Tv company wants to make film about me and online poker. Advice please

The once and future king · #1 02-21-2005, 10:30 AM

Just got off the phone with a TV producer that I had met socialy at a friends birthday dinner party. At said party I got the standard "so what do you do question?" I repled that I played poker full time on the internet. He was fascinated.

About a month passed and just now I got a phone call out of the blue from this Producer saying that he wants to try and commission a film about me and online poker. The guy is a serious player in his field. Conversation was quite hard as I just have had 48 hours of hardcore partying this weekend.

The only problem is that this would involve me qualifiying for the WSOP (This would provide the narrative.)

He is coming to my house tommorrow to film an hours worth of film to send off to BBC3.

Questions I have are:

1. How can I obtain a list of all sites currently running qualifiers to the WSOP?

2. Do you think a poker site would pay my entry to WSOP if they were to recieve consequant publicity associated with the film/documantary? What is the best way of going about sollicitating their interest?

3. This is the most important question. If I dont get support from a poker site. I will probably have to pay for my own sattlites. Yes it would be nice to get a film made about me and shown on National TV but I dont want to go broke playing loads of WSOP sats and ignoring my daily bread and butter grind. I could possibly get a fee of 500-1000 quid from the TV production company, whoopeee. I was maybe thinking of asking to get this fee as sat buy ins.

All opinions wellcome.

lorinda · #2 02-21-2005, 10:45 AM

Do you think a poker site would pay my entry to WSOP if they were to recieve consequant publicity associated with the film/documantary? What is the best way of going about sollicitating their interest?

Get the documentary producer to email the marketing dept of all the sites that you think might be interested, particuarly British skins of major(ish) sites.

It being on the beeb might be a problem of course.

Another option would be to find out what your fee might be for such a show, and guage if you can afford to buy in directly.

Finally, it might be worth selling pieces of yourself to friends, neighbours, etc if you can prove to the people buying that they will get to see their 'horse' on TV.

Lori

lorinda · #3 02-21-2005, 10:56 AM

I wonder if you could switch the emphasis to a show about a budding hopeful taking 2000 gbp and trying to get into the wsop.

That way you get half of your vegas trip paid, a few shots at the wsop anyway AND you get to vegas with TV cameras following you about (Which might be more conducive to getting a random backer if you don't succeed in winning a satellite)

Lori

ipp147 · #4 02-21-2005, 10:59 AM

Hi,

Is he tied to BBC or BBC3.

I think your best chance would be if the programme could be sponsored by a gaming site. That site could pay your entry and get the little adverts either side of the break.

The most obvious channel is Challenge (to be honest they probably get as many viewers as BBC3 [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img])

FlFishOn · #5 02-21-2005, 01:51 PM

Get it in writing. Get it up front. TV folks have a way of forgetting your interests. Trust mostly no one. If the deal isn't strongly to you financial liking then blow it off.

A lot of these TV types expect you to be so excited that they're interested in you and you will now be semi-famous that they can get away with a lot. Watch your ass.

Sponger15SB · #6 02-21-2005, 02:04 PM

How about you just not do it.

Do you really want to be semi-famous?

I would have to be paid an absurd ammount of money to be on any reality TV or documentary TV show.

Player12345 · #7 02-21-2005, 02:08 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Do you think a poker site would pay my entry to WSOP if they were to recieve consequant publicity associated with the film/documantary? What is the best way of going about sollicitating their interest?

Get the documentary producer to email the marketing dept of all the sites that you think might be interested, particuarly British skins of major(ish) sites.

It being on the beeb might be a problem of course.

Another option would be to find out what your fee might be for such a show, and guage if you can afford to buy in directly.

Finally, it might be worth selling pieces of yourself to friends, neighbours, etc if you can prove to the people buying that they will get to see their 'horse' on TV.

Lori

[/ QUOTE ]

if the producer is going to show this dude playing at home and going all the way to the wsop then i bet lots of sites would sponsor this. when they film him home, they are going to get a bunch of mentions and even a camera on his screen. i think this is the best suggestion. this is what i would do. make a site pay the seat and wear all of their crap and even use their mouse pad.

Michael Davis · #8 02-21-2005, 04:14 PM

This undoubtedly has something to do with the fact that you think 95% of women are the same.

-Michael

Adde · #9 02-21-2005, 04:20 PM

Yes it would be nice to get a film made about me and shown on National TV...

I've always wondered why so many people think of this as a good thing, but people are people, so there's quite an opportunity you've gotten yourself here. Good luck! And keep us posted.

Adde

carlo · #10 02-21-2005, 04:45 PM

Agree with Fish--Don't spend a cent of your own money--If they want this they should pay for your satellites--they shouldn't expect you to take all the risk and while they reap the benefits.

You can't eat publicity--only the networks can. "Where's the Beef"--what's in it for you beside an ego boost. Obtaining notoriety can be a double-edged street.

Get everything in writing--do not allow them to film until everything is settled.

regards,
carlo