Submitted by: Courtney Grace

Nicholas Griggs-Drane Thomas Pelkey

Contact info: WGAE 722 Commonwealth Ave #913456 Boston, MA 02215 (804) 370-5207 ngriggsd@bu.edu

    

October 16, 2014 Sandy Varo Jarrell Senior VP of Production & Development - West Coast TLC 10100 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 1500 Los Angeles, CA 90067 Dear Ms. Varo Jarrell: Just a few days ago, a video documenting a man’s 17-month-long planning of his elaborate marriage proposal went viral online. This video is the latest in a long history of hit Internet videos depicting spectacular, over-the-top proposals. On YouTube, engagement videos of proposals involving flash mobs, hot air balloons, sports games, country singers, Disneyland parades, etc. have achieved upwards of 30 million views. Put a Ring on It is a reality program that builds upon this proven Internet success. In the show, a team of experts (event planners, jewelers, travel specialists, even pyrotechnicians) help a proposer pop the question to his or her partner in the most magical, memorable way. Put a Ring on It makes dreams come true for loving couples by living out the fantasies about that special moment that so many of us imagine. Thank you for your consideration. We will follow up with a call in the next few weeks. Sincerely, Courtney Grace cgrace@bu.edu Nicholas Griggs-Drane ngriggsd@bu.edu Thomas Pelkey tpelkey@bu.edu

    

FACT SHEET Put a Ring on It WHAT: Jay Hobbs leads a team of fellow engagement experts in helping a proposer pop the question in the most perfect way. With their expertise in travel, entertainment, event planning, dress, jewelry, etc. the Put a Ring on It team turns the simple but special act of proposing marriage into the most spectacular of occasions. It’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition for loving couples. The show will follow the arrangement and execution of elaborate marriage proposals and the dramatic mishaps that occur in trying to fulfill plans perfectly. Whether it is ensuring 100 fireworks shoot off correctly or convincing a nervous proposer not to get cold feet, the Put a Ring on It team makes sure that special moment is everything you wish it to be and more. WHY: As made evident by the consistent popularity of engagement videos online, elaborate marriage proposals have become a cultural phenomenon. The videos have been mainstays of YouTube for the past few years, reaching an upwards of 30 million hits but routinely achieving several million. As social media has expanded, so have the sharing of these videos. TLC has proven that television audiences have a voracious appetite for wedding related programming. An entire subgenre of reality TV has emerged because of it. Yet, a show portraying the start of the wedding process--the marriage proposal--has yet to air. By repackaging this Internet success for mainstream television, TLC has the opportunity to expand its hit wedding programming with very little risk. And a particular draw of this show is its significant opportunity for integrated product placement. WHERE: TLC WEB: Proposers will be able to submit videos to the engagement experts online, where they argue why they should be selected for the show. Tips from the engagement experts on how to plan your own perfect proposal will be made available. Clips from the episodes will be made available online to encourage sharing on social media sites. WHO: Courtney Grace, Nicholas Griggs-Drane, Thomas Pelkey (Renforth Productions) TEAM: Jay Hobbs (Owner/Proposal Expert at Perfect Proposal) Carla Domen (VP of GBK Productions), Brenda Della Casa (Editor in Chief at Preston Bailey), Diane Sakakini-Roa (Esplanade Luxury Travel Agent)

    

Purpose TLC has gained a loyal viewership for its lineup of shows that center around marriage and

weddings. However, a show which focuses on the memorable but often nerve-racking

event that must take place before any nuptials--the engagement proposal--has yet to be

created.

The marriage proposal is a widespread tradition familiar to practically everyone. This

custom has been expanding as non-traditional marriage becomes tolerated and legalized.

So far, 30 states have legalized same-sex marriage, which is a majority of the country for

the first time, and the U.S. Supreme Court’s October 6th denial to hear states’ gay marriage

appeals legally protects the acceptance of same-sex marriage for the foreseeable future.

This expands the possibility of marriage and the practice of engagement proposal to a

larger population.

As society becomes increasingly interconnected than ever through media, news of an event

as personal and memorable as a marriage proposal has the ability to spread in a viral

manner. In this day and age, not only does the news get shared with family and friends but

now particularly interesting proposals reach even complete strangers. Elaborate and

over-the-top proposals have become fixtures of social media sites. A video of a man who

created a mini-movie and screened it for his fiancé to-be went viral on YouTube, achieving

over 30 million views, and many other proposal videos have since followed with similar

success.

    

Because of phenomenon like this, the marriage proposal has become just as important as

the actual wedding ceremony. And the manner in which one says “Will you marry me?” has

become just as, if not more, important than the question itself.

Put a Ring on It builds upon these Internet hits by elevating it to television--placing the

concept of elaborate proposal into the national spotlight and giving it the Hollywood

treatment.

With marriage proposal a staple of the popular culture, the potential audience for Put a

Ring on It spans the 18-24 and the 18-49 year old demographics for women. Being related

to marriage, it is timeless, and with a diversified range of topics, TLC’s programming always

attempts to achieve one thing: to teach the viewer something, and leave them with a

take-away.

Competing shows include many of the wedding-related programs which already air on the

TLC network, although the concept is different enough that the program would actually

complement the existing schedule rather than trump it. Rival programs from other

networks include ABC’s The Bachelor and The Bachelorette and WE tv’s Bridezillas.

However, the premise of Put a Ring On It does not include competing contestants and its

tone is far more heart-warming than Bridezillas.

    

In addition, the program allows opportunities for high-revenue advertising through

product placement. Vendors in hospitality and entertainment will be able to use air-time to

sell their products via sponsorship. This will not only bring in advertising money but act as

a trade outlet for exotic products and services (i.e. hotel stays, luxury cars, venues for

rental, etc).

    

Program Description Logline Marriage proposals take new heights when entertainment and hospitality professionals

come together to create larger-than-life experiences for couples about to tie the knot. Put a

Ring On It is a reality weekly program that showcases the planning, tension, and execution

of different couples’ proposals and viewers will watch to see who will out do the next.

Overview What was once a traditional and timeless event - involving a ring, getting down on one

knee, the teary acceptance or rejection - has become a vital part of the marriage ceremony.

Extreme Makeover meets the wedding industry in Put a Ring On It, which takes the average

marriage proposal and turns it to an elaborate event, crafted by professionals in the

industry, including a proposal expert, two event planners from New York City and the L.A.

area, a luxury travel agent and the CEO of a jewelry company. Audiences will follow one

couple per half-hour episode as the proposer attempts to pull off an intricate engagement

scheme in secrecy, before revealing the whole plan to his/her fiance to be.

The show does not have a specific setting, but rather travels to wherever that specific

episode’s cast lives and makes travel arrangements from there if necessary. The first part of

the episode gets the backstory from the proposer-to-be and what his big idea is. Plans

could include anything from sports games, the rental of exclusive locations, pyrotechnics

and firework shows, concerts, celebrity guest appearances, and more. From there, the

event is planned hastily by the cast in all aspects, from travel to entertainment to the ring

    

itself. Conflict will be created by way of the proposer attempting to pull off this ultimate

marriage proposal but may include travel delays/cancellations, miscommunications, failed

plans, technological malfunctions and the like. The last ten minutes of each episode will be

the proposal itself, and whether or not the cast and the proposer can pull off the elaborate

project. Time is of the essence and tensions run high, keeping viewers engaged until the

very last moment wondering “will they pull it off?” and “will he or she say ‘yes?’”

The team of experts involves a number of industry professionals, all of whom boast an

impressive list of contacts and resources in order to pull off the proposal. Jay Hobbs is the

CEO and founder of Cleveland-base perfectproposal.co, as well as a noted expert on the

wedding industry and, specifically, the engagement. Carla Domen and Brenda Della Casa

are both celebrity event planners, the former hailing from Southern California’s GBK

Productions and the latter, from NYC’s Preston Bailey. Diane Sakakini-Roa of Boston is a

luxury travel agent, arranging lavish travel accommodations quickly and efficiently. This

group will appear every episode and aid each new proposer in his or her attempt to pull off

the event of a lifetime.

Because the nature of the show is not competitive, the real conflict will be difficulty in

planning and executing the elaborate, over-the-top plans. Put a Ring On It is for the

wedding fanatics, and explores an area of the industry that has become lucrative and huge

on social media, but has yet to make its way to national television.

    

Cast

- PLANNING TEAM -

Jay Hobbs - Proposal and Wedding Planner/Expert: Jay Hobbs is the owner of perfectproposal.co, a Cleveland-based company that boasts a number of contacts that can help pull off the ultimate proposal. He has been contacted about doing reality shows of this nature in the past, but no plans have been in the works for a show about proposals. His expertise in proposal planning will bring experience in this niche industry and an already seasoned idea of how to execute these grandiose proposals.

Carla Domen - VP of GBK Productions: Carla Domen works for GBK Productions one of LA’s most respected event planning agencies for the entertainment industry and celebrities. Carla has designed and produced many successful events for major corporations including BET Networks and TMZ, and A-list events such as the Black Eyed Peas / Sports Illustrated Super Bowl Party and Capital A/Myspace NBA All-Star Party. Carla will bring her connections and event planning expertise to actually execute these proposals. Brenda Della Casa - Editor-in-Chief at Preston Bailey: Brenda Della Casa is an internationally-published author, freelance writer, and columnist who specializes in romance, lifestyle and wellness features. She currently works for Preston Bailey which is known as New York City’s premier event designer for a client roster that includes celebrities, royal families, CEO’s and athletes. Brenda will bring her background in popular and romantic culture to foster the most extreme proposals and use her connections within the industry to pull off these challenging goals. Nadine McCarthy - CEO of Stone & Strand: Stone & Strand is a start-up business that focuses on luxury jewelry for wealthy clients. Nadine has lived all over the world and know the best of the best when it comes to jewelry. Engagement rings are an extremely

    

important part of the engagement process, and Nadine will help the proposer find the perfect ring! Diane Sakakini-Roa - Esplanade Luxury Travel Agent: Diane is a Luxury Travel Agent headquartered in Boston. Her agency focuses on exotic excursions all over the world. Diane will be able to bring connections and company relations to the Put a Ring on It team in order to accommodate any destination-oriented plans.

- GUEST COUPLES - CARRIE AND RYAN: Ryan and Carrie met in college at Florida International University and began dating. Post-graduation, Carrie assumed the position as majority breadwinner when Ryan’s employment wasn’t totally secure. The two eloped a year and a half after dating in a Miami-Date County courtroom and Ryan, at the time, didn’t have the money to buy Carrie a ring. Now that they are in a better place, both financially and as husband and wife, Ryan wants to give her the engagement and the wedding she always wanted. JORDY AND MONICA: Jordy and Monica met in high school. The sweethearts continued to date despite attending colleges in different parts of the country. Post-college, the two rekindled and were able to find jobs in the Seattle area (she, a pilates/yoga instructor at a chain of luxury gyms and he, a consultant at a large firm). They both have pretty rigid work schedules but are excited to start their lives together and eventually, a family. She loves going out dancing with friends and listening to music, and Beyonce is her absolute favorite. Ryan isn’t the biggest fan but is willing to put aside his own opinions to make this a moment his love will always remember.

    

KARL AND CHRISTIAN: Karl and Christian have been dating for five years. Both professional dancers, they pride themselves on leading an active lifestyle which includes hiking, their favorite pastime. Mount Pinos in the Los Padres National Forest, CA, has been one of their climbing goals - specifically Christian’s - for a long time. At the top of that rock, Christian may be placing one on his own finger.

Episode Treatments 1. JORDY AND MONICA:

Jordy is proposing to Monica. Jordy submits his video and explains that Monica is a

huge Beyonce fan and wants to make a great proposal, but isn’t sure how to go

about it. The team gets together and decides that the first step is to get in touch

with Beyonce’s team and see what they can get together. The collaboration of the

teams determine that they can first surprise Monica with tickets to the Beyonce

concert and make her think that she is going with two of her best girlfriends for

spur-of-the-moment night out. The cameras are justified by she was nominated by

one of her friends for a Beyonce Experience Sweepstakes. She has only 20 minutes

to get dressed and then a limo pulls up to pick up the girls and take them shopping

for outfits and to get their hair blown-out at the drybar. When they arrive to the

concert, Monica realizes that these tickets are actually front row VIP tickets and

begins to freak out. Little does she know that JORDY has been planning this all

along. The teams think that Jordy should come out on the stage during the show,

but they don’t know that Jordy has the world’s worst stage fright. Before the show,

Jordy looks out into the crowd and runs to the bathroom to throw up. Extremely

worried, the producers think that this is the end and try to get together a plan to

make this work. However, Jordy comes out of the bathroom and tells them that this

will make Monica’s life forever better and he’s going to just face his fears. Showtime

    

comes, and Monica is in the crowd jamming out! Beyonce in one of her song breaks,

welcomes Jordy out saying that she has a special friend who wanted to change

someone’s life forever. Jordy, super nervous, appears in a tuxedo looking like a

million bucks, and a close-up on Monica shows her jaw dropping and tears start to

flow. Beyonce talks a little bit and welcomes Monica up on stage and security walks

her up to meet both Jordy and Beyonce. Monica is shaking with overwhelming

adrenaline and is asking “What’s going on?” Jordy is shaking with overwhelming

nerves and Beyonce hugs them both and says its all fine. She whispers into Jordys

ear, “Good Luck, you’ve got this!” Beyonce hugs Monica and tells Jordy the stage is

all his. He gets on one knee and the crowd goes wild. After she says yes, her iconic

song Crazy in Love begins to play and crowd goes wild, and Monica gets to see

Beyonce perform the song from the side of the stage. An experience not many get to

have.

2. THOMAS AND KATIE:

The boyfriend, THOMAS, submits a video requesting help to execute the perfect

proposal. The on-camera planning team reviews the tape and discusses how they

know they can pull this off. In the video, Thomas mentions that him and his

girlfriend, KATIE, met outside a Pittsburgh Steelers football game during the

tailgate. Katis is one of the biggest Steelers fans and everything she talks about is

football and her favorite team. He wants to propose to her on the field of the

stadium to bring it back to where it all began. The team organizes it that all from

arranging the Steelers to be at the proposal, the renting the entire stadium out, and

coordinating the invitations and travel of everyone involved. Both of Thomas’s and

Katie’s families are flown in, but there is a catch. The two families haven’t met

before. What will happen if they don’t click with one and other? Luckily, they get

over the awkward tension and the plan continues. Katie is meanwhile being picked

up in a limo from her house and is handed a letter from her best friend that reads:

“Dear Katie, Get dressed for a night under the stars where no one can Steel you.”

    

She is wearing a Steelers sweatshirt. Confused, she gets dressed and gets in the

Limo where she finds four more of her friends that have been flown in from all over

the country. The girls pop bottles of champagne in the back of the stretch limo and

start driving. Katie is asked to put on a blindfold and is driven to the stadium where

Thomas is waiting in the middle of field. A man takes her arms and she asks, “Who

is this?” Her father replies with , “Do you know where you are?” Instantly

recognizing his voice, she begins to laugh and has a smile from ear-to-ear. Her

father walks her to the middle of the field. She takes off her blindfold, and the

proposal commences. The Steelers team is standing in an arc behind Thomas and

Katie is in shock. Pure excitement and overwhelming emotions are coming from

Katie, and the tears begin to flow.

3. CARRIE AND RYAN:

Now that CARRIE and RYAN are more secure financially after a few years of

employment woes and a courtroom elopement, he wants to give her the wedding of

her dreams, including an over-the-top proposal. Carrie is a lover of the beach and

the ocean, especially marine life. Ryan submits a video to Put a Ring On It asking for

the cast’s help in planning a destination proposal in the Bahamas, with all of Carrie’s

family and close friends being present as well. Diane (of Esplanade Luxury Travel

Agency) helps prepare the private flights and hotel stays. On the day of their

departure, a crew of men dressed in scuba suits come in to Carrie’s workplace and

ask her to come with them on an adventure. Carrie’s co-workers are in on the gig,

and she looks confused but excited. Carrie is flown in her own private jet, and

continues to receive small packages from the stewardess containing scuba supplies,

such as a mask, snorkel, and a new bathing suit. Meanwhile, Ryan and a group of

Carrie’s immediate family and close friends arrive at the hotel and meet Diane there,

who goes to check in to the rooms and get them ready for the big reveal.

Unbeknownst to her, however, the hotel was completely overbooked and their

    

rooms were given away, leaving them stranded and vulnerable to be visible by

Carrie if she walks into the lobby. Diane is very upset and engages into an

altercation with the hotel manager. Quick camera cuts show Carrie emerging from

the plane and switches back to her welcoming committee as they rush to seek refuge

at a neighboring hotel. They succeed, and hastily enter their rooms just in time to

change and head to the beach. Carrie enters her room to find a list of instructions.

She puts on her new gear and meets a local tour guide, who leads her down to a

secluded beach and directs her into the water, where she begins to swim around,

surrounded by beautiful coral and exotic marine life. All of a sudden, Ryan swims up

behind her and grabs her waist, startling her. The two come up, gasping for air and

laughing hysterically. “Ryan!” she cries, “what is going on?” Without saying a word,

he takes her hand and takes her back underwater, where a large painted sign amidst

the coral. It reads “I know we may be under the sea, but I’ve got to know: will you

marry me?” Carrie looks ecstatic, and from behind the sign emerges her friends and

family. They all return to the beach so Ryan can present the ring as the sun sets over

the Caribbean.

4. SCOTT AND MARY:

Mary is a Pediatric Intensive Care nurse who works extremely long hours. Mary’s

older sister suffers from Cerebral Palsy, so when she is not at work - Mary is visiting

and taking care of her sister. Scott recognizes Mary’s hard work and wants the big

question to be as special as possible. Scott works with the team and decides that

Mary could first-and-foremost use a day to be pampered. They plan to surprise her

with her mom and four best friends in a hummer stretch limo. They are to go to get

their nails and hair done, out for lunch at Mary’s favorite Greek restaurant - Stella’s,

and then each will be able to buy an outfit for a surprise event scheduled to take

place later that night. At each location, the team has set up for Mary to receive

letters explaining where her next stop will be. The letters leave much to be

explained, and Mary will be confused yet enjoying herself because it’s a day about

    

her. Meanwhile, Scott is working with proposal expert, Jay Hobbs to figure out how

surprise Mary at the actual proposal. Scott explains that Mary’s favorite location in

right outside the city and it’s this drop-off cliff that she has always wanted to go

paragliding off, but never had the time. The path of the paragliding overlooks this

field that Jay wants to have will you marry me mowed into. Jay understands that it

is private property, but attempts to make it happen. The owner of the property

doesn’t want “Will You Marry Me?” mowed into the field, but Jay manages to pull

together enough incentive with money, a vacation, and an invitation to the wedding

in order to entice the man. The ladies have their spa day, get dressed and Mary is

blindfolded in the limo. The limo takes them to her favorite spot on the cliff where

Scott is waiting already suited up ready to paraglide. Mary is the only one who gets

out of the limo and asks Scott, “What’s happening?” Scott said he wanted to make

one of her dreams come true because he knew how hard she had been working to

keep her sister happy and all the kids at the hospital where she works. A

paragliding team quickly suits her up before she can ask many more questions.

They take off and enjoy the view. Meanwhile, her friends and mom are racing down

to the landing spot where they plan to meet them for the actual proposal. However,

the run into problems when the wild takes them on a different route. The limo is

trying to chase the paragliders and almost misses the landing. Mary’s mom is

stressing hardcore because she doesn't want to miss her only daughter’s proposal!

Scott and Mary are in the air and Mary sees the field that reads “Will You Marry

Me?” and starts smiling, screaming, and laughing. Their paragliders are separate, so

they can’t really talk much, but when they land she runs to his arms and screams

“YES!” The family made the landing and all ended well that day.

5. KARL AND CHRISTIAN

Karl and Christian are both professional dancers and lead very active lifestyles. The

two have been together for five years and hate just sitting on the couch - they are

constantly outside, breaking a sweat and enjoying one another’s company. They

    

specifically love to hike, and have been invited on a trek up Mount Pinos in the Los

Padres National Forest with a group of other hiking enthusiasts. Karl knows that it

has been Christian’s dream to reach this 8,831 foot peak, so Karl sees this as his

opportunity. He asks the event team to plan a camera crew to follow Christian as he

and the group ascend up the mountain, making him believe that they are a part of an

exposé being done on adventure thrill-seekers. Meanwhile, Karl calls for a

helicopter to fly him and Christian’s family to the peak of the mountain and wait for

him to reach the top, surprising him. The day of the hike rolls around, and the

camera crew is following Christian and the gang up the mountain. The winds are

pretty strong today, and they decide to take a different course than intended,

reaching the peak from a different angle. Unaware of this, Karl and Christian’s family

are in the helicopter, flying over gorgeous views of the state park. They land in the

spot that the hikers were originally supposed to reach the top in and wait… 15

minutes later, there is no sign of them. A producer from the camera crew that had

followed Christian up the mountain comes running into view, informing them that

the group has made it to the top in the new location. The group begins running, and

Christian looks up to see Karl and all of his friends and family heading towards him.

He is completely surprised, a clear look of triumph from not only having

accomplished his dream hike but also that this group is waiting for him at the top.

Knowing what is about to happen, he begins to laugh as Karl drops to one knee and

begins his proposal. He says yes!

    

Web Integration

Because of the popularity of related YouTube videos, the show’s website will include short summary videos of each episode and end with the proposal itself, so viewers can see the highlights again, in a condensed form. The website will also facilitate easy sharing via social media. The application to become a cast member on the show will also be found online, and would include a video component from the auditioner that could later be used as footage on the show itself. The website would also include opportunities for banner or small side-panel advertising from participating companies on the show, with follow-through click links to their respective websites. Since TLC already boasts a webpage for each of their shows, Put a Ring On It would follow the same style, but include top-rated proposal videos, a FAQ section on how to plan and execute the big question, a link to send in your application video and a “meet the team” page, which provides short bios and pictures of the recurring cast members who create these dream proposals. Social media icons redirect viewers to respective Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages, making these sites easily attainable.

    

Making the happily-ever-after, larger-than-life

Jay Hobbs and his crew know how to pull off the perfect proposal. Once a businessman interested in the inner workings of the wedding industry, Hobbs started his own company that focused specifically on planning and executing a marriage proposal that would stand out amongst traditional engagements. In Put a Ring On It, Hobbs and his team, members of the entertainment industry, travel agencies, event planning companies, and jewelers, assist the proposer in order to accomplish the perfect proposal. This show is in the style of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, but for proposals - the team of experts work together to develop the perfect engagement. The cast is chosen through online video applications and seek to help the average man or woman propose to his or her intended spouse. Money is no object--what matters is the memory that will be created. Whether it is a proposal underneath the Eiffel Tower surrounded by friends and family, or a hot air balloon ride with Mariah Carey, the ultimate proposal attempts to be created with the help of a star-studded team of professionals and the dreams of the proposer.