A Band Apart goes long form
| by: | Feb 1, 2005 |
In another sign of the times (or the apocalypse), A Band Apart becomes the latest prodco to get into the long form content biz with a 10-episode series called Build or Bust to air on Fox Television's Speed network in February. The LA-based company has aggressive plans to get its commercial directors more involved in film and television projects, and has also recently shored up its roster with a pair of accomplished feature film helmers, Gary Ross (Seabiscuit) and Gary Fleder (Runaway Jury).
The Fox show is their first foray into television and is the brainchild of ABA's Scott Gillen, who'll also direct most of the first season's episodes. Conceived as a "'realism', not a reality show", according to Gillen, it follows the trials and tribulations of a newbie motorcycle builder called "the wrench" who has 30 days to build a $50,000 custom bike that he can ride out the door, or bust - i.e. walk away with nothing but his wounded manhood.
Gillen shot a pilot after interviewing a hundred wannabe builders to find someone who convinced them he could build a bike. It turned out that the guy they picked actually had no knowledge whatsoever and had lied to get chosen. They thought they had a disaster in the making, but Fox was sold after seeing the footage.
"I thought I needed a guy who could actually build a bike," reflects Gillen. "As it turns out, the show's better if the guy fails. I think as a human race, we want to see total, total failure. What's interesting about it, and what the network loved, is that it's not a reality show really. It's a drama. It's realism at its best because not only do we give it the look that I give it in the commercial world, [but] you feel for these poor guys. It's driven by emotion."
