Reality Check: The Business and Art of Producing Reality TV (Paperback)

by Michael Essany (Author)
Key Phrases: original programming, affiliate sales, beach patrol, Los Angeles, The Michael Essany Show, General Manager (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Michael's the real deal and he's in it for keeps. If there is a sage at the top of the reality show mountain, it's got to be Michael Essany. In Reality Check, he shows his real love for the business with his shrewd insight and savvy. A must read for anyone trying to get real in the unreal world of reality tv." - Leeza Gibbons, TV personality and producer

Product Description
Do you have a concept for a reality TV show, but aren't sure about the next steps? Loaded with practical, step-by-step advice on the art and business of reality TV producing, and featuring insights from Mark Burnett, Dick Clark, and other top producers, Reality Check takes you from idea to...reality! At age 13, Michael Essany launched a lowly cable access TV talk show from his parents' basement in Valparaiso, Indiana. Fast forward to 2001, and Michael had turned his little talk show, The Michael Essany Show, into a multimillion-dollar project that quickly became one of the most talked about reality television shows. If Michael can do it, so can you. But be prepared for a lot of hard work and a few reality checks. This book includes compelling advice on how to:

* Better understand the nature, complexities, and potential of the reality genre
* Physically produce original reality programming
* Get past the gatekeepers and deliver quality pitches to major networks and production companies
* Legally protect yourself, your work, and your intellectual property
* Learn from glories and the gaffes of those who toiled before you
* Utilize the internet and other multimedia outlets to create and generate revenue from reality programming
* Avoid the professional pitfalls of the reality TV industry
* Parlay reality television projects into a successful and enduring career

* Shows you all the steps to pitching and producing a reality TV show
* Features contributions from industry heavyhitters including Mark Burnett, Dick Clark, and more!
* Offers information available nowhere else on the business, legal, and artistic aspects of reality TV

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press (August 22, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240810309
• ISBN-13: 978-0240810300
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #44,631 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I would recommend this book, October 17, 2008

By	Brenda Carter (Burbank, California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I didn't buy this book, I was given a copy. I stopped buying books about reality TV when I realized that none of the authors really had a clue. I can say that this book is much different from most similar titles I've seen, at least in that Essany gets it right. And I would probably buy this book for that reason alone. The breadth of utility in "reality check" is quite impressive. And I think this is the first title I've seen by someone who was as intimately entrenched in this genre as Essany was (i.e., as both talent and producer). It's powerful for this unique attribute and, although there is often more information than we really need to have, I would argue that the author has one-upped his contemporaries by actually writing a good book about this business.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Book I Wish I Would Have Read Sooner, October 17, 2008

By	Stephen Costanza (New York, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Reality TV is one of those categories of television that few really understand, even those who work in the industry. I think this author did an exceptional job of summarizing what it takes to break into the field, establish yourself, and survive the ups and downs.

I've written and produced for television for better than ten years, and I would say this is about the most accurate portrayal of the business I've read. The advice is sound and could be a life saver for the new or aspiring producer, particularly the elaborate discussions on ascending past the creative competition, show pitching, and circumventing the ethical nightmares that come with the territory in reality TV production.

Michael Essany has a good sense of humor and is a fountain of anecdotes, which makes Reality Check a quick read that, unlike the content of reality TV, actually nourishes the mind and soul. A really informative, well written and researched book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Helpful Book, September 14, 2008

By	stephanie breyer (Chicago) - See all my reviews

Reality Check is an incredibly well written, helpful, and brutally honest book. This is a work that enables the reader to understand the business, how to break into it, how to produce for it, and (most importantly) how to avoid its pitfalls.

What I love is that Reality Check isn't a cheerleader for the programming genre of unscripted television. Essany isn't trying to win friends or influence anybody. It's a cautionary tale, in fact. The candor and honesty of the author is particularly appreciated (and refreshing). He says things about reality TV - both the art and business of it's production - that really make you think.

The scope of this work is very, very broad. I've never read anything that accumulates as much analysis, expert testimonials, and historical data. The interviews and contact information for networks and production companies are among the most helpful attributes of this text. Even if you're not trying to get into the reality TV business, per se, this title is still enormously advantageous if you're going to work in any facet of the television industry.

The autobiographical elements and personal stories alone make Reality Check an entertaining and informational read worth the while. Great book!