Cavechat.org

Hi. I'm a producer with Good Baker Productions in New York. We're best known for our work on the recent TLC series, "Escaping Alaska". We're currently looking to put a show together about cavers. In particular, we're looking for groups with high energy individuals with lots of personality. This could be a group of friends or a club. If interested, please contact me at info@goodbakerproductions.com.

Many thanks.

- Todd

Cavers do not act like buffoons in those "reality shows". Cavers are serious people who take caving seriously. But, on occasion, while not underground, we do "have our fun". We just done a short segment for Maryland Public Television in the early summer. They were looking for serious cavers, so we kept ourselves professional, outside and underground. If you are looking for those like some of the reality shows out there, your are looking for trouble.

Don Carns Jr.

I think you'll find lots of high energy people with personality. But you'll have to agree not to disparage caves or attempt to make the public more afraid of caves than they should be.

Hi Todd.
Can you give us a little more info about what your show will focus on? Conservation maybe? Scientific Studies?

If you want to follow an energetic group.....try the Russian or Polish cavers, or maybe a group from the UK. Most all the groups from "the other side of the pond" push this sport to the limit.

caverdan wrote:Hi Todd.
Can you give us a little more info about what your show will focus on? Conservation maybe? Scientific Studies?

If you want to follow an energetic group.....try the Russian or Polish cavers, or maybe a group from the UK. Most all the groups from "the other side of the pond" push this sport to the limit.

Not sure at this very early stage what exact shape the show will take. We do know that we are interested in seeing some great explorations, and as mentioned before, we're looking for people that are engaging. Without that, no one is going to want to stay tuned no matter how great the cave is.

Again, if anyone is interested, feel free to drop us a line at info@goodbakerproductions.com

Good Luck. It will be interesting to see what you come up with. Caving isn't much of a spectator sport. I would say caving is more of a documentary sport. Caves are to be conserved and not played in. That's what movie sets are for.

What might go over with a viewing audience would be our caver parties and all the crazy happenings that go on at them. From NSS Conventions to OTR and TAG Fall Cave in. I've gone to a couple of MVOR's just to experience the bonfire. There have been some epic catastrophes at NSS conventions. From floods to 85 mile an hour wind storms that toppled 100 year old oak trees at the campground. You just never know what's going to happen at a caver get together.......except a lot of wild partying and drinking.

What you would end up with is a mix of Duck Dynasty, Honey Boo Boo, and Girls Gone Wild. That might keep a viewing audience on the edge of their seat.

caverdan wrote:What you would end up with is a mix of Duck Dynasty, Honey Boo Boo, and Girls Gone Wild. That might keep a viewing audience on the edge of their seat.

Dan, you're killing me.

I've never seen any of those shows! (Thankfully)

Periodically, these types of proposals are posted and I've commented on these types of shows before, i.e. "high energy individuals with lots of personality" which, to me, translates almost invariably to "contrived and embellished soap operish pseudodrama" for (I assume, correct me if I'm wrong) profit, not that there's anything wrong with that : ) per se, but the downside is it risks damaging the reputation of cavers, attracting willful or accidental vandalism, harming landowner relations, making caving look foolhardy, creating rescue situations for unprepared people who decide they want to cave and rush out after seeing the show, etc. The upside is.... uh,.... hmmmm.... they make money! (they hope)....and some people get their "15 minutes of fame".

I don't see much else, maybe some people would get interested and become good cavers that wouldn't otherwise, or the company will make a conservation donation, or some other positive effect of publicity, but IMO the likelihood of negative consequences is much greater. Having said that though, usually, actual documentaries of exploration are a different matter and there is probably plenty of real drama for any director and audience in many exploration stories.