TO All Potential Participants
Kinetic Content and its subsidiaries (“Kinetic”) produce a wide variety of content in various genres, including some of the most popular series on the planet. Our content is enjoyed by tens of millions of people worldwide, and tens of thousands of people have applied to participate in our programs.
We’re incredibly proud to have featured an extraordinary variety of Participants across our shows, representing tremendous diversity of age, ethnicity, experience, socio-economic status, background, identity, sexuality, heritage, physicality, beliefs and point-of-view. We’re passionate about people and their stories, both on and off screen, and we support a culture of inclusivity and creativity.
Participating in one of our programs can be an incredibly positive, memorable, and rewarding experience.
However, no one should ever consider participation in one of our programs if they do not completely understand, acknowledge, and willingly accept the parameters and requirements of the applicable program, and we strongly encourage anyone who is interested in participating to contemplate the possible discomfort and emotional challenges they may face before, during, and after filming.
Potential Participants should discuss the possible implications of participating – many of which are discussed below – with their family, friends, advisors, counselors, coworkers, and/or bosses (when applicable) to ensure they feel participation is right for them.
Our Participants
Most of the people who participate and appear in our programs are not trained actors, and participation in our programs is not a job, nor a career. Our participants could be your friends, family members, or neighbors, who have their own full lives, careers, friends and families to which they will return, hopefully enriched by a once-in-a lifetime experience.
Whether Participants choose to participate in one of our productions in order to pursue a dream, showcase their skills, look for love, solve a puzzle, or just express who they are, the choice to participate is theirs and theirs alone – and we are honored to have the chance to be alongside them helping share their stories with the world.
The Right Fit Depends on the Right Information
Participating in one of our programs can be challenging. Participants may be immersed in new environments and exposed to new circumstances, and where possible, we encourage all Potential Participants to watch previous seasons of the series they’re applying for. It is imperative that applicants know themselves and what will be expected of them before submitting an application to participate.
It is extremely important for applicants to be truthful and honest when providing information throughout all stages of the Casting and Diligence Process (discussed below), including on questionnaires or assessments and when communicating with casting team members, evaluators, and producers.
Applicants must disclose, in advance, any issues or conflicts of any kind that may prevent them from wholly fulfilling their obligations. All applicants must also disclose in advance any personal care items they may require during their time with us, including but not limited to prescription medication from a licensed healthcare professional.
Kinetic expects all applicants to be honest, and evaluate and prioritize their comfort, mental health, and well-being, above the opportunity to participate in a program or appear on TV.
Participant Agreements
Applicants who advance in the casting process for any program will be presented with written agreement(s) with the entities involved in the production, setting forth the terms and conditions of being a Participant.
Applicants should thoroughly review these documents, and ensure they understand the terms and requirements of the agreement(s) and the production, prior to committing to participate.
If Applicants have any questions, they are encouraged to ask questions of casting team member(s), or producer(s) as appropriate.
Before signing any agreement(s), all Applicants are encouraged to seek the advice of legal counsel of their choosing.
These agreement(s) must be signed before the Diligence Process (discussed below) or participating in filming for the production (as applicable) begins.
Kinetic, its affiliates, subsidiaries and third-party teams expect that those who choose to participate fully understand, acknowledge and will live up to the promises and terms to which they have agreed.
Diligence Process
For many productions, the casting and selection phase requires a diligence process that can include background investigations, psychological evaluations (not limited to mental health assessments and testing), and even medical assessments to assess an applicant’s fitness for a particular production.
During the diligence process, Kinetic works with licensed, experienced, and vetted third-party vendors. Applicants’ interactions with mental health professionals through the diligence process do not constitute therapy or mental health services or create a psychotherapist/patient privilege. The results of any evaluations, testing, and investigations during this process are carefully reviewed to determine whether an individual is appropriate for selection as an on-camera Participant.
There are many reasons why an applicant might not be a fit for a particular production. And although Kinetic strives to find a fit, our Diligence Process is only as good as the information we receive.
Once again, it is extremely important for applicants to be truthful and honest when providing information throughout all stages of the Diligence Process, including on questionnaires or assessments and when communicating with casting team members, evaluators, and producers.
Kinetic, its affiliates, subsidiaries and third-party teams cannot accurately evaluate fitness unless applicants are completely honest and forthcoming.
Kinetic cannot avoid a potential problem if relevant information is not disclosed. Likewise, Kinetic cannot remedy an undisclosed or minimized existing problem.
Production
Each of our productions are unique, and regardless of the size and scope of the production, we ask all our Participants to remember that the people on our crew work hard to make each Participants’ experience as pleasant as possible. Kinetic strives to ensure all Participants, employees, and production crew are treated equally, respectfully, and fairly.
Participating in any of our programs is intended to be exhilarating and rewarding. However, Participants need to be aware they may experience potential real-life challenges, encounter highly emotional and stressful situations, be subjected to negative opinions from others, and face decisions that have real-life and unpredictable consequences.
Some of our programs require conditions that may make some people uncomfortable. However, these conditions are often critical to the integrity of the format of the programs. For example, Participants may be sequestered for a period of time or have no access to phones, TV, the internet, or other means of outside communication. On some shows, bathroom and meal breaks may be monitored or chaperoned. On many shows, Participants must bring any pre-disclosed prescription medication necessary to the production location; Kinetic cannot be responsible for filling or dispensing prescriptions of Participants.
Kinetic will inform Participants of these types of circumstances before they agree to participate in a program. It is important for Participants to remember that they have been both informed of, and agreed to those conditions and requirements prior to participating.
Each Participant must plan, take individual responsibility, and communicate.
Kinetic takes any concerns or complaints very seriously, whether from our Participants, our production team or our employees.
Anyone who participates in our productions should immediately communicate any concerns or potential issues that may arise at any phase of the production process, regardless of whether the issue involves you (the Participant), another Participant, team member, or employee. Kinetic cannot address issues of which it is unaware or which are trivialized.
Post Filming Expectations
After filming has “wrapped,” there may be a lengthy delay of months or even years until the program airs. Sometimes, on rare occasions, a program may never air. Kinetic will strive to inform Participants, as appropriate, when a program may air. Still, we are a production company and not a network, broadcaster, platform, or distributor, so these decisions are not something Kinetic controls.
Participants may feel uncertain during this period, and emotions can vary depending on each individual’s experience. For instance, it may be difficult to manage the potential disappointment of unsuccessful romantic connections and the potential negative feedback from social media platforms. Please reach out to us and take advantage of our dedicated talent support team, and speak to your personal support network (family, friends, counselors, therapists, etc.) at this time.
Kinetic strongly encourages all Participants to seek and arrange individual professional mental health support services post filming, not limited to counseling and therapy.
Watching the Show
For some Participants, the prospect of seeing themselves on TV can be exciting. For others, it can be extremely daunting.
Some Participants may feel self-conscious or find it odd to see themselves on TV. It can be difficult to be reminded of deeply personal and emotional life events, and see them replayed in public. Participants may be upset to be the subject of negative opinions from other Participants or the public, or may be unhappy with the way they feel they have been portrayed.
For many programs, including our social experiments and relationship programs, we film thousands and thousands of hours of footage each season to make a 10–12 hour show. It’s therefore obvious that each Participant’s personal experience will be broader than the edited version seen on TV. And sometimes, a Participant will recollect events incorrectly or differently than how they appear on the show, no matter how accurate the overall portrayal.
Some people participate in our programs and are unhappy about how much (or how little) “airtime” they receive. They may be surprised to find that moments they felt were important – and sometimes even their entire story – have been left out of the finished program. But, of course, Kinetic cannot and does not guarantee that participating in one of our programs will result in on-air exposure.
Traditional and Social Media
While there are many potential positives to appearing on TV, there are also potential downsides. Sudden public scrutiny can be unpredictable and also lead to unwanted intrusion into a Participant’s life, including their past, their friends and family, and their social media activity. People who claim to know a Participant may provide information (true or not) to the press and/or post it to social media. On-camera actions may be analyzed, critiqued, or mocked.
Even if a Participant is well-versed in social media and enjoys interacting online with strangers, toxic social media “trolling” – often by completely anonymous accounts – may result from their participation in a program. Remember, being in the public eye can make you a target for many untruths, half-truths, or mischaracterizations of the truth.
Obviously, Kinetic cannot control comments that are made about our Participants in the press or on social media – whether negative or positive. Participants should try to manage their expectations as they navigate the potential ups and downs of the attention they may receive on social media.
All Participants are required to enter into a strict confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement prior to participating in any program. Any breach of the agreements on social media or otherwise will result in immediate action, including legal action, when required. Participants are strongly advised to review their agreements before posting, even if it is in response to another post.
Remember that social media is not real life, and the opinions of trolls should not be viewed as real. Sometimes the simplest thing to do is to take a break. Your own well-being and mental health are far more important than the number of “likes,” followers, or what people say about you.
Please speak to your loved ones, a mental health provider, our dedicated talent support team, or utilize your personal support network if trolls affect your confidence, self-esteem, or mental health.
Additional Resources
Resources on this page are provided for informational purposes only. The list is not comprehensive and does not constitute an endorsement by Kinetic Content, LLC., its partners or its related or affiliated entities.
• Call 911 if you or someone you know is in immediate danger or go to the nearest emergency room.
• To connect with mental health resources near you, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website or call 1-800-950-6264. If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help.
• CalHOPE partners with California Mental Health Services Association which has a statewide experienced workforce comprised of peers, community mental health workers, and other nonlicensed personnel. Individuals in need of emotional and/or crisis support can receive “visits” by phone, videoconference, smart device, or computer chat. Depending upon needs and situation, family and/or group support sessions are also available. Individuals also may be connected to county-based services.
• If you, or anyone you know, needs help or support for addressing domestic violence, The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available at TheHotline.org or at 1-800-799-SAFE (tel: 1-800-799-7233)
• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The Lifeline provides 24-hour, confidential support to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Call or text 988 to connect with a trained crisis counselor. Call or text 988; Use Lifeline Chat on the web (English only.)