“The Longest Day” Post Mortem

If you’ve been a fan of the online reality TV series “The Longest Day”, you’ll love today’s episode of F-Stop Beyond. The series involved twenty-four of the top wedding and portrait wedding photographers from around North America. They were divided into two teams and given just twenty-four hours to write, shoot, and edit an original short film. The reality TV show involved the behind-the-scenes making of the two teams’ films. The drama. The antics. The mayhem. If you haven’t already seen it, you can check out the season recap (as well as the two final videos) at thelongestday.tv.

Today, we have three of the cast members from the show: Jules Bianchi from Team A, and the two team creative consultants, Loyd Calomay and David Robin. Jules, Loyd, and David share with us the inside scoop of what happened that day that we didn’t see in the show. We answer questions like: why did Jim Garner and Bambi Cantrell of Team B already have a film idea sorted out? What happened in Team A’s room that caused the horror story idea go south? How Loyd and David did the editing “magic” they did for the videos? What was it like for Loyd and David coming into a mix of such big names in the photo industry?

Today’s outro music is, of course, “The Longest Day” theme music, “Morning Prayer” by Lianna Klassen, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music. Next week we’ll have another re-run as I’ll be at the annual WPPI Convention in Las Vegas.

We finally get a glimpse into each team’s project. THIS ONE IS THE BEST EPISODE TO DATE!!

Will Team A get out of the board room? Will Team B be able to fit Bambi’s “assests” into the car?

Just when you think Team A is making progress, they hit a snag. Will they ever make it out of that board room? Meanwhile, Team B is still on the hunt for the perfect costumes.

Episode Three of the hit reality show starring ME!!!
…oh, and 25 top wedding photographers.

Episode Two of this reality show starring ME!
…Oh, and 25 top wedding photographers!

It’s been a long time in the making, but it’s finally here. The premiere episode of the first online reality TV show for and about professional photographers, “The Longest Day,” this year’s buzz-building videos series for WPPI 2009, brought to you by the one and only Ron Dawson.

The premise is simple: get 24 of the hottest professional photographers in the country (and Canada), bring them all to southern California armed only with the knowledge that they would be split into two teams and given an assignment to complete in just 24 hours. Once they arrive, they find out their assignment is to write, shoot, and edit an original short film about photography, AND an original PSA about the respective charity for which they are playing: ThirstRelief and Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. Along with Loyd Calomay, I was brought in as Creative Consultant, because let’s be realistic, what do photographers know about writing, shooting, and editing an original short film? (hehe).

Over a series of ten episodes, you’ll see the drama; the comedy; and the battle for the best video and PSA as voted on by viewers. That’s right, as we lead up to WPPI (February 14-19) Ron will air the episodes (I will post them on this blog too). Then, about a week before, we’ll show the final short films and PSAs by both teams. Viewers will then have an opportunity to vote for the videos they like the best. Thanks to the sponsors, the winning team will win $3,000 for their charity. The other charity will earn $2,000. (In this episode you’ll hear me mention $1,000 and $500 as the respective prizes. The ante got upped since the taping of this show). ENJOY!!!

Twenty-four of the hottest photograhers in North America converge on Universal City for a “secret mission.” All they know is that it will be a project that will last 24 hours. They’ve come as far as Vancouver and Chattanooga, without a clue as to why. When they arrive, they find out that they’re being split into two teams. Each team is given 24 hours to write, shoot, and edit an original short film. Each team is also playing for one of two charities: Thirst Relief and Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.

I was brought in as creative consultant for Team B, and my responsibilities included brainstorming ideas, as well as, shooting and editing the original short film. Ultimately, the viewing audience will determine the winner, which will be announced at WPPI 2009.

TEAM B (My Team)

TEAM A

Is it me, or is Team B having SO MUCH MORE FUN!!!!!!