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TV Series Seeks Liveaboard Families

5K views 20 replies 14 participants last post by  Allanbc 
#1 ·
Production company developing a new documentary TV series about liveaboards. We're seeking a dynamic family with big personalities living and loving their unconventional home.

The series will focus on what it means for a family to live, work, and play as full-time liveaboards and how they deal with everything from dinner to keeping themselves afloat.

If you or someone you know is interested, email our casting producer: jason.watt@liontv.us

Tell us a little about yourselves and where possible include some photos of yourselves and your home.
 
#3 ·
#4 · (Edited)
Good luck, anybody I know who lives aboard, selected that lifestyle just to get away from that kind of thing. I would be surprised if anyone who chooses that lifestyle would want to be involved in a snoopy T.V. production with all the prying cameras and googleing eyes, just to entertain someone who's life is so bland that they need to resort to watching instead of doing. Just MHO..Rick

John, good suggestion using Dylan Winter..excellent cameraman who knows boats a nd sailing, but I wonder if that kind of the would even interest him..
 
#5 ·
Can't help but notice that it is always families wanted. Clearly a small minority of those who liveaboard but I guess a large percentage of the book and TV buying dreamers. I guess it also saves time determining who plays what role.

Of course I know a few families sailing but it would take some production work to create the controversy needed to sell. Very level headed group.

I would suggest hiring people to do this…..oh wait that is what is being tried….I mean hire individual people and then put them together for the show.
Have them be the family needed, then after the show is released, expose them as fakes and frauds. Well timed it could drive ratings through the roof and since you controlled all parts of the show it should be well worth watching.

Do some actual sailing and I might be interested in watching it when it comes out on Blue-ray.
 
#7 ·
Gee, we do that all summer, not far from NY too, with 4 kids ages 5 to 13, one with autism. And we could house a cameraperson in the crew quarters.

Problem is, that every minute of the summer is priceless. Not sure we'd want to take the time to deal with all the cameras and everything. And the secret spots we go to are special -- I'd share them on this forum without hesitation, but sharing them on prime time seems different somehow.

Each day is different and dynamic and serendipitous -- on the inside. For an external viewer, not sure how much a viewer could stand watching us 1) playing in/on/under the water, 2) playing/chatting on the beach, 3) reading, 4) deciding what to do for dinner, 5) choosing the venues for each part of the day, and 6) teaching the kids. And sailing, of course. What's missing is back stabbing, scheming and other things that seem to make ratings. Instead it's beach, bar-b-ques, bon fires, wine/beers with family and friends, sunsets, and simple fun. It's basically a moving, relaxed-but-careful party in a big playground. Like I said, it's summer.

Also, any livaboard is going to be smart enough to ask to see your previous work, to see if you are creating ratings or actually showing what life's like. Think of a scale between Ken Burns and Jerry Springer. You might want to post links to some of your previous work.

Good luck in your search. If it has some good sailing clips, I'm sure we'd all want to watch it.

Regards,
Brad
 
#9 ·
Realize that the target market will likely not be the sailing community. It will be those who think that people who live on a boat are freaks; and this will re-enforce that. Ice Blink is the last place they are looking to go with this, that will not bring in ratings. If Ice Blink was a popular concept, it would have already had wider distribution. In the scale of Springer to Burns, likely much closer to Springer.

You want good wholesome entertainment?????? What's the matter with you? You some kind of pervert?
 
#10 ·
The first thing that jumps out at me about the request is a lack of knowledge... most - not all I know but most - liveaboard families aren't rolling around in extra space, so adding a camera crew to the mix is going to be difficult. And trying to trail alongside and film close in another boat when the liveaboards change tack will be an adventure.
And as others have said, folks that chose this lifestyle aren't likely to want to submit to the intrusion.
 
#12 ·
I was watching a movie that wanted to have teenagers on a boat making stupid teenage mistakes. When faced with the problem of space that you mentioned them simply went with a larger boat.

The weak plot explanation stood out the whole time I was watching. Hard to buy into characters when they were so out of place on a multimillion dollar yacht, but I think the movie made money so who cares.

Which is why a manufacturered show is better. The time for reality shows has passed, Survivor is a decade old, they are so naughties.

Sailing does offer great stuff to a movie, background changes all the time, drama is one weather report away, people do have to get along, and it takes some skill to do. Not sure why there are not more Sailing TV shows. Must be as you say too hard to shoot on the cheap.
 
#11 ·
I personally have never understood the whole 'reality tv'. Seems like a paradox to me.

However, I am not as negative on it as the others here. I do wish you luck. I would be for anything that promoted our sport/passion. I think you will find that reality-liveaboard with a family is the same as with a house. Life is life whether it floats or is on dirt. I will say that I would not trade it for a dirt home, neither would my wife. You should see our backyard!

Brian
 
#14 ·
dylan, if what they were proposing was anything like what you have created I would be the first to watch , volunteer and promote it....unfortunately I don't think that is what they are after, hope I am wrong . There is definately not enough high quality and entertaining sailing films available. Just wish you would stop with the trucks already;) and get some more of your terriffic sailing films of your circumnavigation posted , I have watched all of your others more than a few times already:D . Rick
 
#17 ·
8 million hits



My film about big trucks in western canada on you tube gets 50,000 hits a day - netting me about $1 per thousand. I get paid for the 0.5 per cent of viewers who actually click on an advert.

Then sailing in winter

YouTube - www.keepturningleft.co.uk - winter sailing - wonderful

gets 5,000 hits in a year

I know which is the better of the two films - but more people like trucks than like sailing.

So, I either have to find another revenue model to support the sailing films - or I need to spend more time with my lens pointing at trucks

The web gives a real verdict on the demand for diferent types of work.

However, the whole micropayments for specialist films is turning out to be a most enlightening experience.

Any suggestions about widening the appeal of ktl films gratefully received

Dylan
 
#15 · (Edited)
I think they should take the deckhands from The Deadliest Catch and buy em a new St.Francis 50 and turn em loose in the Caribbean in the off season. Stock it with booze and cigarettes.

Deckhands Gone Wild.

Follow the hilarious antics of our pasty white, hungover, tattooed, momentarily rich Alaskan fishermen while they bounce off rickety wooden docks and coral heads in a fiberglass multihull with sails trying to give crabs to peaceful, "Green" Birkenstock wearing liberals...
 
#16 ·
Now I think we are on to something, all we need to do is change a few players, basically fewer guys, more girls.
 
#20 ·
Maybe you should do a film about a boat that hauls a truck around - unload it at various islands and drive, then reload and sail.

And I like the Deadliest Catch Gone Wild idea... just bring the crew down, and ship a cadre of spring break ladies down for the trip. Instant success!
 
#21 ·
And I like the Deadliest Catch Gone Wild idea... just bring the crew down, and ship a cadre of spring break ladies down for the trip. Instant success!
I like this idea, too. Heck, give me 5 or 6 barely legal babes and I'll be set for a show. I only have a 36' boat but remember, "it's not the size of the boat, it's the motion of the ocean!"
 
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