Influencers Take On The High Seas In OFTV’s New Reality Show ‘Reel Rivals’

Social media stars are swapping filters for fishing rods in “Reel Rivals,” the most recent actuality competitors present streaming on OFTV.

Produced by out of doors creator Isla Moon, the collection brings collectively a few of the web’s most recognizable influencers for a high-stakes fishing problem in contrast to another.

Described as a combination between “Love Island Video games,” “Too Sizzling to Deal with,” and Nat Geo’s “Fish My Metropolis,” however with out the male gaze or pointless drama, the aim of “Reel Rivals” is easy: outfish the competitors and declare the $20,000 grand prize.

Among the many contestants vying for the title of final fishing champion are Ara Bozorgian (2.1M Instagram followers), Bryce Adams (1.3M followers), and Dan Dangler (1.6M followers), who will battle it out aboard a luxurious yacht in Miami.

The twist? None of them are skilled anglers. With zero fishing expertise, they have to navigate unpredictable challenges, reeling in all the things from sharks to mahi mahi, all whereas proving that influencer-led content material is altering the truth TV panorama.

“I needed to take fashions who’re tremendous polished on Instagram and throw them someplace the place they will get down and soiled,” Moon solely advised The Blast. “As fashions, we’re continually filtering all the things that we publish, so I needed to push a unique narrative and present that there are different sides to creators. We simply don’t discover it sufficient.”

With so many courting exhibits on the market already full of “over-scripted” and “repetitive” relationship drama, Isla needed to attempt to “create the identical drama by way of competitors and high-pressure conditions.”

“You’d see that loads of instances on actuality exhibits like ‘Wipeout,’ which has impediment programs and is a really physical-based competitors,” she advised The Blast. “I personally love these sorts of exhibits and watching individuals get wrecked just a little bit. It is sort of humorous. I really feel like I am making a present that I wish to watch. I do know from my fan base that folks actually like watching fishing, so I needed to throw a bunch of individuals in that setting and see what occurs.”

In regard to scripting, Isla confirmed they “determined to not script something and run with what occurs.” On set, if one thing occurred throughout the competitions, they’d “let it experience out.”

“Clearly, we’ve our define of how the present is structured, however throughout the enhancing course of, the story editors would look over all of the footage and provide you with a narrative for every particular person primarily based on what really occurred,” she defined. “It’s tougher, but it surely’s refreshing. It comes off tremendous personable.”

So why influencers? Effectively, Isla mentioned it is as a result of “we are sometimes misunderstood, however we all know what our audiences need.”

“Creators and influencers add a complete completely different perspective. They’re very fascinating individuals,” she advised The Blast. “Via working with all of those individuals on the present, I noticed how multifaceted they’re. There’s a lot to them, and so they’re greater than actors. They already wish to be on-line and share their persona, versus actuality stars who be a part of these exhibits [whose] focus is completely different.”

Isla additional defined how being a creator influenced the best way she approached producing the brand new actuality present, explaining that due to her ardour, she is aware of what her viewers is searching for.

“I knew that if I needed to base a present on influencers, I needed to present them on the social media aspect of issues,” she mentioned. “I additionally knew I needed to enchantment to influencers, in order that’s why having a social media presence for the present was an enormous precedence. It makes a present much more partaking, and it’s one thing that’s lacking from some actuality TV. It’s essential to kind your neighborhood.”

Her ardour for filming performed a key position all through the manufacturing course of. With a powerful understanding of digital camera work, she supplied enter on efficient angles, visually interesting pictures, and the most effective gear to make use of. She additionally knew methods to talk these concepts to the director of pictures.

Past filming, her expertise prolonged to post-production, the place she was in a position to determine key parts and supply clear course throughout the enhancing course of.

Lots of the solid and crew initially shaped their impressions of Isla by way of her social media presence, the place she is understood for her playful and lighthearted persona. Nevertheless, they have been quickly stunned by her capacity to change gears and take a extra skilled, business-minded method when obligatory.

One of many largest challenges she confronted was defining her internet hosting fashion. Over the course of the season, she regularly discovered her footing, evolving from a content material creator right into a assured host.

One other large problem?  “Ensuring we had fish every time was an enormous problem, particularly when there have been days that have been too wavy,” she admitted. “And we’d should fish within the intercoastal space in Florida. We’d be questioning if we even have an episode.”

“Whereas fishing at some point, one of many contestants caught a very large barracuda, however then an angler who is understood to everybody in Florida as Mark The Shark got here by on his boat and rode over our line, and it obtained caught, and we misplaced the fish,” Isla teased. “We have been all screaming at one another. The perfect half was that his child drew an image of the occasion and Mark despatched it to us. It was hilarious.”

“Reel Rivals” not solely delivers high-stakes competitors but additionally showcases the rising affect of creator-led actuality TV,

“That is positively solely the beginning,” she mentioned of the way forward for creator-driven actuality competitors. “The movie trade underestimates influencers with regards to casting us in stuff. Creators might be a part of the solid members, however they’ve lots to supply behind the scenes as effectively with regards to making choices on the inventive aspect of issues. It provides a complete new perspective.”

She continued, “Even a few of the editors from our present who’ve been doing this for many years, have been saying how refreshing it was for them. Additionally, not everybody goes to be the most effective actor, but when you concentrate on the advertising aspect of issues, it is tremendous cool to have individuals who have an viewers to advertise your present. We’re getting loads of traction primarily based on simply having all of those individuals we will cross-promote with.”

Isla emphasised how excited she is to see how the “response morphs because the present progresses and whilst I am going on to work on future initiatives.”

“Proper now, there’s some resistance, and a few individuals suppose I’m leaving the influencer aspect of issues and leaving them behind,” she added. “However hopefully, quickly, they’ll see that the purpose is to morph each of them collectively.”

And, with a $20,000 money prize on the road, how aggressive did issues actually get? “It was virtually extra of an ego competitors than in regards to the money prize,” Isla advised The Blast. “Everybody needed to be in as many episodes as they may. There’s some spicy rivalry between the man versus lady episode, although.”