Drew
Senior Member
I grew up with these boys, pretty much known them all my life. Vandiver used to cut my hair when I had some. I have never had the opportunity to see their show but hear that its entertaining. Anyway, here is the article from the Walton Tribune with the details.
http://www.waltontribune.com/story.l...c595b692c08baa
Locals take TV national
By Stephen Milligan
The Walton Tribune
Published November 15, 2006
WALTON COUNTY — A lot of men go hunting and fishing in the state of Georgia.
But not all of them bring their video cameras along.
The four men in “Living Outdoors,” the locally produced outdoors program created by Walton residents Jeff Vandiver, Charlie Brown, Jay Stone and Ricky Brown, do just that, serving as the stars, cameramen, directors, editors and every other position on their do-it-yourself program.
The show, which currently runs on Monroe Utilities Network’s local Channel 16, has recently been picked up by cable network The Sportsman Channel, giving the program a chance to attract a national audience of 5.2 million viewers.
Despite the chance at a little fortune and glory, Charlie Brown said the show was just a way for them to put their own stamp on the outdoors genre.
“So many of these shows, you see these big film crews head out to Africa or to these big ranches,” Brown said. “We’re just doing things the average guy can do.”
Brown said that the constraints of their lives outside of the show —with families, careers and other time constraints —gives them an approach closer to their viewers than big name shows currently on the air.
“We have to check with our wives before we go hunting,” Brown said with a smile, as Ricky Brown quickly chimed in agreement. “It’s something we do after work and in between kids’ ballgames and stuff.”
With a low-budget approach, using items bought from local retail stores rather than giant outfitters, and with a family-friendly feeling made complete by some episodes involving their kids the men of “Living Outdoors are just enjoying the outdoors lifestyle on which they grew up.
“This is something we’re always doing,” Stone said. “If we weren’t filming, we’d still be out hunting and fishing. We just want to share it with others.”
With the show set to debut on the Sportsman Channel in January, with a first season of 13 episodes to air three times a week, “Living Outdoors” is prepared for the limelight, but they’re still looking for a few sponsors.
Although the contracts are signed and their airdate is set, the four outdoorsmen are now striving to be businessmen as they look for advertisers to help fund their side of the equation.
“We can do a 30-second commercial in front of over 5 million people,” Brown said. “We’re seriously looking for some sponsors now.”
With two years of experience filming and editing their program, and 16 half-hour episodes already in the can from their local programming, “Living Outdoors” is more than just a hobby for these four men, but their way of life.
“We were already hunting and fishing and catching frogs and crawdads and the like,” said Ricky Brown. “Then they invented the video camera, so we brought it along.”
Vandiver agreed that even if the cameras weren’t on, they would still be picking up their fishing lines and hunting rifles every chance they got, but said the show allows them to share this with a wider audience.
“We’re showing what the man who works can do in his spare time,” Vandiver said of their program’s more common man approach. “We do it because we love it.”
Charlie Brown said that love would keep them filming, no matter their reception in January.
“There’s too many normal men who will never hunt for a living,” Brown said. “This is a chance to see what a natural, working man can do.”
http://www.waltontribune.com/story.l...c595b692c08baa
Locals take TV national
By Stephen Milligan
The Walton Tribune
Published November 15, 2006
WALTON COUNTY — A lot of men go hunting and fishing in the state of Georgia.
But not all of them bring their video cameras along.
The four men in “Living Outdoors,” the locally produced outdoors program created by Walton residents Jeff Vandiver, Charlie Brown, Jay Stone and Ricky Brown, do just that, serving as the stars, cameramen, directors, editors and every other position on their do-it-yourself program.
The show, which currently runs on Monroe Utilities Network’s local Channel 16, has recently been picked up by cable network The Sportsman Channel, giving the program a chance to attract a national audience of 5.2 million viewers.
Despite the chance at a little fortune and glory, Charlie Brown said the show was just a way for them to put their own stamp on the outdoors genre.
“So many of these shows, you see these big film crews head out to Africa or to these big ranches,” Brown said. “We’re just doing things the average guy can do.”
Brown said that the constraints of their lives outside of the show —with families, careers and other time constraints —gives them an approach closer to their viewers than big name shows currently on the air.
“We have to check with our wives before we go hunting,” Brown said with a smile, as Ricky Brown quickly chimed in agreement. “It’s something we do after work and in between kids’ ballgames and stuff.”
With a low-budget approach, using items bought from local retail stores rather than giant outfitters, and with a family-friendly feeling made complete by some episodes involving their kids the men of “Living Outdoors are just enjoying the outdoors lifestyle on which they grew up.
“This is something we’re always doing,” Stone said. “If we weren’t filming, we’d still be out hunting and fishing. We just want to share it with others.”
With the show set to debut on the Sportsman Channel in January, with a first season of 13 episodes to air three times a week, “Living Outdoors” is prepared for the limelight, but they’re still looking for a few sponsors.
Although the contracts are signed and their airdate is set, the four outdoorsmen are now striving to be businessmen as they look for advertisers to help fund their side of the equation.
“We can do a 30-second commercial in front of over 5 million people,” Brown said. “We’re seriously looking for some sponsors now.”
With two years of experience filming and editing their program, and 16 half-hour episodes already in the can from their local programming, “Living Outdoors” is more than just a hobby for these four men, but their way of life.
“We were already hunting and fishing and catching frogs and crawdads and the like,” said Ricky Brown. “Then they invented the video camera, so we brought it along.”
Vandiver agreed that even if the cameras weren’t on, they would still be picking up their fishing lines and hunting rifles every chance they got, but said the show allows them to share this with a wider audience.
“We’re showing what the man who works can do in his spare time,” Vandiver said of their program’s more common man approach. “We do it because we love it.”
Charlie Brown said that love would keep them filming, no matter their reception in January.
“There’s too many normal men who will never hunt for a living,” Brown said. “This is a chance to see what a natural, working man can do.”