ET Canada got to speak with Executive Producer John Kirhoffer and he explained the thought process behind Survivor challenges, and where they go after use.
One reason Survivor is still running strong is the way it has evolved throughout the show’s nearly 20-year history. From advanced gameplay to more sophisticated twists and the focus shifting from survival to strategy, Survivor has evolved remarkably. With all of those elements improving over the years, sometimes we can overlook the fact that even challenges have changed so much since Borneo.
Regardless of how many fans love Old School Survivor, nobody can ignore the fact that the quality of Immunity and Reward Challenges have improved immensely since the early days. Nowadays, challenges are more creative, more exciting and more balanced instead of being one dimensional or only physically demanding. How did the producers get to this point, and where do the sets go when the challenge is over?
ET Canada got the chance to talk about challenges with Executive Producer John Kirhoffer in the Survivor graveyard. You can watch the video on YouTube here, and I have to say, it has to be the coolest behind-the-scenes clip I have seen from the show. John Kirhoffer brings viewers to a massive outdoor area in Fiji filled with equipment and props from previous challenges.
It’s surreal to see these epic structures from past challenges clustered all in one place. Although there is plenty of materials in the graveyard to remake a challenge, production likes to come up with new concepts instead of reusing ideas. That said, every once in a while when they do feel like a set is missing something, the graveyard is the perfect place to add those finishing touches.
John also explained their process behind creating a challenge. They usually try to go for a tough, gritty obstacle course type of phase, but always concluding that with a puzzle or test of dexterity so that each tribe is never out of it. It was interesting to watch brief scenes of the Dream Team test the challenges with Jeff Probst looking on and making suggestions.
We’ve already had one awesome challenge in Island of the Idols so far, and I could see more on the way from this smart production crew.