A few weeks ago I got the most interesting email from the producers of a new Internet TV website called FirstRun.tv. Turns out they’re looking for mommy bloggers for a new show they plan to produce and wanted me to apply. Here’s what the email said in part:
“We are seeking six tenacious, entertaining, humorous real-life Mommy Bloggers to take part in this unique new show as regulars. Your blog came to my attention and I am therefore contacting you.
For each episode of MOMMY BLOGGERS, the participants will take their current (or a recent) blog and present it on the show with visuals (we can explain more about this if you are interested), or as a vlog. The participants will then participate in live on-camera conversation with the other show regular bloggers based on a selected weekly topic. Episodes of MOMMY BLOGGERS will run 20 to 30 minutes in length.”
Not one to fall for the old “we’re-looking-for-mommy-bloggers-and-we-think-you’d-be-perfect” ploy I did my due diligence and here’s what I found out.
FirstRun.tv is an Internet TV network that currently produces 10 (and counting) made-for-Internet TV shows. The content genres range from comedy to family to “how-to” to talk shows to super heroes to “drama, thrills, and chills” and so on. Unlike your garden-variety YouTube fare, the videos on FirstRun.tv have high-quality production values. And unlike Hulu or Netflix these shows are not reruns of other network shows, but rather are created specifically for the FirstRun.tv network.
But the best part about FirstRun.tv is that you don’t need an app, a receiver, or a paid subscription to watch its shows. You just need access to the Internet on your computer, smartphone, tablet, or TV, which means you can watch these network-quality shows any time, anywhere for FREE.
I watched a couple and honestly the shows were better than I thought they would be. The ones I saw range in length anywhere from five to 13 minutes, and as with any new show (regardless of format) you can’t judge a new series until you give it time to find its foothold and gain a following. (Which is the problem with traditional network TV programming, hence the premature cancellation of great shows such Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip or Arrested Development.)
My favorite FirstRun.tv gem is a reality show called Gardening Warz, the concept being five nimrods who’ve never gardened before compete to grow something as temperamental as the best tomato plant. It’s kind of like The Apprentice meets HGTV. If you like watching bumbling slackers trying to figure out what to do with the pointy end of a trowel while contemplating the best plant food, I recommend you check out this show. (Spoiler alert: beer is involved.) The hosts dispense challenges along the way as a means of eliminating contestants until there is one winning gardening goon left standing. There was even a guest celebrity judge in the form of actress Marilu Henner (from the TV show Taxi), who showed up for the final test of making salsa.
As for me, my audition included creating a three-minute vlog of something I might blog about. But it also had to introduce my blog, plus illustrate my personality and sense of humor, all of which are so darned grandiose (my personality, humor AND my blog) that it’s almost impossible to contain any one of them in a measly three-minute video, but I tried.
Since time was of the essence, and at this point production values didn’t matter, I coerced my kids into helping me shoot my audition vlog on my iPhone. We did it in one take and improv-ed the whole thing. Be sure to stick with the video long enough to see my son Quinn steal the show. (He’s the same kid who got into the giant hamster ball a couple of weeks ago). And yes, those are real knives he’s juggle above my head.
Fingers crossed that I get the job. I’ll keep you posted!
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Stacy Dymalski is a stand-up comic who gave up the glamorous life of coach travel, smokey comedy clubs, and heckling drunks for the glamourous life of raising kids (who happen to be bigger hecklers than the drunks). This blog is her new stage.
For more of Stacy’s comedy check out her hilarious book Confessions of a Band Geek Mom available in paperback and on Kindle on Amazon.com.