tl;dr - fuck “reality” tv

In the reality TV production process, after the casting of villains and the baiting for villainous behaviour, comes the editing.

It’s in the post-production suite that a villain edit can truly come to life.

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The editor says there are a few techniques to achieve these characterisations. The simplest one is being selective in what gets included.

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The second technique editors use is amplification — finding a moment amongst what the editor calls the “boring crap” that can be boosted into a storyline.

In the show, it’s spun as a major conflict.

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And then, the drama is further enhanced with a technique called “frankenbiting”.

Like Frankenstein creating his monster, editors will mix together unrelated elements from the footage to make their own beast.

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When the show finally goes to air, the final phase of a villain edit begins: controlling the narrative.

Now, program makers try to ensure that no narratives that contradict the edit make it into the media.

“They would remind me in a very threatening way before every single media interview that I had signed a [non-disclosure agreement],” Olivia says.

This becomes a problem for Olivia, because when the show goes to air, the backlash is swift.