Pool Reality Show Interesting To General Public

JMW

JMW

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The hustler image is what fascinates people. Like it or not, it is true. Look at what the Hustler and Color of Money movies did for pool.

The show could be called Pool Shark Hustlers or somthing very obvious as to the theme. Five short stop level players (from different areas of the country) are given X amount of money to start. Then they hit the road for 8 weeks and whomever has the most money at the end wins and recieves a large sum of money (and keeps what they won). Then maybe a final show where the final two play each other?

A two person camera crew follows each player in their beat up car, crappy hotel, fast food dinners, smokey pool halls, negotiating for weight at late night gambling games etc... There would be interviews of the the weird late night folks and players on the road. It is also a character study for entertainment value. A pool hall is certainly not lacking characters. Arguments and drama make the show. It's not so much about playing the game as the playing of the game.

You may ask, what people would play them for money if they know they are good players with a camera crew? People that want a shot at being on TV. I think folks would line up to play games for money if they thought there was even the slightest chance to get on TV. Wouldn't you want to break the guy and see it on national TV?

What do you think? The key is picking the right five people to compete. An audience has to love a couple, hate one, perhaps pity one and cheer for an under dog. So personality is important. They could even have a partner with them.

If you want to watch serious pool, go watch an AccuStats match. If you want to revise interest in pool, appeal to the romantic side of the masses. And most of the masses have played at least a game or two in their lives. Tap into it.
 
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JMW said:
The hustler image is what fascinates people. Like it or not, it is true. Look at what the Hustler and Color of Money movies did for pool.

The show could be called Pool Shark Hustlers or somthing very obvious as to the theme. Five short stop level players (from different areas of the country) are given X amount of money to start. Then they hit the road for 8 weeks and whomever has the most money at the end wins and recieves a large sum of money (and keeps what they won). Then maybe a final show where the final two play each other?

A two person camera crew follows each player in their beat up car, crappy hotel, fast food dinners, smokey pool halls, negotiating for weight at late night gambling games etc... There would be interviews of the the weird late night folks and players on the road. It is also a character study for entertainment value. A pool hall is certainly not lacking characters. Arguments and drama make the show. It's not so much about playing the game as the playing of the game.

You may ask, what people would play them for money if they know they are good players with a camera crew? People that want a shot at being on TV. I think folks would line up to play games for money if they thought there was even the slightest chance to get on TV. Wouldn't you want to break the guy and see it on national TV?

What do you think? The key is picking the right five people to compete. An audience has to love a couple, hate one, perhaps pity one and cheer for an under dog. So personality is important. They could even have a partner with them.

If you want to watch serious pool, go watch an AccuStats match. If you want to revise interest in pool, appeal to the romantic side of the masses. And most of the masses have played at least a game or two in their lives. Tap into it.
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4 words come to mind - pool poker and pain
 
Why not reboot the original The Hustler Movie? Same characters played by different actors brought to modern times. Change the game from Straight Pool to 9 Ball.
 
JMW said:
The hustler image is what fascinates people. Like it or not, it is true. Look at what the Hustler and Color of Money movies did for pool.

The show could be called Pool Shark Hustlers or somthing very obvious as to the theme. Five short stop level players (from different areas of the country) are given X amount of money to start. Then they hit the road for 8 weeks and whomever has the most money at the end wins and recieves a large sum of money (and keeps what they won). Then maybe a final show where the final two play each other?

A two person camera crew follows each player in their beat up car, crappy hotel, fast food dinners, smokey pool halls, negotiating for weight at late night gambling games etc... There would be interviews of the the weird late night folks and players on the road. It is also a character study for entertainment value. A pool hall is certainly not lacking characters. Arguments and drama make the show. It's not so much about playing the game as the playing of the game.

You may ask, what people would play them for money if they know they are good players with a camera crew? People that want a shot at being on TV. I think folks would line up to play games for money if they thought there was even the slightest chance to get on TV. Wouldn't you want to break the guy and see it on national TV?

What do you think? The key is picking the right five people to compete. An audience has to love a couple, hate one, perhaps pity one and cheer for an under dog. So personality is important. They could even have a partner with them.

If you want to watch serious pool, go watch an AccuStats match. If you want to revise interest in pool, appeal to the romantic side of the masses. And most of the masses have played at least a game or two in their lives. Tap into it.
Click to expand...
What would be the draw? After one or two shows it would be like a guy telling the same joke over and over. Even pool players would not watch more then once or twice.
 
TomHay said:
Why not reboot the original The Hustler Movie? Same characters played by different actors brought to modern times. Change the game from Straight Pool to 9 Ball.
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I actually spoke to Matt Damon about this and he said if someone showed him a good script he may be in, the Hustler was one of his favorite movies. I met him working with the Obama campaign in 2008. I think he would be a good choice to play Fast Eddie. You know, they do remakes all the time, the only problem would be, in the original Hustler, the time it is set in was important, It was a different time and place then today. It would need a good plausible updating. COM was not really in any way a remake of the Hustler, it was a different story all together. I think Ron Howard would be a good choice to direct and he likes doing remakes. I would love to see a remake of the Hustler.
 
macguy said:
I actually spoke to Matt Damon about this and he said if someone showed him a good script he may be in, the Hustler was one of his favorite movies. I met him working with the Obama campaign in 2008. I think he would be a good choice to play Fast Eddie. You know, they do remakes all the time, the only problem would be, in the original Hustler, the time it is set in was important, It was a different time and place then today. It would need a good plausible updating. COM was not really in any way a remake of the Hustler, it was a different story all together. I think Ron Howard would be a good choice to direct and he likes doing remakes. I would love to see a remake of the Hustler.
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We can get you a subscription to Hustler.
 
TomHay said:
Why not reboot the original The Hustler Movie? Same characters played by different actors brought to modern times. Change the game from Straight Pool to 9 Ball.
Click to expand...

That's called "The Color of Money." Seriously, the original TCOM novel is vastly different than the movie.

I don't see why you couldn't reboot both movies, keeping true to the original source material. It's not like The Hustler showed a single straight-pool match in its entirety. It was just a montage of cool-looking shots.

Edited to add: The argument that straight pool isn't understood by the general public is certainly valid, but then again most of the movie-going public doesn't understand 9-ball either.
 
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I think you're on to something but I'd script it as a drama, not a reality show. It would get boring pretty quickly as a reality show.

But it's a great premise for an on-going drama. Hustler, his girlfriend and and his straightman/backer travel around the country trying to hustle an existence. The thing to remember is that the pool-playing is way down on the list of scenes. Character development, relationships, situations (tense and funny), etc. all come way before pool the pool scenes. After all, the public would find anything more than 4-5 shots in a row very boring.

It's a very workable premise. Too bad Hollywood prefers reality shows over drama these days.
 
macguy said:
What would be the draw? After one or two shows it would be like a guy telling the same joke over and over. Even pool players would not watch more then once or twice.
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I had a similar idea, and to me, you just need the right people, and the 'draw' takes care of itself. I mean, jersey shore and pawn stars is the same thing week after week too.

There's a lot of potential for semi-scripted drama... one of the road players is set up to meet another, unknowingly, and they both get more than they bargained for.

One guy busts someone but they have a terminal illness/newborn baby/are a veteran/etc. so he lets him off the hook.

Someone meets a huge potential score with a massive bankroll (maybe an actor just set up to taunt him) but despite laying it on as thick as possible, can't get the guy to commit to a set.

Someone gets stiffed and bolts, someone else threatens to beat up the road player for hustling, a truly clueless one comes into a hall frequented by, say, buddy hall and realizes he's completely outclassed.

Two players partner up but find out they can't stand each other.

A female hustler, nuff said.

I think there's enough material, though obviously a lot of this needs to be staged and it may not really be a 'reality' show. But from what I understand, that's how most of them operate anyway.
 
I suggest what the golf chanel does with Big Break, with the amateurs.

Get like 16 top pool amateurs, and have them do some skill challenges, and have the bottom guys play elimination matches.
 
The idea to follow guys around on the road has been talked about forever. Huge problems with location and model releases among several other issues. There is reason all reality shows are completely staged. Despite popular opinion you cant just follow people wherever and then put it on TV.
 
If there can be multiple shows about truck drivers arguing over the radio there should be at least be a pool-themed show. But, like Justin said, there are legalities to following people around; which is probably like single-location shows (Pawn Stars, etc) are so easy to make.

So, what about switching it up? Maybe get 5 pool rooms across the country to agree to let the film crews in (thereby taking care of property releases) - and then the show is about the resident house-pros playing the road players, who can still remain anonymous if they want. Getting a model release is much easier than a property release, so...

Maybe the network can pull some strings and get some of the road players into the action if there's nothing going on that week?

Maybe, as far as a prize goes, why not follow Top Shot's setup and the winner can get a sponsorship and/or paid entry into the Mosconi Cup qualifying tournaments (not the MC though; they'd still have to earn a spot).
 
i like it.but the tv producers & sponsors would ever go for the illegal gambling .we like it but to put illegal gambling on tv is not politically correct.an poolhall gambling is illegal.unless they just play tournaments
 
why not take one good player (or even a pro?) and send him documentary like around the world?

Connect the different styles of pool with some "adventure", culture, traditionnal food etc would maybe touch a larger public and give a "better" image of pool than only hustling.
 
Think

JMW said:
The hustler image is what fascinates people. Like it or not, it is true. Look at what the Hustler and Color of Money movies did for pool.

The show could be called Pool Shark Hustlers or somthing very obvious as to the theme. Five short stop level players (from different areas of the country) are given X amount of money to start. Then they hit the road for 8 weeks and whomever has the most money at the end wins and recieves a large sum of money (and keeps what they won). Then maybe a final show where the final two play each other?

A two person camera crew follows each player in their beat up car, crappy hotel, fast food dinners, smokey pool halls, negotiating for weight at late night gambling games etc... There would be interviews of the the weird late night folks and players on the road. It is also a character study for entertainment value. A pool hall is certainly not lacking characters. Arguments and drama make the show. It's not so much about playing the game as the playing of the game.

You may ask, what people would play them for money if they know they are good players with a camera crew? People that want a shot at being on TV. I think folks would line up to play games for money if they thought there was even the slightest chance to get on TV. Wouldn't you want to break the guy and see it on national TV?

What do you think? The key is picking the right five people to compete. An audience has to love a couple, hate one, perhaps pity one and cheer for an under dog. So personality is important. They could even have a partner with them.

If you want to watch serious pool, go watch an AccuStats match. If you want to revise interest in pool, appeal to the romantic side of the masses. And most of the masses have played at least a game or two in their lives. Tap into it.
Click to expand...
I think you have a very good idea.Today they have shows about everything else.Pool is filled with great stories,past and present.Whoever came home from Derby City without stories that did not entertain people of all ages and walks of life.No other sport or game draws the characters that pool does.
 
Here is the problem with pool and the general public. Good pool looks easy and bad pool is painful to watch. So, what's left?

From a technical perspective, The Hustler is by far my favorite movie. The pool sequences look genuine and truly game-like (minus the bank-combo played by Fast Eddie and a missed hanger by Fats). However, what made the movie great was the cast and the screenplay, not pool. I'd love to see something done well but the truth is, I don't think Hollywood will ever be interested in pool again. The problem is, the general public views pool as just another activity, no different than Guitar Hero and I don't hear any movies about Guitar Hero coming down the pike.
 
It's really not that difficult to figure out what you would need to have, to make a successful and viral reality show.

For starters:

-Drama. Lots of it.
-Alcohol. Lots of it.
-Drunken fighting. Lots of it.
-Some nekkid ppl. Even semi nekkid.
-One girl named Snookie.
-Some Pool


Eric >prolly could do fine without the Pool
 
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