Behind the Scenes – The Final Part

This is my last post about my two day adventure of working on a project that will air on that TV network that has Home and Garden in its title.

One of the creative projects was this ramp from the 2nd story to the playhouse.

It didn’t look like too much at this point.

 

But it was attracting a lot of attention. What in the heck are they planning?

Okay. So, now they added a curve up to the 2nd story window.

 

See the guy in the green? He’s the general contractor who built the ramp. See the little silver package above his head?

He’s psyched! Apparently it works.

Now, do you see the ladder there on the left?

I watched this project with just a little interest. Until I was asked if I would paint the ramp. The whole ramp. From top to bottom. And it was getting dark. And cold.

(and the TV cameras were gone for the day – I’m just sayin’ . . . )

 

Time was short, so I drug my butt hustled up the ladder, climbed onto the roof with a paint brush, 2 rollers and a tray of primer.

I didn’t fall. I didn’t dribble white paint on the tile roof. I didn’t even drop a paint brush or roller onto someone below.

By Day 2, all the packages and lights were  in place. Pretty cool, huh?

Sorry, but you have to wait until the show airs to see how the packages get down the shoot.

On to another project now.

What do you do with a tall tree in the front yard that has absolutely no leaves?

First step – bundle all the branches to the trunk . . .

Then – wrap the entire tree in chicken wire and drape yards and yards and yards – and yards – of batting over the entire tree.

The ENTIRE tree.

Maybe a star on the top?

Of course not. It has to be a little more dramatic for a TV show.

Oh, and you’ll need a cherry picker. One that holds you, the cameraman and the sound guy.

 

And the guy holding the white board. That white board holder guy ran around the set the entire 2 days.

Wherever the cameraman was, so was the white board holder guy.

What is his real title? There has to be a more technical term than White Board Holder guy.

You can see how often I’ve been on a TV show.

It was a fun and fascinating project to be a part - a really, teeny-tiny part - but still a part.

And just so you know, I don’t know who won the challenge either – our yard or the one on the corner. So I just have to wait and watch next Christmas too!

Want to know who the designer is behind the entire project?

My good friend, Theresa Fike from Fike Studios.

She never ceases to amaze me with her talents. Especially this project where she was given a budget of $750. That means all the labor and extra materials were donated.

That’s a lot of phone calls!

But for a dear friend (and HGTV!) it was well worth all the aches and pains in my body that followed.