Making Networking…. fun? Jill Garelick says hell yes.

Networking. Say boo no more.  Producer Jill Garelick helps the RTV industry grow up.

Producer Jill Garelick on location at Lake Michigan, Chicago for BRAVO's Tabatha's Salon Takeover

What is your current job title?
My name is Jill Garelick and my title is Sr. Producer.  I am also the founder of the website connectingreality.com.

What does that mean?
Specifically on my current show, Celebrity Fit Club, I oversee logistics and creative for half of the episodes.  When needed I also pinch hit on interviews and direct camera's.  Every show is completely different so you have to adapt to different supervisors expectations.  A lot of how I see being a producer is running with what is given to you and "making it happen."

Do you have an example of how your title may have stayed the same from one show to another, but the expectations were completely different?
On some shows the Sr. Producer can be a writer and have nothing to do with logistics, on other shows it's just overseeing a team of producers and being a liaison with the people above you.

How long have you been working in television?  Has it always been reality?

I have been in TV since 2000, so 9 years. I started at the TV Guide Channel as a PA and moved my way up there over 4 years. TVGC at the time was more entertainment news.  I have been in reality now about 5 years.  I went to Cal State Northridge and graduated with Liberal Studies Degree and a concentration in childrens art.

Really?
I know that seems kind of crazy, what I do now has NOTHING to do with my major, unless you call all the reality stars children. In college, my dad gave me some advice, he said that the entertainment industry is fun and there is money to be made. Seriously though, for most of my life, I wanted to be a teacher.  It was a really hard transition for me, but at the time, I felt why not give it a try and see what happens.  I met a production coordinator and became her friend, at the time I didn't understand that friends get friends jobs, I just thought she was cool.

With Designer, Didiayer Snyder, working on ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

Was the TVGC your first job out of college?  What was your flow of job titles?
After college, I did 2 PA jobs with Dick Clark productions for Red Carpet events and that production coordinator (the one I mentioned earlier) had switched companies and started at TVGC. She was nice enough to bring me along of the ride. I moved my way up at TVGC.  I was PA for about 2 years and told my boss I was bored, so I moved around to different positions from script coordinator, talent booker to eventually Associate Producer. When I left TVGC I was offered a Segment Producer title with no additional compensation so I decided it was time to grow and leave the company.  I took a step back and a HUGE risk.  I took a gig that shot in Cincinati for 2 months which meant leaving the stability of staff job for the freelance world. I felt slightly insane, but was thrilled to travel!  I am still surprised I actually did it and to this day don't regret it for a minute.  After Cincinnati, I did a bunch of AP jobs until an Executive Producer (LS) saw something in me and promoted me to Segment Producer.  I was a segment producer for 2 years and then spent about 2 years as field producer/producer, give or take.  I have only had 2 shows with Sr. Producer. It's important to me to value every position and learn from the people around me.

What is your favorite company to date to work for?

My first reality company, Evolution Media.  They are amazing!  You rarely find a company these days that really care and respect the people that work for them.  Most just make you part of their machine.  Since that first show, I have worked for Evolution Media about 4 or 5 times now.  I hope to be back there in the future.

What are some of the best places you've travelled to?
I think Sweden and Venice, Italy might be my favorites, but I gotta tell you I loved Boise, Idaho. I would have never gone if it wasn't one of my episodes for Extreme Makeover Home Edition.

Jill working on the set of Extreme Home Makeover Edition with Ty Pennington

So tell me about Connecting Reality.  What is it, how did you think of it...when did you start it?  Why did you start it?
Connecting Reality started about 2 1/2 years ago.  A friend asked me to meet up with some other people that were "out of work" and in reality. I showed up and there were 5 people there, that got me thinking, I know some other people that were out of work maybe next time they will come with me. Then this girl in the group, Lale, was bugging me to start a networking group for all reality people.   I kept procrastinating and then I decided to just send an evite out and have people add their co-workers and friends the first evite started with about 100 people and ended with 320ish I was in shock, who knew there were that many people in reality that were interested in networking.  Once I saw the numbers, I was motivated to really make something happen, reality needed a place to meet each other. I mean that's how you get jobs, right?  In turn, I found this inner passion to help people find jobs.  I really love it.  I get about 5ish emails a week for people looking for jobs  and I have a some friends that email me looking for good peeps to hire.  I pass along resumes as much as I can.  I started having events every time I was done with a gig.  I think I had about 4 when realized Connecting Reality had more potential.  Hence the website was born. I wanted it to be more then a job site, I wanted it to be a resource for people in reality to go to when then had questions, although it hasn't really gotten there yet. I would LOVE to get the website to be a place people could turn to for questions and get answers. I would love for more employers to post jobs. Not to knock RealityStaff, I am sure it has gotten a ton of people jobs, but I don't feel like it's impersonal.  I feel like when I submit myself for a job on there it goes into a black hole. I want the Connecting Reality site to have a personal touch, a response to every resume.

Chatting it up at a Connecting Reality event in Los Angeles

What do people get out of attending these events?

People that attend Connecting Reality events get to meet others that have gone through similar experiences as them, it gives them a chance to hear stories from other shows and learn.  It really is a place to meet people that you eventually will run into at work.  It is also a chance to re-connect with old colleagues.

Do you have people where numbers and rotate tables? or is more like a casual party to meet other reality crew members?
It's more of a casual party, everyone wears a name tag with their name and what they do, a great conversation starter.
People from every type of job in reality show up.  I have accountants, lighting, art, caterers, producers, editors, I even have a lawyer that only works in reality.

What's the feedback you are getting from people about these events?
I get great feedback, you know the last event there were a lot of out of work people, which is a bit rough, but I do feel like it's really picking up right now.  I have a designer friend that really wanted to be on camera, she came to an event and met a producer on Trading Spaces, she sent her reel in and she got the gig on camera!  I also have a friend that was a story producer that found her AP at an event.  I love hearing stories like that, it's up to the networker to follow up and be proactive. I make no promises, it's all about what you bring to the table. I do my best to make personal introductions at every event.

Why do producers always have to get people to cry?  Do you feel pressure, or is it pretty easy?
I think people associate crying with great reality TV, but it's really about emotion, crying, anger, hurt, frustration.  It's important to let the audience know how the participant is feeling, they are along for the ride too. Is it easy?  No, you have to really put yourself in their shoes, get in their hands, it's not easy.

How do you get someone to do what you want?
I care about people, it's not about humiliation.  I become friends with the participants and then they usually will open up.  It's super important to really listen to what they are saying and react to their emotions.

So.. you worked on More to Love?
Yes,  I did some of those crying interviews.  It's an intense situation.  As you know, the cast is secluded from society for a month. Being asked to answer questions about weight issues on a daily basis is tiring.  Those girls were not overweight just because of the food.  I think that came out on the show.  I know that it helped a lot of the girls with confidence, we were not exploiting them for their weight, at least I didn't feel that way.

How about Tool Academy? You were a producer on that show - was your role very different?
On Tool Academy I mainly did interviews.  I was in the interview chair for about 8 hours a day.

How do you stay awake and alert for an 8 hour interview day?
Coffee, Coffee and more coffee, I am completely addicted!

Jill G. testing a challenge for Celebrity Fit Club Season 7

If there is anything you could tell people who are new to Reality TV, what would it be?
Reality TV is NOT easy, it's long hours, long days and long weeks but in the end it's rewarding and fun.  You just have to be willing to commit and dedicate your time to your job.

What do you love about your job?
I love that I am challenged on a daily basis to be creative and to work with different types of people.

Since you are an interviewer and I'm a from the camera department - what would you be asking yourself if you were doing this interview?
Haha!  I love this question.   I might be asking myself, why haven't you pitched your own shows yet?  My answer: I have ideas, I have tons of ideas, but my day to day job doesn't give me a moment to work on the really great ideas, but I will be trying the pitch thing soon. :)

What do you see 5 years into your future?
I hope to be pitching my own shows or running my own shows.

What is your take on show-mances?  Good, bad, ugly?
I mean we don't have a life outside of work, so in the that case it's good, but there is a time and place, it depends on how they are handled.

What do you do in your spare time when you aren't working?
hahahaha!  I love cooking off of recipes and trying new foods.  I also enjoy taking my dog on hikes and to the park.

Check out: Connecting Reality

Their next event is on Tuesday, April 6.  See website for details and to RSVP.
Where: Jane's House 6541 Hollywood Boulevard (Whitley/Hollywood)
http://www.janeshousehollywood.com/
Time: 7:30pm
Sponsored By: Light Inc, Media Distributors, Imagecraft, Limos.com , and Sterling Cuisine

"Where Reality TV professionals can network from A to Z. From Producers to PA's, Camera Op's to Editors, this is the home base for you to meet and network. We gather every two months to re-connect. In the mean time, we encourage you to post jobs, check out our blogs and post questions on our forums."

Jill G. in junior high school, age 13