Sorry for the delayed response. I've been unusually slammed at work these past few days.
I loved the D Magazine article. And I watched the Michael Isikoff piece - also very helpful. I'll be looking for the Bloomberg/Businessweek round table tomorrow. I think we'll have more than enough resources for the initial pitch when it comes to evidence of your journalism and activism.
My current concern is that the vast bulk of your work happens via a keyboard and screen. We can't support an entire show in front of a computer - we need to make sure that we have a wealth of visual content to actually shoot. It may be that you have some regular activities/meetings that will take care of this aspect - but since I don't know what your routine is right now, I am trying to find options for the visual side.
This doesn't have to be difficult - the easiest method would be to have you work, live, and/or travel with someone. This might be a cohort of yours, or another socially conscious person whose methods are entirely different from yours... but it might also be someone who isn't directly involved in any (h)ac(k)tivism. Is there anyone that you interact with on a regular basis who might be open to being shot regularly? Possibilities off the top of my head -
- an agent/manager - Mirna or any of the rest of the Texodus crew - your girlfriend - your mom
Ideally, we'd want someone for whom your actions have direct personal implications, or someone who's frequently at odds with you. The purpose of this would be to provide an emotional anchor for concepts that may not hold much weight for the average viewer. (I just say that because I don't want you to think I'm trying to turn this into Jersey Shore or something. You obviously work on things that affect the world at large, but we're not just aiming for the politically informed here. People flipping channels need to realize that something important is going on, and a key indicator of that is real, human, spontaneous behavior on screen. Personal relationships also help to keep viewers returning each week.)
If we can't find a conventional counterpoint voice to be a regular element of the show, then I think we might have to turn to planning some interactions. Very generally, I'm thinking three events per episode - one encounter with a normal, unpolitical person off the street, one with some kind of scholar/expert/politician, and one with someone from your personal life, perhaps someone with whom you have unresolved business. If each of these encounters are tied to a project you are currently working on, so much the better. And if any or all of these get you into different environments, that's great. (For example, Stein had already told me about your basketball day several times, so things like that would be fun. And I know the article mentions that your dad hunts - do you as well? The countryside would be a nice change of pace.)
I will have some time this weekend to start going through media and preparing a video reel, and looking through some of my company's past pitches. If you have any thoughts regarding any of these elements, let me know. And whenever you get a chance, shoot me some of that adventure bio! (I want to hear the jumping-out-of-a-cab story!)