T.V. producer, need advice!

[Alyssacrybabymedia]

Hey everyone, my name is Alyssa, I'm a producer for a reality T.V. development company called Crybaby Media. Were currently looking into scientific families, the kinds of families that experiment all the time and can make anything out of regular household items. These families need to have big personalities that translate well on screen. I'm a bit lost as to how to search for them, anyone have any advice as to where to look? Or if this might sound like your family/a friends? Thanks so much!

[Phi for All]

Just on the US East Coast, or are you looking at the whole US, maybe other countries as well?

[Alyssacrybabymedia]

All over the US, we're a development company, so we find the people, then find production companies/networks who can go there

[Phi for All]

YouTube would be a great place to start. Lots of home experiments there, including parents and kids blowing stuff up and making things glow/freeze/melt/erupt.

 

If you need someone on the ground in the Western US to check with middle school science teachers for likely candidates and their families, let me know and I'll call your office.

[Ophiolite]

Ah, Phi! The bright lights of Hollywood beckon and you sell your integrity for fifteen minutes of fame.

[CaptainPanic]

Bah.

Another show that reinforces the idea that a scientist is essentially a mad tinkerer.

 

I do not think it is a good thing to reinforce this image of the mad tinkerer. It does not make science more popular, I think. All the cool kids at age 15, when they are about to choose a profession want to be like in the cool series... The amount of tinkering, a lack of social skills or someone's hair style have absolutely nothing to do with how good a scientist they are.

 

Also, good scientists will be team-players, not loners in a basement.

 

Take some social responsibility, please. Don't call that life-style "scientific".

[Phi for All]

At this point, the US needs just about anything it can get to keep kids interested in science. I'd fill my wet suit with Mentos and Coke and do my Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man impression on FOX News if I thought it would keep Intelligent Design out of my daughter's classroom.

[imatfaal]

Bah.

Another show that reinforces the idea that a scientist is essentially a mad tinkerer.

 

I do not think it is a good thing to reinforce this image of the mad tinkerer. It does not make science more popular, I think. All the cool kids at age 15, when they are about to choose a profession want to be like in the cool series... The amount of tinkering, a lack of social skills or someone's hair style have absolutely nothing to do with how good a scientist they are.

 

Also, good scientists will be team-players, not loners in a basement.

 

Take some social responsibility, please. Don't call that life-style "scientific".

 

From the nation that gave us Big Brother that means something! Capt is, of course, correct; any family that would agree to have their lives documented is most readily defined and properly characterised as a family willing to do anything to appear on telly.

 

At this point, the US needs just about anything it can get to keep kids interested in science. I'd fill my wet suit with Mentos and Coke and do my Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man impression on FOX News if I thought it would keep Intelligent Design out of my daughter's classroom.

 

I might have to pull some string with Fux TV to see if we can come to an arrangement. you must promise us Phi that if you ever do get the urge (and mrs phi is away for the weekend) to fill your wetsuit with coke and mentos that you record the event on video for our edification and youtube's delight

[Phi for All]

Bah.

Another show that reinforces the idea that a scientist is essentially a mad tinkerer.

 

I do not think it is a good thing to reinforce this image of the mad tinkerer. It does not make science more popular, I think. All the cool kids at age 15, when they are about to choose a profession want to be like in the cool series... The amount of tinkering, a lack of social skills or someone's hair style have absolutely nothing to do with how good a scientist they are.

 

Also, good scientists will be team-players, not loners in a basement.

 

Take some social responsibility, please. Don't call that life-style "scientific".

 

Wow, we certainly read a lot into the OP that wasn't really there, didn't we?

 

If the MacGyver family is Mythbusting opposite Joe Millionaire or Dancing with the Stars, guess which one is going to spark a latent interest in science? I say get them into the classroom and let the teachers guide their enthusiasm into more proper scientific channels.

[Ceasium]

@Alyssacrybabymedia

 

Why don't you shine the light partly on the more shy, but well educated children (They probably have some intresting things to say about darwinism, ethics, gun laws etc. Or is this too risky for US television?) And change it off with some do it yourself soda bottle experiments.