Creative Risk-Taking at ‘Survivor 50’ With Jeff Probst
Written by Edith Manfred. Photographed by Edith Manfred.
The landscape of television changed in the summer of 2000 when the first season of “Survivor” aired on CBS. Now, 25 years and 50 seasons later, the adventure is still just as exhilarating as when it first began. Three weeks ahead of Season 50’s premiere, host and executive producer Jeff Probst spoke at SCAD TV Fest, with Variety’s director of features Emily Longeretta, about his experience with the show.
At the panel, five-time Emmy award winner Jeff Probst spoke about the use of fear in the creative process. Throughout his two and a half decades working on “Survivor,” he’s had to learn how to compartmentalize creativity and criticism. As creatives, he said, “you’re not just sharing an idea, you’re sharing a part of yourself” when you share your art and hard work. Probst spoke at length about the pros and cons of living in such a globally digital world in which projects can be quickly shared and uplifted, but also torn down in an instant. His work in the television industry in Seattle and New York before his “Survivor” days prepared him for the endless nerves of such a long-running show, in which he and his team are constantly having to create new ideas for entertainment.
When in the initial planning stages of Season 50, Probst was intimidated by CBS telling him it was the “Super Bowl of Survivor” and took that as a sign to go above and beyond on shocking new challenges. In case the premise of the show wasn’t unpredictable enough for castaways and viewers alike, “Survivor 50” adds a new twist called “in the hands of the fans.” Viewers will be able to vote on challenges while celebrities like Billie Eilish, MrBeast and Jimmy Fallon get involved through special challenges and cameos.
To add to the intrigue, “Survivor 50” is a reunion of past castaways who have come back for a second chance at the island adventure. 751 previous castaways have been narrowed down to 24 returners who take on Fiji. Probst said the casting was difficult but ultimately the overarching idea of the season was to make it a celebration of 25 successful years.
When asked about creative execution and leadership, Probst spoke about how his job as host expanded to being an executive producer and showrunner during the 2009–2010 production cycle. When he took over from previous producer Mark Burnett, he had his sights set on making the show both more cinematic and more family-friendly. He wanted “Survivor” to be a show families could watch together that would challenge them to be more open to adventure.
On the resurgence in popularity of “Survivor” in young people today, Probst said he thinks the deeply human premise of the show speaks to the adventurer in us all. The work of both the castaways and the skilled crew behind the scenes shows that with passion and commitment, many risks are worth trying. Probst also spoke about the importance of building authentic relationships through kindness in professional industries. The show’s crew has become a family, in part because of his decision to take away the confidentiality clause when he took over from Burnett, as he knew it would improve the attitudes of the crew and make the show a more welcoming environment. Across multiple decades and dozens of locations, the show and its crew has created an example of trust and commitment that is difficult to find in the television industry.
According to Probst, “fear disguised as process” often keeps us from sharing work we think isn’t perfect yet. By putting your work out into the world before you feel it’s ready, can help you gain the empowerment to find your own voice, whether or not you’re on a desert island. Finally, for anyone seeing themselves as the next million dollar winner of the island, Probst said the number one thing they’re looking for when casting the contestants is to be authentically yourself. “Survivor 50” premieres on CBS and Paramount+ on February 25.
As Editor-in-Chief, Edith Manfred guides and supports a talented group of staff and contributors in pursuing their creative endeavors at District. At SCAD, Edith is a Photography major with a minor in Graphic Design, and is a part of the Cross Country and Track & Field teams. Outside of writing and taking photos for District, she can probably be found running long distances on the streets of Savannah, updating her blog, or talking about that new podcast she just listened to… again.
