Casting Call -- Do You Have What It Takes?

March 14, 2008
Article by Craig Lieberman
Photos by Verone and the BMDS Crew

Hello everybody, Craig Lieberman here, aspiring video producer.

As you may know, I’m working on a new online show called “Bikini Driving School”.  You can monitor its progress at www.bikinidrivingschool.com or www.myspace.com/bikinimodeldrivingschool.  This is the most exciting video project I’ve undertaken to date.

I am looking for cars and locations and candidly, no good car show would run without featuring Benzes. Thankfully, Ling has been a pleasure to work with and has granted me access to the membership so that we might help each other.

Here is some in depth info about the project:

Sony Viacom is the parent company.  Unlike MTV, Sony looks to develop its TV shows by first polishing the concept with interactive website programming aimed at evolving the product over time.

Next New Networks, the main production unit charged with developing this content is New York based and their Business Development VP is Emil Rensing, the guy who launched Spike TV.

Emil is a car guy.  He and I have been colleagues for some time.  He’s asked me to film and produce this show about high end cars and high end girls.  Only the elite from both worlds will do.  My background is automotive marketing and licensing products to the motion picture industry. I also serve as a Ride and Drive instructor for Audi, Goodyear, and GM.

NextNewNetworks already hosts similar programs like those found on www.vodcars.com, www.fastlanedaily.com, and www.garage419.com.  Bikini Driving School’s site launches on the 24th of this month. Episode 1 and 2 have already been shot and we have 24 more episodes to shoot.

The shows range from 6 to 8 minutes in duration.

What’s unique about this show is NNN’s distribution model.

In addition to the views on our own sites, the videos will be seen here:
• YouTube.com
• Break.com
• Chickipedia.com
• Edmunds.com
• StreetFire.net
• Veoh.com
• Vimeo.com
• RSS Feeds
• Digg
• Delicious
• And on TIVO, through downloaded programming.

Additionally, our blog spaces and websites provide Podcasting and RSS feed traffic that bolsters the viewership. All of this is trackable.  Typically, we see 500,000 viewers the first 30 days.  It is not uncommon for our videos to draw 2,000,000 viewers in a 6-12 month period. I’ll say that again…more than 2 MILLION views in less than a year.  An average episode of Speed channel’s programming reaches MAYBE 300,000 viewers…and those shows 1-3 times max. Our show is available in cyber space for years.

Here’s how it’s filmed:

• The first 15-20 seconds is the episode intro;
• The next 10 seconds are reserved for the location/shop billboard/commercial, i.e. “This week’s episode is brought to you by….”  Your logo is prominently displayed.
• The next 10 seconds shows the location…”we’re hear at XXX, makers of ZZZ for your XYZ”
• The next 30 seconds sets up the premise of this episode.  Ideally, we feature a car (or cars) from your shop that have logos/branding.
• The next 1-2 minutes shows the girl getting a driving lesson in the car (this is a bit staged…your driver or ours rides shotgun while we film from chase vehicles and using Sticky suction cup mounts to the car to capture her on interesting local roads)
• After that, she washes the car in a suggestive manner…again, with the car wearing your branding.

After she leaves, we get back in the car to film your driver driving the car a bit more aggressively. This ranges from 5-60MPH blasts, to burnouts, or whatever your feel comfortable with. We shoot angles to make it LOOK like the girl is driving the car.

The shoot takes from 10:30Am till 5PM.  I typically show up one day early to film “static” shots of the car while parked.

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO COST TO THE LOCATION OR VEHICLE OWNER.

You also receive a credit and a web link at the end of the video.

This is a professional endeavor, with all parties signing releases.  We bring a decent sized crew, typically 3-4 cameramen and 1-2 photographers.  

If you look at our MySpace page, you’ll see the roster of girls we have lined up to shoot in the coming weeks. It is a who’s who of the car model circuit.

WHAT KIND OF CARS DO I NEED?
Benzes, and indeed any exotic.  As for Benzes, preferably, modded cars.  Basically, 2005-ish or newer…like an SL55 with kit, exhaust, wheels, etc. A CLS, any AMG car, the more modded, the better.  We’re trying to avoid the bling.

The girl WILL drive your car some, but at modest speeds and with you in the car.  Ideally, an owner who is willing to do a burnout or two and maybe a quick powerslide that we can capture on film would be immensely helpful.

WHAT KIND OF LOCATION?
Think big house with big driveway, preferably, gated.  The girl will be in a tiny, tiny bikini as she washes your car.  Cameras will be snapping pics, video guys will be changing angles, it’s a big distraction if you live in a tract house with a driveway 3 feet from the street. 

A car based shop would work, too, so long as it isn’t some greasy hole in the wall.

Please send all submissions and inquiries to:

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