Reality Taxi Show Idea

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NYCTaxiDriver

Hey guys, I have an idea for a TV show that I want to create and I'm curious to know who would help me create it.

I am a real live taxi driver in New York City and have been for about 2 years time (about 1/2 the time as a parttime job). My passengers do really crazy things, the kind of conversations and behavior that I couldn't make up even if I tried. I'm sure that being a white, caucasian American male, myself, helps fuel the situation.

I imagine my show as being broadcast secretly sort of like that movie, The Truman Show, with me as the host, live, and broadcast perhaps over the Internet 24/7.

Anyone interested in creating this? I have no background in acting, film, or television of any kind.
 
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There are so many things that I wonder if you've considered. A couple of the big, obvious things.

-How will you film it? How will you record the audio? 99% of reality shows you see are completely engineered. Are you going to ask your passengers to wear a mic, as other reality shows do?
-Have you considered the legal aspects? You will need release forms from every person who's face is visible on camera. Are there any laws or ordinances preventing you from surveilling people without their knowledge, or from having cameras in cabs?
-Will your employer/company be made aware and will they mind?

Not trying to discourage you from going for it. But those are questions you're going to have to answer if you want to move forward. :)
 
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Check out some "Behind the Scenes" of the popular Reality TV shows and listen to the crew talk about how the drama is directly tied with the cameras - it's all staged. I'd say write down your ideas and take another look in a week. If it still sounds like an idea, then consider how it's going to be feasible for you to (I'm presuming) do a low-budget Reality TV show...

Also, breaking the law :lol:
 
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This has been done in The Netherlands in the 90s.
I wasn't live, but is was with hidden cameras and offcourse people had to give permission afterwards, so it was all about interesting, strange and funny conversations with ordinairy passangers (not the famous people).
 
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NYCTaxiDriver said:
Hey if I'm not mistaken, you don't need a release for every person on camera right? Look at Borat and Bruno, the guy humiliated people in those movies, you think they signed a release for that?
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LasVegasIRA, is correct. The producers of those movies got written
permission from the people who appear on screen. You will need to
do that too. Those who did not sign did not end up in the movies.

However, if you feel good about shooting people without getting
their permission you could simply buy a small camera, a mic and
an audio recorder and hide these in your cab. Then you can put
together several "shows" to see if people like it. If they do, then we
can talk about what equipment you need to broadcast live over over
the internet. It CAN be done. I suggest you start smaller - see how
it works out.

Without getting written permission you risk getting sued. Think that
over carefully. You may win a lawsuit but do you have the money
to defend yourself? What about the cab company? Are they good
with this?

As I say, you could do this on a very small scale just to see if it works.
Do not show the finished shows publicly and you won't risk a lawsuit.
Perhaps some internet site will like it and pay for the needed equipment
and to hire people to gather the releases. You won't know until you try.
 
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Yes. Borat and Bruno got releases from everyone. Their method was to lie about conducting 'interviews' and get the release before hand. Then craziness would ensue, but too bad people, you already signed the release.
 
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From what I read about it, the producers never lied. They said they were making a documentary that "could" get distribution in the US. It was the interviewee's that just assumed since the interviewer was some "foreign" guy, it would never be seen here... I know it's semantics, but it was good enough to hold up in court.
 
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If you don't want to get releases, and don't want to get sued, could you just record everything, and then reinact it later, with actors? Sort of what most of those reality shows do anyway, but if you play up your host angle, you could make it something distinctive.

I'm not a lawyer, but I don't think you can get sued for having an actor repeat what someone said in a cab. You probably don't even need real actors...I'm sure you know other cabbies that can relate to what you're doing and would love a chance to play a fare for fun!
 
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