DIY Reality Gameshows

I know I'm not the only person to have tried this because I've seen other people set up websites and programs for this kind of stuff...

Anyways, I decided late last summer that I love The Mole so much and was so pissed off the ABC killed it (even with celebrity mole giving them great summer ratings) that I would do something. I called my friend Scott and told him that I was going to do The Mole. With a bunch of friends. On our own time. So my first question to him, as he was my Mole-loving compatriot, was whether he was going to play or help. He decided to help and we were off. The next month was filled with auditions, game development, watching big brother, and finally the game itself with a real cash prize of about 42 bucks. It went well, at least that's what all my friends told me, and we filmed little and the days were spread out because of work and other obligations. Nevertheless it was a unique experience.

So as the school year was winding down 06 I got to thinking that we -have- to do this again. This time we had much more time to try to get as many people involved and interested so I wouldn't just be asking favors of my closest friends, but instead hosting a game for many interested participants.

This year had its share of problems before production, everyone interested either dropped out due to lack of interest or because this year it would be a five-day affair, no breaks or going home.
This put some of the parents on edge and I was surprised I got any female participants at all as the age range was 15 through 17. However all involved had a good time, some more often then others, and we got a large amount of filming done. I have yet to start working on episodes themselves yet because I'm going to have to voice-over a LOT. Sound issues and such. But there is a trailer for your viewing pleasure that's being hosted at Vimeo.com.




The Mole Teaser on Vimeo

If that doesn't work, it's here...http://www.vimeo.com/clip:94104

Vimeo is a great community that I highly recommend to you guys. It's main draw is that all videos posted must be user-created, so you get more creativity and less star wars kid edits and TV commercials. I'm not going to lie, I first thought that Vimeo was pronounced "Vih-MAY-oh" and not the obvious "Vim-ee-o."

So yea, as I make episodes they'll be uploaded to vimeo, posted here, and then after a while maybe I'll try youtube/googlevid if I'm desperate for exposure.

About the game of The Mole itself, I find it's slightly unfair at the start. The basis is that the players all try to complete tasks to win money that the winner at the end gets to keep. The Mole is a player who secretly must screw up as many tasks as possible to keep the group's won money to a minimum. The other honest players must try to figure out who the mole is and take quizzes on the mole's activity and personal information. Whoever does the best on these quizzes ends up winning.

In the first few rounds this set up is slightly unfair because often there is little or no possibility for sabotage nor does the mole often act in the first round. So these players must take their first quiz on gut feelings and how people are acting. I still love the game, it's just that the first few rounds would be pretty crappy to have to scrape through.

That's it for today folks.