Creative Leisure News - Designing Perspectives

The industry as seen by top designers.

A Call For Cutting-Edge Designs

TV producer needs designers.

by Lisa Sichi (June 6, 2005)

(Note: Lisa is a veteran of crafts on TV, having worked on the Carol Duvall Show for the HGTV network. She is now a producer for Screen Door Entertainment.)

I�m currently the Supervising Producer for a new, as-yet-unnamed craft series on the DIY network that we will be filming this fall. I read with great interest the articles, "What Happened to the Smiling Bunny?" and "How and Why Craft Designs are Changing." The company I�m currently working for, Screen Door Entertainment, is the company that produces Knitty Gritty which was mentioned in one of those articles.

DIY has contracted us to do some new series in that same vein, including the craft show I�m working on (which will be in studio sometime in late August/early September in Burbank, CA). The other series are a needlearts show that will go into studio in a few weeks, and a wearable art show that has already been taped. And I know that DIY has other new crafty shows being produced by other companies that reflect the "new" attitude as well. This direction has been very effective for DIY and its viewership, and is certainly something that is here to stay.

Just as your articles discuss, these shows are geared toward the "new generation of crafters" � no bunnies or teddy bears in the designs, and blue-haired, tattooed, and pierced guests are perfectly welcome!

Primarily we�re looking to inspire the 30-and-under set to take a look at what crafts are today and try their hand at it. So, we are staying away from any design seen as "traditional." We�re more looking for unique, edgy, rock-and-roll, and punk-rock projects. Each episode features one guest for the entire half hour, focusing on one theme for the entire show � obviously a great opportunity for any designer or company that has moved into the "crafts for the MTV generation" area that we�re looking for.

If any of your readers think they would be a good fit for our new craft series, they can send an email with some .jpg images of the types of craft projects they would like us to consider (or a link to a website with project images) to craftsuppliers@sdetv.com.

(Note: For more information, call Lisa at 818-781-5600, ext. 103. To read previous Designing Perspectives columns, click on the titles in the right-hand column. To comment, email CLN at mike@clnonline.com.)

xxx