Mark Burnett

Producer / Show Creator

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Mark Burnett details his upbringing in England and his time in the British Army before discussing his move to Los Angeles, CA. He describes several of the jobs he held before venturing into television production and recounts his love of the outdoors and adventure sports -- passions that led to his involvement with the physically demanding Eco-Challenge race and its corresponding television show. Such experience proved invaluable for his next hit competition-based reality series -- and perhaps the show most closely identified with him -- Survivor. Burnett goes on to discuss the production of Survivor, as well as that of several of his other successes, including The Apprentice and Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? He also touches on a few of his more short-lived series, like The Contender and The Restaurant, and comments on what the term "reality television" means to him. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview in two parts on September 1, 2010 in Santa Monica, CA, and on September 29, 2010 in Malibu, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"If you're a person who needs to be sure and have 100% of things lined up logistically, financially, common sense-wise before you take a step, you will go nowhere. You have to jump in. You have to be about half sure, and believe that you'll figure out the other half on the way. Every TV production I've ever done, I haven't had enough money or enough time, so if I actually were a worry wart, I wouldn't have done any of them. I've made huge mistakes, and I'll tell my people who make mistakes, you know what? I'd rather you make mistakes than just be safe and do nothing."

People Talking About ...

Highlights

Mark Burnett on the values of Survivor

01:07

Mark Burnett on the popularity of Survivor: it's a morality play

03:47

Mark Burnett on the meaning of reality TV as a genre: "there are no rules"

00:45

Mark Burnett on owing his success to his amazing crews

00:51

Mark Burnett on following your instincts

01:27

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his childhood and early influences

On his time in the British Army

On moving to America and his first years in the U.S.

On creating the adventure race, Eco-Challenge, and the corresponding television show

Chapter 2

On Eco-Challenge and Survivor

On creating Survivor

On casting Survivor: "a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker"

On pitching Survivor and the rejections the show faced initially; on the business model for the show

On finding the right island to shoot Survivor

On being "in the moment": the directorial and lighting decisions behind Survivor's tribal council; on choosing the host for the show

On the environmentally-conscious crew of Survivor and how the success of the show is due to them

Chapter 3

On shooting Survivor; on preparing for shoots with a "dream team"; on the crew

On early criticism of Survivor and his vindication in its success

On letting the crew and challenge winners on Survivor watch snippets of unaired episodes while still on the island

On prepping Survivor during 9/11

On shooting the Survivor finale in a live setting; on how Survivor connects with audiences

Chapter 4

On the then-future of Survivor

On The Apprentice

On Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?

On several of his short-lived television shows

On his then-current projects

On then-current television and on his own brand

On his management style

Shows

Apprentice, The

Mark Burnett on The Apprentice

05:31

Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?

Mark Burnett on creating Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?

03:48

Contender, The

Mark Burnett on the disappointment of the ratings for The Contender

00:56

Eco-Challenge

Mark Burnett on creating the adventure race, Eco-Challenge, and the corresponding television show

26:00

MTV Movie Awards, The

Mark Burnett on producing The MTV Movie Awards

01:16

On the Lot

Mark Burnett on the poor concept of On the Lot

01:05

Restaurant, The

Mark Burnett on how he enjoyed making The Restaurant

00:23

Rock Star INXS

Mark Burnett on the popularity of Rock Star: INXS

00:28

Sarah Palin's Alaska

Mark Burnett on Sarah Palin's Alaska

00:37

Survivor

Mark Burnett on how lessons learned from Eco-Challenge led to creating Survivor

01:00

Mark Burnett on creating, casting, and shooting Survivor

56:08

Mark Burnett on the origin of the tribe names on Survivor

01:18

Mark Burnett on how he found the island location for Survivor

03:22

Mark Burnett on the directorial and lighting decisions behind Survivor's tribal council

02:55

Mark Burnett on trying to talk Jeff Probst out of hosting Survivor

03:31

Mark Burnett on how no pickups are ever shot for Survivor, and on preparing for shoots with the "dream team"

03:36

Mark Burnett on early criticism of Survivor and his vindication in its success, and questioning the meaning of reality TV as a genre

04:44

Mark Burnett on letting the challenge winners on Survivor watch snippets of unaired episodes while still on the island

07:06

Mark Burnett on shooting the finale of Survivor live, and on his level of involvement in the show

01:22

Mark Burnett on the Survivor catchphrase "outwit, outplay, outlast"

00:53

Mark Burnett on the greater meaning of Survivor as a morality play

05:48

Mark Burnett on the then-future of Survivor

02:10

Topics

9/11

Mark Burnett on how 9/11 affected show prep on Survivor

05:31

Advertising and Sponsorship

Mark Burnett on sponsorship and advertising on Survivor

04:21

Characters & Catchphrases

Mark Burnett on Survivor host Jeff Probst's catchphrase, "the tribe has spoken"

01:34

Mark Burnett on the Survivor catchphrase, "out wit, out play, out last"

00:54

Creative Influences and Inspiration

Mark Burnett on his creative influences and inspiration from his mother

08:59

Fame and Celebrity

Mark Burnett on reality show contestants and their fame

01:44

Pivotal Career Moments

Mark Burnett on his creative influences and inspiration from his mother

08:59

Pop Culture

Mark Burnett on the Survivor catchphrase, "Out wit, out play, out last"

00:54

Mark Burnett on Survivor host Jeff Probst's catchphrase, "the tribe has spoken"

01:34

Mark Burnett on the Survivor catchphrase, "out wit, out play, out last"

00:54

Mark Burnett on reality show contestants and their fame

01:44

Television Industry

Mark Burnett on sponsorship and advertising on Survivor

04:21

Professions

Producers

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Mark Burnett on pitching Survivor

07:11

Mark Burnett on his style of shows

00:56

Genres

Reality TV

Mark Burnett on being a pioneer of reality television

47:26

Mark Burnett on early criticism of Survivor and his vindication in its success, and on questioning the meaning of reality TV as a genre; "there are no rules"

00:46

Mark Burnett on the term "reality TV"

01:58

People

Donald J. Trump

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Mark Burnett on wanting Donald Trump to be involved with The Apprentice

01:55

Jeff Foxworthy

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Mark Burnett on Jeff Foxworthy as host of Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?

00:27

Jeff Probst

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Mark Burnett on Survivor host Jeff Probst

00:18

Mark Burnett on hiring Survivor host Jeff Probst

04:11

Mark Burnett on trying to talk Jeff Probst out of hosting Survivor

03:34

Jeff Zucker

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Mark Burnett on how Jeff Zucker believed The Apprentice would be a hit

00:40

Leslie Moonves

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Mark Burnett on meeting with Leslie Moonves at CBS to pitch Survivor

06:25

Mark Burnett on the risk Leslie Moonves took in supporting him on Survivor

03:22

Mark Burnett on presenting his choices for host of Survivor

02:09