Casting Call for Conversion Shops

[HighTechRedneck]

Ok folks, I know most of the conversion shop folks don't have a lot of time to hang out in here.  So maybe those of you that know the people at the shops can pass this information on to them.  They called me to see if we could help get the word out.  I think it would make for a cool show!

PRODUCERS OF "AMERICAN CHOPPER" SEEKING TO CAST
RV CUSTOMIZATION / CONVERSION COMPANY
FOR NEW TELEVISION SERIES

Looking to spotlight ONE RV customizing crew in their own unscripted television series
as they show America how to transform the average "bed on wheels" into a true
American Road Warrior...

CANDIDATES MUST APPLY BY JUNE 13, 2010

LOS ANGELES, May 20, 2010 ‐‐ Pilgrim Films and Television, Inc, the producers of
American Chopper (TLC), Dirty Jobs (Discovery Channel) and The Ultimate Fighter
(Spike), is seeking to cast a company of fun, outgoing and even outrageous RV
customizers/converters to appear in their own, unscripted TV series on a major
cable network!

The right company for this show custom‐builds extreme motor homes, customizes
existing RVs with extravagant accessories, OR converts buses into RVs, outfitting
them with high‐end electronics and top‐of‐the‐line add‐ons.

The goal is to put a unique, creative spin on the average recreational vehicle and
help RV folks and fans out‐style and out‐drive each other on the road, in the park
and at the rallies.

If you feel that your company has an exciting, colorful group of technicians,
designers and experts who make RV magic every day and deserve to be seen on TV,
then please email producers at RoadWarriorCasting@gmail.com with the
company name, location, phone number and a brief reason why the company and
crew would be perfect for a show like this. Feel free to send photos or a link to
photos of custom work and crew.

Questions can be directed to Semi Aboud, Director of Talent Development and
Casting, at 818‐478‐4540.

For more information about Pilgrim Films and Television and their shows, please
visit www.pilgrimfilms.tv

[Van]

Let me be the first then to offer my bus for the conversion on the show

[Dreamscape]

I was just wondering, how many shops are open these days?

With the poor economy, they should have done that a few years back. It would be fun to watch though!

[happycamperbrat]

I think it would be more fun to watch ordinary people doing something miraculous with nothing but rubbish. There are plenty of buses out there that people have taken everyday stuff and made into neat items for their buses which are every bit as good or better then the high dollar mass produced stuff. But I think a show like this would be good all around for bus people and make the public more aware of this hobby as well as make the value of the buses go up again.

[Jeremy]

I think it would be more fun to watch ordinary people doing something miraculous with nothing but rubbish.

I agree with that. There is a very popular program here called 'Grand Designs', about normal people doing amazing house builds / rebuilds / conversions, often on a very limited budget. I've always thought that the same concept broadened out to other subjects (boats, buses or whatever) would make an even better program.

Cable TV here carries quite a few of the American Chopper / Boyd Coddington / Pimp My Ride / Overhaulin' type programs from the US. If I was a company invited to appear on such a program I suspect I would want to run very fast in the opposite direction - or at least be very, very skeptical about whether the publicity benefits outweighed the likely damage to my reputation. The problem is that 90% of the people that appear in such programs come across as vain, petty, small-minded idiots. I'm sure they aren't at all like that in reality, but the TV producers of such program seem to think that the only way of creating drama and interest for the viewer is to propagate stupid behaviour and petty inter-personal conflict from the people that appear on-screen.

I do often still watch, though, as you can learn some interesting technical stuff between all the artificial human drama.

Jeremy

[HighTechRedneck]

I tend to agree that Hollywood plays up the interpersonal drama aspect to gain ratings.  Kind of the difference in presentation style and total viewership between This Old House and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.  Unfortunately, some of the player's lives really are a train wreck.  For example the Teutul family of Orange County Choppers.  ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_County_Choppers )

On the other hand, in several cases the shops featured in these kind of shows, including Orange County Choppers achieve success largely because of the show.  Before the show they are a small business in the usual struggle and after the show they are a national or international brand doing big business (again reference the story of OCC in the link above) dealing with other kinds of struggles, but with a lot bigger cash flow.

My excitement in this stems from what Teresa noted - a successful show of that type would do a lot to grow new interest in the niche.  Even though the show will be broader focused on RV's in general, when it comes to customization it is hard to beat a bus conversion and I believe that would become evident to more people in a show like that.  The mere exposure of the idea to millions of people would increase the number that catch the bus nut bug. The shop involved would likely gain a lot of business.  All bus conversions shops would benefit.  Our subscriptions and forum memberships would grow. And the increased demand for conversions would help restore the prices benefiting those who are trying to sell theirs.  A rising tide lifts all boats.

[Jaime]

if they are interested in updating a conversion I would not mind having my conversion participate. I wish them luck.

[PP]

I think it would be more fun to watch ordinary people doing something miraculous with nothing but rubbish. There are plenty of buses out there that people have taken everyday stuff and made into neat items for their buses which are every bit as good or better then the high dollar mass produced stuff.

I think that show was called 'Junkyard Wars' LOL.
Seriously, I wish them all the best and look forward to viewing such a program. Will

[Lin]

It would be somewhat of a drag though if they just showed big shops doing million dollar conversions.

[JohnEd]

I will gladly volunteer my "time" if they will document the conversion of the bus they purchase for me to participate.  Only as long as they do a really good job.

Your welcome,

John

[it_mike]

I just bought a passenger bus, they could start from scratch with mike!!!   

[muddog16]

The idea of me sitting on a stool in the shop figuring out my next job and how to do it, while talking to my faithful dog and cat for their input doesn't seem to be that exciting!

[Chopper Scott]

Coming from a guy who has been around bikes for awhile and does or did a lot of one off stuff, I grew pretty tired of OCC and how tv had to make it interesting. Maybe it was ok for those out of the loop but for those that were around customizing bikes it was easy to see that it was all for the show. I guess it would be like a lawyer watching Boston Legal or a doctor watching General Hospital. Things just weren't right a lot of times. Unfortunately a bus conversion show would also have some of us scratching our heads!!!

[Dreamscape]

The sad part of a lot of those shows is they do it in such a hurry, a one week build, yeah right! The drama on OC was funny at first, but quickly turned very old.

I like Pat's thought

The idea of me sitting on a stool in the shop figuring out my next job and how to do it, while talking to my faithful dog and cat for their input doesn't seem to be that exciting!

That's pretty funny! Most of my time spent is exactly that, scratching my head or whatever else itches!

[niles500]

A friend of mine, Craig Chapman, had a contract with the Teutel's for a year, as their first ever frame fabricator - The reason they could start and finish a bike so quick is that they used "stock" frames and modified them - He was the first to build one offs for OCC (Senior picked him out of a field of over 1200 applicants) - He got out the first chance he got - Said senior was OK but the family was wacked out - FWIW