When we started this venture, we honestly beleived that it would be like the movie "Field of Dreams"....we would build it, and "they" would come....
To a certian extent, that has proven true....we built the show, and the fans showed up in droves. If the comments about the show, the stories of folks gathering together to watch the show, and the daily phone calls and emails that Dave and I get any testament, the show is very popular amongst those that have seen it! We simply could not be happier about that very fact.
However, I think that unlike the movie where Kevin Costner built the ball diamond and folks magically appeared out of the corn to play ball, we still have not had the opportunity to set back, watch the game, and enjoy the fruits of our labor. I guess it boils down to the fact that someone has to take care of the field in between innings, the grass has to be mowed in between games....the lines re-striped....the trash picked up and emptied.....
Honestly, I think we thought that once we had the show "up and running" that it would be all downhill from there...nothing could be further from the truth. This show is NOT about driving to a different state, setting in a tree stand and waiting for a deer to come by. We dont get the luxury of scripting the show....We can't buld a show around the big deer that our wife shot on camera and we go back and film all the "filler" later. Believe it or not...this is WORK!
We have some of the hardest working camera guys in the business. They don't get to hang the camera on an arm that screws into a tree...they are not setting in a blind waiting on a turkey to come to a call....they are in the hills, the briars, the swamps, the woods with cameras and all of the equipment that comes with filming a TV show. We are NOT filming with your mommas video camera, and we have worked hard to build a lighting system that allows for crisp clear video that enables us to "step up to the plate" when it comes to video quality. My hats go off to the guys that carry that heavy camera gear all over the country!
You know, I always knew that getting sponsors to believe in what we are doing enough to invest in the show, especially given the economic conditions at the time, would be tough. And I certainly appreciate those that have put their trust in us, and believe in what we are doing. My hats off to them. We never stop searching, pushing, shopping, and yes even selling our program to new potential sponsors. We are still pushing the show up hill in this area too.
Recently, we were able to secure a spot on the #2 outdoor network. Sure, we all dream of being "number one", but look....Tailgate Adventures is #1.....we are the ONLY show out there centered around hounds and tree dogs.... We don't have a million dollar budget, and likely we never will...we have some great sponsors, a terrific fan base...and we are still pushing the show up hill to improve the quality of the show....we have taken a big step in moving to a network that is 100% centered on outdoor programming. We will be airing on both satellite networks, and several cable affiliates this fall....we are building it....but the game has started, and the players are starting to come out of the corn!
Freelance Video