IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR TRAVEL CHANNEL TO FALSIFY ROLLER COASTER SHOOTS

Last October I participated in a film shoot of Skyrush for Travel Channel's Insane Coaster Wars series. It soon became evident that three people apart from our group (I was part of a group invited by ACE) had been selected in advance to be the focus of the film shoot. (I now know, having been on another shoot and having watched some of the Insane Coaster Wars series, that either Travel Channel or Indigo Films always hand picks several of their own people.) When I learned that the episode featuring Skyrush would be televised on June 23, I couldn't wait to watch, hoping to catch a glimpse of myself on camera. Was I ever in for a nasty surprise! During the filming, I sat with the three people who had been pre-selected, in the right front wing seat. Well, no-one in the film crew ever told me not to sit there but they evidently didn't want me there, because they ended up editing me out completely. As televised, there are three people riding in the front row of Skyrush when in fact there were four! When I watched the show, the right front wing seat was empty and I WAS IN IT WHILE THE RIDES WERE BEING FILMED! It's as if I wasn't even there. I'm disgusted beyond words. I can understand the film crew not including any footage from the two interviews they did with me but to cut me out of the picture and deliberately misrepresent what transpired is something I can't understand. This is falsifying the entire film shoot and is, in my opinion, unconscionable.

Do you think it's appropriate to edit someone out of a film because that person wasn't one of those selected by the crew? My primary motivation for participating in this event was to get on TV and have my 15 minutes of fame. For anyone considering attending a film shoot for Travel Channel, I suggest that the only reason to go is to get free admission to a theme park and ride a high-profile roller coaster over and over without having to wait. If you have any illusions about getting on camera, forget it.

I am seriously considering filing a lawsuit against Indigo Films and Travel Channel. I could probably get them on misrepresentation and age discrimination. The way I see it, they cut me out of the film because at 61, I didn't fit in with the pretty, young people with whom I was sitting. Whatever their reasoning, what they did was patently unfair and just plain WRONG. I might add that it cost me about $200 to do this film shoot because I had to drive to Hershey the night before, which meant that I had to rent a car and pay for a motel. So this is a double slap in the face.

*grabs popcorn*

Oh GOODY!!!!!!

I'm giving everyone else a head start.

I'll go!

Bobbie, I know you're disappointed, but truthfully- they owe you nothing.

Isn't it also possible they filmed multiple cycles of the ride and decided to just have the shot of the 3 friends without a 4th rider in the one that was used for the show? The Leviathan shot had a 4th guy that wasn't part of the 3 friends story for the show. Why would they feel the need to spend extra money editing you out?

You'd be wise to let it drop. A frivolous lawsuit will cost you far more than $200. Unless you had a signed contract with the Travel Channel, they are free to do whatever they want.

Falsifying and misrepresentation? What does that even mean? You didn't have a contract with them. They owe you nothing. Not even if you file a lawsuit in all caps.

Consider yourself lucky if you get fifteen minutes here.

With all due respect, this is a case of someone not understanding how something works and then complaining that it doesn't work how they thought it would.

Quite simply, Bobbie - TV, editing, production and shoots for coaster shows don't work like you thought they did.

And good luck proving it's age related. They usually have people, as you mentioned, that they focus on for the show. Be happy that you got what amounts to ERT, learn a lesson, be happy people here aren't totally ripping you a new one, and enjoy riding coasters.

Sounds like the real reason you are complaining is because you didn't get to watch yourself on tv. Boo hoo, get over it. I would expect this topic to be from a teenager, but since you are 61, it's actually kind of sad.

Are you saying they actually digitally erased you from the seat or just cropped you out?

Either way you're making mountains out of molehills. Nothing on tv isn't staged.

I'm speechless.

Personally, I don't like watching myself on video, anyway.

I'm still super amazed.

StLCPfan said:

Isn't it also possible they filmed multiple cycles of the ride and decided to just have the shot of the 3 friends without a 4th rider in the one that was used for the show? The Leviathan shot had a 4th guy that wasn't part of the 3 friends story for the show. Why would they feel the need to spend extra money editing you out?

I noticed that the Leviathan shot had a 4th rider who wasn't part of the 3 friends story and suspected that they left him in because he was in the right age group. I honestly don't believe that the 3 with whom I rode had a separate ride without a 4th rider. The way it went down is that the crew had the chosen 3 sit in the front seat for 3 or 4 rides (can't remember which) and then everyone switched seats.

Well now it sounds like a conspiracy.

Jeff said:

Falsifying and misrepresentation? What does that even mean? You didn't have a contract with them. They owe you nothing. Not even if you file a lawsuit in all caps.

Well, maybe they don't owe me anything although I think that someone should have explained how this actually works so that I wouldn't have any expectations. The film crew interviewed the ACE people before and after the filming began. Why did they waste everyone's time doing this if they never had any intention of using the footage?

It's called editing.

You felt your time was wasted? Or you had a good time riding a coaster that you really enjoy over and over again?

Chitown said:

Sounds like the real reason you are complaining is because you didn't get to watch yourself on tv. Boo hoo, get over it. I would expect this topic to be from a teenager, but since you are 61, it's actually kind of sad.

Well, that's pretty mean. What's sad is that I waited 7 months to see the Skyrush episode on TV and that's how it turned out. Maybe you have a better life than I do. Other than playing tennis, riding roller coasters and meeting a couple of friends for brunch once a month, nothing in life gives me pleasure, so if it's sad that I wanted to see myself riding a roller coaster on TV, so be it.

Carrie J. said:

You felt your time was wasted? Or you had a good time riding a coaster that you really enjoy over and over again?

You have a point. I did enjoy riding Skyrush.