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By Heather Huntington on July 30, 2009 - 19 views
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How to Get on HGTV | Twirlit
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http://www.twirlit.com/2009/07/30/how-to-get-on-hgtv/
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A couple of years ago, my husband and I were on the HGTV show Carter Can. They turned our empty basement
hell into an unbelievably sick entertainment room complete with tiered seating and a HD-projector television
screen roughly the size of Rhode Island. It still runs on reruns here and there, as well as being up on Hulu now,
and whenever people see it they ask the same question: how did you get on the show?
Well, truthfully, it was easy. And a year and a half later we are still thrilled with the result. So, without any
further ado, I will more than happily share my secrets with you.
1. Own your house
This is pretty simple, but if you don’t have the rights to the place you want to get redone, it’s not going to
happen.
2. Be in need
We bought, what is known in the trade, as a fixer-upper of a house. Every wall was literally painted a different
color, and that was just for starters. What that gave us was a house that needed a lot of work. What that gave
HGTV was a great ‘before shot’ of the room they would do, which makes the ultimate transformation all the
more dramatic when they are done. Note: Once we knew HGTV was interested in the basement, I sweetened the
deal by using it as unpacked storage hell. Well, that’s not true. It was always unpacked storage hell, but I kept it
that way for them.
3. Go online
Number one misconception: people think we had an ‘in’ with HGTV. We did not. We knew no one there. We got
selected the old fashioned way: by the Internet. Knowing our house needed way more work than we could
afford, I went onto the HGTV website the day we closed and scoured for every show that was casting in LA.
Then I applied.
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4. You don’t have to be in LA
While the majority of HGTV shows may tape in LA, by far from all of them do. Some tape in New York,
Denver, Atlanta–it just depends on the show, the season–whatever they’ve got going right now. So it’s definitely
worth checking–and then checking back–no matter where you are. Because their shows–and who/where they’re
casting–change by the season.
5. Don’t be a control freak
If you have a particular show you think you’d be good for, that’s great, and will probably help your application.
And it might help you feel more comfortable if you’re nervous about giving over the keys to your kitchen
remodel. Our feeling, however, was that anything would be an improvement.
House Window
www.RenaissanceDoorsAndWindows.com – Expert Design & Install. Over 26 Years Experience. Get a Free
Quote.
HGTV Design Star
HGTV.com – Hollywood Never Looked So Good. Check Out The New Cast Now.
Top Basement Remodelers
www.ServiceMagic.com – Find Five-Star Rated Remodel Pros Backed by Our Service Guarantee.
6. Some shows are better than others
Also known as: budget. What we noticed when we were applying was some shows have a budget for the
remodel. Others ask that you pay for the remodel yourself, but just that they either get to film it or design it. We
didn’t have a big budget, nor were we interested in being on TV just for the privilege of being on TV. So we only
applied for the shows that had some sort of a budget with which to do the work, although some of them asked if
you would be able to kick in a certain amount if necessary. We thought that was fair.
7. Apply yourself
I don’t mean that you should spend 78 hours putting together a perfect prospectus and send them over a singing
telegram, just put some thought into what you say, answer all their questions, and follow all their instructions.
On top of that, including good pictures (those every-color walls were a true help) and giving them a good angle
to work with helps. In our case, I was an entertainment journalist who wanted an entertainment room. This, it
turns out, was a good angle.
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How to Get on HGTV | Twirlit
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8. Parking
This sounds like a no brainer, but our biggest potential barrier to getting cast was the fact that we live on a tight,
winding street with a steep driveway that would make it hard for them to get their giant tool and production
trucks around or have a place to put them. This is a very real consideration for them. Yes, they will take care of
getting the filming permits that will clear parking spaces if need be, but let’s just say the easier it is for them the
more appealing you are.
9. Size matters
There is an unbelievable amount of production people who will be in your house during filming. We have an
actual house and it was bursting at the gills. If you live in a studio apartment, it probably won’t work.
10. Be flexible.
Did I already say this? Well, it matters. HGTV asked us about possible angles for our episode, what we wanted
to have done to the house, etc. If we had said, ‘It must look like X or else we will die,’ I’m pretty sure we
wouldn’t have been their people. The element of many of their shows is surprise, and they take it seriously. We
really were banished from our house for a whole day while they completed their work, and when we came back
no one could talk to us until we saw the room. That’s their money shot and they take it seriously. And they love
it. So did we.
Good luck!
(Photo By: Jeremy Levine Design)
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