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You may remember two months ago, when I noted that a few friends of mine from film school were all set to be on a new Fox reality show called On the Lot. For those of you who haven’t seen it (and there are a lot of you out there, according to those Neilsen people), the idea is that a group of up-and-coming directors compete against one another by making short films, and either continue in the competition or don’t, depending on the votes they garner. (It’s kind of like American Idol, except not as interesting. Oops.) In fact, it’s been so unpopular that Fox has been messing with the show almost since it began airing, reducing it from two episodes per week to just one, eliminating multiple contestants at once so that the show will be over sooner, and so on.
Anyway, not that I don’t believe in the filmmaking prowess of my pals, but lo these many weeks after I announced their competitor-hood — they were three among eighteen at the time — I had no idea that two of the three of them would still be around to be in the top five, which now they are. Sam and Adam — way to go! Far be it from me, normally, to exhort our fair surfers to watch reality TV, or Heaven forefend, participate in its shady voting schemes, but I gotta be honest, it would be really cool if one of them won this thing. The show’s on Tuesday nights.
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It’s too bad this show isn’t very popular – I really like it. The only thing I think I would’ve changed is letting the film segments get much longer as we move along, and less of the ‘behind-the-scenes’ stuff. I think it would allow the filmmakers to really strut their stuff.
I really like Adam and Sam, they seem genuinely nice and I’d like to see either of them win.
posted by Shane on 8-3-2007 at 7:35 am
I actually do watch the show but not regularly, sad to say. Adam is my favorite and I’d like to see him win. As a matter of fact the only thing I DON’T like about the show is Carrie Fisher which is funny ’cause normally I like her. Did she get botox’ed lately? Her facial expressions seem a tad bit paralyzed and unnatural.
posted by JaneM on 8-3-2007 at 7:51 am
I’ll vote for whichever one shaves first.
posted by Bill T. on 8-3-2007 at 9:07 am
I really enjoy the show when I catch it (seems I’m always about to go out when its on). I wish it were more popular, it really is good. I agree that they should cut all the behind the scenes and make the films longer.
posted by ac on 8-3-2007 at 4:12 pm
Are Sam and Adam the same person?
posted by Bernadette on 8-3-2007 at 6:31 pm
ac, what kind of an excuse is that for not watching? There are video recorders, DVD recorders and even DVRs.
posted by Swan on 8-4-2007 at 8:20 am
I watch the show, but then I’m a Mark Burnett fan.
I think the reason it’s not popular is NOT because of the film clips—they are the only GOOD thing about it. (Some of the clips are really great.)
Adrianna Costa, or whatever her name is, that hosts the show STINKS. I’m amazed that Mark Burnett, who also did the Rock Star shows, would pick someone so inept. She fumbles constantly when she talks and some of the outfits she wears are horrible!
Also, Gary Marshal and Carrie Fisher were bad choices as judges. You can hardly understand Gary Marshal, he almost never has anything valuable to say, and it’s insulting that he couldn’t get the directors’ names correct for the first few weeks. (His sister Penny was so like him this past week that I wonder what family dinners are like at their house!) Carrie Fisher always seems to like the lousy clips and hate the good ones. She also doesn’t usually offer anything helpful.
Thank goodness for the guest judges! Without them, the contestants wouldn’t have anything at all to go on.
My best wishes to Sam and Adam. While they’re not my favorites—there just something about Jason that I love—they’ve both done good films (and I really liked Backseat Driving Test by Sam this week).
posted by LeahDShae on 8-5-2007 at 5:06 am
Sam’s latest film, the road comedy one, was awesome… I actually have pretty consistently liked his work and right now he’s my pick to win.
Bernadette, are you crazy?! (no offense meant), but how can you call them the same person? Personality and looks, they’re polar opposites to me. I think Sam’s adorable, and while I like that picture, he looks 20x better on the show ;)
posted by jenna77 on 8-6-2007 at 9:10 pm
Sam’s movie last night was not very good. On the other hand, is Jason one of the worst directors ever? Please someone back me up. Anyone?
posted by Scott on 8-8-2007 at 11:53 am