idea for science docu-reality TV series

[jefferiestubes8]

A FMARS Field Season lasting 4 months shot documentary style and edited together for 12 episodes for the Science Channel, TVLand, G4, truTV, or Discovery Channel.

Mars Desert Research Station [MDRS]
Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station [FMARS]

They have cameras and have shot stuff themselves.
but bring in an outside professional TV crew of 2 producer-shooters to shoot fly-on-the-wall style. 4 or 5 crews total rotating in and out for 4 or days in a row
No they would not live there, they would work in 12-hour shifts and an occasional 3rd shooter would come by for the outdoor tests/simulations.
Possibly the production would have a insulated mobile home parked 1/2 a mile away for the crews to live for 3 days at a time and then a night at a motel.
All of the beauty shots of the HAB location would be shot in 2 or 3 visits with different weather and a jib/crane along with helicopter shots once or twice over 4 months.

Here is the website of the field season of both locations. The Arctic one would be a lot harder logistically.
http://desert.marssociety.org/index.asp
http://arctic.marssociety.org/2009/

A show like MTV's "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County" (2004) was shot over 6 months and edited for 12 episodes instead of a competition-based reality series shot over 41 days.

My idea kind of reminds me of MTV's "The Real World" in the early 90's [not the 2000s]
The residents are all scientists.
The activities outside of the HAB would be visually interesting and the relationships of them interacting inside are like "The Real World".
Would it be interesting once edited? What do you think?

[Icemizer]

Hmm scientists conducting experiments all day and arguing over how the saline solution should be used. I see epic boredom in your future. Personally I might watch an hour or so but without the "scripted" conflict the show would be very dull.

[jefferiestubes8]

Icemizer wrote:

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I see epic boredom in your future. Personally I might watch an hour or so but without the "scripted" conflict the show would be very dull.

I see your point. Possibly we'll start to see 1 hour documentaries based on the 4 months of a season. Less reality-drama and more science...
gotta be The Science Channel or maybe even NASA TV channel.

[Warp Coil]

Icemizer wrote:

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Hmm scientists conducting experiments all day and arguing over how the saline solution should be used. I see epic boredom in your future. Personally I might watch an hour or so but without the "scripted" conflict the show would be very dull.

I agree. A series needs to have drama in order to keep an audience interested. If the scientists aren't creating conflict amongst themselves, or if their experiments aren't producing profound new discoveries, then there is nothing to captivate viewers.

[jefferiestubes8]

a 520-day simulation is in the works. The ESA, in a joint effort with the Russian Academy of Science's Institute for Medical-Biological Problems, is also planning a 100-day lock-in, offering astronauts who survive the experience a reality show-eque incentive of $20,000 each.

perhaps this is the golden opportunity for some enterprising reality TV exec: finding a way to break up the monotony of space travel without sabotaging the mission, and somehow keeping audiences coming back week after week.

Aug 4 2009
SOURCE 1 SOURCE 2
Apparently a television series just may follow this...


related:
simulated mission to Mars 105-day test ends
[will pave the way for a longer 520-day mission that will take place in the first half of 2010. ]
http://www.trekbbs.com/showpost.php?...5&postcount=47

[Candlelight]

Warp Coil wrote:

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I agree. A series needs to have drama in order to keep an audience interested. If the scientists aren't creating conflict amongst themselves, or if their experiments aren't producing profound new discoveries, then there is nothing to captivate viewers.

Accidentally have a contagion released every now and then, or supplies running low, or one of them taken over by an alien influence or...