Getting Off the Ground

It's been a lot of fun getting Coffee Table Congress (CTC) off the ground.  I spend a lot of time talking politics over cocktails with my friends anyway, so it was an easy transition to doing it in front of the camera.  My friend David Tiktin was not an obvious choice for host.  I auditioned about a dozen people, and was pleasantly surprised how well-suited he is.  David is a natural moderator, has great charisma on screen, and manages to keep his opinions to himself.

My buddy Dave Long provides most of the start-up equipment - some lights, a decent mic, and a couple cameras.  Add my meager contributions, and we almost have a make-shift production going on here.  Dave also designed all the beautiful graphics for the show (including the incredible opening credits animation).  I could not have done this show without the two Daves.

Everybody is volunteering.  It's a big commitment for the host and crew.  Panelists don't have to go on every episode, though, so it's less of a commitment for them.  Still, it's not easy building a pool of like-able, knowledgeable folk.  Some of the panelists are friends, others are new acquaintances who replied to a Craigslist ad I put out in search of talent.  The hardest thing has been finding registered Republicans who are kind of an endangered species in Los Angeles.

Going forward, we hope to upgrade our equipment to enable a live edit, which will save much time and ensure that the episodes can be posted much faster after each taping.  I probably put 30+ hours a week into this show, and it is similar hours for Dave Long and my wife Talia Squires, who helps edit.  Nobody gets paid, but we have a good time.  And we feel like we're contributing something to the political landscape.  If you like the show and are in a position to help us grow via a little generosity, you can do so by clicking on "Contribute" on the left.  Or simply buy something in our store.  100% of proceeds go toward improving the show and keeping it afloat.

Regards,
-Rio Veradonir
director