SO much stuff is made up. Our original "sizzle reel" that's posted on this thread was almost 4 years ago. Everything that happened was in fact, real. Nothing made up. We filmed as we went. We marketed it professionally in both LA and New York. Many networks looked at it. They wanted more "excitement". We added some boobs and broads, cursing, screaming customers, games getting damaged. Then they wanted more "family" stuff---so we filmed new stuff with my family. Then, they wanted another collectible added, so we filmed stuff about my film collecting. We went through change after change trying to cover all aspects. I actually filmed sequences with Richie Knucklez both being nasty to each other (rival dealers) and then buddy buddy---both at TNT and at his arcade. Alternate takes, scenarios, etc, different dialogue, whatever they wanted-over and over. We found the previews got just so high on the ladder and then were knocked down.
Reality Shows are all bullshit anyway, it seems. You should know I was contacted by Pawn Stars in Vegas 4 months ago. They wanted me to fly out to Vegas with one of my cocktail table Pacman games for them to "value" and make me an "offer" for it. I asked them about expenses. I get NOTHING...I have to fly out, pay hotel, pay for Pacman to get shipped, and then film for 4 hours and get ridiculed with some shitty offer. I asked them why I would possibly consider to do this. The lady says "Because you will be on national TV and be famous". Of course, I cannot mention my company name...ONLY my name. BUT---I WOULD be on National TV on a fictitious made up "reality" show getting insulted! Oh boy, I can stay at home and get insulted without spending all that money!! SO people don't just stumble in that shop with something to sell---its all preplanned months in advance!
But if any of you remember that TNT Amusements WAS on an episode of Food Network's BUBBA Q barbecue show 2 years ago with that ridiculous Pinball Barbecue machine that I "wanted", that was all preplanned and scripted---with alternate takes and an entire day of footage with a different storyline filmed at an auction that was never used. No pay for all those hours of work we did, and virtually no air time. Todd