Two Home and Garden reality shows will shoot their entire 26-episode seasons here beginning in January, pending budgetary approval between HGTV and production company Pie Town Productions.
Pie Town, which produces the HGTV series “Designed to Sell” and “Design on a Dime,” is looking to create Chicago versions of the series in addition to its ongoing Los Angeles productions.
“HGTV feels the Chicago area is underrepresented on the air,” said executive producer Jennifer Davidson. “They feel their viewers will be happy to see Chicago represented on the series.”
Davidson, a Northwestern University alum, emphasized that the Chicago series were “still in planning stages,” but Pie Town is actively seeking a 3,000 sq. ft. production office, (“probably in River West”) and is searching for cast and crew.
Production supervisor Samantha Leonard plans to hire a supervising producer, three show producers and an associate producer for each of the two series, plus two segment producers for “Designed to Sell” and one for “Design on a Dime.” The shows would share a production manager and a production assistant and draw from a pool of freelance tech crew.
“It remains to be seen if we send any L.A. based people or hire all Chicago people to fill those positions,” Davidson said.
Davidson said Pie Town’s development director would likely work with a Chicago casting director to hire hosts, designers, carpenters and real estate experts.
The two series are both budget home makeover shows. In “Designed to Sell,” designers work on a maximum budget of $2,000 to fix up a home for sale. In “Design on a Dime” designers redo one room in a house on a maximum budget of $1,000.
Davidson founded Pie Town with Tara Sandler in 1995. Third partner Scott Templeton joined in 1997. Pie Town has produced more than 1600 episodes for 19 series, 21 specials and one feature doc, for HGTV, VH1, Country Music Television, MTV, A&E, The Food Network and Paramount Domestic Television.
Pie Town is at 5433 Laurel Canyon Blvd., North Hollywood. Prospective crew can fax resumes to Leonard at 818/255-9333 or email chicago@pietown.tv.
? by Ed M. Koziarski, edk@homesickblues.com
