My favourite perk of being a journalist is the set visits. It’s always so exciting to see the what’s behind the perfect shot and angles viewers see on screen, and as a former production coordinator, I love have such a deep love for the behind-the-scenes and all the hard work that is put in for that “money shot.”
VISITING THE ‘WHEEL OF FORTUNE’ SET
I’ve had the honor of visiting the set of Wheel of Fortune, filmed at Atlantic Studios in Cape Town recently and the experience was such a treat.
We were greeted with welcome drinks – there was a range of the prettiest cocktails and mocktails with such friendly caterers ready to serve you with the biggest smile. There was then a variety finger foods and some time to network before we headed onto the actual Wheel of Fortune set.
Once we entered the set, we met the host, Rorisang Thandekiso, who is the first female judge of Wheel of Fortune in the world! The production team then had a surprise for all the media – we were going to play Wheel of Fortune!
Rorisang then picked her first set of three and within minutes I nervously found myself on stage! The production team got us mic’d up, then we each did a test spin, and let me tell you… that wheel is heavier than I am!
One of the crew members quickly asked for someone to get him some “knees”, which I soon learnt was basically a block for me to stand on because of my limited reach as someone under 4’9.
SNEAK PEEK OF ‘WHEEL OF FORTUNE’ SET
If there’s one thing about the stunning host, Rorisang, she knows how to make each contestant feel comfortable and read body language so quick. I know this because she pointed out how nervous I looked before we started.
Once the game began I understood how contestants on game shows feel and I immediately took a vow to never judge anyone on a game show, ever! Guys, the pressure… is getting worser!
I also understood deep disappointment, I lost by saying just one incorrect word and needed a few minutes to get over that. Dramatics aside, it was such a fun and interactive way for the media to actually understand a game show from a different perspective and I totally enjoyed that – thank you Lani!
Wheel of Fortune airs on S3 (formerly known as SABC 3) Mondays to Fridays at 19:30. There are daily rebroadcasts on SABC 2 the following day at 09:30 and an omnibus on S3 on Saturdays from 10:30 to 13:00.
Take a look inside the Wheel of Fortune set…