Find Out What's in the Small Print Before You Sign a Reality TV Contract
By Wyatt Elling
You've made it to an audition for a reality TV show, and the producers love you! You're great in front of the camera, and they want you back for the second round! But first, they want you to fill out a stack of paperwork before they'll even talk to you again.
When you go to an open audition for a reality TV show, you might be surprised at how much paperwork they give you. And given how many people show up and how hectic the atmosphere is, you probably won't have time to read the fine print. It can be confusing about what exactly you're giving the producers the permission to do. Reality TV auditions are notorious for the many documents they make you fill out and sign without explaining anything to you. The application packages are lengthy, and include things like basic contact information, health history forms, and essay questions. And of course, these document packages are peppered with permission and waiver forms to sign.
On the most basic level, the forms you have to sign give producers the basic legal permission to consider you for a role in a reality show. Then they have the right to use your personal information within the network of the show's production, and to show your materials to everyone who has a say in casting. You're also guaranteeing them that you are a legal citizen of the United States, and have permission to work. There might also be confidentiality agreements to sign. These are meant to protect the trade secrets and production decisions that take place behind the scenes of a reality TV show. On competition-based shows it's critical for contestants to keep quiet about what happens until the final episode airs. It's much easier to prevent leaks when hefty contracts are on the line. Medical waivers are common, and so are insurance forms. The last thing a TV network wants is to be liable in a huge personal injury lawsuit. On a higher level, you might be giving the producers the rights to use your audition materials on the actual reality show in question. American Idol banks on having hundreds of hours of audition footage available to find the most entertaining misfires, and to trace the paths of finalists.
Depending on the show, you'll probably have to sign a written agreement where you promise to follow the rules of the program. This could include a morality clause, where you testify that you've never appeared in an adult film or worked professionally in the industry you're trying to enter as an amateur. American Idol been plagued by scandals in the past, and producers need to be sure that you are who you say you are. And if you're not, they need to have the ability to cancel your contract. Project Runway did just that after one of their contestants last season was caught with an "illegal" book of printed clothing designs. To prevent these kinds of problems from arising, many producers now conduct official background checks on potential contestants. They want to weed out people who have misrepresented themselves, professional actors, and people with criminal records.
When you audition for a reality show, one of the biggest things you sign away is the right to your own representation. Producers of reality shows want complete control over all of the footage taken. Beyond this, they want to be able to manipulate people's images, words, and actions at will to make the most dramatic show possible. People who appear on reality shows sometimes get angry about how they are portrayed, but there is very little they can do. It's all in the paperwork. You sell your image to a reality show in the same way a writer sells a script to a studio; they want the product, but have their own ideas about how to make it better or more interesting. Some reality shows also reserve the right to have their stars re-enact "scenes" that weren't filmed correctly or were missed altogether. This can be jarring for participants, especially when pressured by producers to keep it a secret.
Before you audition for a reality show you should make sure you're okay with signing away most of your control over the final product. Once you sign the forms, you won't have any say over how you're represented, and you won't be able to sue over personal injury or representation. And unlike scripted TV shows, reality shows rarely offer residual payments for syndication and repeats, so you could find yourself on TV for much longer than you thought without getting paid for it. These are the trade-offs you make for a chance at being a reality TV star, and it's best to understand and accept it before the cameras start rolling.
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