Been doing the whole TV thing for about eight - ten years or so now, "pro-staff" only, not hosting or owning, both in local and national market shows. So here's a little bit of good "intell" for you if you are interested in becoming the next "Bone-Collector" -
1. Easy way - Buy a Gila archery tag, have buddy from NM film you buying all your big-name-brand gear at Cabelas on the way, film you using all the gear, and film you killing a 438 6/8" Typical Pope bull. Take lots of still photos with all gear. Get official score. Call Cabelas & all sponsors. Tell them what you have done. You'll make some money for video clips and the still pics. Probably pretty good money. Then do it again in 2012 AND beat the 438 6/8" and MAYBE you can get a salary-paid, expense paid show. MAYBE.
2. Impossible way - (this is NOT intended to offend you) - take what you have right now and call potential sponsors expecting to get ANYTHING except MAYBE things like product placement products without any "cost" to the potential sponsor - handwarmers, shoelaces, etc.
3. Possible way - (probably not what you are interested in hearing, but this IS a realistic POSSIBLE way to get a show) -
a. Get (or maintain) a good, secure job. Excell at it. Save your money. Make a budget. Save your money, you're gonna need it in a few years.
b. Keep hunting and filming and taking still photos off ALL your hunts. Make some home-made, professional-quality TV episodes. Inventory and maintain records and notes of all your hunts and all your film clips.
c. When you've saved literally double digit-thousands take a trip out to SHOT show and see what entire outdoor industry actually looks like from the INDUSTRIAL side, the "inside". Those three or four days will be a learning experience for you. Walk the floor and look at the people, watch what they're doing, listen-in (politley)on their conversations. You will learn ALOT.
d. As you build a library of footage and a little library of "episodes", watch them. See what you look like. See if YOU'd watch your show week in & week out. Ask friends and family to do the same and make honest comments. Post some up here and ask for honest comments.
e. Keep working and saving money.
f. After about 3 to 5 to 10 years, which TRUST ME, goes by like a heartbeat, you will now be ready to actually make a "TV show" for real because you'll have enough money to buy your own air-time, you'll have made industry contacts, you might have even have been able to land a "pro-staff" spot on a local or national show, you will have learned what national and local air-time costs, you'll have made an actual business plan, etc. etc. (and you'll have learned what these dozens of etc's are!)AND you'll be 100% ready to take the jump. ORRRRR - your life will take an unexpected road and you'll have something even better than a tv show, like a wife and a 7 month old son. By then you'll either be ready to take a shot at TV and live the dream, OR have a totally different dream.
I do this whole TV thing CERTAINLY NOT because I can make a living doing it. For me it adds another "dimension" to my hunting trips. I get some cool free or discounted products and get to go on some cool hunts without wrecking my savings account. I've met some great people and made some life-long friends. Would I like to be in a celebrity position with the income that goes along with having MY label on products on 27 pages in Cabela's Fall edition - SUUURE. Is that gonna happen? Let's just say that I've got tremendously better odds of winning the lottery.
Don't want to rain on your parade, and I do hope that it pans out for you, whatever you end up doing. I just had a minute here at work and wanted to give you my $0.02.
There's a few TV guys on here - maybe they can comment on my comments.
edpre
