Four UW-Oshkosh students recently got the chance to say "Deal or No Deal."
No, they weren't contestants on the popular NBC game show, but they did get to determine which hopefuls would inch closer to that fate. Students Kyla Morris, Ryan Wing, Nicole Klein and Randi Smalley were production assistants for a day for casting directors of the show.
"There were people who tried to get your attention by singing or coming up with rhymes, but we based our decisions on just being genuine and having a good personality," Morris said.
The open casting call was April 2 at the Bay Park Square Mall in Ashwaubenon, with callbacks on April 3. Morris was asked to return for the second day to assist NBC executives with determining potential finalists.
Those trying out had 20 seconds to impress the assistants enough to move on to a second round, where the actual casting directors would take a look at them. Most used the time to tell something interesting about themselves.
Wing said that there were thousands of candidates, so the short time limit was understandable. "It doesn't seem like that much time, but when you're actually telling something I think your personality can show through in 20 seconds," he said. "If they really wanted to be on the show, I think they could make it work."
Contestants on the show, which is hosted by comedian Howie Mandel, pick from 26 briefcases containing different cash amounts. The more high numbers that are kept in play the better, with the top prize being $1 million.
Wing said that there was a long line and that some had to wait up to several hours to audition. "Personally, if I was the one trying out, I would've been a little upset to have to wait seven hours, and then I only get 20 seconds (to audition)," he said. "But I understand the fact that they had over 5,000 people there trying out that day."
Radio-TV-Film professor Doug Heil helped set the students up with the opportunity. The assistants asked contestants about their personality and questions such as what they would do if they won the million dollars.
Morris said the experience was extremely valuable to her, as she wants to become a producer at some point in her career. The junior is actively involved in a variety of projects within her major.
"Seeing the organization on what happens before it gets to the show time and to see how much goes into picking one contestant for the show totally helps," she said. "I got to learn how they pick the people, what they consider and all the questions that are involved."
Wing, a senior who wants to be a sports broadcaster, estimated that he personally went through more than 600 people and worked about 12 hours. The doors closed at 4 p.m., but NBC executives kept seeing those in line for five hours after that.
He also said that although that particular area of the entertainment industry isn't something he's going into for a career, the day was a great experience overall.
"It helped me a lot to learn the process of casting because that's always an opportunity I could pursue if I chose to," he said. "It taught me how that side worked, which was interesting."
Morris said that the experience also opened the door for the students to meet with professionals in the field. "All of the production assistants had the opportunity to get (casting directors') contact information after the gig was over," she said.
The process to appear on the actual show is long, so Morris said she has no idea if any from the casting call will make it through. After the first two rounds on Tuesday, there was a third round on Wednesday where casting directors made their final decisions on who would be considered.
"It could take up to a year for them to hear anything once they make it past round three," Morris said.
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