The Four Stages of Production

If you’re unfamiliar with the difference between development and replication, don’t worry – that’s what this section defines – a breakdown of the four basic phases that are necessary to take a product from concept to sale.

1. Development
This is one of my favorite steps – it’s where you take a workout and a trainer and build them into something magic on-screen. What’s the big difference between Jack LaLanne, Denise Austin, Tony Horton, and Richard Simmons? The answer is simpler than you might guess. They all have the same basic philosophy; Exercise and eat well, right? Our mothers used to tell us to do that too – so what’s the real difference? Ever hear the quote “There are no new ideas – only new ways of perceiving them”? Well, I subscribe to you “There are no new exercises – only new ways of delivering them.” And that starts with the talent, his or her personality and how they communicate their philosophy and cue their moves. Bringing out the best in a trainer’s personality, and packaging it into something powerful that people will want to experience day after day, developing this is the first place to start.

The good news is if you’re a new face – you have something that no one else has seen before, you. The first thing I do when I work with a new trainer is get to know him so I can help bring his unique qualities through the lens and touch the audience. Bob Harper from the Biggest Loser recently shot a program called Inside Out. The production company built a set much like the P90X® set, mimicking its style and feel. While imitation is flattering, they overlooked their most valuable asset in my opinion – Bob and his unique personality and strengths. He’s got a completely different delivery than Tony Horton. P90X® is the best-selling fitness video of all times, in part because Beachbody’s CEO, Carl Daikeler, took a big risk on something that no one else had ever offered the public, an Extreme Home Fitness program. Carl painstakingly worked on how to sell the public on the differences that Tony and P90X® delivered – not the similarities to all the workouts already available. The strategy paid off and P90X® is now the most successful-selling workout series in history – bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

The point is: Develop your product and spend time with it – don’t just assume you can jump in and shoot something and it’s going to be successful. Just like an architect works on drawings of a building or a filmmaker starts with a script, take time to draft out, develop, and workshop your concept before you start spending a lot of money – no matter what budget level you are at.