Preface
One Eyed Bird was asked to produce a second season of the popular television series “The Great Ride Open” for Fuel TV.
The Point
- To produce, direct and edit a flag ship series for Fuel TV
- To create a brand driven series for Red Bull
- It was a must to maintain the stature of the series brand and satisfy the expectations of the already established viewership
- It was mandatory to deliver high quality character and story driven content on a limited budget
- To mitigate the projects inherent risks and get the cast and crew through the production safely
Our Story
One Eyed Bird assembled a team of action sport producers, camera operators, FMX athletes, safety coordinators, support personnel and the equipment necessary to execute the project from planning through post production and final delivery. Like season one, (which was also produced and directed under the guidance of Dirk Collins) the second season took a group of Freestyle Motocross riders on a road trip across four states in search of the best natural terrain riding in North America. The logistically challenged project covered over 3000 miles and included a caravan of 25 people, four trailers, two RV’s, a buggy, nine motorcycles, two quads, two side-by-side ATV’s and a helicopter. The six episode television series was shot during a fourteen-day road trip, which meant that an entire episode had to be shot every two days – from the action, to the interviews to the lifestyle.
In addition to the pressing schedule, weather problems and the technicality of the shoot crew safety was a major concern and had to be taken seriously. Due to the dangerous terrain, high level riding, a plethora of motorized vehicles and long hours the OEB safety team remained on alert twenty four hours a day and put together a comprehensive safety and rescue plan for each location as well as all points in between.
Following the production OEB worked through a tight schedule of delivery dates on the post production end managing the creative, the editing, the graphics and the music supervision.
In the end the series was delivered on schedule, on budget and exceeded the clients expectations from every standpoint. In addition the series went on to be another hit for Fuel TV.
The Results
- The creation of a highly successful second season of The Great Ride Open series
- Further expansion of the viewership and the series brand
- Authentic brand integration of Red Bull and other series partners
- The developed of a fan base that remains loyal and would like to see additional seasons of the series
- The project did a lot to further develop the athletes as stars of their sport
- The series grew the awareness of natural terrain riding and FMX
- The Great Ride Open continues to be aired on Fuel TV and several online destinations