Constance Vilanova answers questions from True or False Junior students about reality TV

The journalist publishes “Living for the Cameras”, where she investigates the underbelly of reality TV.

Since Loft Story, a little over 20 years ago, “confinement” and “collective life” reality TV has evolved a lot and developed with shows like Angels, The Sticks or The people of Marseilles.

Students from André Derain colleges in Yvelines and Emiles Combesin Gironde, asked questions about this universe to Constance Vilanova, journalist and author of Living for the cameras, an investigation into the underbelly of reality TV.

“Everything is designed to make you addicted”

Anouk wonders “why are reality TV shows so popular in France” and Clement “why reality TV is so popular”.

Constance explains to them that “Reality TV is really popular in France because it allows you to watch what you can’t do in real life.” She specifies that there is “so many insults, clashes, vulgarity that sometimes it relieves the viewer to see all these prohibitions come to life.”

And there is the way in which these programs are paced so that we “clings on and has difficulty letting go with a series of arguments or love stories.” Constance Vilanova found that “Everything is done so that we become addicted and stay throughout the program, thus consuming the advertisements which will be interspersed between the sequences.”

Wild castings and stereotypical profiles

Joseph wonders “how do reality TV castings take place” and Jeanne “if there are criteria for being selected”.

Constance explains that there is “20 years ago, to apply for a reality show, you had to send a letter, then the casters started to practice what we call wild castings.” The principle is to go on the street and try to spot profiles, or even in a nightclub. Today, castings take place via social networks, the casters will search TikTok and Instagram accounts in search of an original profile that looks good on camera.

Anna wonders if it’s true that on reality shows “candidates are assigned a role”.

Constance Vilanova explains that when “we watch reality TV, we realize very well and very quickly that the casters will look for very particular profiles: the big mouth, the one who knows how to elbow each other, who speaks louder than the others to create these famous sequences of clashes and arguments, there will be the very vulnerable young woman who will often be the victim of harassment from the pack and the group.

No actors, but scenes that are reshot

Ilyès wonders if it is true “that reality TV scenes are often staged”.

First of all, Constance Vilanova reminds us that there is no “as an actor in these shows, so it’s difficult to get them to read a text or lines.” On the other hand, she specifies, “so that things don’t go in circles and the viewer doesn’t get bored, the production companies will stimulate the candidates with activities during which we can witness arguments and possibly stage productions.”

She specifies that “the problem is that before, in the early 2000s, reality TV had a lot more money to make nice shows, whereas now, there are fewer cameras and therefore sometimes, we have to redo scenes since the cameras missed an argument for example.” Production will then ask the two candidates, who have just argued, to replay the sequence.

Partnerships on social networks bring more than a show to candidates

Lison wonders if it’s true “that people on reality TV are well paid” and Louise heard that “people on reality TV are not paid the same way” and she wonders if it’s true.

It’s true, all candidates are paid differently. Constance Vilanova explains that a day of filming is paid on average between 200 and 900 euros, but that it is by another means that the candidates earn money now. She found that “since the advent of Instagram in 2013, reality TV candidates earn much more money doing product placements and advertising on their social networks than during filming.” She analyzed that an advertisement on social networks, “It can vary between 1000 and 4000 euros.”

There is no psychological monitoring of candidates after the shows

Camille wonders if it’s true “that a former reality TV candidate attempted suicide”.

Yes, it’s true, replies Constance Vilanova, in reality TV, “there is a lot of harassment and in 2016, for example, there is a candidate called Aurélie Preston, who was the victim of harassment from other candidates, it was very hard scenes to watch” . At the time, she explains, “the production company did nothing and did not prevent the harassment and Aurélie Preston attempted suicide recently because it had a huge impact on her and she was not psychologically supported after this filming painful.” To conclude, Constance Vilanova explains that we “does not emerge unscathed from these filmings which affect us deeply and the production companies do not support or offer psychological follow-up after these filmings”.