I was wondering about the process by which the show Survivor was produced.
They obviously edit footage to tell a story in each episode. But to what extent do you think they try to tell an overarching story throughout the series?
After the final TC, do you think they sit down and storyboard the whole thing? And then begin going through all of their footage to figure out how to get there? Or are the eps produced more on an episode to episode basis? Do they cull the footage as it comes in, looking primarily for titillating or “shocking” stuff that can be portrayed as “dramatic” events.
Personally, it seems to me that the emphasis is on providing a twist each show. The desire for surprise seems to trump any interest in development of particular characters over the entire course of the series.
How much do you think they edit footage in a way to manipulate viewers’ impressions of particular characters over the course of a series? I think Lex would be a prime example, but perhaps they do not “typecast” the players as much as it might seem.
I know there have been discussions of “hints” in each series’ initial eps which point to the ultimate survivor. But I have not seen the shows unravel in a way to suggest the telling of an overall “story” or “theme.”
(Obviously this fella doesn’t have enough to do on this Friday afternoon.)