Animal Planet Considers Us for a Show
If you haven’t seen The Secret it is in the E Center and it is responsible for us being right on track with our 2006 Vision of having our own local series and a series on the Animal Planet show.
Locally, our pro bono CPA is on the board of the Community Network Television channels 19 and 22. They are going to train Jamie in video production and then make her an Associate Producer for the station which gives her use of all of their equipment from cameras to editing and then she can air all of her work on their stations. This is all being done for free. AND…
Our pro-bono attorney Russ Alba just got the following email: Subject: Television Series
Dear Mr. Alba, Thanks for your time. To reiterate...what we'd like to propose to Animal Planet (Discovery Communications Inc.) is a "fly on the wall" series with "Big Cat Rescue" as our venue. This would entail some considerable shooting over a period of time, giving the audience (hopefully world-wide) a "through the keyhole" look at the sanctuary, the animals and the people who devote themselves to this truly noble cause. The series would ultimately be personality driven, the drama, melodrama, comedic and triumphant moments being drawn from the staff, the volunteers...and of course, the animals.
While we have proposed the concept to Animal Planet, we have not been specific with venue and style. The final proposal would be based on our having knowledge of what and with whom we're dealing. If this is of interest to you, let's arrange to meet. As I told you, we have a place on Sand Key...and I'm eager to get a bit of Florida summer in my veins. (How's that for madness!!). Looking forward to hearing from you, Best, Ron Lyon
For a bit more about us, I refer you to our web site, www.wizardsofweird.com or check IMDb.com.
Their credits include:
Lyon produced and directed some thirty 90-minute specials for ABC, including “Organized Crime in America”, “Manson”, “Hitler” “In Search of Howard Hughes” and “Assassinations: An American Nightmare” from which came numerous awards.
Included among his many television films are the highly rated “City in Fear”, starring David Jannsen and Mickey Rourke, “Love’s Savage Fury”, starring Jennifer O’Neill, Raymond Burr and Perry King, “Sins of the Father” starring James Coburn as well as director Jan Kadar’s award-winning film, “The Other Side of Hell” which starred Alan Arkin.
As President of Ray Stark’s television company, “Rastar” a division of Columbia Pictures, Lyon acquired the vast collection of Robert Ripley’s “Believe It or Not!” facts and oddities. In 1981 under the banner of Haley/Lyon/Rastar, Lyon created, produced and directed the Ripley’s pilot which spawned the long-running series on ABC starring Jack Palance with Lyon based in Paris as Executive Producer.
Subsequent to “Believe It or Not” Lyon’s special “Exploring Psychic Powers” hosted by Bill Bixby featuring James Randi and Uri Geller was a huge international success. After a stint at both Universal TV and Kings Road (as President, Kings Road Television) he and his partner Jenny Paschall launched the Nickelodeon series “Beyond Belief!!” which appeared in dozens of countries and was later the basis of a best selling book written by Paschall, published by Random House. Jenny Paschall went on to write 3 more “weird” trivia books: Hatches, Matches and Dispatches, Odd Laws and Brain in a Box.
Lyon and Paschall’s Discovery series “Would You Believe It??” began as a one-hour special/pilot which received spectacular ratings on its June ‘95 premiere on the Discovery Channel. Produced by Lyon and Paschall, directed by Lyon, and written by Paschall this intrepid team’s work continued to run on Discovery through 2004. It can be seen in over 60 countries world wide.
Based on the success of “Would You Believe It??”, Lyon and Paschall crafted “Simply Unbelievable” a series which debuted on the Travel Channel in 2001. In addi