Business & Tech
Extreme Sailing Show Will Begin Filming in Newport This Spring
The "loosely scripted" show about a production crew chasing down shots of extreme sailing races will start filming around late April, the project director said.
OnTheLine: Extreme Sailing will begin filming in Newport this spring, and local businesses could benefit from the cameras in tow.
OnTheLine is a “loosely scripted” series based on a fictional production crew documenting extreme sailing across the globe.
“It’s like 30 Rock meets The Deadliest Catch,” Project Director Janet Johnson Smith said.
Find out what's happening in Newportfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
She said she hopes the series can generate tourism in the same way popular television and reality shows bring new visitors to their home cities and towns.
The production features a PortCrew program to encourage local businesses to get involved in the series by being featured in the show.
Find out what's happening in Newportfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Businesses can register as a priority filming location for a certain episode, and PortCrew Access Passes are available for events and filming. Local businesses also have opportunities for product placement during episodes.
About 40 businesses have already signed on, Johnson Smith said.
The PortCrew program is beneficial for small businesses in Newport who wouldn’t be able to afford the high price tags that come with big race sponsorships.
The production of the series is also a potential to boost commerce and create jobs in Newport, Johnson Smith said.
“We’re committed to hiring locally and supporting local businesses,” she said.
Everything from the production crew to the catering companies will be considered locally.
Out of the 15 cast members, 13 are from Rhode Island and four are from Newport.
Johnson Smith said sailing education through entertainment is a high priority for the series.
“Sailing teaches so many lessons about discipline and problem solving,” she said. The series is currently in pre-production and focusing on writing and location scouting. Shooting will take place all over, but Newport will be the show’s home base.
OnTheLine is also working in conjunction with other ocean races by pulling their footage and repurposing it for the show.
For now, Johnson Smith sees the show as a web series, and was unsure about it’s future for television.
The show is meant to have a broad appeal, targeting the sailing community and the general population as its main demographic.
The crew has already filmed a trailer, which features shots from around Newport and its waters.
Scott Rosenfelt (Mystic Pizza, Home Alone) and R. Vincent Smith (“30 Rock,” “Body of Proof”) will produce the series.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
