LIMO RIDE

A short story about one producer’s first steps in a life long quest to get on television.

Everyone has a story about how they got started in the business. However when you are new in town, an unknown quantity, no one knows you and you don’t know anyone who knows someone who can hire you, necessity becomes the mother of invention.

The dream of producing television was deeply ingrained in me from a young age as I grew up in Australia watching endless episodes of Gunsmoke, The Untouchables, Lucy, Wild Kingdom, Superman and dozens more great American shows in the fifties and sixties.

My career began after I returned to my family home in Melbourne after film school at UT Austin to work as the Assistant to the Executive Producer for one of Australia’s largest television production companies, Crawford Productions. We produced about five hours per week of Australian-made production including soap operas, police shows, sit-coms and movies. It was in the late seventies and a young bit player named Mel Gibson acted on a soap titled The Sullivan’s. Simon Wincer, one of many soon-to-be-famous young directors, was shooting a police series there. I cut my teeth on these shows, learned the basics and after two years of non stop production Associate Producing over one hundred episodes, I burned out and returned to the U.S. Pullin Television was founded with the intent to fulfill my childhood dream of producing my own American television series.

By the time I made the move to Los Angeles in the late nineties, we had accumulated over 500 production credits including corporate films, documentaries, commercials and a few notable television specials. It did not take long to learn that in LA, this kind of resume would get me a few polite meetings and an occasional free cup of coffee, but no one would hire me to do anything above the line. And as I was approaching 50, no one was interested in putting me to work anywhere below the line. The qualities I was confident could carry me to my goal of producing my own television series were the ability to think outside of the box, persistence and salesmanship. But where would I begin?

Ideas for shows came out of me in abundance as I researched, wrote, pitched, wrote and pitched again. It seemed that the harder I worked the fewer the results and I was going broke fast. There had to be another way and I simply had to get to know some people who mattered and more importantly get to know the town from the inside out. One day while reading the job listings in the classifieds, I thought that some of the service jobs offered a chance to not only meet people but also learn the town. Waiting tables, mailroom, bellhop types of jobs were not for me, but suddenly the idea of driving a limousine sounded appealing. You get to dress nicely; if you are with the right company you can spend an hour at a time, one-on-one with famous celebrities and executives. So on a whim, I applied to a company that specialized in driving celebrities, high-level studio and network executives and was hired on the spot! At first it was a shock to be sitting in the front seat of a limo instead of the back, but the experience was priceless. Everyday I went to homes of the famous and drove them to the studio, the airport the Emmys and the Academy Awards. In that nine-month period my list of high level contacts expanded exponentially. I learned more about the town, the people and the business than I could have learned in a lifetime. Daily experiences taught me about the people, how they lived, how they made money, who were the most admired, and who were most despised and why. I quickly saw who were the “best” people. Carl Reiner, a true “star” and noble gentleman, once used my cell phone to call his buddy Mel Brooks. He cracked me up with his jokes so much we almost had a wreck, then invited me into his home. John Ritter, one of the most decent human beings I have ever met, wanted to help me with my career. He tragically died the day after I drove him home for the last time after visiting his son at college. And there were the “bad” guys, one most notable, angry individual, who will go un-named and who literally threw six one dollar bills at me after a ninety minute drive from Montecito to Long Beach for no apparent reason. I learned many things.

As the ideas flowed, they became more original and more realistic for a potential sale. A series of hard lessons opened my eyes to the realities of the business as I saw my lack of experience and leverage, leaving myself open to people stealing ideas or taking advantage of my naivety. It was all part of the process and I looked at every failure, every rejection as a lesson. Whether I was in the front seat or the back seat, I was still a “producer” and I pressed on! Every ride, every pitch, every meeting brought me one step close to the goal. Get on television!

One day I was coming back from a run to the airport and feeling more confident about the portfolio of ideas I kept in the front seat beside me at all times and had an another idea. I pulled over and on my laptop quickly pounded out a one-paragraph idea called LIMO RIDE. Why not? Simple show, very inexpensive and the producer, me, is the host! A limo driver picks up celebrities and takes them wherever they want to go and they talk, talk, talk about their next project and what’s happening in their lives. An intimate one-on-one version of the Tonight Show, Conan and Taxi Cab Confessions. Others have since attempted this idea with only moderate success. Execution and a “secret ingredient” is the key to that show. That same afternoon I called for a meeting at a cable network I had previously visited, they obliged and I showed up in my black suit and tie. The pitch went extremely well, it was an authentic and fresh idea. They almost bought the project on the spot. A week later my contact left the network. The project disappeared but I was undeterred and even more invigorated.

A few weeks later, one Friday afternoon, a true friend and great producer, John Berzner, offered me a position with his company. Unfortunately, the following night, I had a heart attack! On Monday I showed up at work anyway to tell him that I needed to take some time off. While recovering from heart surgery another show idea that was not one of mine but one I had been developing with another producer, Rich Christensen, PINKS: Lose the race, Lose your ride was sold under my production’s company banner. It was difficult to tell John that this commitment would not allow me to come back to work but he understood and we remain eternal friends.

With just a four episode order, at a ridiculous $25,000 per episode I went forward holding my breathe! The project was incredibly challenging to execute, all rights must be given up to the network but the idea was simple and I knew the core audience would gravitate to it immediately. It was not an instant hit, but now after four years, five seasons and three spin off series, PINKS is widely acknowledged as the best racing show on television next to NASCAR and a franchise that has many seasons remaining.

Mission accomplished!

Independent Producers And The New World Of Disorder

“Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end.
But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."

Winston Churchill

This will be the best time in history to be an independent producer, writer or director if we resolve to stop living in the past and realize that we have to find new ways to work and make money. The consumer now has complete control and will get what they want, when they want it and on whatever device is convenient for them. In this age of super global capitalism, corporations are only responsible to their investors and customers, not to society or any greater good. We are at the beginning of a completely new era and we will survive and flourish if we think differently.

Things are changing everywhere. How we make deals, make content and make money is changing rapidly as every aspect of production and distribution is digitized. Unlike other media, television requires large amounts of capital, organization and time to create. It is also the most powerful medium and gathers the attention of the most viewers. Corporate sponsors have always supported television but their world has also changed. They no longer put television at the center of their marketing strategies. It is the BRAND, powered by an idea and surrounded by a cross-platform campaign that matters in today’s world. This is the result of the fundamental technological shift that has completely democratized our industry. We have already moved from a business where big players operated in a totalitarian state for decades dictating the ebb and flow of creative content, to a world of infinite choice, enabling audiences, consumers and independent producers to exercise the power of their ideas.

For the individual artist and entrepreneur, protection of our creative rights has never been more important. As we create new projects that will be distributed across many platforms, we must now compete head-to-head for sponsorship dollars against the resources of major media companies. We need their distribution channels while they need our ideas and talent. New skills need to be learned in order to craft the deals that will allow creators of content to retain the underlying copyright to their work. In the infinite confusion and disorder that will now follow, we may have the fleet of foot, moxie and pluck that corporate America lacks, but we need all the help we can muster for the battles ahead.

We must construct new business models, build partnerships outside of our industry and find new ways to leverage assets. We need mentors and peers to assist in the process of morphing our businesses into hybrid content producer and brand builders, with the capabilities to serve multiple platforms simultaneously while always finding ways to negotiate an equitable share of rights.

The playing field may be leveled but “big media,” with its monopoly of the airwaves, has gained enormous strength while independents were being devastated over the past two decades. Fortunately, the marketplace is now more dependant than ever on fresh ideas and they still come from the independent creative community.

As television is no longer the most important element of the sponsor’s campaigns, our ideas don’t have to go first to network television to get fully funded. Sponsors would rather cut out the middlemen, and also know that people watch shows, not networks. The doors to different sources of funding that were previously locked are now wide open to anyone with a great idea, a great team and the means to execute professionally. Major sponsors, their advertising agencies, Internet companies, merchandisers, toy manufacturers, musicians and more are all open to developing new relationships built around entertainment ideas that help move their brands forward into the marketplace.

Many large producers such as Endemol, (Big Brother) Freemantle, (Idol) and Mark Burnett (Survivor) view themselves primarily as the creators, producers and owners of “intellectual property.” These players are intent on creating and owning franchises that are exploited across the world’s digital platforms through partnerships with advertisers, media companies and talent. On a smaller scale, an independent producer with an idea can develop the essence of a property on alternative platforms before selling the entire package to a major media company. As producers, we have more power when an idea is first released on the Internet, YouTube, a book, an event, a song or even a commercial, (i.e. Cavemen).

In this new world of disorder, the landscape is littered with opportunities. By thinking differently about the value of ideas and taking action in new ways, independent producers will regain the respect of government, big media and the consumer that has faded in recent years.

Fiercely independent producers such as Norman Lear, David Wolper, Steven Bochco, Jerry Bruckheimer and Mark Burnett could have never created their landmark shows as work-for-hire contractors for a corporation. The artistic rights of producers, writers and directors will always and can only be protected whenever a producer chooses to take advantage of the full spectrum of new opportunities that are now readily available and follows his or her instincts as an entrepreneur and their heart as a true artist.

Looking through the blur down the road and around the corner.

In a flash it's September! There have been so many towns, airports, hotel rooms and drag strips sometimes it is hard to keep it all in perspective. Being a great Dad, great husband, great boss, great friend, great collaborator all while producing and directing about 25 hours of location based television in one year is quite a challenge. Sometimes it all runs together and I am learning that the ability to give every second of your time and attention to a single person, no matter who they are, to the job at hand or what ever situation that is directly in front of you is what makes great people great. This year I was definitely tested on this and many other levels and only others can judge how I am doing.

At the end of the day, there is a lot of good happening around me. The Pullin TeleVISION staff has grown to nine full time associates and we employ about 125 people every month. It's great to see them growing into their lives, professionally, financially and even developing close relationships. We are blessed to work with the most talented, most creative, and most dedicated group of professionals in the business. Our core staff especially are doing the best work of their careers and it shows in our shows. Many families are getting nice checks on a regular basis, our clients are happy with our work, the audience doesn't seem to be able to get enough of what we are doing and the world of opportunities are opening up to us. This is all simply a warm up for much more that we want and can do. 2008 is already shaping up with at least 20 hours of production. New brands will be created and new projects will be launched.

The time between is the most valuable. In January my true love and I spent some time on an island on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and it really put things in perspective. Who am I? What do I want? Reflection points to the path ahead. In a place like Bedarra Island you can not only come up with the big questions but also the big answers. There was a rush of them this year. Now we are creating a hide out a little closer on the California central coast where there are no palm trees only pines and cypress the ocean is wild and your imagination can soar. We are already seeing further down the road and around the corners. It's a beautiful view.

Hopefully it wont be another nine months before I can get to this blog again.

S

2006 a great year! 2007 even better!!

People ask me "why dont you write more blogs!" Well, this year there has not been enough hours in the day sit down and pontificate on a regular basis and I apologize. Our series PINKS on Speed has morphed into a second one hour show called PINKS All Out and we have been flat out producing episodes. A total of about 50 episodes of PINKS and two of All Out over the past two years! The PINKS franchise recorded the highest ratings in the history of the network during the Thanksgiving airings and the show has become an important asset for the network, sponsors and everyone involved with it. We are very proud. It has been exhilerating to be playing an integral part of something like this but we have had the time of our lives. Frankly we are all a little tired and looking forward to a rest over the holidays.

I am going to relax for a few days and re-format the hard drive in my brain, install some new software and reboot. :) 2007 will be another incredible year of change, evolution, growth and creativity and I plan to take it on with full force and with every fibre of my being. Look out!

Best wishes to all of you who have checked in with this blog from time to time or for those who are just surfing by.

Keep watching the www.pullin.tv web site. The site will be completely made over and there will be a lot happening! Stay tuned.

Stephen

“Day without Immigrants?" What's going on?

Nothing pisses me off more, than to see immigrants trying to preserve their cultural identity at the expense of their host country. If you choose to immigrate to another country you have made a decision to blend your cultural identity with the new country. No one expects anyone to abandon their home land and culture however I believe that at minimum you should accept the laws, customs and learn the language. The immigration problems that are now reaching a boiling point in this country and around the world would not be happening if we respected each others cultural differences and rather than tear them down to build enclaves within the borders of other countries. America is often guilty of stomping on cultures where ever it goes but the intention has been largely kind hearted and generous. For the most part Americans have gone to great lengths to respect all cultures, and generously opened their doors to all who wanted to immigrate so long as they could be self sufficient and would not become a ward of the state. On the contrary, Islamic and communist states generally have little tolerance for western culture and some make no bones about killing all of us.

The idea of “America” is a brand that has been advertised around the globe for decades as a land of plenty and it promises a great life for its residents and the freedom to accumulate great wealth. This ‘advertising’ campaign has to be the most successful of all time. No wonder so many people want to come here. Especially from neighboring third world countries! There is no other place on earth like it and no other with such freedoms to offer.

The doors have been open from the beginning as the nation was built by immigrants searching for “The American dream” which continues to produce more and more millionaires as the fruits of capitalism flourish. The great majority of immigrants only want to work hard to help make a better life for their families. Extremists can’t be tolerated in any society on either side of the political, religious or social equation. Tolerance and the rule of law matter however understanding how America became what it is today and what makes it run is important for people to know so that they will not take the privilege for granted.

As we watch the demonstrations around the country tomorrow that are supposedly designed to remind us how legal and illegal immigrants are fully woven into the fabric of this economy, take note of those who would tear the culture down or make political gain. They are the ones to keep your eye on and fear. Every immigrant who has worked hard to assimilate will be watching closely. I know since I am one of them.

In the article that follows, an anonymous Australian provides a perspective that Americans should take note of on the eve of a “Day without Immigrants.”

Three Cheers for Australia!

Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on
Wednesday to get out of Australia, as the government targeted
radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.

A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to Australia at a special meeting with Prime Minister John Howard, he and his ministers made it clear that extremists would face a crackdown.

Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to Howard, hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the country if they did not accept that Australia was a secular state and its laws were made by parliament. "If those are not your values, if you want a country which has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then Australia is not for you," he said on national television. "I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws governing people in Australia, one the Australian law and another the Islamic law, that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law, independent courts, democracy and would prefer Sharia law and have the opportunity to go to another country which practices it, perhaps, then, that's a better option," Costello said.

Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave, he said those with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move to the other country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told reporters that Muslims who did not want to accept local values should "clear off." "Basically, people who don't want to be Australians and don't want to live by Australian value s and understand them, well, then, they can basically clear off," he said. Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques.

AMERICA and Canada..... ARE YOU LISTENING?

After hearing that the State of South Australia changed its opinion and let! a Muslim woman have her picture on her driver's license with her face covered, prompted this editorial written by an Australian and published in an Australian newspaper.

Quote: " IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians. However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the "politically correct" crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Australia. However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand. This idea of Australia
being a multicultural community has served only to dilute our
sovereignty and our national identity. As Australians, we have our
own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle. This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom. We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the language!

Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian,
rightwing, political push but a fact because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture. We will accept your beliefs and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us. If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like "A Fair Go," then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet.
We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. By all means, keep your culture but do not force it on others. This is OUR country, OUR land and OUR lifestyle, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom, "THE RIGHT TO LEAVE!" If you aren't happy here, then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here So, accept the country that accepted YOU!

Pretty easy, really, when you think about it. I figure if we all keep passing this on to our friends (and enemies), it will sooner or later get back to the complainers. Let's all try, please.

Let's Race!

Lets Race!

Why do people want to race? I don’t know the history about when the first human decided to race another human, but the idea is as basic to human nature as anything else we do. Whether it’s kids racing each other on the beach, sprinters in a track meet or racers on PINKS putting it all on the line, we are all naturally intrigued with the idea of racing and beating someone else.

In this American culture, if we can’t compete ourselves there are virtually unlimited places and ways to watch someone racing something. It’s the true national past time.

It doesn’t matter what, who or how you race, the feeling is the same. – “I can beat you!” “No one can beat me!” “Let’s race!”

In my youth I was a pretty fast runner and I loved to race. I would race anyone anytime, anywhere and thanks to some genetic gift, I usually won. In fact I not only beat everyone at my school, I went on to beat everyone in my state, then my country (Australia) and got a four year track scholarship at the University of Texas at El Paso where I beat the pants off a lot of guys in the 100 yard dash. That was a long time ago but the idea of ‘winning’ and ‘beating’ a competitor lives on very deeply in me. In everything I do I am fiercely competitive and will do what ever I can to win. The only difference today is that the game of life requires extreme patience, poise, intelligence, character and loads of persistence rather than quick feet.

What is all this about? It’s the race. And for many people it is as natural as breathing, eating and sleeping.

Watching true competitors go at it, using everything they have to win is the best. At the moment I am fortunate to be present at every PINKS event during the actual taping and as the Producer/Director I have the best seat in the house. PINKS is a very special television show but an even more amazing live event because you get to see people stand and fight with every ounce of their courage to keep from losing their most prized possession, their rides. The intensity is not always the same, each situation, each show is different, people are not all the same. Beneath the surface of each competitor’s tough exterior however is the same feeling. “I want to race you.” “I can beat you.” “You can’t beat me.”

Let’s race!

The Illusion of Reality.

One thing that foreigners notice about Americans is their love affair with the "illusion of reality." The semi - scripted "reality" shows on television are only a symptom of what's going on in this society. Everywhere you look you can find people turning away from what is truly real in favor of some other fantasy.

Today we have a grand illusion undone and brought to our living rooms by way of mother nature and one of her hurricanes. Can the widening gap between the "have nots, the haves and the have mores" that is shoved under the table be any more striking than the images we are seeing from the New Orleans evacuation? Rarely do we get to look beyond the hype and the spin to see what is really going on in America as we can with the ravages of Katrina. We don't want to believe that 60% of a major city could be living just above or just below the poverty line.You can feel the gasp of stunned people everywhere who are so amazed to witness the failed and lackluster response to the disaster by the administration when everyone knew far in advance what the potential for a hurricane like this would be. Why the surprise? What's going on in this country depends on who's reality you are aligned with. Red state reality or blue state reality. Black or white. Gay or straight. Rich or poor. TV News network A, B or C or PBS. (Before Bush took it over) Whether we sit in the Palisades, South Central LA, the Hamptons, or Washington we must now face the question. How could 500,000 American citizens be abandoned for five days under these circumstances in their own country? No other question needs to be asked in order to understand what is happening in this country.

I think that television has a lot to do with how people feel and what they believe to be true. The so called "reality" shows, which are anything but real, are largely based on the mean spirited aspects of Americans. We are not only dumbing down the sensibility of the population but encouraging an "us versus them" attitude everywhere. The characters are cast to be good looking, articulate, educated, when the general population is no where near representative. The story lines are created out of things people say in controlled circumstances then transcribed and concocted by writers who make up a story. The situations are so far from what is actually happening in our society or what is actually happening in peoples lives its a joke. Granted, this is "entertainment" however lets call it what it is. What ever it is, it's not "reality."

The deeper problem for America however is that Americans have lulled themselves into their un-real fantasy world and are increasingly ill equipped to face the realities of their lives. and things are a much worse than we think. Its becoming easier to manipulated the general population whether its politicians,terrorists, astrologists, con men, pseudo new age gurus, Wal Mart, evangelists, marketers, drug pushers....producers of any media...etc. etc. American are losing the ability to think for themselves, stand up for what is right, speak up for what it wrong and the character to do the right thing.

Unfortunately, this great country, filled with great people has lost its way. Leaders are not leading, special interests, self interest and greed runs the country. More importantly other countries with longer range plans like China are slowly, patiently taking it all away.

Other than education, which takes a generation, its television that could make a difference. If fantasy was fantastic and reality was ...real, perhaps people would come down to earth. Perhaps in the television world a few more producers would not succumb to the seduction of easy ratings with base derivative shows in favor of more creative real world drama ideas. There is plenty of it around. Just go down to New Orleans....What's left of it.

Lets get real!