IFWTWA TV Food Critic Opportunity

This is a fantastic opportunity for IFWTWA members near Southern California. However, I cannot stress enough the importance of your online member profile. If it is not up-to-date and good, you won’t make the cut. Take a few minutes and bring it up to date. ~MDH

December 5, 2012
Diamond Bar, CA

West Coast Media Contact
Linda Kissam
Board Member & SoCal Member Rep
On behalf of the IFWTWA
951-526-4540 LindaKissam@Kissam.net

International Food Wine and Travel Writers AssociationCall for Food Critics for a New Reality Show
Being Filmed in Southern California

The International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association’s (IFWTWA) has been contacted by a local production company looking for 8 food writers/critics to appear on one segment of a new reality based show. In brief the show will be giving your opinion on contest participant’s bid to put a new food item in local markets. You will be tasting the item and giving your opinion about it’s chances of doing well.Per the producer, “A new cable television series is looking for a small group of food journalists (6-8) to serve as a focus group for one of the episodes. We are looking for knowledgeable, opinionated people who can offer their honest thoughts and constructive criticism. The series will be filming in Van Nuys, CA so journalists in the Los Angeles area are preferred, but if you’re interested and understand the travel, time and costs involved, it’s fine to apply. Filming will be towards the end of January and will consist of one half-day of shooting.”

There will be a trade out for each journalist — the display of their name and any affiliation in a lower-third, a card during the credit roll, etc. If the IFWTWA is able to provide all of the journalists for the episode, the production company hopes to provide a similar trade-out (or possibly have the host mention their involvement during the show). These details will need to be worked out further along in the process and will be handled on a case-by-case basis. You are responsible for all transportation, food and lodging costs.

For now, there looks like a three part process.

1.Let me know if you are interested. Contact me at lindakissam@aol.com and send me a link to your IFWTWA member profile page.

2. I will review your member page to make sure it is updated and speaks (your bio and clips) to your writing on food. If everything looks good, I will send off to the producer.

3. The producer will contact you directly if you are accepted. You may then have to either come in for a personal interview NEXT WEEK or make a three minute video for the casting people to review.

The video request will be something like this:

Your basic info (name, age, city) & put together a brief (approx. 2 minutes) video with the following:

Take a food item from your fridge and give us a thirty second review of it

Tell us about your journalism experience and qualifications

Tell us why we should listen to your opinion

Tell us, in three words, how your friends would describe you

Tell us one interesting thing about you

About: The International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) is a dynamic nonprofit organization based out of Southern California. What started out as a small group of prominent Frenchmen rating restaurants in 1956 is now a global network of journalists who cover the hospitality and lifestyle fields, and the people who promote them. Members cover a broad spectrum of travel destination attractions such as active and passive adventure activities, ecology, historical features, culture, fairs, festivals, food, wine, and special events. The association’s membership includes professionals in culinary arts and sciences, the wine growing and production industry, and hotel and hospitality management industries.

Http://www.IFWTWA.org