The Making of a Home Renovation Show

2012-05-02T17:24:00.004-04:00

Hey! Visit my main website for DIY videos, renovation information, and more!
www.KelseyOnTheHouse.com

2010-11-08T21:36:00.000-05:00

I am happy to report that we are finished with our home renovation pilot. Going against proper tv world etiquette, I am going to show you the entire 10 min pilot. It's called "Bottom Line Design", and it's the brainchild of my co-host in the show, Carolina Fernandez.

Whether it gets picked up or not is any one's call. While we are very proud of it, there is still a slim chance of getting the green light. So while THIS show is under review, I am forging on and shooting other ideas! I am so excited to start shooting a series of 6 minute mini episodes of "Kelsey On The House".
See my website www.kelseyonthehouse.com. Again, you will be along for the ride every step of the way.
Our first shoot, is going to be with the Editor In Chief of Gotham/Hamptons magazine (and fashion guru seen all over tv) Samantha Yanks. I am going to have her show me the latest fashion trends all around NYC, then I will build something inspired by, or using materials from, that fashion item.
Episode two will be with a celebrity, episode four will have a different theme, and so-on. More details on that project as they develop...

I Am Not an Actor, But I Play One On TV

2010-08-17T10:30:00.006-04:00

I am not an actor, I am a carpenter. For some in the television home renovation world the opposite holds true; actors with 'some' carpentry experience playing carpenters on television. Drives me nuts.
Lately, networks, agents, PR folks and others have been asking for my "bio and headshot" which I should (but don't) have. So, since I am a carpenter, I decided to do what I do best; build one. I actually built 5 of them, using mostly leftover mahogany and 1/4" plywood.
I wanted it to look like an antique relic of some sort...with stickers like you'd see on an old steamer trunk.
Here is the result:

.."old" stickers...

I bought the cheapest 3-ring
binders I could find, dis-assembled
them, then installed the ring mechanism
on a piece of solid mahogany..

..more stickers....

I created a bio with lots of project photos and had 5 sets printed, laminated and hole punched...

Here is what I started with...new mahogany and 1/4" luan plywood. After some 'aging' with stain, paint, nicks and dings, my new wood became old..

Hopefully this gives you some inspiration to create a resume or bio that represents who you are, and what you are good at!

Show Preview

2010-08-09T10:38:00.000-04:00

Well kids, we are in the home stretch. I finally have a little something to show you...this is a :60 "promo" for a home renovation show we finished, and soon will be partnering and pitching.
The show is called 'Bottom Line Design", and it combines the worlds of finance and home renovation.
Enjoy!

Grouting and Editing

2010-08-02T08:32:00.000-04:00

Today I am grouting, and grouting, and grouting. Grouting is great, because it declares the near end to your tile project. Later this week the shower glass enclosure will be installed, and the shower stall will be just about complete, and I will be sharing the link to the project details at DIYlife.com soon.
In the meantime, our show pilot is trudging along, we are in the final stages of editing and will soon be done. THAT is the easy part. Getting it actually sold to a network is where the real work begins.

"Real Estate Renovations That Work"

2010-06-26T11:25:00.000-04:00

Here is a fantastically written article. It is laid out so nicely...check it out. Ok, yes I admit it, there are some quotes from me in it, but my few words of wisdom are NOT what makes this article great, writer Julie Knapp knows her stuff. Check it out!
"Real Estate Renovations That Work"

Latest AOL Article...

2010-06-26T10:58:00.000-04:00

Check out my latest AOL DIYlife.com article...it made the AOL homepage last week!
"Dad Inspired Me to DIY"

My Balls In the Air...

2010-06-26T10:51:00.000-04:00

In the business of making a home renovation show, or any show for that matter, there are many. many failures before you hit it. This is why you need to have a lot of balls in the air, multiple projects going on, continue building your contact list...calls, emails, thinking outside the box, everything to give yourself the best shot. That is my philosophy, and it seems to be working! The folks at AOL just told me they were interested in me creating 10, three minute home renovation videos for them.
I met with Paige Rien, designer from the popular HGTV show "Hidden Potential". It turns out we have a lot in common, and have come with some VERY cool ideas for shows. Between our creativity and contacts, stay tuned for some good stuff.
Meanwhile, Tuesday is the last day of shooting for the pilot of another show that I am SO psyched about. I really feel this has some staying power. Super smart Carolina Fernandez rocks the camera, and the end result of the bathroom renovation is amazing! I will post some production still pics soon. After we're done with the final edit, and it's cleared with the rest of the team I will post it here.
Anyway, the point is I am trying to make is, multi-tasking is paramount, in the making of a home renovation show.

Good Stuff....

2010-06-06T18:27:00.000-04:00

Another day of shooting...the pilot is really coming together and I am super excited to shoot the last segment of the finished bathroom renovation next week. A lot of great people involved including co-hostess extraordinaire Carolina Fernandez, videographer/director and so much more Matt Abourezk of www.talkingboxdmg.com, and super publicist Donnetta "Go Getta" Campbell of CPublicity.
Productions stills coming soon....
In other news...
I am meeting with the uber cool Paige Rien of HGTV's "Hidden Potential" (http://www.paigerien.com/) in the next week or so to discuss possibly working together, how fantastic would that be? She is a real pro, and has a great presence on camera.
More details, as they become available...in the making of a home renovation show!

Irons In the Fire

2010-05-29T11:50:00.000-04:00

Though it's be going a bit longer than we thought, the final shoots for our home renovation pilot are almost here. Some final editing, and it will be done!
At the same time, I will be shooting a pilot/sizzle with designer Courtney Cachet this weekend for a completely different project/show idea. Lots of irons in the fire, but in this business the failure rate is way higher than the success rate, so the odds are against me. This is why you have to keep at it, more projects, connections, face-time etc. Keep going, keep going! All steps, in the making of a home renovation show...

How To Mix Concrete and Patch Your Driveway

2010-05-25T07:14:00.000-04:00

Another AOL project for you...this time I will show you how to mix concrete and patch your driveway. Not the most glamorous, but important nonetheless! Note picture/step 12... Click here to see!

Great Products and DIYLife!

2010-05-14T09:37:00.000-04:00

One of the great things about doing renovations on widely seen platforms such as AOL and HGTV, is that companies start to take interest in working with you. Over the years I have found products that I have used and loved, and now have the opportunity to work with them and show viewers/readers how great they are. One such company is Schluter. They have created some of the most innovative bathroom waterproofing systems ever imagined. I have used their products privately for many years and the results have been amazing. Check out their site, and get all the details: www.schluter.com

In other news, my latest DIY Warrior project has been published on AOL's DIYlife.com, How To Install A Replacement Window, and it came out pretty sweet!
More to come, and one step closer...in the making of a home renovation show...

How to Install a Replacement Window

2010-05-09T17:26:00.001-04:00

Well the very first project in my new relationship with AOL's DIYlife.com was shot, "How to Install A Replacement Window". Here, you see me and my 4 chins tipping in the new window. I think they ended up using about 15 pictures, and the editor is doing her thang right now on the piece. It should be up soon! Though this project was still pictures, we will be shooting video how-to projects soon.
Next week's project: How to tile a shower ...stay tuned!

DIYlife.com

2010-05-03T08:31:00.000-04:00

While we are waiting to shoot the final series of scenes in our little renovation pilot, I just got word that I will be an expert renovation contributor on AOL's DIYlife.com. I will be writing weekly how-to article with in-depth instructions, and a ton of photos showing just how I did it. In addition, I will be doing how-to video in the very near future with DIYlife.com as well. The first projects I will take you through will be tiling a shower, how to install a replacement window, how to paint your kitchen cabinets, and many more projects. Again, a ton of high quality pics taken during the course of each project will be posted with each article, to help in the explanation of the projects. So next time you log on to AOL, don't be surprised if you see me on the home page!

My Parents on HGTV

2010-04-24T08:11:00.000-04:00

In all my efforts toward the making of a home renovation show, I failed to mention that my parents beat me to it! A couple of years ago, my parents' kitchen and master bedroom was featured on an HGTV kitchen and bath show. My mom gladly gave the tour on camera, and described how my dad (who did NOT want to be on tv) did a lot of the work himself.
http://www.greatroom.com/Shows/KDE-1113.htm

A Couple More Outdoor Shower Inspirations...

2010-04-23T16:42:00.000-04:00

HGTV Creative Edge with Brian

2010-04-14T08:24:00.000-04:00

While things are cooking cutting together our pilot for HGTV, there has been some other news, regarding "The Creative Edge with Brian" (see last paragraph in: "In the Beginning..").
HGTV has informed us, that they want to change the name to "HGTV Creative Edge with Brian"; swapping out 'The" with "HGTV". I am thrilled about this, because it directly puts the HGTV branding in the same sentence as my name - by their choice. I have to think things are brewing on that front, but we'll see. Here is how the graphics look now:

I still look like a ding-a-ling, but at least the HGTV logo is there by my side :)

Just Plain Silly...

2010-04-09T21:53:00.002-04:00

Another morning of fun in front of the camera...

S'alllll coming together...

Pitching A Show: Hits, Misses, and Homeruns

2010-04-08T21:53:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow: more shooting....so much fun, literally the best EVER. Just quick little interviews alone and together (Carolina and I). I am thinking of seeing if they (Matt) can shoot us on a green screen, so we can put something cool behind us in later in post...instead of the usual stuff you see on home renovation shows. In case you don't know, a green screen is literally just that, a green backdrop that you are able to make "disappear" in post production; thereby allowing you to put anything you want in the background. I was thinking about running an old scene from "Eight Is Enough", but I don't think anyone would go for that.
Anyway, it is really starting to come together, but alas, I can't ever get too attached to a project like this, because the numbers are just plain against us. HGTV and other networks get pitched shows alllllll day long and only a handful of them get the greenlight to go into production. Mostly the pitches are on paper, so we do have a little edge that we are actually filming something. It's so weird, you could have the greatest show in the world, but if just one important set of eyes doesn't like it, you're done. Out, game over. So as proud as I am of what we are doing, I have no idea what the outcome will be (nor am I trying to think too much about it). That being said, the pilot is kickin' some ass if I do say so myself!
In the meantime, the projects around my own house are starting to finally get some attention. I have to replace tile in the hallway, rip down a big section of old siding and re-shingle, tile the bathroom shower, build a new door for the outdoor shower, and repaint a fence. It really never ends, but I LOVE it!

Editing: Putting It All Together

2010-03-31T15:48:00.000-04:00

So the editing has begun on our little show concept...chopping, slicing, dicing...finding the good stuff. While it's fun filming, it's equally as fun putting it all together!
We do have a few more things to shoot, but the bulk of it is done.
Here you see the opening section being built in Final Cut...

Here is the main title graphic being put together in After Effects...
Later, there will be a sound mix, color correction, and we should have something...stay tuned...

The Outdoor Shower

2010-03-25T16:13:00.000-04:00

Make no mistake, one of my favorite things in the world, is an outdoor shower. I love them so much, that I built one at my own house. Not only is it fantastic to come home from the beach and rinse off, but to take a shower early in the morning or at dusk is the best. How about a shower while it's raining? I can tell you from experience it's amazing. Here is a fairly simple outdoor shower...privacy, hot & cold, built out of cedar:

Meetings, Lunches, TV Shows Oh My!

2010-03-23T22:22:00.000-04:00

Today I had a great sushi lunch with the Director of Program Development at CableReady (and all around super-cool chick) Liz Tobias. CableReady is a cable television development, distribution and representation company. I think we are going to work together, which is fantastic news, as CableReady can seriously help in the crucial development and pitch of a home renovation show to HGTV. We threw some show ideas around in between tuna rolls, and we have some great plans. She is also going to take a look at the finished project I am currently shooting, and decide if it's something they are interested in, and would like to represent and pitch. A good day towards the making of a home renovation show.

Another Day of Shooting

2010-03-20T16:37:00.000-04:00

Well another great day of shooting our little show pilot....beautiful weather, great people...
One more small step in the making of a home renovation show. We have a great new addition to the team, director/producer/videographer Matt Abourezk, and hair/makeup artist Kathleen Richards.
Here are a few production stills:

my view....

"My Home Renovation Articles"

2010-03-18T22:01:00.000-04:00

While things are moving and grooving on the tv show tip, I have been writing home renovation articles in between work, and finishing up filming. Here is my page with my recent articles on Examiner.com.

"Do I Dare?"

2010-03-18T10:08:00.002-04:00

Ok, rule number one in show creation, don't let anyone see your stuff before it's finished, or out of context. Rule number two, no wearing baseball caps on camera.
Welllll, I have never been good about following rules. So without giving away too much (such as show concept, title etc) I am going to show you a 90 sec clip of rough footage from one of the shoots which is part of this sizzle reel for this new show we are pitching.
It won't really make sense, because it is only a portion of the reel, but whatev...
I am thinking about chopping out the part of me in the car, kind of annoying right?
So without further a du, I present (drumroll)....this, thing: