Monday 10 February 2014

Celeb Hunter - 2 Chairs 1 Camera.

2 chairs 1 camera... I have definitely heard a phrase similar to this before. Hmm. Can't think... Anyway, when I heard about this show I was quite intrigued as I really enjoy listening to Chris Stark on The Scott Mills show on BBC Radio One. I found his surprise interview with Mila Kunis so entertaining and when it exploded like wild fire, he became quite a phenomenon... His Voice overs words - not mine! 

Okay, so the basis of the show is that Chris is trying to create his own chat show but it's filmed in the style of a documentary where he is recording the process before it got picked up by Channel 4. He doesn't appear to be using his resources he undoubtedly has from R1, but I guess because the BBC aren't producing it he can't mention that he's from a huge radio show already. Chris and his mates are going around in their spare time, with two camping chairs from his parents shed in Watford and essentially locating themselves wherever a celeb may be. Creating an 'ultimate' list of top celebs and to interview then trying to approach them in regards to sitting down for five minutes on his chairs and conduct an interview. Sounds super easy.. I don't think!

He manages to talk to quite a few people - Sandra Bullock, Daniel Radcliffe and Verne Troyer but handles it rather badly, he doesn't even ask Sandra to be on the show, just mentions he's making one and then doesn't have a card to give Daniel, the biggest gent. Obviously Chris is winging it and it shows! But, it is bloody funny. He just has this dopey characteristic and his own mother apparently called him 'delirious' but so far it's paying off - well kind of!

He meets Rachel Stevens from good ol' S Club 7 in a bridal show and manages to persuade her to come down to his local for an interview. He waits quite some time before she arrives and sets up is his two garden chairs next to a bar table with open crisp packets on top and wires everywhere. "dodgy" was Chris' own words and he's not wrong! He waited ages but prepared no actual questions. He spoke about fisting a cow and told her she was the fittest in the band...Awkward! My favourite part was that the entire time he just sat there phone in hand and continues to do this through the rest of his interviews! 

He strikes lucky and gets Ricky Hatton to come down to what I assume is a football club for his interview. Somehow he pulls this off, it's all very casual and Ricky is just the ultimate lad. Sitting with a Bud in his garden chair talking really intimately with Chris about his biography and how it's difficult for him to talk about feelings and such, but being down to earth he admits it's not just him but men in general. Then after a really successful chat they play a round of darts. However he warns Chris if he beats him he will 'knock him the fuck out'. Brilliant.

He also manages to get into where Emma Thompson and Colin Farrell are holding interviews all day promoting their new film 'Saving Mr Banks'. He over hears in the waiting room that Emma just had a whole interview in French, so decides he will open his interview this way too.. Except he doesn't speak French.. Recipe for disaster or a brilliant ice breaker? Well it pans out for him in terms of the audience finding it ridiculously funny but not much gets answered. He speaks what little French he knows, including: 'Where is the bank? Where is the toilet? I am 11 years old. Do you want to sleep...' And Emma handles them with such class! Telling him exactly where the bank is, telling him to be wary of the toilet as she had some asparagus earlier and telling him that being 11 he is far too young for her! Colin Farrell follows suit and what starts to look like an uncomfortable encounter quickly changes into what seems like mates hanging out. Chris is hungover, though he is telling this to a recovered alcoholic, he tells Colin about his beery night out and how he feels under-dressed to be talking to Colin who looks the bees knees! I agree Chris, maybe add this to your improvement list! 

Finally, he manages to get hold of Verne Troyer and brings him to his local arcade to muck about before they get serious, and boy do they get serious! Verne is small even in dwarf measurements and he is amazing, more so because of this. He turns up on his scooter and they play multiple machines and splash out Chris' changed up £20 - a fantastic idea in my opinion. They then get down to business and get out the garden chairs. Speaking again, quite intimately about Vernes life as a dwarf and touch a little on girls and how Verne isn't the biggest relationship or rather "drama" fan, giving Chris the advice to make sure he gets to know the girl first. It was lovely, though I do wish it finished on a high as there was a sense of pity for Verne and he doesn't need that - but still, brilliant.

I have to say, I really enjoyed this show. I, myself am about to embark on some training to be a researcher where you find people to interview and come up with some bright new way to interview them, and in all honesty, I feel like Chris has inspired me a little and given me a real sense of excitement! I liked that at the end of the day, he did make it with some friends with no idea that it would go anywhere, but he aimed high regardless. He obviously does have more chance getting these people from working on Radio One, than say I would, but it came across like some eager polite guy maybe making a Youtube video, it didn't come across terribly professional but that is what made it great to watch. He was just himself.


Camera work/ Editing - 8.5
Presenting - 8.7
Interview Technique - ...Unique

I felt the camera work and how it was edited was great, cutting back to Chris whilst the interview airs and having him recapping the somewhat strange things he just said. The presenting of the show was down to earth and just plain natural. When you think of Chris Stark you think of his typical awkward smile and two thumbs up but that is him and it's nice that is doesn't change. His interview technique did improve as the show progressed; with Rachel he had prepared nil and it showed, he rambled and embarrassed himself, which was amazing for us but not so much for him. By the end of the show he actually managed to pull off two great interviews, managing a little promotion for Ricky too. More importantly, he got an even bigger fan in me!

Definitely recommend this show, I love the mix of documentary and home made chat show, I would love to interview Chris. If he gets his own show then it would not be the same, he definitely needs to stop comparing himself to Graham Norton! Awesome watch. 

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