David M. Green: Purveyor of fine humour

Tag: community television

  • 31 Questions Episode 7: The New Blood

    Time flies, aye? Seems like only yesterday I was posting about Episode 6…

    On the penultimate episode of 31 Questions Season 3, contestants Travis & Pia receive questions via the Question Cannon and distribute answers accordingly. How many questions can YOU answer?

    This week’s special segments include: “Urban Myths” & “Wrong Number”. Produced by RMITV Student Television for C31 Melbourne & Geelong. Originally broadcast 19 July 2014.

    Oh and speaking of community TV, this new Australian Federal Government doesn’t think much of it. It kinda needs your help. To save it a little. So get on the Commit to Community TV Facebook Page and sign the petition.

    Kind regards,
    David M. Green

    PS. Final episode airs TONIGHT 8.30 on C31 Melbourne & Geelong (Channel 44). And there might just be a special cameo by a certain somebody…

  • Taping the 31 Questions Season 2 Finale

    Monday May 6, same bat studio, we taped our 31 Questions season finale. It was a slightly bizarre finale because it wasn’t our final taping. We were back on May 13 to re-shoot the season opening episode. But we treated Ep 8 like it was our last, farewell speeches, balloons and all.

    My Mum even flew over from Adelaide to join the studio audience. She’s been watching on YouTube and 44 Adelaide but she’d never seen the show live before. She reportedly said the show was “very nice”.

    This is probably the only photo I have of me and Mum where I’m the one wearing the most make up.

    I’ve always said you don’t need money to make a great TV show. Assuming you can find a crew who are willing to work for free. And using the equipment is free. And you don’t mind eating rice. And you know someone who can get you a lot of free rice.

    Have I told you about this great crew we got?

    Every week they come in, set up and operate the equipment required to make a television show. They do an outstanding job. And they do it all for free.

    Like Matt Dunham, the undisputed master of lighting:

    And leading the studio crew this season are producers Jess May and Riyana Kasmawan, with the outstanding direction of Antonio Cafasso.

    They’re doing things to make this show I don’t even know about or understand.

    They’re all right in my book.

    …which is why I gave them the attention they deserve at the rundown meeting prior to shooting.

    Have I told you about our studio audience?

    They’re the wonderful people who’ve braved the cold week after week to come sit in the adequately comfortable RMITV chairs and watch low budget game show television in the glorious standard definition of real life

    And the last couple of shows, we’ve had some really lovely people come along. They laugh. They clap. They eat all the lollies. Some of them have even come to more tapings than some of our crew members. Spot Michael Doyle:

    And again:

    At the season finale, fan Mayumi Nobetsu popped by. She couldn’t stay for the studio audience, but she gave Anthony, Sophie and me bouquets of flowers because it was our last show!

    I was very touched, though also not quite sure what to do with them, as I am currently not a vase owner. This was the flower situation one week later:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1clLXvFybs

    As for the actual show taping part of the night, I can’t remember much. It’s all a bit of a blur. Here are some photos:

    Did I mention Channel 31 Melbourne & Geelong have given us our time slot?

    Debuting Saturday 20 July 2013, 31 Questions Season 2 will air at the upgraded time of 8.30PM Saturdays for at least 6 weeks (possibly 7 – I’ll keep you updated).

    That’s 90 minutes earlier than last year’s time slot! We peaked at 22,500 viewers when we were on at 10PM. I wonder what our ratings will be like this year…

    I’ve also contacted the other TV stations that aired Season 1. So far, TVS Sydney, 44 Adelaide and Face Television New Zealand have all said they’re keen to broadcast our second season soon after the episodes air in Melbourne. But we’ll also be uploading the episodes to YouTube straight after they air on Channel 31.

    Still waiting to hear back from West TV Perth and 31 Digital Brisbane.

    Have I told you about Dean Watson? That’s him on the right, next to Antonio:

    As one of the writers, Dean’s written hundreds of questions for the show. He’s also been a producer for Season 2, and has done a lot of work behind the scenes, organising our new logo, sending out press releases and looking into sponsorship.

    By the way, we have yet to find a sponsor for the show. We’re allowed to sell a small amount of television advertising on Channel 31. If you’re interested in sponsoring 31 Questions, give us an email: 31questions@davidmgreen.com and we can talk.

    A great finale for a great season. In fact, it was by far the best season finale this season.

    So much so, Anthony gave the audience one of his trademarked Italian-style hand gestures where the fingers explode from the mouth:

    We were back in the studio on May 13 to re-shoot the episode we lost to a tape malfunction a few weeks ago. And that really was our final taping for the year. I’ll tell you all about it when the photos arrive.

    Have I told you about photographer James Sablinskis?

    He’s absolutely sensational.

    Kind regards,
    David M. Green
    I didn’t think I’d live this long.

  • 31 Questions Season 2 needs YOU!

    THAT’S RIGHT! After a hilariously low budget first season, 31 Questions is coming back with MORE OF THIS:

    But now… we’re spending more of our own money – and we want to spend yours too!

    I’ve set up a crowd-funding campaign on IndieGoGo. We’re aiming to raise $1,000 by the end of February to help with production costs for the second season of the ragtag TV game show everyone’s listening about.

    And if you’ve been hankering to get your hands on some fabulous 31 Questions merchandise, this is how to get it. We’ve got mugs, we’ve got T-shirts, we’ve got autographed headshots. And ALL with my face on them!

    Postage included? You better believe it.

    Thanks Moe…

    And for every donation over $2, we’ll even give you a special thanks in the credits for EVERY episode of Season 2.

    Check out a full range of “perks” on our IndieGoGo campaign page. If you’re particularly rich and crazy, you could even have the cast of 31 Questions make a PERSONAL APPEARANCE at your next social gathering.

    And if you’re like me – completely flat broke and not the least bit interested in handing out donations – you can still greatly help us by sharing the link with your friends and liking 31 Questions on Facebook.

    See you on TV.

    Kind regards,
    David M. Green
    PS. More info about 31 Questions on New Zealand TV coming soon!

  • 31 Questions now on TV in Sydney & Brisbane!

    That’s right rest of the east coast!

    My hilariously low budget TV game show “31 Questions” debuted in the Harbour City on Monday evening to much fanfare:

    And for the next 13 weeks, Sydneysiders can catch the show Monday 9.30PM, Wednesday 11.30PM & Sunday 12.30AM on digital channel 44.

    But if this doesn’t apply to you, there’s a slim chance this will… because approximately 930km north in The Sunshine State, 31 Questions is coming to Brisbane!

    Horay!

    Brisbane folk will be able to take advantage of the best time slot of any of the Australian community TV stations and watch us Sunday 9PM and Thursday 8.30PM on 31 Digital (channel 44).

    The fun starts this Sunday, 7 October!

    In the mean time, here’s another outtake highlighting some of our crazy technical difficulties:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWZ5z_DSYA0

    Kind regards,
    David M. Green
    Questions. Answers. Repeats.

  • 31 Questions Ep #13: Season 1 Finale

    Well that’s it. The debut season of 31 Questions is DONE.

    It’s been quite a journey, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

    Someone who I can’t thank enough is Anthony McCormack. Not only did he crack me up week after week as the show’s Moderator, but for the last 3 months he’s been the poor sap editing all that footage and physically bringing it into Channel 31. All unpaid.

    I’m especially relieved we (and when I say “we”, I mean Anthony) got every episode to air and didn’t have to do repeat one.

    There were a few weeks where we (and when I say “we”, I mean Anthony) got it into Channel 31 literally the night before it was going to air.

    Though I hear those Chaser boys have previously handed their tape into the ABC with mere minutes to spare.

    So where to from here?

    Well I’ll tell you what you can look forward to… (and when I say “you”, I mean Anthony)

    As Anthony wound up editing the episodes the weeks they were to be broadcast, he didn’t have time to do anything with the bloopers and the stuff we (and when I say “we”…) had to cut out because we (Anthony) were overtime. Some of it was very painful to condemn to the cutting room floor.

    But Anthony tells me he put all this stuff to one side with the intention of later turning it into exclusive YouTube gold. So look out for a whole pile of low budget game show extras coming soon to an Internet near YOU!

    Stuff like THIS:

    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeR7AiUlFok[/youtube]

    But the televisual fun continues around Australia in cities less liveable than Melbourne.

    While tweeting along to Ep #2 last night as it went to air in Perth, I discovered you can actually stream WestTV online! MIND = BLOWN!

    SA, I’ll see you tonight on 44 Adelaide. Ep #2 is on at 10.30PM.

    Still waiting on broadcast times and start dates for Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland. But you’ll be the first to know. Well, obviously after me and the people at the TV stations who are making those decisions. I mean, you’re hardly going to find out before them.

    That’s just ridiculous.

    Kind regards,
    David M. Green
    And accepting job offers… nnnnnnNow!