MTV's 'Real World' coming to Austin
12-22-04, 01:51 PM
#1
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MTV's 'Real World' coming to Austin
By Joe Gross
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
The series that practically invented reality TV is coming to Austin.
The 16th season of MTV's groundbreaking "The Real World" will begin shooting in Austin in January. The 24 episodes will air starting in June.
Often viewed as the first reality show, "The Real World" has been a hit since its 1992 debut season, which was set in New York City. Although it's MTV's longest-running series, its popularity hasn't waned, and, in fact, continues to grow.
The current season of the show, set in Philadelphia, ends in February. The previous season, set in San Diego, was the most-watched season to date, averaging about 3.9 million viewers an episode. It was the most-watched series on cable in 2004 among the all-important 12- to 34-year-old demographic, according to MTV.
Each season, the show brings seven strangers between the ages of 18 and 24 to live together in a swank loft or house in a new city and films them around the clock, at home and on the town. Past seasons of "The Real World" have taken place in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago and Paris. Austin is the smallest city to host a "Real World" cast, Austin Mayor Will Wynn said.
"They were excited about coming to Austin and asked my help in understanding a little more about the city," said Wynn, who would not reveal the location of the "Real World" house.
"I've been sworn to secrecy," he said. MTV was mum as well.
Last February, MTV's selection of Philadelphia was cause for rejoicing there, with residents expecting the show to be outstanding publicity for the city and help it retain recent college graduates, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. However, disputes with labor unions led MTV to pull out three weeks before taping was to begin. (MTV had hired a nonunion company to renovate the space where the cast was to live, as the network has done in every "Real World" location.) Austin and Lake Tahoe were considered as alternates. But Philadelphia officials intervened and persuaded MTV to keep the show there.
Executive producer Jon Murray said the city selection process did not change after the Philadelphia incident. "That was sort of a strange anomaly," he said. "We just look for the place that is creatively the right next stop for us."
There also have been some run-ins with the law during the series's run.
Gawkers reportedly kept Philadelphia police busy, and in one incident, a plainclothes officer guarding the set got in a fight with five men trying to gain entrance, two of whom were off-duty police officers. During filming of the San Diego season, cast member Robin Hibbard, a Tampa bartender, was arrested and spent a night in jail after a scratching incident with a Marine outside a bar. Also in San Diego, a 22-year-old woman reported that she'd been raped on the set by a friend of a cast member, but after an eight-month investigation, prosecutors said they would not file charges because of insufficient evidence, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Wynn does not sound too worried about the production's effect on everyday Austinites.
"My perception is that it's a pretty low-impact sort of production for us," Wynn said. "We have done bigger and bolder film productions. MTV recognizes what we all know: If you have a passion for live music and the outdoors, this is the place to be."
Austin previously landed on the "Real World" map when Kevin Dunn, then a senior at the University of Texas and a graduate of Westlake High School, was cast in the 10th "Real World" season, filmed in New York and aired in 2001. Dunn was noted for having beaten lymphatic cancer in his teens. He is now a sports commentator for KVET-AM, "The Zone."
Gary Bond, director of the Austin Film Office, has also been in on "Real World" planning.
"At the time they first contacted us, we were a little awash in feature films, which we happen not to be right now," he said.
Bond added that the show will employ local people during the production. City officials have not yet calculated the estimated economic impact on the city.
Austin has been on the show's radar for some time, Murray said.
"I first became aware of Austin years ago when I cast there in the '90s," Murray said. "It's a great city that college students graduate from and don't really want to leave, which is good for us. We've been wanting to get to that part of the country for a while, and Austin was the right place to go next."
Murray says it was important for the series to be in Austin during the South by Southwest music and film festival.
"I'm not really sure how we're going to be involved," SXSW director Roland Swenson said. "I know we'll figure into it somehow."
But the big questions remain unanswered: Where will the seven strangers live, and what will their jobs be?
Murray declined to comment on the house's location and said several jobs were still under consideration. In other seasons, cast members have done everything from hosting a cable-access show to building a community playground.
"The house is a big part of the fantasy," Murray said. "We try to create a house that reflects the city that we're in. Coming to Austin, we'll want to have a sense of Austin as young, hip city. There's some great design there, but there's also this wonderful kitschy thing on South Congress. They will have very cool digs."
Bond was unsure where the cast was going to be headquartered, but he recalled some early ideas: "They were looking at taking advantage of the new urban lifestyle in Austin. Originally they were interested in a lake-front situation, but how many episodes can you do on renting Jet Skis?"
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
The series that practically invented reality TV is coming to Austin.
The 16th season of MTV's groundbreaking "The Real World" will begin shooting in Austin in January. The 24 episodes will air starting in June.
Often viewed as the first reality show, "The Real World" has been a hit since its 1992 debut season, which was set in New York City. Although it's MTV's longest-running series, its popularity hasn't waned, and, in fact, continues to grow.
The current season of the show, set in Philadelphia, ends in February. The previous season, set in San Diego, was the most-watched season to date, averaging about 3.9 million viewers an episode. It was the most-watched series on cable in 2004 among the all-important 12- to 34-year-old demographic, according to MTV.
Each season, the show brings seven strangers between the ages of 18 and 24 to live together in a swank loft or house in a new city and films them around the clock, at home and on the town. Past seasons of "The Real World" have taken place in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago and Paris. Austin is the smallest city to host a "Real World" cast, Austin Mayor Will Wynn said.
"They were excited about coming to Austin and asked my help in understanding a little more about the city," said Wynn, who would not reveal the location of the "Real World" house.
"I've been sworn to secrecy," he said. MTV was mum as well.
Last February, MTV's selection of Philadelphia was cause for rejoicing there, with residents expecting the show to be outstanding publicity for the city and help it retain recent college graduates, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. However, disputes with labor unions led MTV to pull out three weeks before taping was to begin. (MTV had hired a nonunion company to renovate the space where the cast was to live, as the network has done in every "Real World" location.) Austin and Lake Tahoe were considered as alternates. But Philadelphia officials intervened and persuaded MTV to keep the show there.
Executive producer Jon Murray said the city selection process did not change after the Philadelphia incident. "That was sort of a strange anomaly," he said. "We just look for the place that is creatively the right next stop for us."
There also have been some run-ins with the law during the series's run.
Gawkers reportedly kept Philadelphia police busy, and in one incident, a plainclothes officer guarding the set got in a fight with five men trying to gain entrance, two of whom were off-duty police officers. During filming of the San Diego season, cast member Robin Hibbard, a Tampa bartender, was arrested and spent a night in jail after a scratching incident with a Marine outside a bar. Also in San Diego, a 22-year-old woman reported that she'd been raped on the set by a friend of a cast member, but after an eight-month investigation, prosecutors said they would not file charges because of insufficient evidence, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Wynn does not sound too worried about the production's effect on everyday Austinites.
"My perception is that it's a pretty low-impact sort of production for us," Wynn said. "We have done bigger and bolder film productions. MTV recognizes what we all know: If you have a passion for live music and the outdoors, this is the place to be."
Austin previously landed on the "Real World" map when Kevin Dunn, then a senior at the University of Texas and a graduate of Westlake High School, was cast in the 10th "Real World" season, filmed in New York and aired in 2001. Dunn was noted for having beaten lymphatic cancer in his teens. He is now a sports commentator for KVET-AM, "The Zone."
Gary Bond, director of the Austin Film Office, has also been in on "Real World" planning.
"At the time they first contacted us, we were a little awash in feature films, which we happen not to be right now," he said.
Bond added that the show will employ local people during the production. City officials have not yet calculated the estimated economic impact on the city.
Austin has been on the show's radar for some time, Murray said.
"I first became aware of Austin years ago when I cast there in the '90s," Murray said. "It's a great city that college students graduate from and don't really want to leave, which is good for us. We've been wanting to get to that part of the country for a while, and Austin was the right place to go next."
Murray says it was important for the series to be in Austin during the South by Southwest music and film festival.
"I'm not really sure how we're going to be involved," SXSW director Roland Swenson said. "I know we'll figure into it somehow."
But the big questions remain unanswered: Where will the seven strangers live, and what will their jobs be?
Murray declined to comment on the house's location and said several jobs were still under consideration. In other seasons, cast members have done everything from hosting a cable-access show to building a community playground.
"The house is a big part of the fantasy," Murray said. "We try to create a house that reflects the city that we're in. Coming to Austin, we'll want to have a sense of Austin as young, hip city. There's some great design there, but there's also this wonderful kitschy thing on South Congress. They will have very cool digs."
Bond was unsure where the cast was going to be headquartered, but he recalled some early ideas: "They were looking at taking advantage of the new urban lifestyle in Austin. Originally they were interested in a lake-front situation, but how many episodes can you do on renting Jet Skis?"
12-22-04, 08:29 PM
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Originally Posted by raven56706
Real world philly sucks........
12-23-04, 02:25 AM
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A friend of mine who went to school in Austin said "The show's going to be boring. All they'll have is seven people sitting in a circle stoned out of their minds."
12-23-04, 05:25 AM
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Great choice. I refuse to watch though because if I watch it, it will make me want to move back to Austin even more (which is probability but not till next September).
12-23-04, 11:48 AM
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Originally Posted by sjrab16
I think they should of chose Lake Tahoe.
12-23-04, 01:46 PM
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At least we'll get to see a glimpse of the Austin, Texas gay scene. You know, unless they decide to not include a gay roommate this time around. Of course, that's about as realistic as Puck and Pedro starring in an MTV re-make of "Bossom Buddies".
12-23-04, 05:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Mr. Salty
A friend of mine who went to school in Austin said "The show's going to be boring. All they'll have is seven people sitting in a circle stoned out of their minds."
