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Most people return from Egypt with delightful stories of camel rides and perfectly posed selfies. Less familiar, however, are those of us who fell victim to criminal acts in one of the most volatile regions in the world. Though I escaped with merely a bruised ego and fun story to share over a beer, my transition from tourist to TV personality necessitated the evolution of my personal brand.
No longer defined by my resume and growing collection of degrees, I suddenly had an interesting narrative of ingenuity and survival to sell employers. Naturally, much like the viewing habits from my couch, my first stop was the Travel Channel.
After a series of auditions, I was offered the opportunity to develop and host the pilot episode of a new documentary series. Designed for a generation of consumers who leverage technology and crowd sourcing to travel cheaply, our goal was to augment the cable broadcast with a digital extension of the show – a place where fans could follow and amplify content across channels. A website that introduced the serious side of a professional risk-taker.
We knew that to engage users both online and offline, the mechanics would have to be challenging and the overall experience extremely entertaining. With a production budget of $200K, the first episode documented a road trip across the Midwest. As the show progressed, the experience would evolve to become more complex, and eventually hosting a variety of exclusive content for all 13 episodic chapters of the first season.
The pilot was ultimately not picked up as a series. However, it reaffirmed my passion for storytelling behind the camera by allowing me to gain additional experience scripting narratives, shooting on location and directing contributors.