You have been part of bTV for more than 10 years. What has changed in the way television productions are made since then?
Television in Bulgaria has gone through many stages of development since 2000, when bTV was launched. I became part of the media team with the arrival of licensed television formats such as Survivor and Music Idol. Through them, the world know-how in entertainment productions has reached us, the scale of our work has increased many times compared to the first few years of bTV history. During this period, viewing habits began to change, people became accustomed to discovering and watching television content on the Internet. The good thing is that thanks to the digital transformation we keep pace with the global entertainment industry, we have easy access to its achievements, it is no longer difficult to have the most modern technologies in production. Especially in the last few years, it has become unthinkable for a show to be present only on TV. We have teams that work specifically on digital content, shooting exclusive videos for the websites and social media profiles of our shows. Apart from us, the viewers also have access to the best of the world and this has significantly raised the criteria for quality of both the creative part and the realization. We are obliged to follow them in order to keep people's interest in native productions.
bTV is making more and more in-house entertainment productions. How do you work on so many projects at once? What is the biggest challenge in your job?
Working on so many projects at once happens with… a lot of work. To this lot of work are added a few spices - heart, insomnia, a flawless team and more heart. The big challenge is for the viewer to be impressive and not to think about how everything he sees is done. To be happy to watch it - to laugh, to cry, to get angry and to look forward to the next edition. If you bring out the emotions of the viewers, then you have won them over, then you have done your job properly.
Working in a TV show looks very exciting, but we only see what comes out on the screen. Tell us, how does the magic happen behind the scenes? What secrets from the kitchen remain invisible to viewers while watching The Nikolaos Tsitiridis Show, for example?
That's right, the behind-the-scenes work is exciting. In fact, the magic is a purely hard work after good planning. What's magic is for Astor (famous illusionist – trans. note) to take off his head. With us, you literally have to take your head off work so that the viewers can see what they see. The humor in a daily late night show such as The Nikolaos Tsitiridis Show, for example, must be in line with current affairs, which means that the script can change 20 minutes before the broadcast. As for the other secrets from the kitchen, it is better for them to stay in the kitchen. No chef wants his guests to see how he has soiled his apron, how many dishes he has burned and how much have remained raw. The important thing is that the meal on the plate is perfect in the end. Of course, sometimes the salt is a bit more, other times less, but this is also a matter of taste.
How did you decide to bet on a young and unpopular person for a show with such high expectations? How do you work with Nikolaos Tsitiridis, compared to, for example, long-time stars like Grafa, Katerina Evro?
There was a big and long casting. And the young and unpopular person performed best. Nikolaos’ talent goes much beyond the hosting of a TV show – he is also a scriptwriter, has many artistic talents, including stand-up comedy, music, basically everything that hosts of international late night shows have. The obvious difference between Nikolaos and Katerina Evro is that she is a lady and he is a well-mannered punk (laughs). Working with Nikolaos is both easy and difficult. As with any smart young man. And it's good that's the case. He doesn't let himself be modeled, but he listens to the team behind him. And thinks, and invents for himself! We are lucky with him - and he with us.
"Before Noon" is also a daily show. Is it easier to implement than a late night show? Tell me something about its kitchen. How did you come up with the idea of a worldly host?
Each show has its own specifics of production. Things that make it easier or harder come from what kind of bird you are - owl or lark. Other than that, you must be a weird bird in both cases. We came up with the idea of a worldly host because we are worldly in our aims. The tenth season for an original Bulgarian format is a big challenge. We had to add something else to the working formula of "Before noon", to change it, to provoke the viewer with new segments and faces. We discussed options with the team for a long time. And of course we came up with the idea for another host. We went through familiar and unfamiliar faces. We focused on the actress Raya Peeva, who, in addition to being talented on stage and on screen, turned out to be the right person for the format and the role we gave her. She is the girl outside the studio who knows everything about celebrities. And they trust her. The first shows of the new season show us that the choice is right. Raya fully fit into the company of Desi and Sasho. The new columns about the most influential in Desi's social networks and about surviving in extreme conditions of Sasho are of great interest in all our platforms. But "Before noon" remains the show that relies on good taste in the selection of content, quality infotainment, with up-to-date information, but mainly with a lifestyle focus.
Is the food prepared in MasterChef delicious, have you tried it? This format seems the hardest in terms of production because of the work with food, is it really so?
The only people who have tried the food at MasterChef are the members of our competent jury, as well as the celebrity guests in the MasterChef restaurant. The team is not entitled to this pleasure. But how well a participant can cook can be seen by how far they reach in the competition. The format is difficult to implement due to the many conventions and norms that we must comply with. We work with food that requires special storage methods, for example. We look for different, unusual, unpopular products and recipes.
Participants must be diverse in terms of character, culinary skills, strong personalities to keep the viewer's attention all season. The shooting days are long and exhausting for everyone. In parallel with the production team, there is a team in prep kitchen which works in a perfect organization. It is not easy to fit this whole puzzle and make every little wheel of the machine work in harmony, but for 7 years now we have been working successfully and MasterChef is a premium TV product.
It's great that you can take the viewer on a journey through food and human stories.
"The Voice of Bulgaria" and "Bulgaria's Got Talent" are in the same genre and look similar in realization. Is that really the case? Which is more difficult and requires more effort and resources?
The formats are similar in terms of production dynamics and scale, but require a different approach. In "The Voice of Bulgaria" we focus on voice traits, specific timbre, musical talent. The other attributes that are commonly associated with the commercial music business are in the background here. But the show provides a huge platform and can be a springboard to a future career for any talented singer who takes the stage - as long as he has the desire to develop and work tirelessly afterwards.
"Bulgaria's Got Talent" allows for the participation of already established artists, who win new audiences through the show. Some of them are established in terms of image and we have to maintain their style very carefully and honestly. We strive to show a complete picture of the hidden and obvious possibilities of the Bulgarian, despite the fact that both forms allow the participation of people from abroad. What motivates us to realize these shows is the interest in positive stories and examples. We want to have a positive spirit and energy in the prime time of bTV. To entertain the audience tastefully.
You work with the biggest show stars in Bulgaria. How do you judge which is best for each format? How do you know when it's time to change the host, the jury, to introduce a new face? Are these decisions difficult?
Viewers are the best litmus test, their attitude can easily be seen in surveys, in the reviews they share publicly, etc. Over the years, the experience and intuition of our team have become so strong that decisions are easy to make. The harder part is explaining to one person why we need to replace him with another. The reason most often lies in the need for change due to the evolution of form. In other cases, the successful move is to change the content and rules, but keep the same faces as long as possible. We look at each show and each case individually, because when it comes to TV talent, there are no general rules.
A big ego is inherent in most of the faces on the screen. What are the challenges of working with stars?
The bigger the star's ego, the bigger the challenge of working with them. My job is to keep them close to reality, but not to ground them completely… they are still stars and their place is up above. It is easy to work with intelligent people. I dare say that with most of the people we have worked with, we have a wonderful relationship even after the implementation of the projects. Many of them continue to work with bTV in various talent management projects.
We saw how the coronavirus affected the Nikolaos Tsitiridis Show, which at one point was left with only the host in the studio. How did it affect your other productions? What turned out to be the most difficult for you and the team in this period, which, by the way, is not over yet?
The most important thing was that the situation did not affect the quality of the product. This is a key project for television, which was launched only a month before the tightening of measures. And we did it. We worked with a reduced team, on a rotating basis, in an extreme and unfamiliar environment… and under stress, with constant concern about the infection itself. And yet, just then, we made some of our strongest shows. The host and everyone who works for the show were highly motivated to get the perfect end product to establish the show despite the situation. The team knew that for the viewers the show was a consolation in the severe quarantine. I can say that the Nikolaos Tsitiridis Show was a cause for us. We had no right to surrender. Maybe I should say it very strongly, but we were the doctors on the front line for the Bulgarian's smile in front of the screen.
What advice would you give to young people who want to develop in your field? What are the biggest myths about this profession that you have heard?
Do not put up with mediocrity. You can't succeed if you go with the flow. Everyone should do what he wants, as long as he makes an effort and does not interfere with the will of others. In this sense, I advise them to be persistent in gaining knowledge and experience and to be ready for a lot of work while pursuing their dreams, to be ready to try extremely hard, to be pressed by deadlines and often for very long working hours. When their dreams come true, they will have new ones. And one of the biggest myths is that - and they should know it's a myth - is that it's an easy job involving celebrities. It is not - it is hard not only mental but also physical work. Take a look at the final credits after your favorite show. These are dozens of people you will never see, but the work and inspiration of each of them are crucial to the quality of the final product.
How do you recognize the real talents born to work behind the scenes of a television production?
I will repeat, but I now trust my experience and intuition. Innate talent is just the beginning. They must be honest, responsible, hardworking, a team player, but have their own personality and signature.
I like people with character. Professional qualities can develop, but above all you have to be a bright personality. Television is a team sport. And you need a lot of training. And don't forget that someone is always breathing down your neck.
