Making it Big- floral desing episode

[Michelle McMichael]

I wondered while I was watching the program how "one-sided" they were making the contestants look. I'm not a big fan of reality shows, because they often seem to make caricatures of people, pruning away everything that doesn't fit with the character they are creating. I think Carol Bice mentioned this in another thread with a friend of hers in a wife-swap type of show.

I also hate how they emphasize any fault or error, while glossing over the achievements. I guess I am a pollyanna... I want to see the amazing creations that these people made in two hours, with a team they knew nothing about!

Cathy, can you tell us if this was a surprise package, or were they able to request materials? I know they mentioned that they were given the assignment the day before, but did they know about the room, or the products they would use, or that they would have help? Just curious!

I guess no matter what the outcome, the contestants benefit greatly for having experienced this. You know what they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger! They will always be able to say they went through this competition. Fantastic!

 

[Flowerchatter03]

I had the opportunity to watch the show. I thought it was great! I also had met Corey at a local wholesale company a few years ago. He was giving demonstrations on how to use the new wires and also the colored dry foam.

At the time I met him I thought, there was a very young man who will go far in this industry. I found him to be very personable and was a lot of fun to be around.

The only thing I didn't like about the show was that there were to many people involved in Teleflora. What's the deal with that? Why couldn't they have had someone from AIFD (not affiliated with TF) or someone from Florist Review?

 

[nonbitter]

Cathy,
Thanks for the story and the inside info. Glad to hear Marissa is trying to mend the bridge as young as she is she will learn in life not to burn bridges. I think you and Phil taught her well, and after reading your take on how this show went, I can truly see how they tried to play up the skate boarder aspect.

I have had the rare experience or maybe it is more common today of having good friends in reality shows. One of my best friends husband is (or was) the Bounty Girls. Ok he the boss not the bounty girl. It is really amazing the things they do to get reality shows to grab the audience. He insisted on creative control and court tv let the show go. There was huge difference in the shows that he did compared to the ones court tv did.

I hope Marissa has an opportunity and desire to continue in floral her work is wonderful.

 

[CHR]

Thanks to all. I asked Marisa to briefly write about her experience and to address the inside details of how the challenge was conducted. Here's an excerpt of her post from our blog:

A chance to be on a reality TV show highlighting floral designers - finally, I had the opportunity to share with people what it takes to be in the floral industry….and that’s putting it lightly.​

Being under pressure with the cameras, the questions, the re-takes, the time limit and the misinterpretations, that was a challenge in itself.​

Of course, they didn’t explain much to the viewers about how little information we received in advance of the challenge. The only info the producers gave us (about the room to be decorated) was that it was a butter color with touches of gold…THAT’S IT.​

Although we received a $500 budget for flowers, containers and accessories (wholesale of course), we designers know that to really show off our talent and to make an impressive display for a whole room, $500 isn’t a lot to work with. We had no idea how big this room was or how many containers we could use - we just got to know the styles. We didn’t know we were choosing the linens, the plates, the napkins etc... and they threw in our 2 assistants at the last minute. I also believe that they added that entry piece as well.​

It was frustrating when the production crew told me not to bring my backpack onto set so when I was asked to show my sketches, I didn’t know where my bag was. At that point, I was getting a little irritated. With such little information, and of course for reality TV, throwing in so many more twists and what not, 2 hours was really pushing it. But did you noticed? I was the only one that completed my challenge with all the required elements.​

And the tears…you can give me any challenge and I will never cry about it! To have the chance to be featured in Flowers& Magazine would make anybody cry tears of joy. (Since then, I have had the privilege to be a featured designer in the March 2008 issue.)​

Having this being aired 2 years after it was taped, watching it now makes me realize how much I’ve matured. Patience is a big one for me and I’m finally learning to breathe and walk myself through it. I now accept things for what they are and I know that if I hadn’t come in 3rd place, I wouldn’t be where I’m at now.​

Since then I have experienced so much that I now have a clearer vision of where I want to be in my career and I’ve learned to respect others opinions as well as respecting my own challenges, personally and professionally.​

I included a little bit about her background on the blog, too:​

Marisa is a member of AIFD, winner of the national Flowers& Magazine competition, three-time People's Choice winner and two-time first runner-up at the California State Top Ten Floral Design Competition. She was selected from hundreds of applicants - from across the US and Canada - to participate in Making It Big.

If you have any other questions, post them here. She's gonna get an FC login this week - but today we're both off to an AIFD program in San Bernardino, CA.