One of the talent scouts, Centerville native Michael Yates, said, “It would be great if we got 400 to 500 people to show up. Even if we get, 1,200, we will see everyone.”
Yates, also one of the casting directors for the show, said tryouts also will be held in Houston and Denver to find the half-dozen people who will be transported to an “as yet secret location.”
He described “The Colony” as “a social experiment in a mock apocalypse situation more than typical reality TV.”
Unlike “Survivor” or “Big Brother,” “there are no eliminations and no prizes. You are there for the duration. Once the cameras stop rolling, no one comes in and helps. If you get to the location and can’t fix the power generator, you’ll be sitting in the dark,” said Yates, a 1998 graduate of Wright State University’s motion pictures program.
“Backstabbing and manipulation to beat someone else is counterproductive. Collaborative skills are important.”
Yates said contestants at Fairfield Commons will need to register and undergo a brief interview, in groups of six to 10.
“Handymen, engineers and scientists are the kinds of people we’re looking for. If you’re an accountant and have those skills, that’s great,” Yates said.
Hopefuls need to be “assertive. Don’t hold back. If you have something to brag about, tell us. If you’ve built something from scratch, or survived for six months in the mountains, let us know.”
For more information “The Colony” and clips from season one, go to http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/colony/colony.html.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2377 or tmorris@Dayton DailyNews.com.
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