Teen Wolf News 122116
Editorial: Ratings
Some folks at Teen Wolf News have been pitching a story about declining television ratings since the Teen Wolf season started last month, but this publication already declared the traditional Nielsen ratings dead a year ago, and the continued decline across all networks this season is simply the death rattle of this outdated technology.
TWN could point out that almost every show lost an additional 15 to 20 percent of their audience this year. We could point out that half as many young people watch the top 10 cable shows now as did four years ago, but you know all this. You’re all probably watching more than half your shows on DVR or streaming or on illegal downloading platforms long after they actually “air” on TV. Even Teen Wolf EP Jeff Davis confessed to us earlier this month, “I don’t really pay attention to scheduling or live viewing much anymore.”
So no, Teen Wolf News probably won’t do a big, statistic-filled report on the continued decline in overall television ratings in 2016 but there was one interesting, ratings-related bit of news this week from Vulture -
- “Nick at Nite’s George Lopez comeback vehicle wasn’t the big hit the network had hoped it would be, particularly given how well reruns of his old ABC sitcom had done on the channel. But Hispanic households were enthusiastic about the show, as well as MTV’s Teen Wolf and Disney Channel’s Best Friends Whenever: All three series’ young-adult audience was 50 percent more likely to be Latino than a typical TV show, a better performance with the group than any other English-language scripted shows in prime time this year. (If you count series on Spanish-language networks, literally hundreds of other programs were more popular.) Over on broadcast, CW’s Jane the Virgin overperformed in Hispanic homes by a larger percentage than anything else.”
LINK: http://www.vulture.com/2016/12/what-tv-did-america-watch-in-2016.html
Teen Wolf BTS with Bill Gibson
The entire two days I was on the Teen Wolf set back in October, I never saw Production Assistant Bill Gibson sit down. I didn’t know at the time, but the ‘not sitting’ is kind of a thing among the folks like Bill who make sure people, props, and other paraphernalia are where they need to be to make the show run smoothly.
Despite his crazy workload (and the not sitting down thing) Bill managed to create some great little short films involving the Teen Wolf cast. They’re almost like home movies documenting the final season of the show.
Bill tells Teen Wolf News that he always knew he wanted to be in the entertainment industry. “Since about second grade,” he says. “I bounced around in New Jersey for a bit then lived in South Philly, Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn, and then UES (Upper East Side) in Manhattan before moving to Hollywood.”
Once out west, Bill started landing gigs behind the scenes on network shows. “I was working on Agent Carter which ended, so I was just doing whatever, floating around.” He floated over to Teen Wolf just as Season 6 filming was beginning. “They needed additional people to help out when Season 6 started. I don't remember exactly how, but I got in touch with the Key PA, and they liked me enough to keep me around for 3-5 weeks the first half.”
Despite the need for strong legs due to the no sitting thing, Bill’s job on set might sound like heaven for hardcore Teen Wolf fans. “Specifically, I am the First Team Production Assistant. I basically just hang out with the cast all day.” While there is a fair amount of hanging out between takes while cameras and lights get set, Bill’s job is actually one of the most important. He makes sure the key players needed to film a scene are in the right place at the right time, wired for sound, and ready to go.
It was all those hours spent one on one with the cast that led to Bill’s remaining with the show after his “temp job” on Teen Wolf should have ended. “As 6A was coming to a close Shelley (Hennig) asked if I was going to be back for the second half,” Bill recalls. “I told her I wasn't sure since I was technically still just an additional PA. Shelley was displeased with my answer and told the assistant directors to give me a staff position,” he laughs.
His close relationship with cast members and the insane amount of downtime while shooting a TV show like Teen Wolf also led Bill to become a sort of cast documentarian. “Ryan Kelley and Dylan Sprayberry were the ones who roped me into their antics,” Bill explains. “I've always taken fun pictures on sets. Recently Ryan Kelley asked me to help him make a silly video and told me to download VideoShop on my phone. Now I can't stop making videos.”
His most ambitious effort to date is a short called How to Train Your Werewolf starring Lily Bleu Andrew, Dylan O’Brien (during his first week back to work on the show), and Dylan Sprayberry.
The video also features Bill’s fellow PA Rebecca Plasencia. He explains how the whole thing came together over a single night last week.
- “Lily had come to visit and expressed her love for the videos I did with Ryan. She wanted to be in one, and since I wasn't sure when her next visit would be, it had to be made that day before the clock said LUNCH!
- Each shot was only one take. No do-overs, because there was no time. The last shot is of Dylan (Sprayberry) actually walking away with his food to go to his trailer. I said ‘Hey Lily is going to attack you. Just react to it!’ Right after that Lily walked with him out and took a van to base. I edited it with my remaining lunch time instead of eating. It came out pretty good considering, huh?”
Bill followed up that gem with The Toothbrush featuring Sprayberry and Khylin Rhambo.
“I think it's just a fun way to pass the time, but also we are creating memories inside a show that is coming to an end.”
Teen Wolf is on a two-week Christmas break, and when they return in January, there’ll only be five more episodes to shoot before the series wraps. Bill says he has more fun stuff coming from the set during the short time they have left. “So much more. They are going to get a lot better. I just started shooting a thing today. It's going to be a little series. Stay tuned!”
If you're not already, follow Bill on Instagram for more pics and videos from the Teen Wolf set - https://www.instagram.com/onearmedninja/
If you're not on the IG, check out his Twitter - @onearmedninja
You can learn more about Bill Gibson and the other Teen Wolf PAs in this episode of Tyler Schnabel's Snapping Show.
Lydia’s Looking Glass Moment
This week MTV continued their new Season 6 tradition of releasing lengthy pieces of upcoming episodes in advance. This scene from Ghosted goes all Alice Through the Looking Glass as we get our first glimpse of Lydia visiting pre-Ghost Riders Canaan.
Teen Wolf returns with new episodes on January 3.
While you’re waiting for new episodes to return, you can stream past seasons of Teen Wolf via Amazon Prime and pick up the most recent episodes on iTunes or Amazon Video.
Dylan O’Brien Films Episode 610
As Teen Wolf News previously reported, Dylan O'Brien returned to the Teen Wolf set last week to wrap up the first half of Season 6. The production delayed filming on Episode 610 due to O’Brien’s accident on the set of the Maze Runner sequel back in March and his world-spanning shooting schedule for American Assassin in the fall.
They got down to work in San Pedro, California as filming resumed inside Ghost Rider limbo at the phantom train station we saw in Radio Silence. Cast and crew worked with O’Brien throughout the week and completed several scenes.
Based on information Teen Wolf News gathered from multiple sources, including what Dylan himself reportedly said to fans in London, it’s believed this was to be his last week on Teen Wolf. However, this situation has changed multiple times over the last several months and could change again. TWN will continue to bring you updates as they become available.
Studio Shut Down for Holidays
While Teen Wolf is missing from your televisions for two weeks, the folks who make the show are also on a break. Teen Wolf Studio in Chatsworth, California will be dark starting later this week as Executive Producer Jeff Davis explained to TWN earlier. “We’ve got basically two weeks off for holidays.”
Many of the Teen Wolf fam are already traveling for the holiday. Writer Will Wallace is back home in Alabama. Melissa Ponzio returned to Atlanta, and Victoria Morales is posting images from Spain apparently taken there last week.
Davis says they're working right up until just a couple days before Christmas, "We have two units shooting through Thursday (tomorrow). Then we're off." They won’t be back until next year. “We’ll be shooting 616 starting in January, which will be directed by Eric Wallace, his first time directing.” Teen Wolf News will bring you all the action once work resumes on the show.