Are you ever too young — or too old — to chase a dream? Is success in the entertainment industry possible when you don’t know anyone? Can there be one setback that’s just too daunting to get past? Today, prolific composer and all around great person Todd C. Burns is here to share hard-earned advice on overcoming adversity to be successful in the entertainment industry. Like us, Todd came into this crazy business not knowing anyone, hustling to make things happen, and facing some obstacles so...

Jon Kroll is the man behind some the biggest unscripted TV shows of all time. From Big Brother to The Amazing Race, he’s been in the industry for close to 30 years. (Not to mention he is a mentor to the two of us, and one of the first industry people we ever met. Plus a super nice guy!) Now, he’s here to share his incredible experience producing UNCHARTED. It stars one of the greatest reality TV personalities of all time, famous chef Gordon Ramsay. Oh…and this globe-trotting action adventure...

It’s an exciting time to be a content creator – for all of us! Not long ago, documentaries were gloomily known as the “D” word…since no one wanted to buy them. Now they’re hot as ever thanks to streamers like Netflix and cable networks who’ve followed suit. On the flip side, podcasting was once thought of as a geeky pass time (hello, Biagio!) It’s now exploded in popularity. In some cases podcasts have even beaten TV at the game of winning pop culture buzz. Being TV producers and filmmakers,...

The lure of the entertainment industry, and of course, Los Angeles. It’s something many of us dream about. If you’re a kid from Cleveland like me (Biagio) or a girl from Belgium like Joke, it can seem larger than life, like a fantasy world that’s a million miles away. Many of us come. Some stay. Some move on. But one thing is for sure – L.A. has its own special kind of magic. Now, TV Producer extraordinaire and best-selling author Troy DeVolld has taken the time to really explore why so many...

It’s 2021, and we all know it can be near-impossible to stay motivated in this most challenging of times. If you’re anything like us, things like quarantine, no social interaction, and global pandemics tend to slow down the old creative juices. It’s been hard for us, and probably for a lot of you, too. So today we’re breaking down how we’ve managed to stay at least semi-productive and almost sane. Plus, the four-and-a-half year journey to our new 10-hour anthology TV series…which, or course,...

It’s Halloween time and episode 128 is our annual “spooky” take on the unscripted film and television business. This episode’s question was inspired by a Producing Unscripted podcast listener named Justin, who wrote in with a question about editing. We’re just beginning post-production on our brand new TV series (more coming soon!) and facing a TERRIFYING amount of footage. So we decided to focus today’s episode on three spine-tingling things that can haunt you in post-production. Now…curl up...

For episode 127 we’re mining great advice from an unlikely place…the new Apple TV series Ted Lasso. What on earth does a fish-out-of-water sports sitcom have to do with making unscripted film and television? Quite a lot, actually! We’ve been inspired by this show, and we’re using the great advice delivered by the unsinkable, everyman coach at its center to reveal truths about working in the entertainment industry. In a time when we can all use a pick me up, this show fits the bill. Get ready...

For episode 126 we, like you, are stuck in quarantine. It’s turned into a long, hot, “can’t go anywhere” summer. We thought it was time for a little popsicle. One of the questions we get from friends and family members who aren’t in the business is “what does a producer do, anyway?” So we thought we’d ask some special people to give us their opinion…our kids! Meet Our Kids With school cancelled and kids working from home with “online” learning, we’ve been lucky enough to spend more...

First of all, we hope you’re doing okay – we know it’s a very strange, sometimes scary and confusing time. It has certainly scared us – especially because we were smack-dab in the middle of finishing a TV series when the shut down happened. We had to figure out how we and a smattering of team members could finish the show…from home. Not as easy as it sounds. Today we take you through the process of making cable TV from your spare bedroom, share how the day to day of the entertainment business...

The world’s a little crazy at the moment – so we thought this would be a good time to bring you a truly inspirational tale. Emmy winner Steve Mazan, subject of our theatrically released feature documentary Dying to do Letterman, is here today to make you laugh, appreciate life, and believe in the impossible. See, doctors told Steve he might only have five years to live. A stand-up comedian, Steve decided to dedicate whatever was left of his life to living his dream: performing on David...

Want to work in Hollywood? Want to make something in Hollywood? Then one way or the other, you’ll be dealing with the process of hiring in Hollywood. Today we share our hiring philosophy, helpful anecdotes, and straight talk on the challenges of interviewing and hiring. We even share what we ourselves need to do better. Applying for jobs in the entertainment industry? Interviewing potential candidates for your next TV or film project? Here’s everything you need to know about hiring, firing,...

Holy cow, it’s 2020! As we enter our seventh year (!) of the Producing Unscripted podcast, we’re so grateful to all of you who’ve supported us on this journey. With a New Year comes new podcast episodes, beginning with today’s. We’re discussing the big picture of working in the entertainment industry in 2020. Our goal is to help you get to a place where you can balance your life with your work…and figure out how to stay happy all the while. (No, not easy!) We also share our own...

It’s Halloween, so pull out your sage, salt, and white candles! Today we’re talking about something truly spooky…our top 3 scariest moments on set! If you’ve been around production of any kind, you know things pretty much never go as planned. And sometimes, those “fun developments” can scare the pants off of you. Here are three very different kinds of “scary” that struck our sets like a witch’s evil spell. How did we survive? Listen now…if you...

Get out the Tim Tams and the Vegemite…cause we’re going down under! Well, actually, the “down under” came to visit us, so we could give you an episode all about working with Netflix. We’re talking with PJ Madam and Tim Noonan (who speak with amazing Australian accents!) They deep dive into the making of their current Netflix series Extreme Engagement, which they created, produce, and star in. How did they sell it? What was it like working with Netflix? What advice do they have for both new...

It sounds like a myth, or some kind of Hollywood urban legend, but some people actually put their own shows on television by buying airtime and selling ads themselves. They make truly independent TV. How does it work? How much do you have to pay for he airtime? Is it easy to get sponsors for your indie TV show? And of course, is it worth it? Producer Brian Speciale shares his insider information on the process…plus, some great tips for producers. Let’s Be Honest: The TV Business is...

Brian Speciale isn’t just special because of his name. Not only is he a great producer, but he used his producing skills to flip the script, get himself cast on a little show called Shark Tank, and score a huge deal. In fact, he’s on track to do $70,000,000 (yes, seventy-million dollars!) in sales this year. But today’s episode is much more than one man’s incredible story. It’s an inspirational look at using the producing or filmmaking skills you already have to think outside the box, find...

Great titles…Survivor. Big Brother. The Curse of Oak Island. Say Yes to the Dress. Unmasking a Killer. These shows have catchy titles to help viewers… and network execs…understand what the show is all about. Today’s episode of Producing Unscripted is a deep-dive into choosing titles that help you, rather than hurt you, when developing your films, shows, or videos. We’ve got lots of practical advice and tips on thinking about, creating, and presenting titles that get attention. You’ll learn...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so on this Producing Unscripted podcast episode we‘re discussing some of the more difficult aspects of working in the entertainment industry…especially on big productions. Anybody who‘s been around it for more than five minutes knows showbiz is an incredibly tough trade to compete in. Pressure is high, and the stakes are, too. Through pop culture we do occasionally hear about the stresses of life in front of the camera. But it’s rare we hear about how...

We remember when we were just starting out in the industry. Didn’t know anyone. Couldn’t get a meeting. But…we thought we knew everything! Turns out, like a lot of new producers, we were pitching the worst kinds of projects to launch our careers. Now, years later, receiving hundreds of unscripted television pitches ourselves, we see the same mistakes we made way back when. So today our goal is to save you a ton of time, headaches, and heartaches. We’re telling you the three worst kinds of...

Are you a producer? Or do you see yourself as on-camera talent? Either way, it’s important to realize the challenges and realities of becoming a TV personality. Pat Postiglione is in the throws of that journey right now. He’s the star and host of the new Investigation Discovery series Deadly Recall – something he still can’t believe. Pat never even considered working in television during his 25+ years as a homicide detective in Nashville. Now, he’s appearing on shows like Dr. Oz, popping up...

If you’ve ever wondered about building a true crime series around a real police detective, today’s episode is for you. We’re sharing everything you need to know, broken down in five easily-digestible tips. What kind of detectives? Which cases to pitch? How do you know if your detective can sustain a series? We’re giving away everything we know. Plus, what you can learn from the behind the scenes of our new Investigation Discovery series Deadly Recall. What Networks Want From You When...

Today’s episode is coming to you straight from the waiting area of the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport! Why? Because we just attended RealScreen 2019, and we’ve got some stuff to share. What is the RealScreen Summit? Well, according to their site: The Realscreen Summit is the definitive global market and conference for the business of unscripted and non-fiction entertainment. That’s a fancy way of saying a lot of big players in the unscripted industry are there. As well as...

Happy Holidays from Producing Unscripted! ’Tis the season to be jolly, and if you asked Santa for a new episode of Producing Unscripted, you’re in luck! Today we share some important stocking stuffers with you – three Hollywood tips to make the most of the season. We cover everything under the tree, from important industry advice, to how to keep busy when you aren’t in production. So grab some hot chocolate, start up the fire and get ready for our last podcast of 2018! The Reason for the...

It’s Halloween…and do we have a treat for you. A spooky treat that is! This week we cover all things paranormal. Ghost shows, alien shows, psychic shows…they’ve been a staple of television for years. But how can you make your paranormal pitch stand out? What are the pitfalls to avoid, and the mistakes we see most often when people pitch this genre? Which missteps scare network execs off? How to do make a network scream (with excitement) for your pitch? Get ready for some scary facts about...