the past, but I suspect that I'd be better off on a monohull. I'll look more at the blog of the dude with 27 footer, and certainly check out Darren's stuff. Thanks for the info!

We bought our 02 for $98,000.00 the seller had dropped the price $35,000.00 a day before I had checked it for the umteenth time, it was in San Diago's Mission Bay ( Nice place) even a year later it's a great deal for us. There's several for sale in Cal with slips too to get some sailing under your belt before heading off shore. My buddy is out sailing in BVI right now on his 96 Gemini and he loves it after 3 years. 2 adult people can sleep in each of the 2 aft staterooms but the queen bed is best. A 27 ft monohull sailboat is really small for 4 adults plus adding 2 kids in the summer months that's why we sold our 26 ft monohull ( even though it had beds for 2 in the bow 2 in the master king size bed and 2 in day beds that was the dinett, we felt crowded with only one guest and after 3 years only had 2 day visiters with my wife and I. I just took our cat in our lighted boat paraid and had 7 people aboard for the evening and our boat did not seem crowed.

I would suggest when looking to buy get your crew be it 4 or 6 people on board for a test sail and walk around inside and on the deck and have everyone in the cockpit while sailing in a heavy breeze and if you have to move folks to just get around you will regret it later off shore.

[SS Little-Devil]

Appreciate the advice. 90% of the time there should be only three of us on board, and if things get rough, we'll deal with two provided my mate in that case is very experienced offshore or I feel confident after several months being captain on my own boat.

I've seen a few two cabin design that I think would work. I was recommended a broker and I'm even looking at a few mid 80's Beneteau Firsts in Cali that have two and 3 cabins in the 35-40 footers close to my budget. Bottom line is that part of the reality portion of the show is being confined in that space together, and making do without the most luxurious boat out there. And if we manage to do it without killing each other, it might inspire others to be able to buy a smaller boat now and just get out there and do it, since they are highly unlikely to spend the better part of 8 months in a boat and might be just two people.

And once I bring my two boys out for their summer school break, that will likely make 2 adults and 2 teenage boys on the boat. Make for some good Reality TV I think. They are both good looking, in good shape and their first language is French. And at 14 and 16 (by the time they arrive), they might even get some ratings in from the coveted 13-21 female demographic that advertiser pay most for! Lol!

[diamondjet]

Jon,

Your project sounds great.

I'm a writer/director/producer living in LA. And I've worked on everything from little indies to THE AVENGERS.

You can check me out on IMDB.

I can't get away for the entire trip but we could talk about part of the time. At any rate, I would be glad to help out here in LA.

Gregory Doucette

[SS Little-Devil]

Thanks Gregory. I fly in on the 5th, but if you'd like to chat via skype before then to see if we can collaborate somehow, that would be great.

[Coldwaterdiver]

Its great to watch a dream grow right before my very eyes. I believe we make our own luck. The harder you work the luckier you get! Chase the dream it's a good one!

[SS Little-Devil]

Originally Posted by Coldwaterdiver

Its great to watch a dream grow right before my very eyes. I believe we make our own luck. The harder you work the luckier you get! Chase the dream it's a good one!

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DROOL!

Been DROOLING over a 45' Beneteau First. It would be perfect for the trip with the crew we'll have, but it's a little higher than my budget. It's got two cabins up front with 4 bunks, a pilot berth and a queen cabin in the aft with a writing desk! When I'm not at the helm or on watch, I can do video editing, keep writing screenplays and get some business done, or just get away when I need some privacy. Might have to figure something out there...

Can't wait to get on the ground and start filming the process of shopping for the boat, discovering all the things to look for, filming the survey inspections, the haul out and sea trial and finally transferring the owners docs over! Then we film the retrofits, sailing lessons and learning all about the instruments and systems.

Talked to a Beneteau dealer and broker with NAOS Yachts in Marina Del Rey by the name of Charles-Etienne Devanneaux. He's down for being on camera and walking me through the boats. We'll get the owners' permission, model and property releases of course. Even if we don't buy their boat, the owner can get some exposure through the show by being involved, so it should be easy to convince them. Although they have to be prepared to have defects exposed as well. Hopefully most agree and the show can be used to teach people what to look for in buying a boat - particularly for offshore use.

Just working on finding my ground crew in LA to help with that.