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The realities of hunting TV
#586275
05/03/13 03:00 PM
05/03/13 03:00 PM
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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Hey guys..Ive gotten alot of questions on hunting tv.. and people wanting to do hunting tv...so I thought Id put the facts out there. Ive spent most of my adult life in outdoor tv...starting as a cameraman for a camo company airing on the outdoor channel. I then became an editor..and edited shows. after a few years sponsors backed us to do our own show..so I became a producer. My wife and I owned and ran a production company for over 10 years producing outdoor tv shows and commercials. We produced and edited five outdoor shows that ran a couple to three years each. I hosted four of them..two with my wife as co hosts. We were sponsored by many of the top companies in the hunting industry the whole time, including Thompson Center firearms, Bowtech archery, Primos game calls, Double bull blinds, Scmidt and Bender optics, Hi Viz optics, Thermacell, Victory archery, Pete rickards scent, Lumenock, Otis technology gun cleaning gear, Mossy Oak camo, and more then I can name.
This is how it works: In hunting tv you produce a pilot..(sometimes two shows)and contact a network..these days the Outdoor Channel, the Sportsman channel or the Pursuit Channel.(ive worked for or produced shows for all three, as well as the old Mens Outdoor and recreation channel) You speak to the programming director as too available airtimes , time slots and pricing.
Airtimes are PURCHASED by the Producer from the channel , usually giving you 3 slots per week (this is negotiable as well..your pricing depends on number of slots and placing of the time slot). You usually get a Prime time slot (5 pm to 11pm EST), a sub prime and a less then steller time slot for a total of three slots. Prices are PER WEEK, and depend on the channel. Currently..both the outdoor channel and the Sportsman channel are Neilson rated...telling how many viewers you get once you air.
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Re: The realities of hunting TV
[Re: ]
#586281
05/03/13 03:05 PM
05/03/13 03:05 PM
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 12,930 In a Van, down by the River
quailman
Booner
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Booner
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 12,930
In a Van, down by the River
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Hell, the Outdoor Channel is nothing more than Info-commercials anymore. Versus is the best now days.
Life is a journey. Make sure and bring plenty of Beer.
My luck has been so bad lately, it could be raining pussies and I'd catch one with a dick broke off in it.
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Re: The realities of hunting TV
[Re: ]
#586288
05/03/13 03:12 PM
05/03/13 03:12 PM
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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Prices vary according to the network. The Outdoor Channel was running from around $7500-$12,000 per week when we stopped in 2010. The sportsman and pursuit were both asking around $2500-$3500 per week. You do 26 week contracts..13 original programming run two times. so a 26 week contract can cost from $65,000 to $260,000 just for the airtime.
That gives you anywhere from 6-10 commercial spots..depending on the network AND your negotiating skills. ( you want to pay the least you can,..and get the most commercial spots that you can!)
You also have to pay an editor..unless like myself you can edit professional quality TV shows on a professional HD editing suite which you own(which are EXPENSIVE).
editing cost range from around $1000 an episode to $3000. You also have to have a "graphics Package" or wrap around made by a graphics person (unless like me..you do it yourself) That includes your beginning, your "bumpers" going to and back from commercial breaks, your ending, and your credit roll.
Lets say middle of the road editing cost around $2000 per episode..so another $26,000
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Re: The realities of hunting TV
[Re: ]
#586290
05/03/13 03:14 PM
05/03/13 03:14 PM
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,048 Sylacauga
doecommander
things that make you go hmmmmmmm
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things that make you go hmmmmmmm
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,048
Sylacauga
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What kind of money are we talking to purchase air time? Ball park?
doecommander out...........................
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Re: The realities of hunting TV
[Re: ]
#586292
05/03/13 03:18 PM
05/03/13 03:18 PM
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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You figure in Cameramen at $100-150 per day, travel budget of around $15000- 20000 and youre looking at costs of from $120,000 to over $300,000 total, for 1/2 a year of tv time.
If they like your pilot..they accept your show,..you agree on the timeslots and number of commercial spots and SIGN a contract for a HUGE amount of financial responsibility. Now THE WORK begins!
Not only do you have to film over 13 hunts..but on a show like we did..we always showed 3 harvest per show...we didnt like "talking head shows"(people talking about how great they are etc)..we filmed the Primos style shows..something is gonna die before we cut to a commercial (called "whack em and stack em" style shows.
so we filmed 39 hunts that aired per 26 weeks. (we were a YEAR ROUND show on every show we did..so double that!)
It takes alot of work, and a dedicated pro staff to go get that many TV quality animals in that time span.
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Re: The realities of hunting TV
[Re: ]
#586294
05/03/13 03:25 PM
05/03/13 03:25 PM
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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But still all that is the EASY PART! Thats the you spending money and time to get the show done...but you STILL HAVE TO GET PAID! So you have to sell those commercial spots to sponsors. THATS THE HARD PART! So now youll see why NEGOTIATING IS KEY! you want the lowest airtime price..with the highest number of commercials. I ALWAYS got 8-10 commercial spots! The more spots ..the easier it is to recoup the HUGE expenditure and get enough money for some PROFIT!
On the low end your looking at at 120,000 and 10 spots to be on the Sportsman or pursuit..so those spots COST you $12,000 per half year or $24,000 per year if you run 52 weeks. We will use the 26 week season as it is easier.
So now to make profit..you have to sell those spots for $20,000 per 26 weeks season each, if you can get 10. most shows..do not..weak negotiating and they get 6-8 spots..so youd have to sell them for alot more... but for this case we are going to pretend that youre great negotiators and get the 10 spots! so 20,000 per spot.
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Re: The realities of hunting TV
[Re: ]
#586296
05/03/13 03:34 PM
05/03/13 03:34 PM
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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So you have to pitch sponsors who want "exclusivity of product line"...meaning ONE call company, ONE bow company, ONE firearm company, ONE scent company, ONE arrow company, ONE optics company, etc etc..you get the picture.
So you have to produce a MEDIA KIT, which includes your pilot, a pricing sheet, a sypnopsis about the show and the Networks info, average ratings and viewer demographics.
You then fly your tail out to the SHOT SHOW in January and the Archery Trade Association show, and the WTF show and start the DREADFUL job of pitching your show for financial support!
This used to be easy actually..when I started in 1999 there were 35 shows..now there are over 700...all trying to do the same thing as you! You meet with marketing directors of every company you can for each of the various types of products..bows, guns, calls, blinds , treestands, arrows, bullets, etc etc.
You then try to sell them your spots for the amount you need..especially commercial spots. However, you also sell product sponsor spots( no 30 second commercial spot, just product usage, as well as a close captioning spot , who pays for the close captioning of the show which is mandatory). And hopefully..you sell enough spots of the various types to actually pay the airtime, editing and travel bills and STILL have enough to be profitable!
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Re: The realities of hunting TV
[Re: ]
#586299
05/03/13 03:41 PM
05/03/13 03:41 PM
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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That is WHY the shows pitch product..because THAT is WHAT hunting TV is all about. Heck..its WHAT ALL TV IS ABOUT...selling the sponsors products. All shows on any channel is paid for by it sponsors..all those pesky commercials..without them..THERE WOULD BE NO TV!
Sending out shows to millions of viewers IS NOT FREE! the producers pay the networks,..who pay the PROVIDER..dish, direct etc to send the show via its sattelite.(very expensive..these darn sattelites)
It always AMAZES me when people complasin about commercials..do they think networks beam the dang programming up to space..then back to your tv for free??? Heck no! Its expensive as heck!
I was very fortunste in that we were in it at the berginning and due to putting out a great product that was rated pretty well (our one show had a .1 rating..meaning almost 1 million viewer per week..)we got 860,000 or so everyweek, and there fore got and KEPT the same sponsors.
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Re: The realities of hunting TV
[Re: ]
#586301
05/03/13 03:45 PM
05/03/13 03:45 PM
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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So I hope that explains everything...if anyone has any questions..feel free to ask me..either here or via PM. And if anyone is interested (DOECOMMANDER??) contact me and Ill help you anyway I can..with either procurring time slots, getting you on a network, getting you the help filming, editing or getting sponsors.
Im lucky in that most instance after out first show i NEVER had to do a pilot..the networks knew our work. Also, Im a real estate investor and realtor,..my job is NEGOTIATION! I get much cheaper airtime and the maximum commercial spots.
I hope that answered most questions..Its the most typing ive done since college!
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Re: The realities of hunting TV
[Re: ]
#586303
05/03/13 03:49 PM
05/03/13 03:49 PM
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,048 Sylacauga
doecommander
things that make you go hmmmmmmm
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things that make you go hmmmmmmm
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,048
Sylacauga
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Thanks for the info. What is the name of your show?
doecommander out...........................
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Re: The realities of hunting TV
[Re: ]
#586308
05/03/13 03:54 PM
05/03/13 03:54 PM
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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Im retired..I retired in 2010. im 51 now..I started in my early 30s. I filmed for a big camo company..then produced and hosted "Outdoor Obsession"( my name) here from 1999 to 2003, "Trophy Quest Outdoors" from 2003-2006,then a network production(the network paid me) in the sport of paintball called "Paintball World TV news" from 2006 -2008, then "the ProTeam challenge" which featured two man teams of hunter/videographers competing against each other filming hunts around the country from 2008-2010
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Re: The realities of hunting TV
[Re: ]
#586344
05/03/13 04:33 PM
05/03/13 04:33 PM
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14,590 Tuscaloosa Co.
N2TRKYS
Booner
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Booner
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14,590
Tuscaloosa Co.
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I bet you could help folks out on outfitters....who's good and who's not.
83% of all statistics are made up.
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Re: The realities of hunting TV
[Re: ]
#586450
05/04/13 02:55 AM
05/04/13 02:55 AM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 18,939 colbert county
cartervj
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 18,939
colbert county
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Im retired..I retired in 2010. im 51 now..I started in my early 30s. I filmed for a big camo company..then produced and hosted "Outdoor Obsession"( my name) here from 1999 to 2003, "Trophy Quest Outdoors" from 2003-2006,then a network production(the network paid me) in the sport of paintball called "Paintball World TV news" from 2006 -2008, then "the ProTeam challenge" which featured two man teams of hunter/videographers competing against each other filming hunts around the country from 2008-2010 first name wouldn't happen to be Tack would it
“Socialism only works in two places: Heaven where they don't need it and hell where they already have it.” ― Ronald Reagan
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Re: The realities of hunting TV
[Re: ]
#586486
05/04/13 03:54 AM
05/04/13 03:54 AM
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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No..my name is Phil...and yes the best thing is I got to see the good , the bad and the ugly in outfitters. If you saw squeakys post youll see that i ONLY steer people to proven outfitters and hunting where youll have a high chance of success.. Before doing tv I myself had been scammed by so called outfitters..when I was in my twenties. The stories I could tell about that would make a WHOLE thread in itself!
It actually was the REASON I became an outfitter and ONLY took a limited number of hunters on any of my properties! If I couldnt honestly feel I gave you a chance to get a quality animal..I would not book hunts. For example..on our Osceola turkey hunts..we started with 20,000 acres of the best and prettiest ranch land..loaded with hundreds of gobblers..but we would ONLY take 10 hunters a year. When we aquirred another 20,000 acre ranch..we upped it to 20 hunters..period.
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Re: The realities of hunting TV
[Re: ]
#586487
05/04/13 03:56 AM
05/04/13 03:56 AM
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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outdoorobsession
OP
Unregistered
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I outfitted for years before doing tv..and we filmed our animals and would show them to our hunters when they arrived in camp to get them pumped! That is what actually got me into outdoor tv..a big camo company came to hunt Osceolas..and saw the video we did ..and the successful hunts we filmed in the years prior...and made me an offer to film for them as I shoot some pretty good footage!
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