It’s still the same color and paint job as when we moved in, and, well, we’ve added kids since then. The bathroom is a little worse for wear.

Backing up … WAY up …

I tried out for a reality TV show. Oh, and by the way, the winner of the Amazon GC is Ms Tilla. Ms Tilla, expect an email within 24 hours.

I tried out for Kelly Ripa’s New Reality TV Show (Mom, Inc?) last week in New York City. I had a ton of fun, met a lot of wonderful women (not limited to but including the fabulous Blondee and the inventor of the SafetyTat and one of her little inspirations! And some dragon tamers.

It was a little crowded the first day and a bit hectic. Not to cast asparagus at the production crew – they did fabulous. First-day usual shakedown; moving things around to run more smoothly, it worked out pretty well, I thought. A bit of a delay while Kelly herself came in to do some promo shots and speaking parts (I saw the top of her head! TWICE!), but overall it was a lot of fun.

If you’re going to go to the tryouts (still to be held in Chicago, Dallas, and Los Angeles through the end of this month), here’s how it will likely generally run:

1. Show up with your invention, ready to be on camera, with your application. They’ll have blank apps if you forget yours. For those of you who fill it out online: it’s a PDF that doesn’t print when you fill the box up so much that it “scrolls”, so fit your words in the box provided to print out every thing correctly.

2. Line up, sign in, get a number. Wait for still shots.

3. Get still shots taken with your product and with you!

4. Wait for your turn at the 30-second pitch.

The 30-second pitch is pretty easy; think of it as an elevator chat that follows naturally after you’ve introduced yourself. “Hi, my name is Lorena Bee. My invention here is called the WhizBang 3000, and it solves the problem I and other people have keeping our WhizBangs organized on Squirrel Tickling day. It works by [insert brief description] and is fantastic because [reason]” More or less some of the same information from your application.

Bring your item with you in the 30-second pitch room; you might do a quick “show off” of it for the camera. Almost a mini-demo. And if your item does something, like bundle up WhizBangs, bring some WhizBangs along to show how the WhizBang 3000 does it’s thing.

Some of the 30-second demo inventors will get a “green” card for a full 2-minute demo. I did land a green card for one of my inventions (I had two; they prefer one at a time but some people squeaked in two), and went to another room with more producers for the 2-minute demo.

My 2-minute went roughly like this; I expect most of them will run the same way:

1. Get miked up by the producer. They tuck a power unit behind you, so wear pants or a skirt the power unit can be clipped to without messing up your outfit’s hang. It weighs around a pound.

2. The producer gives you a quick walk through – entrance, the mark to stand on behind the demo table, where to place your invention.

3. Sound-check off camera. Speak in the speaking voice you’ll be using; a little louder than conversation but not shouting.

4. Walk in, saying “Good Morning/Afternoon” or something like that; walk to your mark, place your items on the table, begin your talk and demonstration. Move a little more slowly than you usually would; makes for a better shot.

5. Answer any questions they might have about the invention.

6. Mike is removed, do more demonstration shots for filler; remember slow and clear.

7. Gather up your stuff, head home, and wait for a call (or not).

Other thoughts: Pack a lunch. Pack water. Pack extra makeup. Pack your “valuable” stuff like wallet and phone in a smaller bag you can take with you to the powder room. I was there 11-5:30 one day and 9-5 the next. Take business cards! 10 minutes run them off pays off so well – even though mine say I’m a writer and process analyst, I scribbled my blog name on the back of the cards.

Overall, I had a blast and am so glad that I went. Even with jitters that made me want to leave about 2pm the first day and 3:30pm the next.

The guy who was “stripping” until everyone got seen was just … obnoxious.

The crew was great, the rest of the crowd was great and friendly. Not everyone got “green cards” for the 2-minute demo, but that didn’t mean you were “out” – all the footage will be reviewed. The crew I spoke to mentioned it would be quite alright for folks who didn’t get a green card for one reason or another to do a 2-minute demo and submit it online anyway. I might do that for the invention that didn’t get a green card … but then I’d take away from time better spent painting the bathroom …

Good luck, fellow inventors! I’ll let you guys know if I get on the show!

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