Casting a New TV Show Ford “Escape Routes”

The Pitch

The letter started routinely enough:

This January, the producer of “Amazing Race” will be casting a new program for Ford, “Escape Routes.” Six teams of two will compete to win $10,000 and two new 2013 Ford Escapes, and the series will be shown online, and also likely on broadcast TV.

Surprise

but it started to get interesting about here:

So what do we want from you? We’d like your help consulting on the project, working with our casting team to make sure we have the best teams possible. We want cast members who know how to talk about their experiences in social media, because the teams will be judged in part based on the “teams” following along with them from home, and they’ll need to be able to rally those teams to join in and help them with challenges from afar. You’ll be there to test the social media chops of team members by talking with them, giving them some social media challenges to execute, and give feedback to the casting team. You also will have access to the casting teams, if you’d like to interview them, and learn more about how they make decisions about casting.

The casting in San Francisco is next Saturday, January 14th from 11 – 2 at the Hard Rock Cafe.

So apparently I will be consulting (paid) for Ford and their agency Ogilvy this weekend helping to cast a TV show. Do I think I will get final say on the contestants? Not likely. Does it sounds like fun? It does. I hope you can join me