Climate Change Reality TV Program Pitched to TV Producers.

1. A Climate Change Reality TV Programme
The Big Pitch- Contents
It has been said that “the first step toward a sustainable future is simply to gain insight
and understanding.”
With this in mind I outline the main objective of this program below;
“To continually and significantly increase global knowledge, understanding and
awareness of the climate change debate through an informal, less direct approach.
Targeting appropriate action in order to avert major, irreversible damage.”
• What is my idea? (Pages 1-2)
• How will my idea work? (Pages 3-6)
• Why would this idea make good television?
• What is different about my idea? (Page 7)
• My passion for the idea and my fundamental belief as to why it would make good
television. Pages (8-10)
The Big Pitch – REF/BPCC2008V2

2. A Climate Change Reality TV Programme
What is my idea?
A group of volunteers are selected to participate in an experiment. The Volunteers are placed in a resort.
The resort will have 2 sections. One section will be a luxury resort, containing accommodation, garden
facilities, transport etc. A resort made from and containing items of value in today’s society. The other
section of the resort will be a fully functional 100% eco-friendly/carbon free resort with accommodation,
garden facilities, a farm and transport etc. A resort made from and containing items that are 100% carbon
free, a resort that will be of huge value in the future.
We separate the volunteers into 2 groups. One group will live in the luxury resort, and one group will live
in the 100% eco friendly resort. They will spend the next 8 weeks in their designated resorts.
The 2 groups will not be aware of what the experiment is and why it is taking place. They will not be
aware of the location of the other volunteers.
The first 2 weeks of the experiment the volunteers will live normally spending there time getting used to
the surroundings and settling into their new accommodation. This will be known as the “honeymoon
period.”
Unbeknown to the volunteers, the 2 week honeymoon period is actually a time lapse of 50 years. During
which time the UK has been directly affected by Climate change and has been constantly bombarded by an
increasing number of natural catastrophes such as; major floods, hurricanes, wildfires, disease, drinking
water shortages, food shortages, wildlife and plant extinction etc.
(The above is based on experts and scientists actual predictions on current energy use.)
In the outside world - the government suddenly and dramatically reduces carbon emissions and restricts
each household throughout the country to 1 days worth of energy per week in an attempt to combat the
continuing effects climate change is causing. This will also apply to both resorts!
After 2 weeks, the government realizes that still nothing can be done. And as a last ditch attempt to save the
nation they decide that the country will become completely 100% carbon free, with a strict zero tolerance
to anyone/thing found contributing carbon into the atmosphere in any way. This will also apply to the
resorts!
With no contact with the outside world, we look at how both resorts deal with these scenarios. How will
they cope with the challenges that lie ahead? Below are just a few elements that will be covered –
Food and cooking
The luxury resort will have food delivered daily and the means to cook it. But will they last forever or will
they have to put precautions into place?
The eco friendly resort will have to make their own food from vegetables in the garden, farm; water will
have to be safely turned into drinking water etc.
Heating/Washing
The luxury resort will have hot water systems, central heating, gas etc. Should they start recycling it for
future resources maybe?
The eco friendly resort will struggle to find water that is safe and clean to use, they will have to heat
themselves using resources available.
The Big Pitch – REF/BPCC2008V2

3. A Climate Change Reality TV Programme
Disposal of waste
The luxury resort will dispose of waste etc in the usual way,
Eco friendly resort will have to recycle most waste as this can all be used again!
Entertainment
The luxury resort will have access to everyday forms of entertainment, TV computer etc.
Eco friendly resort will have to create entertainment for themselves
How will the eco friendly resort manage without being dependent on non renewable resources?
How will the luxury house find the task of converting to a 100% carbon free lifestyle?
Will they have enough supplies to last the rest of their stay? Will they have contingency plans in place?
How will these challenges be tackled? Which resort will be better prepared? Will there be any surprises?
Which resort survives and which will fail??
As a Challenge every week 1 volunteer from each section will be switched for a period of 2 days. This is so
they can gain an insight into how each section are surviving so they can help their own sections on their
return.
.
The Big Pitch – REF/BPCC2008V2

4. A Climate Change Reality TV Programme
How will my idea work?
Format
An hourly Drama/documentary/reality program, running weekly over the space of 8 weeks. 3-5 short film
clips (approx. 3mins in duration) will run at different intervals throughout each episode.
The Volunteers
“A group of volunteers are selected to participate in an experiment. The Volunteers are placed in a
resort. The resort will have 2 sections. One section will be a luxury resort, containing accommodation,
garden facilities, transport etc. A resort made from and containing items of value in today’s society. The
other section of the resort will be a fully functional 100% eco-friendly/carbon free resort with
accommodation, garden facilities, a farm and transport etc. A resort made from and containing items
that are 100% carbon free and will be of value in the future.
We separate the volunteers into 2 groups. One group will live in the luxury resort, and one group will
live in the 100% eco friendly resort. They will spend the next8 weeks in their designated resorts”
The volunteers will give an introduction to themselves stating their name, where they are from, age, and
why they chose to be a part of this project. Volunteers will be chosen through a selection process based on
their attitudes toward climate change, both positive and negative.
Throughout the series volunteers will be interviewed at different stages, to see how they are coping, what
problems they have etc. Also providing updates on the current moods and atmosphere within each resort.
The 2 groups will not be aware of what the experiment is and why it is taking place and will not be
aware of the location of the other group.
The Resorts
“The first 2 weeks of the experiment the volunteers will live normally spending there time getting used to
the surroundings and settling into their new accommodation. This will be known as the ‘honeymoon
period’.”
The volunteers will not be aware of the honeymoon period or anything else planned for their stay. There
will be an introduction to both resorts. How they were made/built, their main features etc.
50 years of climate change
“Unbeknown to the volunteers, the 2 week honeymoon period is actually a time lapse of 50 years.
During which time the UK has been directly affected by climate change and has been constantly
bombarded by an increasing number of natural catastrophes such as; major floods, hurricanes,
wildfires, disease, drinking water shortages, food shortages, wildlife and plant extinction etc.
While the volunteers are on their honeymoon period the viewers are shown a computer image of the UK
and how climate change will affect the nation over the 50 year period. From floods, to wildfires, disease,
drinking water shortages, food shortages, how wildlife and plants have been affected etc.
The Big Pitch – REF/BPCC2008V2

5. A Climate Change Reality TV Programme
This will be portrayed through short 1-3 minute films created by current film/media students in the UK.
A separate competition will be run throughout universities and film schools encouraging students to
produce short films of these disasters taking place. They will also be encouraged to produce these short
films as carbon free as possible. The winner of the competition will be determined through a combination
of how good the film is and which film was the most eco-friendly/carbon free.
Research documentary
(The above is based on experts and scientists actual predictions on current energy use.)
The first part of this experiment will be to carry out extensive research on global warming and climate
change. This is an essential and important element of the concept as this information, once collated, will be
the foundations as to which the programme is based upon. Climate change seminars, exhibitions,
conferences etc will be attended. Field research taken out - Travel to places that have already or are
currently being affected by climate change will be done.
Places such as -
“The Tuvalu islands”
Tuvalu Islands are constantly bombarded by an increasing number of cyclones. There is no place for refuge
when the cyclones hit, no mountains to climb, no escape. The Tuvalu government is currently debating
whether to purchase land in another country!)
“Lamu”
Off the coast of Kenya. Kenya helped finance the building of a huge wall to stop it being inundated with
water due to increasing sea level!
Interviews will be carried out with experts, professors, scientists and political leader’s etc regarding
climate change. With the main purpose of discovering their predictions on what they think the world will
be like in 50 years time based on current trends/lifestyles. The following elements will be discussed -
 Weather/Nature
 Lifestyle
 Culture
 Economy
 Health/Disease
 War
 Politics/Superpowers
 Wealth/ Oil
 Transport
 Food
Some of the results from the research will be implemented in resorts. Interviews carried out will feature in
the program with a view to giving the audience a better understanding of climate change, indirectly
advising them to change the way they live.
The Big Pitch – REF/BPCC2008V2

6. A Climate Change Reality TV Programme
Re-enactment of government crisis
“In the outside world - the government suddenly and dramatically reduces carbon emissions and
restricts each household throughout the country to 1 day worth of energy per week in an attempt to
combat the continuing effects climate change is causing. This will also apply to both resorts!
After 2 weeks, the government realizes that still nothing can be done. And as a last and final attempt to
save the nation they decide that the country will become completely 100% carbon free, with a strict zero
tolerance to anyone/thing found contributing carbon into the atmosphere in any way. This will also
apply to the resorts!”
One of the goals of this program is to make this scenario as real as possible and to really create awareness
on climate change. In order to create a sense of reality, the audience will need to be drawn into this as much
as possible. Therefore this element of the program will be portrayed through a short film. With the
following scenario –
“After failing to address Climate change correctly, the nation is in a state of turmoil due to catastrophes
taking place. The Government are forced to declare the country as in “a state of Emergency,” and as a last
ditch attempt to save the nation they take drastic action by instantly restricting households through the
nation to 1 days worth of energy per week. After a further 2 weeks, and no change the government realize
they need to make drastic action. They then instantly become 100% carbon free. This leaves the whole
economy in chaos facing a huge industrial step back in progress. “
The film should feature the government holding crisis talks, admitting defeat, arguing about how more
precautions should have been put in place and how they underestimated Climate change. Realizng they did
not make a big enough change.
Panic Stations!
“With no contact with the outside world, we look at how both resorts deal with these scenarios. How will
they cope with the challenges that lie ahead? Below are just a few elements that will be covered –
Food and cooking
The luxury resort will have food delivered daily and the means to cook it. But will they last forever or
will they have to put precautions into place?
The eco friendly resort will have to make their own food from vegetables in the garden, farm; water will
have to be safely turned into drinking water etc.
Heating/Washing
The luxury resort will have hot water systems, central heating, gas etc. Should they start recycling it for
future reference maybe?
The eco friendly resort will struggle to find water that is safe and clean to use, they will have to heat
themselves using resources available.
Disposal of waste
The luxury resort will dispose of waste etc in the usual way,
Eco friendly resort will have to recycle most waste as this can all be used again!
Entertainment
The luxury resort will have access to everyday forms of entertainment, TV computer etc.
Eco friendly resort will have to create entertainment for themselves
How will the eco friendly resort manage without being dependent on non renewable resources?
How will the luxury house find the task of converting to a 100% carbon free lifestyle?
Will they have enough supplies to last the rest of their stay? Will they have contingency plans in place?
How will these challenges be tackled? Which resort will be better prepared? Will there be any surprises?
Which resort survives and which will fail??
The Big Pitch – REF/BPCC2008V2

7. A Climate Change Reality TV Programme
As a Challenge every week 1 volunteer from each section will be switched for a period of 2 days. This is
so they can gain an insight into how each section is surviving so they can help their own sections on
their return.”
This element of the program will be the bulk of the content. Cameras will be with the volunteers around the
resort 24 hours a day 7 days a week, in a “big brother” format. Interviews will regularly be taken place with
individuals, discussing various elements such as the atmosphere in the resort, the problems they are facing,
updates as to how they have overcome problems etc.
Weekly Challenge
“As a Challenge every week 1 volunteer from each section will be switched for a period of 2 days. This is
so they can gain an insight into how the other resorts are coping so they can help their own sections on
their return.”
The Big Pitch – REF/BPCC2008V2

8. A Climate Change Reality TV Programme
What is different about my idea?
Often a controversial but highly important topic, climate change is usually portrayed formally through
either news or documentary programs. For the first time, climate change will be addressed in an informal
less direct way with the main objective of creating awareness of climate change. The audience will relate to
real life people and scenarios to form their own opinion rather than that of a very formal, direct and often
brash manner of a documentary.
Why would this idea make good television?
Research has proved that climate change is the dominant issue of our age. It’s what people are intrigued by
the most and fear the most. The most popular, the most exciting and most successful TV genre of our age is
“Entertainment/Reality TV”. By combining the topic of climate change with Entertainment/Reality TV you
instantly supply the audiences demand.
Climate change is a new globally threatening enemy, and is relatively unknown. The unknown creates a
sense of adventure for the audience. Through this program, they have the opportunity to see what the future
may hold, an opportunity to see how real life people deal with possible future real life events. It gives them
the chance to prepare. It gives them a sense of well being; by knowing how to prepare they have the
advantage of always being one step ahead.
My passion for the idea and my fundamental belief as to why it would make good
television.
Surfing the web, I noticed that most of the issues people are interested in are current social problems such
as gun crime, banks, poverty, personal debt, terrorism, presidential elections, war, famine and Climate
Change. Everywhere you look and go Climate change is all around us!
It is a threat society has never dealt with before, a threat that perhaps we aren’t dealing with in the correct
way, a new, unknown threat with the potential to cause major, irreversible damage.
However, after carrying out research I realized that people’s general impression (whilst still feeling
concerned and unsure about the topic) is that climate change WAS a major concern. But now that the
government has started to acknowledge that a change needs to be made and have started to implement
strategies to combat carbon emissions etc. they seem to think the problem is being dealt with, and in the
right way. People have the impression climate change is no longer a big issue
Climate Change IS still a major concern. The charts below are taken from Al Gores “An inconvenient
truth” It shows both the level of Co2 emissions in the atmosphere and average global temperature over the
last 600,000 years. As you can see both are higher than ever before. Based on current energy use you can
also see the forecast by 2050.
The Big Pitch – REF/BPCC2008V2

9. A Climate Change Reality TV Programme
The KYOTO protocol is signed by 160 countries worldwide (the US is not one of those countries). This
protocol calls for a 5% reduction in greenhouse gases from 1990 figures by 2008-2012.
See same chart below taking into account a 5% reduction over this period.
Temp and Co2 Emissions based on
KYOTO (5% reduction)
1600
1400
1200
1000
Co2
800
Temp
600
400
200
0
50 0
30 0
20 0
40 00
10 00
00
re
re
Fu 0
0
0
0
tu
tu
00
00
00
00
00
00
fu
60
As you can see these reductions are just stalling the co2 emissions from reaching the inevitable. We need to
reduce greenhouse gases as much as possible until we start seeing a noticeable decline on this chart.
The Big Pitch – REF/BPCC2008V2

10. A Climate Change Reality TV Programme
This is what we need to start seeing.
1200
1000
800
Co2
600
Temp
400
200
0
50 0
30 0
40 00
20 00
10 0
00
re
re
Fu 0
0
0
0
tu
tu
00
00
00
00
00
00
fu
60
Everyday we hear about how more companies are offering greener products. Advertising switches to green
energy, eco friendly cars, light bulbs etc. While all these are without doubt helping to reduce carbon
emissions, it is more of a strategy to make people feel like we are winning the battle against climate
change. The truth is we are not. More needs to be done.
The KYOTO protocol and strategies put in place by governments are there to give the impression that
something is being done. The truth is something is being done, but it’s far from enough.
Think about it, one of the main source of revenue the U.S generate is from the oil industry. To reduce the
amount of oil used would reduce the revenue the US generates.
Many companies are jumping on the “go greener bandwagon” as they have recognized that there is money
to be made from this idea. However they are restricting the reductions to make sure they are making a
profit as apposed to putting reductions in place that will make a difference.
Governments need to recognize that continually decreasing carbon emissions will in fact benefit the
economy more! Estimates are that global economic output will fall by at least 5-20 percent unless
measures are taken to reduce carbon emissions. But shifting to a low carbon path could eventually benefit
the economy by $2.5 trillion per year!
The Big Pitch – REF/BPCC2008V2

11. A Climate Change Reality TV Programme
Objective of program
It has been said that “the first step toward a sustainable future is simply to gain insight and understanding.”
With this in mind I outline my main objective of this program below;
“To continually and significantly increase global knowledge, understanding and awareness of the
climate change debate through an informal, less direct approach. Targeting appropriate action in
order to avert major, irreversible damage.”
Other Potential Climate change ideas.
Weekly program with a high profile Celebrity exploring how Global warming is affecting the
environment
Episodes exploring how global warming is currently affecting us. it is affecting certain species of birds,
polar bears, plants, islands.
Each episode focusing on one thing. 1st episode - The polar bears on Hudson Bay, 2nd episode the sooty
shearwater bird, 3rd episode- flooding, 4th episode -wildfires, 5th episode – islands of Tuvalu and Lamu (lost
to rising sea level.)
To build from scratch 100% eco friendly villages across the country. Expanding into the European
and global market.
• 100% Carbon free.
• Every resource used to build the village is carbon free
• All appliances used in the house are used through renewable resources
• As eco friendly as possible.
The Big Pitch – REF/BPCC2008V2