he award winning production company RDF Media
www.rdfmedia.com are producing a new property series commissioned by channel 5 about British families or couples re-locating abroad and renovating parts of their property. Perhaps you might know of anyone in your area of business or even friends who might fit the bill.
Here is a programme synopsis and details of our filming plan.
A series of 10 x 60 minute programmes set in France, Italy and Spain featuring Brits doing up property abroad - whether it's their holiday home or full-time residence. The series is fronted by an authoritative and knowledgeable presenter.
Each show follows one couple or family over the summer, as they set out to tackle a particular home improvement project. It may be converting an old barn into a gite, or putting in a swimming pool and landscaping the garden, or transforming an attic into a self-contained one bedroom flat. We chart the highs and lows including the rows with foreign builders, and those marvellous moments of pure triumph.
All our contributors are charismatic characters. Some will just be moving abroad, others already have their kids in school, while others see their houses as holiday retreats.
Homes Abroad is an aspirational window on the lifestyle of foreign property owners. We find out what attracted them to the region, how they source traditional building materials locally and accompany them on visits to houses similar to their own, but which are in perfect condition.
We will start filming end of May and make various visits to each property... from end of May to end of August. Unlike other property programmes, we wouldn't be providing designers or builders - we will follow real people (friends, family and/or professional builders) renovating their property. If the renovation projects are not complete by August we will organise to make a final trip in the Autumn to capture the finished result. Transmission is set for January 2005.
Each visit will be about 5 days long. It is important that there will be people working on the renovation continuously over the summer so that when we make our various visits we will see the transformations.
I wonder if you know of anyone who might be interested in taking part in a Property Observational Documentary. As above, each episode is an hour long and will be solely dedicated to the one family or couple. We will be inviting expert interior designers to meet our participants whilse filming to give their advice on renovating property in Spain. The presenter also has experience and knowledge in property and interior design.
We are not filming with loads of lights and cables and big cameras etc which sometimes scares people when they think of TV film crews.
The programme is an observation documentary of an aspirational nature. It will be aired at 9pm on a Friday.
For each programme, we will also organise a days filming with an estate agent who will show us around three properties for sale in the area (Low, Mid and High value)Furthermore we will be buying a property in Spain for viewers to call in and win.
I look forward to hearing from you if you think you might be able to help in my search.
Kindest Regards
Katrina Milne Home
Spanish Researcher
kat.milnehome@rdfmedia.com
homeabroad@rdfmedia.com
RDF Media
The Gloucester Building
Kensington Village
Avonmore Road
London W14 8RF
T: +44 (0) 20 7013 4505
F: +44 (0) 20 7013 4101
