I'm looking for guidance from you professional writers - - I'm really just looking for some people that might be interested in making this idea happen - I'm a college student.
Author Name: Robert Patrick
Genre: Reality Series
Title: "American Candidate"
Logline: The Presidential Debates meet "American Idol". 2008 Presidential candidates interact with each other in front of a studio audience, discussing their views on the issues facing America. Viewers across the nation, and world, can participate by sms-texting their vote for their favorite candidate. Monitor their rankings as the candidates compete to win more talk time and the hearts of America. (Themes: Reality-based, political)
Synopsis:
The first reality series that will truly be history in the making.
The competition for Presidential candidacy is getting stiff, and running an election campaign has never before been more challenging. Politicians, well-known and unknown, are struggling to get their names out there to the American public, and until now have failed to find a breakthrough.
The series will showcase many candidates with many conflicting viewpoints . Who will stand together, and who will fall alone? Will alliances be made, promises kept? Reality TV is all about politics, and here's our chance to see the professionals go at it.
Each candidate starts on the same level footing, but at the end of the series only one candidate will have the majority vote. Throughout the course of the show celebrity guests may come on to ask questions of the candidates, and focus the discussions (imagine Jon Stewart). The show is sure to be talked about at every office water cooler, all the way up to election day, and even beyond!
Seven episodes:
1. Meet the candidates. Get to know the host, the candidates, and their stances on the major issues. Each candidate has a few minutes to introduce themselves and tell America why they deserve their vote for President. Viewers can text their votes, and see the initial candidate rankings on the show's website.
2. The candidates field questions from celebrity guests (again, imagine someone like Jon Stewart). Depending on their rankings, some candidates may be able to follow up other candidates responses with counters of their own. The viewers get another chance to vote, but the cumulative rankings don't come into play until the final episode. The candidates are re-ranked, based on their performance in the episode.
3. The candidates answer questions from the audience. Same process as before, those candidates that lead in the rankings from the last episode get to have their say more than the other candidates.
4. The trailing candidates get to choose the issues of discussion. The candidates that were trailing in the last episode get to direct the discussions toward their strengths, this is their chance to shine, or not. At the end of the program the candidates will choose their debate partners for the next episode. Viewers still get to vote for their favorites, but this time the rankings are just for the world to see by going to the website.
5. The candidates pair up and debate controversial issues. They'll tackle the controversial issues, debating in standard debate format, but they'll have to work together to do it, possibly with their biggest rivals. Cumulative votes throughout the series will determine the leaders for the next episode.
6. The leading candidates direct discussion on topics of their choosing. These rankings are theirs to maintain, or not. The two top ranked after this episode, will compete in the final showdown for the crown.
7. The top two candidates carry out a final debate, with discussion topics directed by the other candidates. The viewers have one last chance to vote for their favorite candidate.
8. The recap show. The show goes over the good times, and especially the most dramatic times, all culminating to an end of the show climax when the winner is announced. The winner gives a short speech, and the world will know who has won the hearts of the American people. The network may even award a significant campaign donation to the winner, or make a real donation to their favorite charity.
Author Name: Robert Patrick
Genre: Reality Series
Title: "American Candidate"
Logline: The Presidential Debates meet "American Idol". 2008 Presidential candidates interact with each other in front of a studio audience, discussing their views on the issues facing America. Viewers across the nation, and world, can participate by sms-texting their vote for their favorite candidate. Monitor their rankings as the candidates compete to win more talk time and the hearts of America. (Themes: Reality-based, political)
Synopsis:
The first reality series that will truly be history in the making.
The competition for Presidential candidacy is getting stiff, and running an election campaign has never before been more challenging. Politicians, well-known and unknown, are struggling to get their names out there to the American public, and until now have failed to find a breakthrough.
The series will showcase many candidates with many conflicting viewpoints . Who will stand together, and who will fall alone? Will alliances be made, promises kept? Reality TV is all about politics, and here's our chance to see the professionals go at it.
Each candidate starts on the same level footing, but at the end of the series only one candidate will have the majority vote. Throughout the course of the show celebrity guests may come on to ask questions of the candidates, and focus the discussions (imagine Jon Stewart). The show is sure to be talked about at every office water cooler, all the way up to election day, and even beyond!
Seven episodes:
1. Meet the candidates. Get to know the host, the candidates, and their stances on the major issues. Each candidate has a few minutes to introduce themselves and tell America why they deserve their vote for President. Viewers can text their votes, and see the initial candidate rankings on the show's website.
2. The candidates field questions from celebrity guests (again, imagine someone like Jon Stewart). Depending on their rankings, some candidates may be able to follow up other candidates responses with counters of their own. The viewers get another chance to vote, but the cumulative rankings don't come into play until the final episode. The candidates are re-ranked, based on their performance in the episode.
3. The candidates answer questions from the audience. Same process as before, those candidates that lead in the rankings from the last episode get to have their say more than the other candidates.
4. The trailing candidates get to choose the issues of discussion. The candidates that were trailing in the last episode get to direct the discussions toward their strengths, this is their chance to shine, or not. At the end of the program the candidates will choose their debate partners for the next episode. Viewers still get to vote for their favorites, but this time the rankings are just for the world to see by going to the website.
5. The candidates pair up and debate controversial issues. They'll tackle the controversial issues, debating in standard debate format, but they'll have to work together to do it, possibly with their biggest rivals. Cumulative votes throughout the series will determine the leaders for the next episode.
6. The leading candidates direct discussion on topics of their choosing. These rankings are theirs to maintain, or not. The two top ranked after this episode, will compete in the final showdown for the crown.
7. The top two candidates carry out a final debate, with discussion topics directed by the other candidates. The viewers have one last chance to vote for their favorite candidate.
8. The recap show. The show goes over the good times, and especially the most dramatic times, all culminating to an end of the show climax when the winner is announced. The winner gives a short speech, and the world will know who has won the hearts of the American people. The network may even award a significant campaign donation to the winner, or make a real donation to their favorite charity.
). But in execution and impact, I think it could prove detrimental to the election process -- and ultimately to society itself -- on far too many levels, some of which we probably don't have the wisdom to foresee at this time. So my feeling is (and I could be wrong) that this should NOT be ventured into.
