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Memorial Day Brings Fox A Big Fat New Two-Hour ON THE LOT!!

Published at:  May 28, 2007 1:56:30 AM CDT

I am – Hercules!!


“On The Lot,” the new reality series about filmmakers competing for $1 million in prizes and an office at Paramount/DreamWorks, is supercool, man. I suspect that you’re all watching. If not? Start.

It’s the best kind of reality show, the fast-paced kind I can watch half a dozen times and notice all sorts of new each go-round. It’s the kind of reality show you should, perhaps, be way into.

I don’t care that this series fails to maintain a preferable percentage of the “American Idol” audience - because I am convinced that at least some of the competitors on “On The Lot” are going to create art far more memorable than any produced by “Idol” champ Jordin Sparks.

This one kid, Vancouver’s Zack Lipovsky, already knows how to freeze dozens of plastic coathangers midair. All the other competitors justifiably fear him for his coathanger-freezing ability.

Tonight brings the third “On The Lot” episode. The first was an hourlong episode following the penultimate “American Idol”; the second a miserly (if perfectly fascinating) 35-minute installment following some manner of exciting Fox dance competition.

Memorial Day gives us our first 2-hour installment.

I love how talent sometimes appears to trump arrogance. I love how the homeless man was unexpectantly allergic to peanut butter.

I adore how these contestants can put together movies in the span of hours.

I love that multimillionaire director Brett Ratner, who directed the “Rush Hour” series, is introduced later than the far more talented Garry Marshall and Carrie Fisher. I love that the producers do little to disguise Ratner’s appalling (if not unexpected) dearth of brainpower.

Tonight, the field narrows from 24 to 18 as contestants are given an hour to direct a one-page script with a pre-selected crew, cast and set.

Find the “On The Lot” website here. If you find the film about the dead homeless guy or the film about the frozen coathangers, don’t be shy about posting links in talkback.

8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. Fox.










The Unaired 73-Minute Pilot!!
50 Extended and Deleted Scenes!!
Loads Of Featurettes!!

Heroes: The Complete First Season!!


The Making of Star Wars:
The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film



    + Expand All

    Readers Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 1:20:52 AM CDT

    Be glad when Heroes comes out on DVD

    by glodene

    First! I think.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 1:21:57 AM CDT

    First.

    by tarantinoholic

    Wow, really?

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 1:22:45 AM CDT

    Foiled again

    by tarantinoholic

    Damn You, Glodene!

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 1:23:04 AM CDT

    Oh btw, that Rosie TB has sho' nuff'...

    by glodene

    escalated into a hum dinger of a jihad.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 1:31:44 AM CDT

    Oh you like all the shots out of context, Herc?

    by talkbacker with no name

    Judges reactions inserted on other peoples pitches, more interested in the fighting than the movies. I'm so sick to death of reality show editing! The content, tasks, even the judges are very interesting, just stop with the crap editing and Idol style bollocks!

    The Lot forum is full of very unhappy viewers.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 1:39:04 AM CDT

    whats with all the Heroes love?

    by frenchbastard03

    didnt that show prove its crapiness with that horrible season finale? i cant believe some of you are actually going to waste money to watch that dreck again..

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 1:45:59 AM CDT

    Love

    by nairb the movie

    the kid who never went to film school. His hair alone is amazing.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 1:50:09 AM CDT

    Yes.

    by khrono

    Awesome show.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 1:50:44 AM CDT

    On The Lot appeal

    by lonegun

    It certainly is interesting to watch the competitors work within the short time-frames. Some of them prove to be quite creative under those circumstances. It's rather painful to see others fall short. The film about the frozen coat hangers was terrific, especially for a twenty-four hour production.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 2:13:10 AM CDT

    Shameless Plug

    by darshn22

    Good Luck Justin Lutsky and David May...

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 2:34:43 AM CDT

    Not exactly about this, but

    by napoleon park

    I checked with the MeeVee TeeVee listings and posted a preview of the upcoming weeks TV highlights for Jump The Shark. And Oh My Effen Ghod, other than the season finales of "House" and "Boston Legal" on Tuesday and the Studio 60 burn-offs, and the usual spate of reruns, REALITY SHOWS have entirely taken over summer television. The usual holiday basketball games, car races and beauty pageants, plus people who think they can dance, are smarter than 5th graders, trying to make movies, crashing weddings, being nannies, swapping wives, acting like freaking Pirates for cripes sake and oh good grief, playing effing BINGO!
    I think I'm going to take the batteries of of all my remotes and go read some books or something. maybe listen to some music. Or, you know, internets porn...
    Oh wait, 'Who is Will Traveler?' yeah, like that crapfest will save scripted television. At least [adult swim] has some new Moral Orels.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 2:36:04 AM CDT

    AWESOME!

    by proman1984

    I will be watching!

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 2:38:09 AM CDT

    Lovin' me some

    by napoleon park

    "Heroes" DVD set box cover art. That gold and white on black totally worked for Batman... TWENTY ONE YEARS AGO... It's a classic. And I can never get enough Photoshop Lens flare. I AIN'T sayin' I could do as good or better, but could that cover be any more generic and minimal?

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 5:00:41 AM CDT

    looks interesting

    by mr_x

    so i'm going to have to download this fucker. get the frozen coathangers kid on to the heroes set asap

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 5:01:55 AM CDT

    btw i dont watch reality shows as a whole

    by mr_x

    cause thy're crappy. the only one i do watch is the apprentice uk edition.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 5:41:37 AM CDT

    great show, that Jeff guy got what he had coming last

    by evil hobbit

    episode. Boy did he annoy me big time. Lookin forward to the new ep.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 7:02:28 AM CDT

    Talkbacker with no name...

    by batutta

    The On The Lot forum is filled with unhappy CONTESTANTS, but what did they think they were signing up for? I am sure they had watched reality TV before and knew what to expect...As someone who's perpetrated some of the crimes you mentioned here's how it happens...The producer delivers a show to executives that portrays things exactly how they happened. The executives watch it and says, "This is boring!"..."Where are the fights?"..."Where are the cruel comments and the backstabbing and funny reaction shots!"...So the producer goes off and tells the editor to manipulate reality for the desired effect, taking clips and reactions out of context to appease the executives. The editor, if he wants to keep his job, consents, beacuse he's usually paid very well. Contestants get screwed...Ratings go up...Executives get happy...Oh, and if you look very closely in the fine print at the end of the show on almost every reality show it usually says the producers of the show reserve the right to choose the winner of the contest, or something to that effect. Reality TV is about as REAL as Pamela Anderson's tits.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 7:05:56 AM CDT

    Haven't seen it.

    by lost.rules

    Hope it's as funny as Project Greenlight. Save Gulager!!!!

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 7:50:20 AM CDT

    RIP Charles Nelson Reilly

    by tonagan

    But Alec Baldwin's wonderful impression lives on. "There's a Troll! In Central Park!"

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 9:08:27 AM CDT

    Surprisingly great.

    by mooly

    I agree that people should watch The Lot. I know everyone is suffering from "reality" burn out and are sick of the arrogant, self-aware reality show cast that are becoming the norm. Reality shows seem to go out of their way to fill their cast with people who are nowhere near real.

    Well, the people on the lot seem very real and they are being given a very real chance of a lifetime. This isn't "the apprentice" where people who are already millionaires are competing to work for 100,00 for Trump. COME ON! THese are genuine wannabe movie directors that are given their chance. They will have to producer movies that are worth watching and we will get to watch them.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 9:24:21 AM CDT

    reality tv blows

    by palewook

    no thanks.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 9:31:10 AM CDT

    Oh the Irony, Batutta

    by talkbacker with no name

    That's my whole point, bud. I want reality from this sucker. What a wasted chance to make a new fantastic show.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 9:39:54 AM CDT

    1st Episode Sucked

    by helix


    I was interested in this show and watched the 1st episode. It sucked. They were trying to make it into American Idiot. The editors need to be shot. What a mess.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 9:53:24 AM CDT

    Come on... no CNR obit?

    by kazamasmokers

    Reilly needs his own post!

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 10:05:08 AM CDT

    I saw all their films online

    by browncoatjedi

    Some of them can edit and shoot OK, but what they can't do it WRITE. All of their stories were lame. But they only had 24 hours to do it all, so we'll see what happens when they have more time. This show is more about entertaining a TV audience than actually finding undiscovered talent.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 10:05:11 AM CDT

    I saw all their films online

    by browncoatjedi

    Some of them can edit and shoot OK, but what they can't do it WRITE. All of their stories were lame. But they only had 24 hours to do it all, so we'll see what happens when they have more time. This show is more about entertaining a TV audience than actually finding undiscovered talent.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 10:05:14 AM CDT

    I saw all their films online

    by browncoatjedi

    Some of them can edit and shoot OK, but what they can't do it WRITE. All of their stories were lame. But they only had 24 hours to do it all, so we'll see what happens when they have more time. This show is more about entertaining a TV audience than actually finding undiscovered talent.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 10:05:32 AM CDT

    I saw all their films online

    by browncoatjedi

    Some of them can edit and shoot OK, but what they can't do it WRITE. All of their stories were lame. But they only had 24 hours to do it all, so we'll see what happens when they have more time. This show is more about entertaining a TV audience than actually finding undiscovered talent.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 10:05:58 AM CDT

    I saw all their films online

    by browncoatjedi

    Some of them can edit and shoot OK, but what they can't do it WRITE. All of their stories were lame. But they only had 24 hours to do it all, so we'll see what happens when they have more time. This show is more about entertaining a TV audience than actually finding undiscovered talent.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 10:06:56 AM CDT

    Jesus Christ, what is wrong with this site?

    by browncoatjedi

    5 postings?

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 10:24:05 AM CDT

    It was okay.

    by jonquixote

    Definitely a case of subject matter over form. I'm interested in these people and their films, but the standard, well-worn format (bickering contestants, subtly - or not - misleading editing, etc.) isn't doing the show any favors. They'd better start showing the films in their entirety once the regular format kicks in. If they're only going to show clips in order to devote time to showing assholes butting heads, then I'm outta here.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 10:31:54 AM CDT

    Ratner has got balls...

    by dreamisover

    to slam somebody's film as "style over substance"

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 11:49:23 AM CDT

    watched both of them now

    by mr_x

    and some good stuff out there, the gasps when that coat hanger movie came on was hilarious, i imagine most of the others were bricking it.
    all in all quite enjoyable. i had to fast forward the pitches in ep 1 cause they were so cringeworthy. ratman indeed.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 12:24:56 PM CDT

    Am I the only one then...

    by the pusher

    Who thinks this show is just another way for FOX to water down yet another art-form? I mean, I'm happy for all the contestants, this is just another way for them to get recognition. But I truthfully could care less about the final product. Just another quest for ratings.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 12:47:55 PM CDT

    Napoleon Park, does the summer TV schedule

    by big jim

    surprise you? When has Summer ever yielded first-run scripted shows? Summer has always been the Land of Reruns, and only recently, of Reality TV. Fox used to premiere some fall shows in late August, but that's it. I would prefer if the bulk of Reality TV were relegated soley to the Summer months.I so for have enjoyed On the Lot. I wonder if that Kenny guy intentionally screwed over Hannah, who got the boot last week. Sure, as director it is her job to make sure her DP is doing a good job, but as DP, which he supposedly is one, he did a lousy job on her segment.One thing that may not have been fair is the pitch to weed out a large portion of the original contestants. They are directors, not writers. Doubtful that Ratner ever went into a pitch meeting with anything that he wrote.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 12:53:23 PM CDT

    So much Ratner hate

    by alwaysthere

    You fools sound like a broken record.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 1:39:51 PM CDT

    My Take:

    by shiftyeyeddog2

    I first saw the commercials for Fox's On the Lot and thought, this is gonna be crap. Burnett's Survivor got old long ago, and The Apprentice and The Contender were both formulaic, annoying, artificially-staged (badly), and uninteresting. Let's add to this formula pretentious wannabe filmmakers, and I'm really not interested.
    Yet somehow, while flipping channels that first night, I found myself watching part of it, and ended up taping the rest to see how it turned out.

    Oh, I was right. It's got all the same problems. You've got an obnoxious, annoying, no-talent host - in this case E! Network reject Chelsea Handler. You've got a questionable panel of judges - Brett Ratner, Carrie Fisher, and Garry Marshall. You've got a microcosmic contestant pool that was definitely cast for TV vs recruited as the best candidates - the Kentucky hick, the cocky rich guy, the british guy, the black guy..., and you've got the bad overdubbing and creative editing.

    ...but damn, if I wouldn't love to do something like that. So sadly, I'm hooked. You know I loves me some behind-the-scenes stuff. The writing, pitching, casting, directing, editing... all of it. I always love when a DVD features some super in-depth look at the making of movies. Just looks like such fun. But unless you live in or near L.A., it's really not something you can ever have any shot at doing. I know it's not something I'll ever get to be a part of, so I live vicariously watching mindless dribble like On the Lot.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 4:55:11 PM CDT

    This show is pointless...

    by kirbymanly

    whoever wins is going to fall by the way of Project Greenlight... as in, never heard from again.

    No one is going to take the winner seriously... so what's the point.

    I hope I'm wrong but I'll be shocked if I am.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 5:29:33 PM CDT

    Let's hire real actors please.

    by bobster52

    I have never watched "Reality TV" and I don't plan to start now.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 6:43:44 PM CDT

    Vote Jess Brillhart

    by jsprenks

  • May 28, 2007 6:50:47 PM CDT

    there are real actors

    by mr_x

    i swear in clips i saw Reginald VelJohnson from the die hard movie and Frederick Koehler.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 6:55:11 PM CDT

    DOA

    by mister man

    Already dead - watch it be banished in three weeks.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 7:06:57 PM CDT

    Why even have girls in this?

    by seven0

    Mark my words, they are all going to get cut fast fast fast. It doesn't even matter if they're good or not, when people think director they think male. And notice how when they are getting peoples' opinions on things, how the experience is, they pretty much only show the guy's opinions? Mark my words, a guy will win this by far

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 7:08:35 PM CDT

    different host already?

    by jccalhoun

    I missed the second episode but on this episode they have a different hostess than the first episode. Where's Chelsea Handler?I'm betting Damon and Affleck are pissed this show is getting so much buzz. The last season of Project Greenlight was pretty entertaining. Chris Moore from Project Greenlight is the only pseudo-famous person I ever ran into. We were in the customs line at the Vancouver airport and I was like, "Isn't that the guy from Project Greenlight?" Then he got his phone out and said, "Hey, this is Chris Moore..."

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 7:21:45 PM CDT

    and Tatyana Ali from the fresh prince of bel-air

    by mr_x

    in the short "wilted"

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 7:31:37 PM CDT

    When did they air the episode when they diirected

    by big jim

    the one-page script? I guess I missed it. That taxi one is a perfect example of style over substance. Just because your short film is only a minute long doesn't mean you are making a commercial. There's a difference.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 7:34:37 PM CDT

    Oh yeah, and this new host makes

    by big jim

    me miss Chelsea Handler. And that's not a compliment to Handler.Did the directors write these shorts?

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 7:45:55 PM CDT

    Generally, nice visuals, but...

    by 'cholera's ghost

    good conception sorely lacking, and the writing could use some tweaking. Here's hoping I see something where it all comes together...

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 7:48:15 PM CDT

    Wow, "Lucky Penny" was pretty morbid.

    by 'cholera's ghost

    We see a guy die! The piano drop was good. I liked.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 7:48:52 PM CDT

    They should change the contest...

    by boondoggler

    Forget finding the best director... let's find the worst writer!!

    Let the bloodbath begin!

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 7:50:37 PM CDT

    How to save 90 minutes of your life...

    by just plain steve

    The short films are interesting, but the show just became American Idol style where we see them perform, but also spend a few minutes for an introduction, commentary, and learning to dial a 1-888 and NOT a 1-800 number. Just go to their website this evening and watch the short films.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 7:50:57 PM CDT

    I know Zach Lipovsky aka "Coat hanger kid"

    by gwai lo

    He's one of those cool geeks, real down to earth and unassuming. He's got none of that film school pretentiousness about him. I went to high school with him and he was kind of a whiz kid in film production class back then as well. I haven't noticed any great storytellers on the show yet but to be fair they've been under time and creative constraints and haven't really gotten the chance. So far Lipovsky looks like the most talented person there to me, and I'm not just saying that because I know him. I wondered how some of the contestants beat out 12,000 other people. Seeing the show honestly makes me wish I had put some effort into creating a submission, because I feel I could do better than most of the people there. It also makes me wish I tried harder in my high school film classes instead of getting high behind a dumpster and shooting the first zany thing on my mind. If I see a real story out of Lipovsky at some point then he has the show on lock down, because even though the tricks he's pulling are fairly basic (though impressive under the circumstances) the others are still baby steps compared to him on a technical level. Tremendous respect for the guy, watch his short "Crazy Late"

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 8:05:08 PM CDT

    Stephen Baldwin should host

    by mike_d

    then they can go around pulling scare-pranks on people.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 8:09:05 PM CDT

    Jesus, all the crude humor...

    by 'cholera's ghost

    You can be funny without resorting to that. It just takes more talent. As for Getta Room, they're right. The guy needed to be nerdy, not mentally challenged, then it would have been pretty funny.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 8:18:05 PM CDT

    This show is dreadful

    by beatsme

  • May 28, 2007 8:27:40 PM CDT

    you're kidding me, right?

    by sonnyboo2

    I couldn't even make it past the first 15 minutes, I'm certainly not on the 3rd episode.... CRAPFEST.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 8:31:52 PM CDT

    I don't think I'll be watching this show anymore

    by big jim

    I'll just watch the clips online. I don't care what the judges think because if I vote it will be based on the film and not what their comments. But what bugs me the most is the host. Sure, she's nice to look at, but I don't need her constantantly hyping the show. I'm already watching it, stop selling me.Was that guy who got a hug from the host fondling her ass?

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 8:34:53 PM CDT

    That was an impossible task

    by larry of arabia

    Comedy is the toughest thing to get right on screen, and in less than a minute? Jesus, those poor directors. For humor to work on any level above a quick gag you have to care about the characters. Crude slapstick humor, which many resorted to, needs a proper setup. If your best friend tells a story about their gas problem in the bathroom it's hilarious because you know them and laugh to stop the awkward pain. A person you have "known" for less than a minute, not so much unless you are actually there. The reason the Farley Brothers and Aptow movies work is that we care about the characters so that when they are humiliated we feel their pain and laugh to block the discomfort. Getta Room failed because we didn't know the character, same too with the woman who had to pee and the lightbulb. The last show has some great stuff, like the argument that froze time. Oh, and Jesus Christmas does Garry Marshall knows his filmmaking. He puts his finger right on what's lacking - he knows the inserts and reaction shots that are needed. Can someone give him a decent script to direct? He's way above his material since Frankie and Johnny. (I admit an illogical love for Nothing in Common.)

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 8:41:02 PM CDT

    Flawed but watchable

    by magical jew eyes

    It's not perfect, but I'll take a dumbed down Project Greenlight over some stupid dancing competition any day of the week.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 8:47:48 PM CDT

    Different Format tonight = BYE BYE

    by shiftyeyeddog2

    I had no idea this was going to go all "American Idol"-style, with viewers voting and all.I found the first couple episodes very interesting, but if this is the format now, I'm outta here. Let me know when we get back to watching more of the process a la Greenlight.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 9:06:47 PM CDT

    Was this always going to be the format?

    by silentp

    Or did they just change it because the first episodes didn't get the ratings they wanted or something? 'cause that's what it feels like. And they never even aired the episode where they had to direct a short film in one hour. What happened to that? Anyone know? Herc? At any rate, I don't trust the American public to vote for the best director. Watch Zach get voted off immediately or something, lol.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 10:13:11 PM CDT

    here is the frozen coathangers film

    by taraliveson

    http://thelot.com/episodes/?vd=21

    It's interesting how this show radically contrasts to Project Greenlight. I typically would never watch a reality show but they "forced" me to on this and I don't care for the stage show.

    I think they could take the best ideas from both shows and make a better concept. Rush deadlines and 1 minute films does not prove talent worthy of a $1M funded "indie".

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 10:15:33 PM CDT

    oops take the space out of the above url

    by taraliveson

    thelot.com/episodes/?vd=21
    or tinyurl.com/2begcb

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 10:30:00 PM CDT

    1 million movie deal?

    by vinceklortho

    what this show proves is that these people can make somewhat funny youtube shorts. The concept flip is a bore, I also enjoyed the earlier reality concept...actually showing these people at work. Not to mention they ended last weeks episode on a new mission where they have to direct a single page of a script. ummm, are they going to show that? And the main thing here is that whoever wins this thing gets a 1 million doller movie deal for Dreamworks. There are so many intangibles involved with that that need to happen. Guarenteed, straight to video. You will never see this in theatres. Dreamworks movie deal and independent cinema cannot coexist. I feel sorry for the person winning this. Their personal vision will be thrown out the door once the reality tv aura wears off.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 10:34:04 PM CDT

    What did they do to the show?

    by seven0

    This format blows huge. Massive amounts.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 28, 2007 10:56:12 PM CDT

    Confused about the format change.....

    by dasher

    As someone wrote in an earlier post, it's not clear whether this American Idol format was the intention all along, or whether it was changed because the first episodes did so poorly in the ratings. I think it was because of the ratings. Two tipoffs: 1) the episode about shooting a scene in an hour never aired, and 2) the hostess switched from Chelsea Handler to the Eva Longoria lookalike.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 29, 2007 12:03:09 AM CDT

    shooting your own 1 mill. movie....

    by vinceklortho

    will the winner really be shooting their own movie? that's the question I'm wondering, especially with Dreamworks behind it.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 29, 2007 12:03:55 AM CDT

    Episode 3: Where Hath Thou Gone?

    by bitterman23

    It's like when NBC skipped the first episode of ED and confused the hell out of me...

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 29, 2007 1:02:44 AM CDT

    It's a $1 million development deal only

    by browncoatjedi

    "With a chance to make a film" they've said repeatedly. This means they get an office and an assistant on the Dreamworks lot to develop ideas to pitch for a year -- which they "value" at a million dollars. They will only get a film made if the Dreamworks execs like the winner's pitches enough to fund one.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 29, 2007 2:20:30 AM CDT

    I think it's just a $1 million DEVELOPMENT deal

    by snapt

    Once they're sitting in an office at DreamWorks, they still have to sell the powers that be at the company to let them make a movie. If they do, it could be for $1 million or could be for $100 million for all we know. (The smart thing for the winner to do would be taking that development money to option a good comic book or graphic novel that they could direct a movie based on, easiest possible greenlight... especially if the "special effects wizard" wins.)

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 29, 2007 2:47:01 AM CDT

    so.... where's the torrent???

    by evil hobbit

    lazy rippers! Thus we go to the lot site where you should be able to watch previous episodes but it kindly says:

    Thank you for your interest in On The Lot. This service is currently unavailable to viewers living outside the United States.

    nice... :')

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 29, 2007 3:36:49 AM CDT

    Hey I need an opinion here...

    by starwarrior

    Zach is, so far, the best contestant. here's his film that got him selected in the final 50 (got 4/5 stars)

    http://films.thelot.com/films/595

    Well, here's my film (4.5/5 stars) which I did send last minute but in time according to the rules (sent it on the last possible post-marked date)

    http://films.thelot.com/films/30908

    Do you think they've seen all 12000 entries or is my film's rating making me delusional that it's any good?

    Let me know.

    Thanks

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 29, 2007 4:08:08 AM CDT

    And what happened to Brett Ratner?

    by vern

    The first 2 episodes were compelling in a masochistic kinda way because the contestants were such goofballs. Like the guy in the suit who froze up and the crazy yelling man and the slimeball who made the shitty taxi movie this week with the Bay-style editing. And it was funny how everybody was impressed by Ratner, not because they liked his movies, but because he's "a successful director." And the one guy claimed Garry Marshal's movies were his inspiration growing up! Amazing. But if the format is this now then good, I am free of this show. Nobody needs to watch 18 god damn broadly acted "comedy" shorts in 2 hours. And all the filler is even worse than the shorts. I can't imagine how in the hell Herc managed to watch those other two episodes 6 times as he's claiming, but if he can watch this one even one and a half times he deserves either a medal for bravery or a mental evaluation. Or they could tell him he's getting a medal for bravery but he has to close his eyes first, then when he does they duct tape him and toss him in the back of a van and bring him to be deprogrammed. There are alot of options we should probaly consider to straighten our boy out.
    Anyway the question I wanted to ask is why the dissing of Brett Ratner, even on this show? I understand that he is not a visionary genius and that you guys hate him for various nerd fundamentalist reasons. Yeah you can argue that he's a hack, but is there a single contestant in this show that's not WAY hackier than he's ever been? The cheesy special effects guy is the only guy that's shown any imagination at all. So far it's been the triumph of mediocrity and cliche. You guys don't DESERVE Money Talks if you like this shit. Plus, you're telling me Garry Marshall isn't a hack? I mean he seems like a cool guy on the show, but he directed THE OTHER SISTER. RAISING HELEN. EXIT TO EDEN. RUSH HOUR and X-MEN PART 3 are fucking SEVEN SAMURAI compared to that shit. Come on.
    Personally I missed Ratner on this episode. They didn't mention him and said they would have a guest judge every week, so I'm guessing he's gone. He was nice on those other episodes but he was willing to tell the people when their ideas sucked. And they sorely needed some of that this week. Oh well.

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  • May 29, 2007 4:25:27 AM CDT

    They Both Suck, Vern!

    by lost.rules

    Comparing shit to vomit is pointless. Ranter=shit. Marshall=Vomit.

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  • May 29, 2007 6:40:39 AM CDT

    Maybe they could not do it?

    by dazzler69

    They never aired the shoot a script in an hour because everybody failed? That sounded too unrealistic anyway.

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  • May 29, 2007 9:02:50 AM CDT

    Probably always planned

    by mooly

    I was wondering what the hell happened to episode 3. That pissed me off because I too wanted to see them making their movie. to me the show is about that as much as anything. HOwever, I do wonder if this was always the plan and they just bumped it up ahead of schedule due to the ratings. But the plan was ALWAYS to show the viewers at home the movies and let the viewer vote for their favorite, once they got to the finalists. It was said so during both the first and second episodes. While it certainly didn't need to be two hours long for what was basically 18 minutes worth of shorts, I did like the theatre setting for showing the shorts. Then again, I also assume that as the finalists get cut down the movies they make will get longer.

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  • May 29, 2007 9:34:26 AM CDT

    are they looking for directors or writers??

    by bizarrojerry

    I realize that directors need to be creative and that many start out writing their own movies, but c'mon. Usually, in the real industry screenwriters and directors are two different people. This episode, the worse criticism seemed to be "you're a good director, but you need a better story". I thought this was ABOUT directing!

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  • May 29, 2007 9:54:57 AM CDT

    This show represents much of what I've come to hate

    by veritasses

    about Hollywood. The egos, the insecurities, the immature, the clueless, the whiners and squeaky wheels, the liars, the back stabbers etc. Bleh. Though I have to admit that I've only seen the first episode. It does have some entertainment value if you can get past all the personalities.

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  • May 29, 2007 12:23:55 PM CDT

    Didn't Jon Avnet replace Garry Marshall in one?

    by bitterman23

    Is Fisher the only constant?

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  • May 29, 2007 1:36:08 PM CDT

    What BS!

    by billypilgrim

    All the shocked reactions to Ghetta Rhoom. Carrie Fishers squirming and chanting of the politically correct mantra was sickening. Fuck the other two pretentious director pricks too. For fucks sake the goddam thing is airing on FOX! Hello...FOX!!! Home of the Simpsons and Family Guy? Helloooooo anyone home????

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  • May 29, 2007 3:27:35 PM CDT

    Vern, I think the Garry Marshall compliment was..

    by neo zeed

    carefully worded by that dude to say "Garry Marshall's work was a part of me growing up." Which he probably meant his enjoyed his TV stuff like Happy Days (and it's countless spinoffs) when he was a kid.

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  • May 29, 2007 3:53:15 PM CDT

    Why Did They Ruin This Show?

    by star trek apologist

    Instead of taking a third of the show's two hour running time to repeat phone numbers and text options, why didn't they explain what happened to the missing contest? At the very least they could have explained what we were looking at! At first I thought we were watching the shorts that got them into the contest. It took a while to dawn on me that these were brand new, extremely well funded shorts done at the behest of the show. How big of a budget were they given? It seems pretty sizable. How much time did they have to write the script and did they have help? Oh... and could the judges find some balls. Wow! With a ton of dough from the show they were able to field a crew of pro's and thus present a proffesional lookig spot. BUT MOST OF THEM SUCKED IN PRESENTING A COHERENT OR WORTHWHILE STORY! Bring Ratner back at least he might have told the truth. Don't think this will be on my TiVo season pass much longer. Very interested to see how they hope to fill out an hour tonight. The live aspect has got to go. Get back to the Survivor mold.

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  • May 29, 2007 7:34:33 PM CDT

    That Hannah chick was cute

    by bitterman23

    they booted her in favor of that guy who made the cab movie (hey, did you know he didnt go to film school?). terrible decision all around.

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  • May 29, 2007 7:41:51 PM CDT

    To Quote Bart Simpson...

    by star trek apologist

    This both sucks and blows at the same time. They keep repeating everything over and over. This is the absolute worst case scenario of "Tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em, tell 'em, and then tell 'em what you told 'em"! Who did this hostess sleep with? Is there anything more boring on television than listening to her talk? And she's talking non-stop as if she has style or personality. If I'm goig to make it through the rest of this hour I'm going to have to pound a nail through my palm.

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  • May 29, 2007 7:42:57 PM CDT

    all the women are gone?

    by taraliveson

    WTF? Was that on purpose or just what people really thought? I thought that 1 minute taxi thingie and the movie trailer instead of a movie were horrible! The women could have survived at least this night. Oh well.

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  • May 29, 2007 7:54:28 PM CDT

    Might stay watchin if hostess keeps trimming wardrobe

    by 'cholera's ghost

  • May 29, 2007 7:58:24 PM CDT

    the voters are messin' around

    by taraliveson

    There's no way getta room should have survived, people are just being spiteful.

    But at least the grrls are represented still!

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  • May 29, 2007 8:01:11 PM CDT

    That hostess is hot, but this show sucks

    by neo zeed

    That getta room short sucked balls. Probably that vote for the worst.com website had something to do with it.

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  • May 29, 2007 8:04:05 PM CDT

    GETTA RHOOM!

    by snapt

    Glad to see that in the Top 3. And I'm both sad and happy that Kenny's still in there. Sad because he sucks and happy because I like to watch really horrible movies.

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  • May 29, 2007 8:11:22 PM CDT

    Like the idea, don't like the execution

    by fount of useless info

    I love the idea of the show, and I'll keep watching it, but I wish it wasn't such an American Idol clone. More talent, less popularity contest.
    I'm actually pretty pleased with the way Caruso has been handling guest judging duties. He's not afraid to say that something went wrong and even to tell them what went wrong, but he's careful not to be a complete jerk about it. BTW, the three that should have left were Kenny, Claudia and Jess, who all made horrific messes of films. Instead, only one of them left, and two people who did better were booted. Oh hey, it really is like Am. Idol.

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  • May 29, 2007 8:53:22 PM CDT

    Before Moving Forward, Here's A Quick Message From FORD

    by star trek apologist

    Product placement, product placement, product placement! Okay, fine! But if you took out every line or piece of information that was repeated throughout the night, the show would clock in at just under six minutes. Either chop this baby in half or dramatically up the content... wait a second, I'm recieving a message via V-Cast.

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  • May 29, 2007 9:01:10 PM CDT

    Monday's ON THE LOT places 5th among broadcast nets

    by snapt

    Less than 3 million viewers. Beaten by UNIVISION. Will they cancel and/or speed up the ending of this show immediately? Or does Spielberg/Burnett have a guaranteed full season of episodes and Fox is screwed?

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  • May 29, 2007 9:36:02 PM CDT

    I am starting to really hate this show.

    by big jim

    StarTrekApologist is right - the constant recapping is terrible. The host is nice to look at but is a lousy MC. The way they announce those who are going home is a massive waste of time. 6 in a row, one going home. So, obviously, the first 4 she talks to are safe. I think a much better way would be trim the results show to 30 minutes, show each clip at random, then the number of votes. And have a tally board that shows where they rank as each is done. After each clip, we would see who is where, with those at the bottom 3 in danger of going home if the upcoming clips don't rank lower than theirs.

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  • May 29, 2007 10:15:36 PM CDT

    Getta Broom!

    by samuel fulmer

    I love movies and reality shows, but this show is just way too dull. Do we need really need seven hours to set up a one minute short. And do we really need an hour results show for twenty people that we never even really go to meet in the first place. This isn't American Idol. We haven't spent weeks tracking these people. Just say leave and get it over with.

    Also the guy in the Getta Room thing was obviously retarded. I don't think that was a bad thing, but the director should've just said, "Yeah he's a tard," instead of playing dumb and claiming he was a "nerd." I don't see why the judges were so miffed by his choice of a mentally challenged character. Apparently they haven't seen There's Something About Mary or countless other films that have made fun of slow people.

    And in closing....I think that the host is the result of some sort of Scarlett Johansson/Eva Longoria gene splicing.

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  • May 29, 2007 10:43:12 PM CDT

    Kenny should be toast

    by jimmy_009

    He's clearly the Sanjaya of this competition. Most of these shorts wouldn't even get into a second rate film festival. Of course they were done in only a week, so I'll cut them some slack. I hope eventually they give them a bit more time to work.

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  • May 29, 2007 11:05:10 PM CDT

    Wow. Good luck women and foreigners.

    by jimmy_009

    The voting system on this show is clearly skewed towards male Internet users, hence the reason the FX guy will win. Unless next week improves, this show has zero credibility. Also, they better cut the results show to a half hour. That was downright painful.

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  • May 29, 2007 11:31:58 PM CDT

    The missing episode is on their website

    by browncoatjedi

    At least the important parts are. Go to thelot.com in the cutting room floor section of the site. If you care.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 30, 2007 8:05:03 AM CDT

    Staring at the hostess' breasts is the best part

    by cromulent

    of this miserable show. Man she is a looker, just turn off the volume. What a waste of an hour and I even liked some of those little movies. What the fuck happened here??!

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  • May 30, 2007 9:06:20 AM CDT

    Agreed Cromulent

    by jimmy_009

    It almost makes up for her flubbing her lines every other sentence.

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  • May 30, 2007 10:07:26 AM CDT

    Like I said

    by mister man

    Within three weeks - cancelled. Unless SS has dangled some kind of prize, allowing suckage to continue.

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  • May 30, 2007 1:45:45 PM CDT

    Apostle: Don't forget....

    by jimmy_009

    ...the low blow the foreign kid got when the host told the the girl who was also up for the axe "Sorry........you're going to have to say goodbye to the foreigner." They used every A-hole trick in the results show book. I still hold out hope for the show because I actually want it to work.

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  • May 30, 2007 3:53:14 PM CDT

    This show blows chunks....

    by forestal

    All the short 1 minute "movies" look like they were made by the same person. They all have the same type of crappy music, they all have similar lighting, the actors act the same, etc.

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  • May 30, 2007 4:14:02 PM CDT

    ya booting the lead singer of Keane was lame

    by bitterman23

    his short was good, he was one of the few that didnt annoy me. and adding insult to injury they booted him after telling the guy who made the retard movie was #1 of the night (which keane guy had a problem with since his brother was retarded). ouch. what a shit show. and clonegoria was obviously bored out of her mind.

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  • May 31, 2007 12:59:24 PM CDT

    Don't be mean to the hostess

    by big jim

    I'm sure she got the gig through talent alone. I hear for her audition she performed a scene from the Ancient Roman playwrite Felatio E. Coitus

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  • Jun 01, 2007 4:51:10 AM CDT

    starwarrior

    by methosb

    The reason is that you are a) not American and b) not a woman.

    I wish they could have booted more than just 3 this episode, cause damn there were some stinkers. Please stop standing up for the women, only 1 of them made a comedy short that even slightly came close to the mark. But of course they have to keep the women around for the audience, hence they had to sacrifice the pom guy so they don't cop flak for voting off all women...and Kenny should have been gone on the previous ep.

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