Behind the scenes of “Survivor” Season 48

Divide 18 strangers into three “tribes.” Drop them on a remote island with little food and shelter, and let them out and overtake each other until their final competitors win the winner of the $1 million award. When Adventure Reality Game Show “Survivor” debuted on CBS in May 2000, nothing was seen before on American television.

Asked to explain the series, “Survivor” host and showrunner Jeff Probst said, “It’s a social experiment, it requires a group of people who don’t know each other and don’t resort to each other while playing. This game where you vote for each other in terms of not getting it.”

Probst invited “Sunday Morning” in Fiji and the experiment in Fiji to begin taping season 48.

Asked if he was still nervous hosting his 48th series, Probst said, “I’m not nervous about ‘survivors’. I’ve never been nervous.

And this uncertainty is this uncertainty that has become one of the most popular shows on television for a quarter century. The show will episode about 6 million viewers on average. Over the past 24 years, fans have looked at 1 billion and a half hours in bulk.

“When we knew that ‘Survivor’ was the first day of its first season, Richard Hatch (who ultimately won the first season) happened when we abandoned everyone on the beach. . The tree’s power position and he looked down at everyone. And Sue Hawk, a truck driver from Wisconsin, looked up and said, “I came and we’re working while we talk.”

There was no doubt about Probst, but “Survivor” rarely happened. Mark Burnett, the British television producer behind hits like “Apprentice” and “Shark Tank” (and now President Trump’s newly appointed special envoy), has announced the Swedish reality series (” (Exploration: Robinson) He led his ideas to almost every US television network.

“And every network said, ‘No. That’s a crazy idea. We don’t want to do it,” Probst said. “But Mark isn’t easily blocked. So he went out and got sponsorship for the entire show.”

At the time, Probst hosted music shows on cable television (including VH1’s “Rock and Roll Jeopardy!”). “I literally hired the last person,” he said. “I heard Mark talk about ‘survivors’ in a radio interview. And he explained the show. I knew when I heard it. I told all my friends, “This is my show, this is what I’ve been waiting for.” “

Today, Probst (still showrunners) have their hands in every aspect of production, including examining over 15,000 audition tapes each year. “To be honest, I’m sure you’ll be on the show in 30 seconds or less,” he said. “Some people are immediately persuasive.”

People like Stephanie Burger, technical product managers in New York City and one of the picks of the season. Asked what the strategy for the game will be in Fiji, Burger said, “Like me, in my daily life, everyone will say I can become an alpha, like control.

Kyle Fraser is a contestant in Roanoke, Virginia. “When I first started watching ‘Survivor’, I knew this game was for me,” he said.

“Can I lie? Where would you draw the lines in the game?” I asked.

“Listen, I have to lie,” Fraser said. “You know, I’m not going to say I’m a lawyer.”

Contestants need not only to build trust through possible means. They must risk winning or voting mental and physical challenges from the moment they arrive.

Probst says what we’re seeing isn’t about performances or scripts, including tribal councils. He burns contestants from the cuff, a skill he developed over time.

“You’re a student of psychology and anthropology,” he said.

“No degree!” Probst laughed. “I’ve always loved everything. I’ve never applied it officially. I didn’t want to be a psychologist. I wanted to be a storyteller.”

Making it on TV is carefully selected from thousands of hours worth of video shoots over 26 days and 24 days, making it one of the biggest television works on the planet. “When you’re watching ‘survivors’, it’s because you feel intimate. “When tribes are on the beach, there are only a handful of crew members and producers there. But once you get to the challenge or the tribal council, the cameras are everywhere. The 400 people who work with us There are Fijians.

Every season’s summer films have crews arrive a few months ago and turn the resort into a production village.

“It’s not just work, it’s family,” said Robertarimjap, who works in the arts department.

All materials, equipment and props are produced here. “It’s all made from scratch,” she said. “I can’t buy this.”

Dozens of young production assistants test every detail of the challenge, and the crew plot camera angles.

There was a chance. And yes, it’s much more difficult than it looks. And tribe members often compete on exhaustion and hungry. It is not fed when the camera is off.

I tried my hand in survival. Opening coconuts is not easy. “Do you know I’m scared? I take my thumb off,” I laughed.

Co-executive producer Jimmy Quigley started the fire and coached me. Meanwhile, when I first tried the spear gun, I caught a fish. Beginners’ luck!

What’s lacking in luck is the ability of a survivor to stay. “The freedom to play is what keeps us out here in the middle of Fiji,” said Probst, the ultimate survivor after 47 seasons.

“Does it sound like you’re here until the end?” I asked.

“I’m there now,” replied Probst. “There’s no idea that I’m not there. But I, yeah, if you’re saying at 86, I might be too old! I’m part of the team. I feel that way.

Check out our expanded interview with Jeff Probst:

To see a preview of the new season of Survivor, click on the video player below.

For more information:

A story created by Jay Carnis. Editor: Lauren Barnero.

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