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www.postmagazine.com 21 POST POSTING REALITY TV FEBRUARY 2017 eality TV programming is known to bring viewers some extreme circumstances and environments. From Hollywood house- wives to surviving on an island and traveling around the world to cooking up a feast, unscript- ed television has grown to become one of the most lucrative types of programming on televi- sion today. Yet, unscripted, efficient workflows are still relied on to keep production and post for these shows on budget, on deadline and still delivering compelling content from one season to the next. Here, we speak with the post pros behind Discovery's Fast N' Loud and Fox's Kicking & Screaming and My Kitchen Rules about work- flows and the challenges behind posting these unscripted shows. FAST N' LOUD North Hollywood's Pilgrim Media Group (www. pilgrimstudios.com) produces and posts a number of popular reality TV programs, includ- ing Street Outlaws, Misfit Garage, Wicked Tuna and Ghost Hunters. When Post caught up with executive producer Eddie Rohwedder, the studio was readying the 100th episode of Discovery Channel's Fast N' Loud. The show follows the Dallas-based, hot-rod builders at Gas Monkey Garage and the shop's owner Richard Rawlings, who's not afraid to take a gamble when it comes to growing his business. Rohwedder says it's his job to make sure the show stays on budget while maintaining a high production value. "Surprisingly, there is no script," he says of the series. "It's very authentic. We never know what's going to happen with a car. The team of mechanics starts from scratch. We are very authentic with the builds, and the stakes are real in terms of building and selling [the cars]." The show is shot using three Sony XDCAM cameras, equipped with long and wide lens- es. Additional footage is acquired using GoPro Hero and Canon 5D cameras, as well as via a DJI Phantom drone. The production crew has a range of sliders, rails and a small dolly available. And the skilled mechanics at the shop have even built the crew a few custom rigs for different purposes. Gas Monkey's Richard Rawlings is always looking for the next car to transform, often sending him on a long drive or plane ride to view prospective vehicles. The crew is designed to split up and move out on just a moment's notice, should he decide to pursue a unique opportunity. A range of suction-cup mounts position cameras to capture his travels, which often take place in a pickup truck, towing a flatbed trailer. According to Rohwedder, each day, the pro- duction team ships the various camera cards back to Pilgrim Media Group for offloading. In addition, the production audio is copied on-site to a hard drive and shipped back as well. Post production takes place entirely in North Hollywood. The show has employed three core editors from day 1, though they'll bring on ad- R KEEPIN 'IT REAL ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES AND WORKFLOWS HELP REALITY TV GO BEYOND ITS BORDERS BY LINDA ROMANELLO & MARC LOFTUS Fast N' Loud shot on Sony XDCAMs. Fast N' Loud shot on Sony XDCAMs. Fast N' Loud