With the news that Bravo has confirmed Season 3 to "return this summer", probably on July 12, the transition to two seasons of Project Runway per year appears to be in motion. But what about Season 4?
Assuming that filming remains at Parsons, Season 3 will most likely shoot in June with the Final 3 showing at OFW in September. There is a small window of opportunity in the Parsons academic calendar to shoot Season 4 in August for a Final 3 OFW show in February 2007. (Season 1 was filmed at Parsons in August 2004). This would allow Season 4 to premiere in December 2006.
But that begs a few questions: Will the S3 Final 3 have enough energy left to complete 13 looks in 2 months? Will Bravo hold additional auditions for S4 this summer while S3 is still being broadcast? Or will they pull the S4 cast from the latest round of auditions?
Hmmmmm............
22 comments:
I am thinking that as the show gains in popularity (largely due to BPR of course...) it will become more and more difficult for the "Top three" or "Top four" designers to keep their collections a secret. How can they shelter themselves for SEVEN MONTHS without friends or family realizing what is going on? There is a growing potential for leaks here, folks.
I think the abbreviated schedule will work in everyone's best interests. The producers have the opportunity for two shows a year instead of one. (And don't the "established" designers create two collections a year anyway?) That means more revenue for Bravo and greater opportunities to promote and improve the show.
The contestant/designers will be able to see the show sooner and not have to worry about the "confidentiality" for so long.
The top three will be able to leap from the momentum of the show directly into their studios and work like heck until fashion week. No downtime!
With two shows a year, twice as many designers will have the wonderful opportunity to be on Project Runway.
Of course, the FANS are the real winners. With two seasons a year...well I can hardly contain my excitement! Hooray!
It seems like a great idea for all concerned...
At least - in my humble opinion.
as exciting as this news is, i just hope the Bravo producers know what they're doing! I would hate to see our beloved PR turned into a Survivor-factory franchise.
Well, "The Apprentice" has taken to filming multiple seasons on a staggered schedule. I don't see why PR couldn't do the same.
Here's another bold leap into wild speculation....What if the hurried schedule means they will air it on NBC like they did with Queer Eye when it first started? There's nothing but reruns during the summer anyway. Maybe that's what all the focus group questions on how likeable Tim Gunn is was about. Talk about boosting regognition for the show. I know its crazy but how great would that be?
Hmmmm is about right....
I bet you they will pull everyone from these past auditions. Tim did say there were a lot of talented people this time around! It is also more cost-effective, which of course is the direction in which network TPTB are always looking.
There is no way they could put PR on a major network and keep the same feel. That won't happen. No MF Walkoffs on the network, no way...lol
I don't know - I have mixed feelings about two PR seasons a year. Look at Who Wants to be a Millionaire. It was better as a "treat" than as a "commodity". Seven months may seem like a long time, but many of these designers have alternative lives and responsibilities. Chloe had her own shop she had to pay attention to. Santino said he had a job until just a few weeks before Fashion Week last season. Will a shorter timeframe lead to more focus and better collections? Or will it lead to not enough time given the other things going on in their lives and worse, less sophisticated, less well thought out collections?
Far be it from me to suggest that there could be too much PR. But if the quality goes down because of shorter production schedules, more hurried casting, more hurried competition schedules, and more hurried finalist timelines, is it really going to be worth it?
I just hope the desire for more profits doesn't kill the only reality show I watch!
BTW I agree with you, TBone, that seven months is way too long to keep secrets. Although the contract must be a real bear, you know?
Going to 2 shows/year - Forget the designers, what about the other key assets of the show - the judges, Tim Gunn, etc. With two shows/year, will they have to have additional staff (ala Law & Order 1, 2, 3, etc) or do you think going to a 2/yr model will work? - especially as other folks have mentioned, these people aren't actors + all have "day jobs."
Good point, Andrew. I have definitely wondered what the effect on the producers and especially Tim might be.
There will not be much downtime and would hate to see them burnout.
Here is a wild idea... how about one season at New York Fashion Week (say in the fall) and a second season in Los Angeles (in the Spring)? Just to stir things up - let's say the second series is shot at FIDM instead of Parsons. Hmmmmm... who do we know at FIDM?
I guess that's why Michael Kors can't do the first 4 or 5 episodes? I started to write that I don't know if I'm as concerned in general about 2 seasons a year as I am about them being done so quickly and close together-Laura's idea sounds very interesting.
interesting theory about LA fashion week but it doesnt seem to have the same cache as NY fashion week since NY tends to be the first of the season. I think I'd feel jipped if I were one of those designers.
I'm quite happy that the show will be on twice a year but I share the same concerns that others have mentioned. It does seem that when the designers had 7 months to make their collections they didn't actually use all of that time. Jay and Chloe didn't start making their stuff until the month before the show.
I don't quite understand how the season for fall 07 fashion week would work. Presumably they'd have to film in the summer because of the Parsons schedule, and that would give that group of designers a lot more time than the ones who design for the spring 07 show this summer.
Laura, you read my mind. I had been thinking Nick would be a good candidate if PR ever reached the point where it needed another person in the "Tim" role. He is an experienced fashion instructor as well as a charismatic on-screen presence already much beloved by the audience. I think Nick would have good insights to share and that he would take an even-handed approach with all the designers, two of the qualities we so appreciate about Tim. Tim is a definitely a hard act to follow, but compared to an unknown tackling that role (who could easily come off as "Tim Lite") a lot of people would tune in especially to see Nick. If Tim should run into scheduling conflicts a la MK, I hope the producers would at least consider trying out Nick for a week.
Nick is great, but he does not have the expertise Tim has. It would not be credible to be getting advice from somebody that was eliminated from the show. It would be a dis-service to Nick to put him in that role. I think he would be a great guest judge for one epiode though.
Laura, as always you take the positive outlook--an aspect of BPR I value. Perhaps you can help me out with my new concern. It has been pointed out that the designers did not use the whole seven months to develop their collections. In large measure, this appeared to be because they had to make a living in the meantime--Chloe looking after her boutique; Santino working at a job he gave up two months or so prior to Fashion Week. If the top three (or four), who have already had to take a month off from whatever it is they do to pay the rent, now have "to leap from the momentum of the show directly into their studios" (a lovely image), unless they have financial support and/or their own resources, how are they going to eat? Will this not potentially have an impact on who will audition for PR?
I don't want to be negative, but I am Scot--we have a gene for pragmatism!
Well...they do get $8000.00. I wonder if some of them use part of it as "living expenses."
Didn't Santino address this in one of his interviews - that they were contract-bound NOT to use any of that $8000 for anything other than the collections? They had to submit all their receipts and prove that every aspect of the collection was covered by the $8000. So, no eating on that money!
ohmagodd!!! i cant believe PR is coming back this summer! on the one hand i am soooooo not ready to be addicted so soon but on the other hand i cant wait to start obsessing night and day about a new group of up-and-coming designers!
as for nick in the tim role...i dont think i could take him seriously. especially with that fauxhawk. i did like him at the beginning of the season but i'm like totally over him these days. but that's just my bias (and love) for timmy!
You guys are right - the money is strictly for the supplies for each collection. No living expenses. Hmmmmmm.....
So we're just going to have to set up an "Adopt a Designer" program for anyone who can't afford to take three months off work. We sign the "don't tell" contract, provide a bed, a space to work in and three square meals a day. And, of course, we're allowed to stick around when Tim comes to visit!
Do I feel the reverberations of Jan (the Dan Fan) trembling at the thought of what might have been?
I loved Nick, but if he were the "West Coast Tim" I'd be afraid that every designer under his wing would end up designing outfits with fish-tail hems. To quote Michael - "I can't take another fish tail dress. I just can't!"
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