When I moved abroad I admit that one of my dreams was to have a Lizzie McGuire moment. Spoiler alert: I did not end up singing with my Italian twin to a packed Colosseum audience…but I did end up in a Hungarian TV studio as a contestant on the trivia game show, Honfoglaló.
I won’t ever have international fame like Lizzie (as a test pilot, the footage will never air publicly), but I do have a little more knowledge of what it actually looks like to make a TV show. Here are five of my top takeaways:
1. It’s a waiting game
“Lights…camera…action!”. Each of those ellipses account for a few hours of standing around. TV production basically follows my (deeply flawed) middle school philosophy on finding a boyfriend: success depends on being available. An early call time ensures that there’s plenty of time sitting around between hair and makeup and the actual start of filming. And once on set, resetting a scene, doing multiple takes, and all sorts of things make sure your stomach is grumbling enough where you’re prepared to sacrifice your lipstick to a craft sandwich. And speaking of food…
2. Sustenance is key
I’m prone to getting hangry in low-stakes, everyday situations. So when we’re going on hour four of standing and smiling and trying to think of witty comebacks, you’d better believe that a steady blood sugar is a valuable thing. (Sometimes the producers would just shove candy at us and it worked wonders). And speaking of lights, they are HOT. If you don’t want to be licking your lips after every other line, hydration is key!
3. It is kind of about who you know
13 year old, Disney channel-hopeful, me always hated this idea, namely because she had no “ins” in the entertainment industry and she was dying for her own sitcom/talk show/record deal. But in this case, that’s how this opportunity came about. A friend of a coworker was in a fix and I was in the right place at the right time. Once on set, I learned that many people working there came about their jobs in similar ways. Of course, as I came to Hungary to teach English, a foray into the world of TV was the last thing on my mind, but it just goes to show what keeping an open mind can do for you!
4. It takes a village
I should have known that the faces on screen are just the tip of the iceberg. I knew there would be a director and camera operators and important looking people in headsets, but I was unprepared for the small army that gathered onset for the production–not to mention everyone in the control and editing rooms.
The studio itself feels like a village too–thank goodness for the producers gracefully helping me navigate through the maze of dressing rooms and studios–I even got to poke my head into the news and sports sets (and miraculously I made it through the whole experience without tripping over a single cable).
5. Attitude is everything
The hours can be long and stress levels can get high, but keeping energy up and positive made all the difference. Even starting out the day with a friendly chat in the hair and makeup chair set a good tone for the day. I’m glad to say that I left set with a few new friends–and of course, memories that won’t fade anytime soon.
Now, my mic is returned, the layers of studio makeup are washed off, and I never have to worry about trying to pronounce “Honfoglaló” again. But I’ll never regret this chance to have had a look behind the scenes!
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Tell me! What’s your favorite TV show?
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