Hey, NJ! Make Your Way into Reality TV, Radio and Print

5/17/11 - By tsellinger

There you are, making dinner in your kitchen surrounded by peeling cabinets, ugly wallpaper and a cracked counter top, watching yet another family getting a dream kitchen makeover on TV and wondering, “Why not me? How on earth do they get this?” Believe it or not, it’s easier than you think to not only be featured in a home remodel, but to receive a personal makeover, free professional advice, game show prizes and more.  Speaking as a veteran of HGTV’s “Dear Genevieve,” (photo at left is my remodeled kitchen!) the “TYRA” show, “LXTV”, REDBOOK, ALL YOU, and the CBS “Early Morning Show”; and having been chosen for, but turned down, many more opportunities including “Wife Swap”, “Rocco to the Rescue” and “Honey Please,” I know that you’re what they’re seeking.  You just need to know where to reach them and how to position yourself.  Read on, and ready yourself to shine in the spotlight!

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Where Can I Find Castings?

One night after dinner clean-up in my broken-down kitchen, I finally sat down at the computer and looked up HGTV’s website.  I searched, “Be on HGTV” and lo and behold, a list of 14 shows seeking candidates for home improvements appeared!  Everything from a small project that needed completion to buying a brand new home.  Better yet, 50% of these projects sought people in the New Jersey area!  New Jersey families offer a range of home types, a variety of family make-ups, a spectrum of personalities, and proximity to NYC production crews.  Ideal for ALL kinds of shows. The opportunities are yours for the taking, and they change daily, so check often. Here’s a list of places to begin reviewing and selecting the magazines, radio and television shows seeking people like you:

HGTV

Current opportunities include: “Do You Have an Interior Decorating Disaster in Your Home,” “Families Who Want to Party New Jersey Style!,” “Do You Have an Ugly Kitchen? Get a Free Remodel!” and “The Hottest Design Team Wants to Transform Your Family’s Home.”

ABC

Current opportunities include “SuperNanny,” “Wife Swap,” “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” and “Karaoke Battle U.S.A.”

TLC

Current opportunities include “Outrageous Kid Parties,”“Extreme Couponing,” “Toddlers and Tiaras,” “Next Great Baker,” “What Not to Wear” and “A Conception Story.”

CBS

Current opportunities include “Survivor,” “Big Brother” and “Amazing Race.”

NBC

Current opportunities include “Sing Off,” “The Biggest Loser,” “Minute to Win It,” and “America's Got Talent Youtube Audition.”

FOX

Current opportunities include Simon Cowell’s new show, “The X Factor,” Gorden Ramsay’s “Kitchen Nightmares,” and “So You Think You Can Dance.”

WE TV

Current opportunities include “Family Therapy Show,” “Bridezillas,” “My Fair Wedding,” and “Rich Bride Poor Bride.”

MTV           

Current opportunities include “Are You a Highschool Junior Set to Graduate in 2012 and Trying to Get into the College of your Dreams,” “VH1 Love & Hip-Hop Reunion,” “What Would You Change About Your Family if you Could,” and  “Kelly Cutrone Helps Make Your Design/Fashion Business Dreams Come True.”

In addition to visiting the above television show websites for casting notices, the sites HARO and Reality Wanted allow you to sign up for free to receive daily email lists of casting and interview opportunities:

How Should I Apply?

You’ve found an opportunity for which you think you and your family are PERFECT!  Now what?  The first step is to research the show or publication.  If it’s an ongoing series, watch a few episodes (or flip through back issues) to confirm this a venue in which you’re comfortable appearing, and to understand who they choose to feature.  Secondly, follow the casting instructions to the letter.  Understand that these casting agents are receiving thousands of applications.  Weeding starts with any applications which don’t follow instructions, from deadline, to size of image attached, to amount of words in descriptions.  If you can’t follow the rules, don’t waste your time and theirs.  Thirdly, show–don’t tell.  For example, if you’re writing a description to pitch your family as fun-loving and crazy, don’t just write, “we’re fun-loving and crazy.”  Include examples that demonstrate your craziness, for example, “Every night at dinner we go around the table taking turns picking a topic–from getting up and demonstrating a new dance move, to singing a song, to telling the most embarrassing story of our lives.”  The same goes for video.  Our family taped an entire video introduction while jumping and somersaulting on the master bed–and they chose us!  Give them a real feel for who you are.  Show them you know what they want, and that you and your family can bring it!

What Can I Expect?

This varies greatly from opportunity to opportunity.  Magazine and radio interviews may be just a call-in with a follow-up from research to confirm facts.  Smaller TV shows may require an in-home video audition and background checks.  The largest shows involve multiple interviews, psychological testing, references and more.  Makeover shows typically require full-out permission to do anything they want–haircuts, hair coloring, make-up, outfits.  As far as remodeling, shows vary greatly, since various companies produce the shows for each channel.  Some compensate completely, some offer matching compensation, and some don’t compensate at all.  Be sure you understand the full ramifications of the offer before signing any contracts.  Our HGTV kitchen remodel required we contribute an amount in the neighborhood of $15,000., but in return, through their vendor relationships and co-marketing efforts, we received physical materials valued at over $35,000., not including the actual physical labor, top designer input, permits received, and an entire kitchen re-done, top-to-bottom, in literally 4 days. LXTV supplied a full-on hair, make-up and outfit make-over from a top NYC salon—overall value–$2,000.. Cost to me? 5 hours of my time.  The TYRA Show paid my gym membership for a month, supplied a personal trainer, and gave me a full-on makeover with a designer wardrobe–again, all I put in was my time.  All of these experiences also resulted in new friends and new experiences–priceless.

There you have it.  Your guide to making your way into the media world.  So next time you’re finished loading the dishes, wiping down the counters and folding the laundry, skip your Facebook session and sign on to one the sites above instead.  Who knows? Soon you could be watching your OWN family getting a brand new kitchen....in YOUR brand new kitchen.