27 February 2009
There are a whole lot more people involved in the show than you would imagine. It’s not just Jo and the camera guy. Nope! In fact, we had about 20+ people at our house, bustling about. Everyone had a specific job and focused all of their time and energy on being the best at what they did. It was a lot of chaos, but reminded me of a choreographed dance. Every person involved helped to create a harmonious atmosphere once the camera started rolling. They made it seem effortless. It was really amazing.
The crew was so much fun to be around. It is kind of scary to have a crowd of strangers running around your house. My husband, who is quite a private man, was very nervous about the idea. However, each and every crew member introduced themselves and their role in the whole scheme of things. Everyone was very personable. In fact, during the time between filming shots, a lot of them were outside playing around or visiting with the kids. It was a lively atmosphere!
Jo drinks tea. Surprised? I thought not. What English person does not have a cup during the day? I mean that she drinks a lot of tea. I had so many of her tea cups to keep track of while she was here with us, that I had a specific shelf where I kept them. Yes, I gave them all back. Furthermore, Jo was not drinking Earl Grey. She drank green tea! Apparently, she knows the power of antioxidants and uses her heritage to her advantage.
At the end of the filming day, the crew shuts down and leaves. We did not have 20 people camping out with their sleeping bags in our living room (although that would have been so much fun!) No, they all had other accommodations, including Jo. Despite their absence, we always had their phone numbers in case we need to reach them. The producers were always available to answer questions or concerns…at any time. It made me feel very at ease with the whole process. I am the kind of person who has a million questions and likes the security of knowing that I can get in touch with somebody at all times, should one pop up.
We had a wardrobe! Yes, it is true. The wardrobe consisted of our own clothes, of course. Before the crew arrived to start filming, I had to set out seven different outfits for each family member (that is 63 outfits!) This was done in order to avoid last minute stress of finding appropriate attire for all of us. We could not have logos or anything inappropriate on our bodies. Everything had to be camera friendly. I bet that is something that Supernanny viewers never even thought about!
Jo was always very sweet, on and off of the camera. She went out of her way to meet my neighbors and invite them over. She joked around with us between takes and even took pictures with my mom (who is a huge fan). I know it is commonplace to hear stories about celebrities who act snotty in real life. This was so not the case with Jo. What you see on television, is what you get in real life.
I hope you enjoyed this little peek at what goes on behind the scenes, from the perspective of a Supernanny family. I encourage you to get your own perspective by applying for the show. After all, parenting is never easy and everyone can use help in one area or another.
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