Some time ago, I received an email from a producer with the sort of network you’d expect a Scouting NY TV show to be associated with. He said he loved the site, and asked if I’d like to meet for lunch to explore the possibility of a Scouting NY show.
A fabled lunch meeting! A Scouting NY TV show! I eagerly agreed, ironed my hippest-looking shirt (which is laughably unhip), and skipped two scouting appointments to meet him the next day. The ideas were already firing in my head…
We meet at a pub on the east side, and as it turns out, there are two producers waiting for me. Great! They must really be into this! Sure, we’re meeting at one of Manhattan’s carbon copy midtown Irish pubs, but hey, who am I to expect more?
We get a table and chat amiably while we peruse the menu. The producers are very friendly, and tell me how much they love my site. They explain that the point of our meeting is to simply bat around some concepts for what a Scouting NY show would be. No promises or guarantees, just chatting. I’m thrilled someone cares enough to even ask.
We order, then Producer 1 gets right down to it.
“Here’s the thing, Nick. Shows about history are out.”
Huh, I think. Wasn’t expecting that. But just go with it.
“Forget the history,” he says, “it’s all about people.”
Producer 2 starts in: “Well, the history is a part of it. But viewers don’t want to be lectured, they tune in to see characters. Wacky characters, bizarre characters, eccentric. Characters with extreme personalities.”
Uh oh. I immediately realize that, up til now in our meeting, I have not come close to exhibiting an extreme personality. I momentarily contemplate using the table candle to light my hair on fire.
Producer 1 continues, “Now, and I’m just thinking out loud here, you’d be the host, and your personality trait would be your fantastic eye for detail.”
Producer 2 nods. “Yes. It’s your superpower.”
Wow – a superpower! I feel really important for a second, until I realize what a lame superpower an eye for detail is (Stay away, Lex Luthor, or I’ll distract you with my ability to point out overlooked sights!).
Producer 1: “Meanwhile, the show will be driven by the weirdos you meet while scouting. So, do you run into weirdos while you’re out?”
“Uh, oh, sure, all the time,” I say. Then, because I don’t like lying: “But to be really honest, the ratio of normal people to kooks is about 25:1, and you’d have to do tons of filming before you had anything. You might as well just film actors if you want that kind of content.”
“We could go that route,” says producer 2, thinking. It is about this point that I start to wonder if these guys have ever read my website.
Producer 1 goes on. “Well, that’s one idea. Here’s another idea I had. You’re Donald Trump.”
I nod.
Producer 2: “We’ll have you sit at, like, a long board room table.”
I continue to nod.
“And you have a team of location scouts who work for you. We create assignments you need them to fill. And we’ll follow them as they race around the city trying to satisfy you. And when they show you what they’ve found, you’ll be like, that’s terrible, that’s terrible – except we’ll come up with a catch phrase you can use, like You’re Fired. But different.”
I nod and smile, suddenly realizing I’m having significant trouble swallowing my ham and cheese sandwich.
Then, Producer 1 comes back in: “Nah, here’s what we gotta do. You go around New York finding crazy locations like on your website.”
“Using your superpower,” Producer 2 adds.
“Right,” says Producer 1, “and you find the locations, but you’re an everyman, and you don’t know what you’ve found. So you’ve gotta ask your expert friends.
“And here’s how it’ll be: you’ll have one young comedian buddy, and one crotchety old professor. And the two argue like crazy. And you call them up and they explain what you’ve found.”
“But it’ll be funny,” Producer 2 adds. They pause for my input.
“Those are both great ideas!” I force out, continuing to bob my head like a jack-in-the-box.
They pitch a few more ideas. Finally, Producer 1 turns to me. “Well, let’s ask you, Nick. What do you see a Scouting NY show as?”
I know it’s a lost battle. But I try anyway.
“Well, the most popular posts I write on my website are about places and things that are hidden in plain sight. Stuff you walk by every single day and never notice. Amazing sights that make you realize there’s a whole side to the city you’re missing. And it’s not unique to New York – you can find content in any city in the world.”
I go on to talk about all the emails I’ve received from readers who say I’ve inspired them to look a bit more closely at their own cities and the things they’ve found, and how pretty much no show on TV does anything like this. I mention a few things from my site, like looking at old shooting locations and getting access to places that are normally off limits to the public -
But the main point of the program: show people a side of New York that they never knew existed.
I finish. The producers are staring at me like I’m an alien. It’s time to go.
Over the next few weeks, we exchange a few half-hearted emails, but it’s becoming pretty clear that I’m nowhere near extreme enough for my own TV show. Oh well – at least I got a free generic NY pub ham and cheese out of it.
But then, nearly a year later to the day, I get a call. It’s Producer 1. And he’s very excited.
“Nick!” he says frantically. “I just got a great idea for a show, and I immediately thought of you!”
Despite my previous experience, I feel myself getting excited.
“I was just reading this article,” he continues, “about an oil derrick in a mall in Los Angeles. In a mall! Every day, thousands of shoppers go in that mall never knowing that on the other side of the wall, oil is being pumped from a well deep underground! It’s incredible!
“And then I thought of you, and your website! And suddenly, it all fit! Here’s what your show should be about!”
I wait as he pauses dramatically.
“Hidden in plain sight!”
…
Well, another year and I haven’t heard anything, so I think we can safely assume the ol’ Hidden in Plain Sight show is off the table. Or, maybe they’ve gone ahead and made it with a different, perhaps more extreme host than myself (which, frankly, would be fantastic for the resulting lawsuit).
Anyway, a bunch of people have written over the past two years telling me I should try to branch Scouting NY into, say, a TV show. Hey, I’m all for it! But I wanted to recount this story as an example of why I have a feeling I should probably stick to my day job…
-SCOUT
I loved this post. It was so true to life, and I’m not even close to being close to the film and TV industry.
If anything, I think, since your posts are relatively short, and your info and “Hidden in Plain Sight” idea are wonderful. Perhaps your own TV show could start from say, a Video Blog, or heck, even an Audio Blog with the pictures you post. Or, if you want it to be more than a blog, make it a Web-show, one of those 5-minute episodes, highlighting one spot per episode, quick and easy.
Anyway, I don’t know if you will or won’t do any of the above, but either way, I will continue to view your blog on a regular basis, just to see what I’ve been missing in NY all these years.
A.
I just love your website. We were watching “Blue Bloods” and they were shooting on the street in Chinatown you showcased. I was excited that I recognized it since I’ve actually never been anywhere near NY City!
This post kind of reminds me of Bulgakov’s Black Snow – a semi-autobiographical novella about a playwright’s (mis)adventures in the Soviet Moscow Art Theatre world. You might like it!
OMG, all of those pitches sound terrible – I’m glad nothing ever came of them! I hope if you ever do a show you get to do it your way or no way!! And just for the record (not that I need to tell you), but the history behind some of your posts are the most interesting parts so I’d hardly say that “shows about history are out”! Personally I think that if you ever did a show it would do best on public television. There is a very popular television show on Montana PBS called the Backroads of Montana (http://montanapbs.org/BackroadsofMontana/AllEpisodes/). Something like that would be great, only with your stories and finds in New York!
Sounds like they want Grey Gardens: The Mini-Series or Trummerkind: Secret Mall Annex Apt.
I’d watch your version of hidden in plain sight.
I sort of figured what was going to happen – gads these guys are depressingly predictable. I love the history in your posts, its what keeps me and many others reading. While I’d love to see a Scouting TV show (maybe even expand it beyond NYC), I’ve seen too many good concepts get spoiled on tv to want to see that happen here. I’d prefer instead to just keep reading this blog – unless of course you actually do get the chance to do it right, your way!
Nick – this is hilarious. People who pitch other’s ideas for a living don’t get it. Besides, this is Net 2.0/3.0 – we don’t need Hollywood to produce content that thousands, millions of people LOVE.
You’re doing it already. If you decide to do TV, go YouTube. TV not available on the web is already dead!
You’d be viral in a second.
Kent
Your insight, pictures, and comments are what makes the site so cool. Your ability to find the material is what keeps it fueled.
Plus NYC needs this kind of examination while the artifacts are still here.
TV is mostly always lame.
Scout, those producers haven’t a CLUE as to what people will watch. A show such as you want would be a HUGE hit on Discovery, History Channel or even A&E. I’m tired of seeing morons, Jerry Springer acts and reality shows where people are twisted, greedy and buttheads. For God’s sake there are a lot more more moderate folks out there than TV moguls think.
Keep plugging away, and I hope some publisher finds your site and recognizes the potential for a coffee table book becaue your photos are AWESOME!!
Thanks for the meeting recap Scout, that sure gave me a good laugh! But as others pointed out, you could indeed start things moving by doing some video blogs. the History Channel is in NYC, maybe you could catch their eye.
Sometimes I’ll think to myself “how are there so many television channels and yet nothing ever worth watching?”
This is why.
“viewers don’t want to be lectured, they tune in to see characters. Wacky characters, bizarre characters, eccentric. Characters with extreme personalities.”
That’s what’s wrong with television today, IMO. I DO want to be lectured, I DON’T want wacky characters. For example, I like the History Channel show “Pawn Stars”, but I don’t like any of the people who work at the shop. I just like seeing all of the cool stuff. That’s why I like scoutingny–just cool buildings and their history, not the zany people of New York (except for the post about the subway pass decorated bike, but that was about the bike, not the owner).
Scout! Dude! You have a TV show in your hands… Like you I work in the Film and Television industry here in NYC. I started as a Production Assistant, but for the better part of the last 2 years, work as an Assistant to Producers. When I started reading your post about your meeting with Producer 1 and 2, I was like “damn, why didn’t I think of that” But I did laugh as I read on.. Obviously they didn’t have a clue.
I think you should definitely move forward with your idea. Some of the advice from the posts above make sense, Youtube, 5 minute video clips, audio clips etc.. BUT, I can definitely see a show based on forgotten/overlooked marvelous locations in NYC being on TV.. I’m sure you’ve only given us a taste of such places you’re a aware of.
There was a show on some NBC network that kind of touched upon City Secrets or something like that.
I think you should consider putting together a demo/teaser or pilot, and shopping it around to some of the networks mentioned above.
Let me know if you’d like to discuss further.
jc-
Jesus. Those producers remind me of all the reasons I don’t watch the History Channel or the Discovery Channel or even the Food Network anymore.
But what’s saddest is their utter contempt for the role of television as an educational tool–or for education as something that can be fun and interesting.
Thank heavens you didn’t go along with them–but, then, having read your site for the past couple of years, I should have known you wouldn’t.
As others have pointed out above, you don’t really need them, anyway. You’ve got us!
Ditto on the DIY! You already have a following, you could go viral and there’d be no stopping you.
nick, you could have done it a bit differently. i think it best to
thank those who give you work. it might not be what we want, it’s
a more genuine way of saying thank you but i’m not interested.
that’s just my take- i know, you were right but i would have
been so grateful to have gotten that offer……and saying thank you.
in any case, i’m watching the $5,000.00 goal, as i’m sure so many
are. glad you’ve gotten so far and personally, you’ll continue to be awesome.
Ha, Brian, I never said no to anything, and I promise, if there had been an offer, I would’ve taken it, if only to help support the movie I want to make – but sadly, there was no offer. I kept following up, but it became clear they weren’t interested in me. Oh well!
One good thing about it all Nick, they know who your are! Thanks again for some really awesome pic’s and thoughts.
“Shows about history are out”?? What do they know!
Your blog would translate into a facinating TV show.
Someone should tell the History Channel that they are sooo Not Hot!
People still watch TV? How last century. If I want to see crap I will follow my neighbor and his dog on their morning constitutional. If I want something informative, well written and with great visuals I will scout something out on the puter.
I’m with Karen, we have us, who needs some lame suit who couldn’t find a clue if he tripped over it.
Just saw a commercial for a new Show on History “Decoded” the line used is “Hidden in Plain Sight” Who knows!
Oh Scout!! I felt my skin crawling at the term “extreme personalities”!! Then the word wacky came up…. wow! How the f*ck do these people have careers in television? The mind boggles….
I could imagine your site as a TV show staying very close to what it is now, images which would be film instead of photos, like a handheld, wiggly camcorder, and your words, which would be audio instead of writing. Intersected with stills of historic images, as it used to look like and follow up meetings with people, who remember the place, “eye-witnesses”.
Your site has an intimate feel, very one-on-one. Another show in a different format that has the same feel to me is “This American Life”. Which still works much better on radio as the TV show.
Scout – I just wanted to say that the show you pitched, I would be very interested in watching. I nearly had my TiVo set to record at that point in the post. But the dribble they kept suggesting would very doubtfully get me to tune in. Keep up the awesome blog, I am sure opportunities will continue to find you. How did you ever get into scouting? As an architect, I have decided you have my dream job – to get paid to look at architecture, photograph spaces, and check out places very few people ever get to.
A show might happen but I think the suits in the industry are empty. I’ve got that Decoded show set up to record on my DVR just to see what it’s like. The only good thing that the suits had to say was a title. I could see a show where you find a place and then tell the people about the history of the building. I’d set my DVR to record it!
Great Post. Laughed out loud. It’d be great to have Scouting NY as a show! (and they are so wrong about history) Maybe you should try a video podcast trial show (done your way) to show the idiots how great it can be just doing what you do best!
BTW Kudos for the Book version of Scouting NY! Been waiting for it!
Oops, saw your book graphic and assumed… but just read the blog, and alas… no book after all. Sad.
Great post!
I work in the TV industry and unfortunately, what those producers said to you regarding a TV show is true. They are always looking for the crazy characters…..and as a result, it brings down the overall quality of television.
I have been reading your blog for over a year now and I have honestly had the same idea about somehow creating a TV show out of the ideas of “Overlooked History” or “Forgotten History”…. what the networks always tell us is “we need characters”… If you had a credible, energetic host that interviewed you and followed you around to help you describe and add a little energy into the discussion of the forgotten past of NYC.
We have met with Discovery, History, etc….. they also want TV shows that have valuable take-away information…. like with pawn stars where you get a brief history about the object.
I think there is a show here….. you just have to shape it and create it to make it suitable to the television consumer as opposed to the intellectual blog reader.
It could be a show about social media and scouting NY. About sharing the information in real time, then connecting with your followers and readers. Tie it into twitter, foursquare, etc, and really emphasize the blogging part. A lot more people could relate to it now than they did 2 years ago.
Or maybe next time, just light your hair on fire.
LOL kidding!!!!
Great post. I’ve met people like that. Unfortunately, we’ve also endured the results of their ineptitude – like History’s “Extreme Trains” series last year which managed to turn a fascinating topic into a total mess of jump cuts, faux energy and inaccurate facts.
Actual history is no longer hip enough for History (formerly “History Channel”)
PBS’s the city concealed:
http://vimeo.com/16501750
I am the owner of Kreischer Mansion, a 1885 Victorian Historic & Landmark mansion in Staten Island, NY. This three story building with its 5 acre land has been used by HBO to film the Board Walk Empire. It is available for lease. Please look-up http://www.yomtovian.com and click on Kreischer Mansion and see the interior and exterior pictures. 216-496-2376.