Coming later this year.
This possibly should have been posted under “confessions”, but I hope this thread will be around for a bit, thus the new thread under general bike related banter.
We often talk about it, how did it start? To tell you the truth, I cannot really remember. I suppose it started when we would give all our Go Pro / Drift footage to my best mate Trevor Versfeld after each trip and he would cut a 3 or 4 minute little clip together as a reminder of the weekend or the trip. Trevor is the owner of Libravision Productions, so he has a little experience in this field.
In 2013 I was still the chairman of the BMW MCC Cape, and I played a massive part in the organizing of the 2013 BMW Bikefest which was held at the Goudini Spa. Somewhere along the line over too much alcohol free beer we made a decision to try and capture the event on film, and then see if we could get it aired.
This was my first foray into the TV world, and a massive learning curve as I needed to write a script to start with. That in the end wasn’t too bad but the first time I stood in front of a camera and was surrounded by guys with mics, boom, sun reflectors and lights, well, no matter how prepared you think you are, your tongue glues itself around itself and will not move. It was the most nerve wracking thing I have ever done, including going on my first “patrollie” in the army.
The costs I was exposed to during the production were also too much for me to comprehend, making a TV program or series is not cheap, in fact it is bloody expensive. Luckily, for the half hour long episode about the 2013 Bikefest, we were lucky enough to get a broadcast sponsor, and were also able to sell the adverts, top and tails and the stings (TV talk) and so our program finally made it onto National TV in May 2013. The feedback was pretty decent overall.
Not long after that, we were sat at some remote campsite, fire slowly burning down, gazing off into the starlight sky, after an awesome day spent riding, exploring and meeting people, and one of us (I cannot remember who) said “You cannot explain all this to someone, you have to show them”, and so the idea for “Look What You’re Missing” was born.
So, let’s get the brand stuff out the way first. The programs are being predominantly filmed using BMW Motorcycles for a few reasons, the main one being simply that everyone we conned into getting involved in the project just happened to own a BMW motorcycle when we started. But let me make it clear, I love motorcycles and everything about motorcycles, not just BMW Motorcycles. I have owned many brands and I currently have three different brands in my garage, but it was just practical for us to start the project using our own machinery, which just happened to have propellers on the side.
I also believe every single one of us followed a path to be riding the bike we are today. Whether you were influenced by friends, joined a club, did your own research, hung out with a certain crowd or one day just impulsively walked into the motorcycle dealer around the corner from your house, we each have a reason for riding what we ride and in fact for me the best bike in the world is the one which gets you out there, one of the reasons I tend to stay clear of any form of brand bashing, even if it is done in jest, I simply just don’t see any value in it. My adventure bike journey started on a Yamaha, then one day I bumped into an old 4x4 mentor of mine, and a year later I had my very first BMW, a 650 Dakar to be precise.
We have currently been busy with this for about two and a half years. I wrote a pilot script back then, and we went and filmed it. We decided to do a very local if you can call it that first episode to try and save on the costs so we chose the Cederberg area for our first episode. After it had been cut and edited, with a feeling of euphoria, we started sending it out to different TV stations across the world, and suddenly reality hit home like a Japanese Speed Train.
We got a few letters of rejection, but mostly we got nothing as most never even bothered to reply. So we looked at the program again, decided that some changes were needed and went and reshot everything. This happened for at least five cycles before we got some interest from the DSTV bouquet in the form of Ignition TV, who had originally aired our Bikefest program.
They said they would be very interested but gave us some input on what they called more “bike” they wanted added to the programs. So I rewrote the script and off we went again, and this time when we presented the new pilot, they gave us the all-important letter of intent to air it once we had 13 episodes ready.
So we have this right, a letter of intent, bikes, people etc…….. well, actually we don’t, because now we needed a bucket full of money.
Other TV stations also came back in due course also saying they would be interested in a complete series (if they liked it), but none would “finance” the making of a series, too many burnt fingers out there it seems.
Initially we carried on like we were, funding the filming ourselves, never sure if we would eventually get some form of return one day. I’ve heard most people give up just before they get what they want and although at times it took some real soul searching; somehow we kept at it with support and help from friends and family.
And then finally the funding started to trickle in from a few sources we had been working on, and probably just in time as we were getting to the point where there would now be a few divorce cases all happening at once due to missing finances and “being missing” most weekends. Without sponsorship, there is no big pay day, just many pay in days.
So now finally, it has all come to fruition, the TV series “Look What You’re Missing” is due to be aired from around October on Channel 189 on DSTV.
Although there are 13 episodes planned, probably only 7 will make it to air this year, the rest early in 2016. We are currently finishing off filming on episode 4 already.
The programs feature the adventures of a group of bikers who explore the ‘roads less travelled’ throughout Southern Africa, on-road and off-road. But rather than emphasizing what the rider sees, it zooms in on what he/she does not see. Hence the title which is both a question and a challenge:
This first series will also introduce the viewer to the fantastic world of adventure biking or duel sporting through the passion and experience of the presenters themselves and includes many tips and hordes of useful information in each episode.
Bikers ride. They enjoy the pace, the road itself. Invariably, the journey is more important than the destination, but they miss many gems of knowledge along the way. This series aims to spotlights some of these gems so that when they do travel to these destinations, they’ll know what to look out for. Knowledge leads to anticipation.
Those who aren’t bikers or adventurers should be enthralled by the sheer pace and ‘watch ability’ of each program. Because the ‘Look What You’re Missing’ story is told by people who are passionate about it, who live it and believe in it. They are not slick and professional actors or presenters, they are real people who have an intimate rapport with a group of riders; they are part of them.
We also have a Facebook page as follows; so give us a “like” so you can follow the goings on. There you will find various bits of information, video clips and updates on the progress of the filming.
www.facebook.com/Lookwhatyouremissing
As a teaser, you will also find the first segment of the first ever episode of LWYM.
Our webpage will go live closer to broadcast date as well.
www.lookwhatyouremissing.co.za
Although the first series is filmed in the Western Cape, the distant dream is to take this series throughout South Africa, and hopefully one day carve out some sort of living while perched behind the handlebars of our motorcycles, because South Africa, or anywhere, really is best viewed from behind the handlebars of a motorcycle, a motorcycle just makes everything different, as we all know.
This possibly should have been posted under “confessions”, but I hope this thread will be around for a bit, thus the new thread under general bike related banter.
We often talk about it, how did it start? To tell you the truth, I cannot really remember. I suppose it started when we would give all our Go Pro / Drift footage to my best mate Trevor Versfeld after each trip and he would cut a 3 or 4 minute little clip together as a reminder of the weekend or the trip. Trevor is the owner of Libravision Productions, so he has a little experience in this field.
In 2013 I was still the chairman of the BMW MCC Cape, and I played a massive part in the organizing of the 2013 BMW Bikefest which was held at the Goudini Spa. Somewhere along the line over too much alcohol free beer we made a decision to try and capture the event on film, and then see if we could get it aired.
This was my first foray into the TV world, and a massive learning curve as I needed to write a script to start with. That in the end wasn’t too bad but the first time I stood in front of a camera and was surrounded by guys with mics, boom, sun reflectors and lights, well, no matter how prepared you think you are, your tongue glues itself around itself and will not move. It was the most nerve wracking thing I have ever done, including going on my first “patrollie” in the army.
The costs I was exposed to during the production were also too much for me to comprehend, making a TV program or series is not cheap, in fact it is bloody expensive. Luckily, for the half hour long episode about the 2013 Bikefest, we were lucky enough to get a broadcast sponsor, and were also able to sell the adverts, top and tails and the stings (TV talk) and so our program finally made it onto National TV in May 2013. The feedback was pretty decent overall.
Not long after that, we were sat at some remote campsite, fire slowly burning down, gazing off into the starlight sky, after an awesome day spent riding, exploring and meeting people, and one of us (I cannot remember who) said “You cannot explain all this to someone, you have to show them”, and so the idea for “Look What You’re Missing” was born.
So, let’s get the brand stuff out the way first. The programs are being predominantly filmed using BMW Motorcycles for a few reasons, the main one being simply that everyone we conned into getting involved in the project just happened to own a BMW motorcycle when we started. But let me make it clear, I love motorcycles and everything about motorcycles, not just BMW Motorcycles. I have owned many brands and I currently have three different brands in my garage, but it was just practical for us to start the project using our own machinery, which just happened to have propellers on the side.
I also believe every single one of us followed a path to be riding the bike we are today. Whether you were influenced by friends, joined a club, did your own research, hung out with a certain crowd or one day just impulsively walked into the motorcycle dealer around the corner from your house, we each have a reason for riding what we ride and in fact for me the best bike in the world is the one which gets you out there, one of the reasons I tend to stay clear of any form of brand bashing, even if it is done in jest, I simply just don’t see any value in it. My adventure bike journey started on a Yamaha, then one day I bumped into an old 4x4 mentor of mine, and a year later I had my very first BMW, a 650 Dakar to be precise.
We have currently been busy with this for about two and a half years. I wrote a pilot script back then, and we went and filmed it. We decided to do a very local if you can call it that first episode to try and save on the costs so we chose the Cederberg area for our first episode. After it had been cut and edited, with a feeling of euphoria, we started sending it out to different TV stations across the world, and suddenly reality hit home like a Japanese Speed Train.
We got a few letters of rejection, but mostly we got nothing as most never even bothered to reply. So we looked at the program again, decided that some changes were needed and went and reshot everything. This happened for at least five cycles before we got some interest from the DSTV bouquet in the form of Ignition TV, who had originally aired our Bikefest program.
They said they would be very interested but gave us some input on what they called more “bike” they wanted added to the programs. So I rewrote the script and off we went again, and this time when we presented the new pilot, they gave us the all-important letter of intent to air it once we had 13 episodes ready.
So we have this right, a letter of intent, bikes, people etc…….. well, actually we don’t, because now we needed a bucket full of money.
Other TV stations also came back in due course also saying they would be interested in a complete series (if they liked it), but none would “finance” the making of a series, too many burnt fingers out there it seems.
Initially we carried on like we were, funding the filming ourselves, never sure if we would eventually get some form of return one day. I’ve heard most people give up just before they get what they want and although at times it took some real soul searching; somehow we kept at it with support and help from friends and family.
And then finally the funding started to trickle in from a few sources we had been working on, and probably just in time as we were getting to the point where there would now be a few divorce cases all happening at once due to missing finances and “being missing” most weekends. Without sponsorship, there is no big pay day, just many pay in days.
So now finally, it has all come to fruition, the TV series “Look What You’re Missing” is due to be aired from around October on Channel 189 on DSTV.
Although there are 13 episodes planned, probably only 7 will make it to air this year, the rest early in 2016. We are currently finishing off filming on episode 4 already.
The programs feature the adventures of a group of bikers who explore the ‘roads less travelled’ throughout Southern Africa, on-road and off-road. But rather than emphasizing what the rider sees, it zooms in on what he/she does not see. Hence the title which is both a question and a challenge:
“Look What You’re Missing”
This first series will also introduce the viewer to the fantastic world of adventure biking or duel sporting through the passion and experience of the presenters themselves and includes many tips and hordes of useful information in each episode.
Bikers ride. They enjoy the pace, the road itself. Invariably, the journey is more important than the destination, but they miss many gems of knowledge along the way. This series aims to spotlights some of these gems so that when they do travel to these destinations, they’ll know what to look out for. Knowledge leads to anticipation.
Those who aren’t bikers or adventurers should be enthralled by the sheer pace and ‘watch ability’ of each program. Because the ‘Look What You’re Missing’ story is told by people who are passionate about it, who live it and believe in it. They are not slick and professional actors or presenters, they are real people who have an intimate rapport with a group of riders; they are part of them.
We also have a Facebook page as follows; so give us a “like” so you can follow the goings on. There you will find various bits of information, video clips and updates on the progress of the filming.
www.facebook.com/Lookwhatyouremissing
As a teaser, you will also find the first segment of the first ever episode of LWYM.
Our webpage will go live closer to broadcast date as well.
www.lookwhatyouremissing.co.za
Although the first series is filmed in the Western Cape, the distant dream is to take this series throughout South Africa, and hopefully one day carve out some sort of living while perched behind the handlebars of our motorcycles, because South Africa, or anywhere, really is best viewed from behind the handlebars of a motorcycle, a motorcycle just makes everything different, as we all know.
