When MTV's The Real World pioneered the combination of soap opera and documentary and CBS's Survivor added the element of contestants voting each other off, it signaled a sea change that has dramatically altered television programming over the last 15 years.   From shows that play on our worst fears to those that tug at our heart strings, Reality TV has become a bastion on today's entertainment landscape.   As we have seen ordinary people become stars and watched the behind-the-scenes lives of stars living like ordinary people, the genre has impacted the culture of not only America but the world.

Join us as we explore the fascinating world of Reality TV to discover--

• How real is Reality TV?
• What is the role of the writer on a Reality TV show?
• How do the financial profits compare in producing Reality to sitcoms and dramas?
• How do you craft story out of thousands of hours of footage?
• As a Christian, what was it like to have your life on tape 24/7?
• What is the role of casting in achieving a dynamic, engaging show?

Find out the answers to these questions plus more as we Get Real at our first event of the 2006-2007 season!

PANELISTS:

PETER ENGEL (Executive Producer - Last Comic Standing)
Peter Engel is Chairman of Peter Engel Productions, a former subsidiary of NBC Enterprises. One of television’s most prolific producers, Engel was the executive producer of the Emmy-nominated teen comedy series SAVED BY THE BELL, CALIFORNIA DREAMS, SAVED BY THE BELL: THE NEW CLASS, HANG TIME, ONE WORLD, CITY GUYS and ALL ABOUT US. All of these programs were broadcast on NBC. In the summer of 2003 Engel premiered the comedy reality show LAST COMIC STANDING on NBC which ran for two seasons and earned an Emmy Award nomination for the production in 2004. The show was hosted by Jay Mohr and executive produced by Mohr and Engel. Production resumed in February 2006 on LAST COMIC STANDING 4 with Engel again serving as Executive Producer and already has been renewed for season 5. Additionally, Peter Engel Productions will begin production on a new ABC reality show (his 1st non-NBC show in 20 years) called THE IMPOSTER, a search for the best celebrity impersonator set for January 2007. In addition to producing for NBC, Engel has also produced programs for first-run syndication, cable channels and foreign co-productions.

KAY SUMNER (Producer - The Dog Whisperer )
President of East Gate Productions , Kay Sumner's credits include the Emmy-nominated show (Best Reality Program 2006) THE DOG WHISPERER for the National Geographic Channel.   Her feature film credits include SHADOW DANCING with Christopher Plummer and Shirley Douglas, nominated for 3 Genie awards.   Sumner is chairwoman of the non-fiction speaker series for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, as well as the vice chair of the Professional Development division of their Activities Committee.   Sumner is also chair of Next TV, a day-long symposium designed to provide members with the tools to compete in today's evolving telecommunications landscape.

CURTIS KIN (2nd Runner-Up winner - Big Brother 1 )
Curtis Kin was one of ten "House Guests" on the debut season of CBS's BIG BROTHER - one of the first prime time reality television shows, which aired six nights per week during the summer of 2000.   Nominated for banishment from the house by his fellow housemates a record five out of seven times, Kin emerged on the season finale as the Third Place Winner after 89 straight days in the "Big Brother" House. After leaving the show, Kin, an honors graduate of USC and Stanford Law School, returned to "normal" life as an attorney.   He is currently a federal prosecutor in Los Angeles serving as the Chief of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section for the United States Attorney's Office.

ROSSLYN TAYLOR JORDAN (Casting Director - The Bachelor and Fear Factor)
Roz Taylor Jordan started her casting journey on the hit MTV show SINGLED OUT. Rising through the ranks on such other hits as SURVIVOR and FEAR FACTOR, Jordan has emerged as one of the top Casting Executives in the reality TV world.   Continuing in the relationship show niche with AVERAGE JOE 2, THE BACHELOR, WHO WANTS TO MARRY MY DAD 2, and WIFE SWAP, Jordan has conducted both nationwide and international casting searches for both Hosts and Contestants. In addition, she has produced numerous talk shows and specials including KIDS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS, LOVE SMART and THE DR. PHIL SHOW.

ROD C. SPENCE (Editor - Survivor and The Apprentice )
Rod C. Spence is one of the top editors in reality television, having been nominated for an Emmy in 2003, 2002 and 2001 for his work on CBS's SURVIVOR.   Following his success as an editor on Survivor, he was hired (not fired) for THE APPRENTICE.   He's also the winner of a Bronze Telly award for writing and directing the short film STUMP THE MILLIONAIRE.   Spence has produced children's videos, over 300 magazine format television shows, THE BEST IS YET TO COME, music videos and the sports highlight show, THE ROAD TO THE DOME.

Moderated by CRAIG DETWEILER.