Joleisa's TV Debut

Excitement is in the air! We are absolutely buzzing!

It is now mid-May 2018 and by the time you’ve read this, we would have done our debut on television and perhaps appeared on screen even more times. Who is able to tell? But whilst we are in the moment, let me tell you how it is going.

So in case you don’t know, we are Jo and Leisa twin bloggers and we blog at joleisa.com. Jo manages more of the Facebook side of things and was able to answer a request for bloggers who wanted to appear on a television series. Of course, it sounded daunting, but ever the ‘go-getters’, she submitted our interest. We are not big bloggers, at least not now anyway, so we didn’t even think we would even get a response.

Well, imagine our surprise when a few months later, we got the call to say we were being considered for the television series! The program was to be about smart shopping and to be aired on Channel 5. Frugal living is what we blog about so that shouldn’t be a problem. It was the TV bit that got us nervous.

We were screaming with delight inside but of course, we could not let on that we are actual novices at this kinda thing.

So there was this cheerful lady Claire who introduced herself and she was so friendly and sweet we were actually caught off guard by her sweetness because halfway into the conversation, she said we had to do a video interview! Oh, my word! What would we wear? Which part of the little office was best suited to setting up the camera? Should we do our hair? Ourselves? or go to a salon? So many questions! Claire was able to ease our fears and calm our excitement, most of it anyway!

Well a few days later, we had to excuse ourselves from some guests we had at home so we could do the dreaded video interview. I’m being totally honest, it was nerve racking! We were absolutely sure that we would not even be considered after the video interview.

Fast forward a week or so later, we got the call to say they really loved our interaction on the video and so we had a part on the programme! Joy is not the word! We knew this would be the beginning of the rest of our lives, especially where blogging is concerned.

So so far, we have had 4 ‘shoots’. I’m afraid to say we are no movie stars but, we are getting there! Each time we go for a shoot, what should take 45 minutes, take double that time. But you know what, I’ve watched lots of behind the scenes of many great movies and I have seen up to ‘take 32’! The producer is lovely and encouraging, and the camera guys are also amazing! So what’s it like? Blooming brilliant I say!

What are some of the advantages?

Well, the first one I can think of is that it will make our ratings in the blogging world go somewhat higher (I think).
We’ll have a leg to stand on when we say, we’ve worked with the such and such channel before and can add it to our social media influencer program.
We have had several other opportunities to work with brands since this opportunity started.
This is certainly a stepping stone and learning experience that we hope to build on.
This is also a paid engagement which is great.
It has been so lovely to meet new people and exchange pleasantries. Even our ‘rival’ has been so friendly.
We have even more ideas for books other than Living Life While Squeezing Lemons
We have been shortlisted for the Frugal Blog of the Year 2018 in the UK Money Bloggers Awards.

Some of the drawbacks:

First of all, for the four shoots we have done so far we have had to wear what we now call ‘our costume’. Lol. The producers want to give the impression that all the challenges were filmed the same day so we have to wear the same clothes and have the same hairstyles for this shoot.
Shooting engagements mean that we are sometimes required to be away from home from the night before the actual shoot and I’m not so ok with that yet. I’m a homebody.
With constant smiling and saying the same thing over and over, your face hurt and your throat gets dry.
The monotonous train journey is really tiring. To add insult to injury, there have been massive changes to the rail network which have meant delayed and sometimes canceled trains! It’s exhausting. We get to the hotel late most nights and have to work on lines before we settle to sleep for the night.
Some idlers make derogatory comments and try to get involved in the shoot. That can be so annoying! Just when you nail a line, some half-witted person shouts some obscenity in the scene, and we have to do another take!
At times, we must wait around for an inordinately long time before we are needed for our section of the shoot. It can be really really boring, especially when you think about all the things you have at home and on the blog to do. Let’s just say that people watching, making money completing online surveys, and Costa has been new and improved interests!
We still have to get used to people walking up to us and saying, ‘I know you! Oh, you were on TV last night’. Hopefully it will become all natural one day.