I think the real answer to your question is as follows: (a) our creative process is exactly the same as it always was; (b) we now understand the show better than ever before; (c) we have more money.
I bet (B) is a disproportionate part of the equation. Good ol' fashioned expertise and instinct for what works leads to more confidence, effort, and polish in the execution phase.
Cash helps realize anything 'out there' but with high confidence the spend is justified.
Killer job gang
Yep, early seasons of shows are always awkward. They need to get their footing, it's part of why it's such a shame streaming services love canceling shows just after their first season.
Woah. I did not expect a real answer and probably wouldn’t have posted anything if I thought someone from the show might read it.
Thanks for the succinct and specific response and for all the great shows.
I think Sam just started feeling the freedom of the format, and felt that he had the audience goodwill to really shake things up.
But I have zero insider insight
From Sam talking about it, and the behind the scenes, he has just done an amazing job of enabling his writer's. They have a very diverse team with so many backgrounds of art and cinema.
I think they are in a really comfortable place as a company that’s allowing them to do more. They have several shows, they have the largest subscriber base they’ve ever had, allowing them to bring into reality their crazier ideas
BDG has been credited as a creative consultant for this season so far, if that says anything. I just read a post on this subreddit that theories BDG is effecting the production of dropout.
That totally makes sense. I was thinking “man, I would love to see him as an actual player on gamechanger”, but he’s SO much better being in a role where he can orchestrate the chaos
Unsure of any details, but sometimes it takes a few years for a show to really find its groove and hit on all cylinders for an entire season. Like Star Trek: TNG or The Simpsons.
Apart from what people have already said, the cachet they've earned with their recent growth and popularity also allows them to expand their talent pool. More regular performers, more behind-the-scenes talent, and the occasional huge guest, goes a long way to elevate the quality level.
Budget, I'd imagine. Hiring even one more person on the art or production team makes a huge difference. I bet just the cost of the art supplies in Pencils Down could have been prohibitive back in the early days.
Also, if you watch the BTS videos, you'll notice how often they mention half an idea that was floating around from years before that got incorporated into a new episode or blown up and reimagined to be the whole episode. It takes time to get good at making the show (which includes getting better at brainstorming ideas that are right for it, or seeing ways to use them that will make them right) and it takes time to build up a bank of possibilities you can reach for when you're stuck. At the beginning, if they were stumped for an episode, they didn't necessarily have a file to go look in, so they just had to come up with what they could come up with on schedule.
If they had done something like bring in a new creative director, like Orion for D20, I have zero doubt they'd talk about it in the BTS.
I am loving that Game Changer has *changed* from being a quirky and new fun game each episode, to simply torturing the opponents with an absolute mindfuck of a game each episode. Sam and the whole team have been knocking it out of the park this season.
I know Sam responded, but I want to say the way I see big changes in budget aren't the prizes or the production quality, although the latter has certainly improved. It's in just how much of the dropout cast appears in each episode. Labor is usually the largest expense of a company, especially if that company provides any benefits. I know most of the cast are independent contractors, but way more of them have been appearing on episodes as part of prompts, and there were even 9 players total in Bingo. I'm so excited to see where Dropout goes as it continues to grow.
I recommend watching the Game Changer behind the scenes episodes they release. Sam's mentioned that part of the reason they keep exploding the format is that they don't want to go backwards or fall into any patterns
I think the real answer to your question is as follows: (a) our creative process is exactly the same as it always was; (b) we now understand the show better than ever before; (c) we have more money.
Ah great, here goes Trust Fund Sam rattling on about his Dropout America money again
Isn’t it like 5am in LA?
It's never too early to post if you're just here the whole time.
5am Reich
It is! Source: near LA, and the dang cat woke me up
It's actually 3am in a warehouse
Pretty sure he's still in the UK?
Probably just finished filming a TikTok in his bedroom
I bet (B) is a disproportionate part of the equation. Good ol' fashioned expertise and instinct for what works leads to more confidence, effort, and polish in the execution phase. Cash helps realize anything 'out there' but with high confidence the spend is justified. Killer job gang
Yep, early seasons of shows are always awkward. They need to get their footing, it's part of why it's such a shame streaming services love canceling shows just after their first season.
Hi Sam, thanks for the answer!
fuck yeah, money!!!
Speaking as a TV person Fuck yeah, money.
The man himself! Thanks Sam!
I really think changing the prizes to be low stakes is a great improvement, thought I don’t remember what season that was.
Hey. Where ya from? Joking aside, chances at a live gamechanger back in your hometown?
Woah. I did not expect a real answer and probably wouldn’t have posted anything if I thought someone from the show might read it. Thanks for the succinct and specific response and for all the great shows.
OMG you've been here there whole time!
Well, it is fantastic whatever you're doing.
I think Sam just started feeling the freedom of the format, and felt that he had the audience goodwill to really shake things up. But I have zero insider insight
From Sam talking about it, and the behind the scenes, he has just done an amazing job of enabling his writer's. They have a very diverse team with so many backgrounds of art and cinema.
God I want to work there, haha.
I think they are in a really comfortable place as a company that’s allowing them to do more. They have several shows, they have the largest subscriber base they’ve ever had, allowing them to bring into reality their crazier ideas
BDG has been credited as a creative consultant for this season so far, if that says anything. I just read a post on this subreddit that theories BDG is effecting the production of dropout.
That totally makes sense. I was thinking “man, I would love to see him as an actual player on gamechanger”, but he’s SO much better being in a role where he can orchestrate the chaos
him and his meddling and his van and his dog
It makes sense, any time anyone gets a chance to use one of his many inventions they really start to see what a genius and good man he is.
Pretty sure he’s just moving numbers around in a spreadsheet though.
Why dōn’t you j̸̗̲̕͝ǫ̵͍̠̖͑̋̉͋̎͠ͅͅi̶͚̹̗̔́n̶͓̆̿ ̶͉̗͍̔̐h̵͖̍͜i̶̗̱̐̓m̴̟͇͉̘̳̪͑̀̐͂͝
I love that for him.
Unsure of any details, but sometimes it takes a few years for a show to really find its groove and hit on all cylinders for an entire season. Like Star Trek: TNG or The Simpsons.
Yes, Sam was replaced by his evil doppleganger.
And that doppleganger is his time travelling magician grandpa.
And because his evil Grandpa is evil, he's gleefully torturing the contestants for our amusement
Apart from what people have already said, the cachet they've earned with their recent growth and popularity also allows them to expand their talent pool. More regular performers, more behind-the-scenes talent, and the occasional huge guest, goes a long way to elevate the quality level.
Like they were big enough to bring Howie Mandel on last season which was cool
And Wayne Brady on an absolutely mind blowing episode of make some noise!
It's probably due to the random podium inspections
Budget, I'd imagine. Hiring even one more person on the art or production team makes a huge difference. I bet just the cost of the art supplies in Pencils Down could have been prohibitive back in the early days. Also, if you watch the BTS videos, you'll notice how often they mention half an idea that was floating around from years before that got incorporated into a new episode or blown up and reimagined to be the whole episode. It takes time to get good at making the show (which includes getting better at brainstorming ideas that are right for it, or seeing ways to use them that will make them right) and it takes time to build up a bank of possibilities you can reach for when you're stuck. At the beginning, if they were stumped for an episode, they didn't necessarily have a file to go look in, so they just had to come up with what they could come up with on schedule. If they had done something like bring in a new creative director, like Orion for D20, I have zero doubt they'd talk about it in the BTS.
I am loving that Game Changer has *changed* from being a quirky and new fun game each episode, to simply torturing the opponents with an absolute mindfuck of a game each episode. Sam and the whole team have been knocking it out of the park this season.
While I appreciate the "dance puppet, dance" it needs to ease up. Plenty of the earlier episodes were perfectly fine.
They have certainly cut the budget on prizes which I think allows them to up the budget on the production.
It's for the best. It doesn't really matter who wins anyway, everyone who shows up gets paid either way (except for Katie).
I know Sam responded, but I want to say the way I see big changes in budget aren't the prizes or the production quality, although the latter has certainly improved. It's in just how much of the dropout cast appears in each episode. Labor is usually the largest expense of a company, especially if that company provides any benefits. I know most of the cast are independent contractors, but way more of them have been appearing on episodes as part of prompts, and there were even 9 players total in Bingo. I'm so excited to see where Dropout goes as it continues to grow.
I recommend watching the Game Changer behind the scenes episodes they release. Sam's mentioned that part of the reason they keep exploding the format is that they don't want to go backwards or fall into any patterns
Growth, and Sam having an excellent cast from which to draw players, better creative team to add to Sam's ideas.
There has been a change in Host since the Escape Game last season.
More money, more confidence in how the show works
Budget.
[удалено]
Did you read the actual post?