Do you know what a sizzle reel is? Hint: it has nothing to do with manners! Similar to a trailer, which is used to announce a new film, a sizzle reel is created to serve as a pitch, to entice and secure sponsors for a show. I thought it might be fun to share my sizzle reel, which was created to pitch my television series, You Are Cordially Invited. It served to attract Viking Cruises to become my sponsor!
The long story about “how and why” I created my television series, You Are Cordially Invited, which features privately owned, masterpiece houses in England, is often the topic of my “Regal Interior Design” talks, and will be in a forthcoming newsletter. But, since I have introduced you to the term “sizzle reel,” I wanted to offer a little glimpse into some of the steps it took to create my first episode, featuring Highclere Castle, aka Downton Abbey.
After meeting with Lady Carnarvon, at Fox Hall, and agreeing to film together, my team and I flew to England for a “scouting trip” to meet with her. Lady Carnarvon is the 8th Countess of Carnarvon at Highclere Castle, which has been in the Earl of Carnarvon’s family for generations. It is handsomely maintained by their stewardship and commitment.
Once we decided which rooms to feature and agreed on the overall theme and outline, we then came back to the states to plan the final details and discuss them with the BBC crew hired to film. Detailed pages of elements to feature, history to share, conversation to consider, insurance to secure, wardrobe to purchase, and equipment to take, kept us all busy for two months.
We flew back to England to film. It was just about this time of year… cold and damp, with drizzle and sleet. It took three days to film. That was the fun part! Then, there were additional weeks of editing at the Connecticut PBS affiliate CPTV, more studio visits to write and record my “voice-overs,” the theme music to create and copyright, a convention to attend in Salt Lake City for American Public Television to promote to stations in the USA, and much more. Fortunately, an Emmy nomination blossomed from the hours invested in the project.
It is hard to fathom that weeks and weeks of effort were required to create a product that is only 29 minutes long! I have a whole new level of appreciation for what truly contributes to the detailed nuances necessary to create a movie.
Look closely when viewing the sizzle reel, and you may get a peek at the secret door in the library, the newly minted porcelain with the Carnarvon crest, the massive oak staircase with a Sir Joshua Reynolds painting behind me, the dining room featuring the commanding equestrian portrait of King Charles I by Van Dyck, the butter-yellow wall upholstery and curtains, and yes, a yellow lab who does indeed live with the Carnarvons!
