[jmullan]

Cross-posted from the "Why isn't Jamie on TV" thread - because I would like to see some discussion on this topic

I said:
>>Personally, I want to see the SCCA CenDIV rally show.
>>Monthly coverage of the various CenDIV rallies shown each
>>week on local TV either late at night or in the middle of
>>the afternoon. Who owns the rights to Club coverage? How
>>much would it cost to get two or three shooters with
>>broadcast quality cameras and a few more shooting MiniDV at
>>each event? How much would your sponsor pay for regional
>>coverage?

Bruce responded:
>Now that you've asked...
>Your local public access channel will accept almost anything to
>air...getting someone to watch it is something else again. They will
>also loan you professional-grade equipment and train you to use it -
>free or practically so. Editing booth time is either free or really
>cheap, too.
>Other than oversight on the use of the SCCA name, the Regions own
>the rights to ClubRallies. This INCLUDES the ClubRallies run as part
>of a Pro event - they are expressly excluded from the Pro Sanction
>Agreement.
>Now let's talk about staffing issues...

 

[jmullan]

What bothers me about the cable access route is the staffing issue - can we count on the camerapeople and editors to be there every time? Do we need to pay them? Can we turn around and get one of the broadcast channels to play the show?

If LOL owns the rights to the ClubRallies, who sells commercial time during the program?

 

[Bruce]

>What bothers me about the cable access route is the staffing
>issue - can we count on the camerapeople and editors to be
>there every time?

About like we depend on our rally volunteers to be there every time.

> Do we need to pay them?

Only if you want professionals...but then the price of the production goes up.

Can we turn
>around and get one of the broadcast channels to play the
>show?
>

Once you have the show, anything can happen. Most of the broadcast channels have requirements for production values. Their air time is also expensive, and they're not in business to do us favors.


>If LOL owns the rights to the ClubRallies, who sells
>commercial time during the program?

On public access, there is no commercial time. If you're trying to get this on a "real" tv channel, there are various ways to do the financing. You could come to them with cash, commercials and a finished package...or if you have a program they REALLY want, they come to you with the commercial package in place...or anything in between.

When you see ads for other Speed programs during a Speed broadcast, for example, they represent spaces that could be purchased...and weren't. Programs that have too many of these spots are not long for this world.

My suggestion is to put together a group of people that will produce a series of "Rally Today" programs (apologies to NASCAR) and arrange to have them on public access. So far, no expenditure except time and maybe a couple of tapes. This may be all you ever need to do. If you want to move "up" in the world, mention a web page or phone number repeatedly on the program, and use hit numbers to convince some other outlet that people really watch your program...even though it's on at 2 AM on Tuesday. After that, anything can happen.

Bruce

 

[jmullan]

>> What bothers me about the cable access route is the staffing
>> issue - can we count on the camerapeople and editors to be
>> there every time?
> About like we depend on our rally volunteers to be there
> every time.

So, no. We can't - or rather, we can count on a few of them to show up on time, and a few to expect to grab cameras as they head out to the stage.

What about people to run edit decks? Who coordinates the whole thing?

>> Do we need to pay them?
> Only if you want professionals...but then the price
> of the production goes up.

Yes, paying people does increase costs, but that isn't my point.

>> Can we turn around and get one of the broadcast channels
>> to play the show?
> Once you have the show, anything can happen. Most of the broadcast
> channels have requirements for production values. Their air time is
> also expensive, and they're not in business to do us favors.

How expensive? How much does a 2AM infomercial cost?

>> If LOL owns the rights to the ClubRallies, who sells
>> commercial time during the program?
>On public access, there is no commercial time.

Public access has been done before. It didn't stick, right? Because no one wanted to volunteer for it, right?

> If you're trying to get this on a "real" tv channel, there
> are various ways to do the financing. You could come to them
> with cash, commercials and a finished package...or if you have a
> program they REALLY want, they come to you with the commercial
> package in place...or anything in between.

That initial cash is going to have to come from somewhere, and that means that whoever sponsors (or underwrites) the production would have to be able to expect a quality, marketable product that people will watch.

> When you see ads for other Speed programs during a Speed
> broadcast, for example, they represent spaces that could
> be purchased...and weren't. Programs that have too many of
> these spots are not long for this world.

> My suggestion is to put together a group of people that
> will produce a series of "Rally Today" programs (apologies
> to NASCAR) and arrange to have them on public access. So
> far, no expenditure except time and maybe a couple of tapes.

Lots of time, many tapes, plus every volunteer that shoots has to be trained in advance (or shoot with non-cable access equipment). Every volunteer has to pay money to travel to the event, be out to the stages early (in their own vehicle), pay to stay somewhere during the event (or travel back immediately afterwards), and then volunteer to do it again the next time.

> This may be all you ever need to do. If you want to move
> "up" in the world, mention a web page or phone number
> repeatedly on the program, and use hit numbers to convince
> some other outlet that people really watch your program...
> even though it's on at 2 AM on Tuesday. After that, anything
> can happen.

Well, once you have a quality half hour show anything can happen. However, I'm still not sure who would "own" that product. Hmm.

P.S.: No one is reading this thread because in reality, no one cares about club-level racing. It's like following the minors.

P.P.S.: I don't think that I'm allowed to volunteer for any more stuff.

 

[Bruce]

>How expensive? How much does a 2AM infomercial cost?

It depends...30 large ought to do it.

>Public access has been done before. It didn't stick, right?
> Because no one wanted to volunteer for it, right?

Right in one.


>Lots of time, many tapes, plus every volunteer that shoots
>has to be trained in advance (or shoot with non-cable access
>equipment). Every volunteer has to pay money to travel to
>the event, be out to the stages early (in their own
>vehicle), pay to stay somewhere during the event (or travel
>back immediately afterwards), and then volunteer to do it
>again the next time.

You begin to see the problem...

>Well, once you have a quality half hour show anything can
>happen. However, I'm still not sure who would "own" that
>product. Hmm.

Easy. Whoever paid for it, along with the Region's rights. Most Regions would be glad to waive their IP rights to get their name on TV...or trade for a 30-second spot.


>P.S.: No one is reading this thread because in reality, no
>one cares about club-level racing. It's like following the
>minors.
>

They much prefer complaining about the Pro side...to which they contribute little, if anything. Putting together an effort like we're discussing would be WAY more work than bitching online.


>P.P.S.: I don't think that I'm allowed to volunteer for any
>more stuff.

Me, too!


Bruce

 

[Bill Barfoot]

>P.S.: No one is reading this thread because in reality, no
>one cares about club-level racing. It's like following the
>minors.
>


how now brown cow.... there are those that are already looking into doing this. With todays tech it is far cheaper than a few years ago, and can actually be done for little up front. Shoot it cinema verite and keep it edgy and you can get alot of alternative use out of it. I believe some are thinking backwards with it. You do not make a show for the current audience, you make a show the future audience will watch, and appreciate, and gain that audience....

Think X-games, bluetorch, KMZTV, those 30 min surfer/skate blitz shows and you have the next rally generation. Gen X is going out, and now has families, Gen Y has 3.4 BILLION to spend on this stuff (those ARE hard numbers from market research). Show them what they want, make it MTV meets Jackass meets WRC meets adrenaline rush and you have a program people will watch, AND put on TV. Marketing 101, don't sell to those that are buying, sell to those that aren't....


I've already said too much...

<waves hand>
These aren't the TV shows you are looking for...
</waves hand>

 

[Ray Jay]

Reading this thread gave me an idea......

Why not enlist the skills of the local VoTech or High School? My last job had me selling (unrelated) gear to some local schools and I was pretty impressed with their video studios.

I am sure getting a few HS kids on stages to tape and do follow-up editing a broadcas would be a sweet project/field trip for them.

Just a thought.......

-Ray Jay

 

[SMS Rallysport]

Okay, not that I wouldn't love to see divisional coverage but...

"jackass meets WRC"

C'mon! That is utter BS. You want everyone to look at us like a freak show? I can say I don't. I'd like to think our sport could be taken seriously. I don't give a damn about what gen-y will "buy". They can take our sport as it is (which I think they will) or they can go @#$* themselves.

I agree the skate/surf route isn't a bad idea. It just needs to be done tactfully. Blue torch does a lot with motocross and I've been waiting for someone to bring that idea up. But I don't want us to be looked at like motocross. Look at the people participating in that sport and then look at BRC drivers (not comparing us to WRC cause we're not even close to that). BRC drivers conduct themselves WAY WAY better than most motocross participants.

Anyway, enough ranting. I just don't want to sacrifice the integrity of this sport for a little airtime.


~Dave

p.s. If anyone has Blue Torch's address I would consider sending them a quick 3 min video (though it's all Pro video footage). I would also consider putting together a 3 min promo of club footage if someone sends me decent Club footage (I don't have any).

 

[JohnB_SPY8808053]

Why not see if the guys at Soul Impact would be interested in doing it. Maybe you could work some kind of deal with them where it gets shown once or twice on TV (local or PBS station) and then you sell it on tape & split the money.

Just an idea...

John B.

 

[jmullan]

Gen-X and spoiled baby gen (gen Y) style shows aren't free, either. MTV style edits are a lot of work for the editor, and require a lot of footage to work from.

We still haven't hashed out the essential dilemma of how to get people to do this - either by money or volunteering.

 

[Bill Barfoot]

you would be surprised at the amount of volunteers willing to do something like this 'cause it's cool'. Some things are in the works here in SoPac, we'll see how they go...

 

[Subie Gal]

good ideas and suggestions guys...
now we're thinking...

time to ring Keith Michel (www.soulimpact.com)

Jamie
www.subiegalracing.com
www.subiegal.com

 

[Crash]

Raising hand/standing/stepping forward/jumping up and down.
And I have some TV production experience, although it was in high school a long, long time ago...

 

[MattLovell]

Carl,
Where are you located?

 

[Crash]

Orange County, CA
Willing to travel within about a 6 hour radius. Negotiable. ;-)

 

[puppetshows]

I'll join the cause and help put this project together. These are all great ideas, so lets do it. I'm in Orange County, CA.
Would the teams work with it, interviews, bio's and letting us put cameras in their cars?

 

[jmullan]

I'm sure that the teams would love to do it.

Many Club drivers already have a camera in their car.

Who will be editing your production? Who will be arranging to have it televised?

 

[Bruce]

Some thoughts on reading this thread so far:

There seem to be two different viewpoints on what sort of show should be produced. One, the "preaching to the choir" group, believes it should be done to show rallying "exactly the way it is" so that it can be marketed to rally fans. Rally fans are an admittedly growing group, but still a pretty small one.

The other viewpoint is that the show should be done to attract the "extreme sports" fans...presenting rally as somewhat stranger than it is, perhaps. The goal here, of course, is to attract NEW fans, not please the old ones.

The SCCA shows are clearly slanted at the new fan...although they try to appeal to existing rally fans as well. Yet they're not far enough out ("edgy" I think Bill said) to bring in the extreme sports fan. I have heard good reports on the shows from NON-RALLY people, despite the bashing they take in these forums.

The choices for production seem to be: hire professionals (read:$$$) or use amateurs...and if you're shooting ClubRally, there wouldn't seem to be a real choice. The expertise is out there...the problem seems to be that everyone who gets into rallying becomes DEEPLY involved fairly quickly...and who's got time to shoot and edit video? We're our own worst enemy in some ways. Like Jesse said...I'm not allowed to volunteer for anyting else...

Bruce

 

[Over Exposure Racing]

We are more than willing to do bio's, provide all of our in car stuff, you can do background things, show service in Fugly, anything. My only question is how many people really are interested in a couple of nerdy mid 30's guys in an underpowered 90hp, 16 year old Honda?

Bradney A. Boli
Over Exposure Racing
Honda Accord #311

 

[MattLovell]

Brad,
Bill B. and I have some things in the works for Gorman (which may or may not materialize at this point) and would love in car footage from you. If you don't think anyone is interested in "a couple of nerdy mid 30's guys in an underpowered 90hp, 16 year old Honda" than you are missing something (as is SpeedChannel). You are the poster child team for "ClubRally". As long as you don't mind the "look how much fun these 'nerdy mid 30's guys in an underpowered 90hp, 16 year old Honda' are having" approach.