Photo: Tim Samuel

How real is the show Alone?

5) Yes, it's real: We pride ourselves in providing each participant with the most unobstructed opportunity to test their survival skills, isolated, in a wild environment – while also taking the necessary safety precautions.

cynopsis.com - Five Things Viewers Don't Know About History Survival Hit Alone

Is it smart to live off the grid?

For many people, living off the grid is an excellent way to save money and live simpler, more sustainable lives. You'll be responsible for food,...

Last updated May 19, 2018

How do you store sugar long term?

Storage containers should be opaque, airtight, and moisture/ odor-proof. The typical retail paper package for crystal sugars is not suitable for...

Last updated Mar 23, 2022

Promotion

Season 5 of History survival hit Alone premieres Thursday June 14 at 10p, and will once again feature intrepid competitors braving harsh conditions, documenting the experience themselves – no camera crews allowed. Shawn Witt, executive producer of the series and co-president at Leftfield Pictures, offers behind-the-scenes intel. 1) Thousands of potential participants are narrowed down to 20 for boot camp: Prior to each season, we receive roughly 5,000 video submissions from hopeful participants. Of those hopefuls, we never consider the people who boil water in plastic bottles or who nearly take their feet off with camp hatchets! Of the rest, 20 with exceptional and diverse skillsets are chosen to attend an intensive boot camp in upstate New York, during which they’re objectively evaluated by third party professionals, assessing their survival skills, as well as their physical and mental fortitude. Prior to Season 1, not a single participant knew there was a cash prize – much less, a $500,000 cash prize – yet they all showed up to boot camp simply because they wanted to test their skills in the wild.

2) Each season, participants produce thousands of hours of self-shot footage:

There are no camera crews following our participants in the wilderness; they are legitimately, for lack of a better word, alone. That said, the footage seen in the series is self-shot, and it requires months of screening and a team of more than 25 associate producers to log the thousands of hours our participants capture – before our story team begins in post.

3) Production sometimes shares craft services with the wildlife:

While filming Season 5, a wild bull snuck into our production crew’s craft service yurt (yes, we had to build a yurt city for production in the middle of the Mongolian wilderness), ate some Pringles and then knocked the entire thing over while escaping.

4) Many factors go into choosing the series locations:

As viewers are aware, each season takes place in a different location/environment, and the location selection process is time consuming and thorough. We have to ensure any destination we consider has enough land to support 10 isolated participants, while also providing them with equal and ample survival resources, such as fresh water, flora and fauna. We also have to make sure open fires are permitted 24-7 and that local fish and wildlife regulations allow our participants to procure the food required to survive. We have certain dream destinations, like Transylvania, that have never panned out because there’s not enough uninhabited land for the participants to remain fully isolated from one another.

5) Yes, it’s real:

Even though some are convinced this show is fake or staged… I can assure everyone that it couldn’t be more authentic. We pride ourselves in providing each participant with the most unobstructed opportunity to test their survival skills, isolated, in a wild environment – while also taking the necessary safety precautions. The Cynsiders column is a platform for industry leaders to reach out to colleagues, followers, and the public at large. In their own words and in targeted Q&As, columnists address breaking news, issues of the day, and the larger changes going on in the ever-evolving world of television, video and digital. Cynsiders columns live on Cynopsis’ main page and are promoted across all daily newsletters. We welcome readers’ comments, queries, and column ideas at Lynn@Cynopsis.com.

Do they wash their clothes on Survivor?

Weeks without a washing machine can make it hard to stay fresh, but players come up with different ways of cleaning their clothes on the island....

Last updated Jun 26, 2019

What to do if world is ending?

12 things to do when the world is ending Tell your loved ones that you love them — often. Reread your favorite books. Tackle your bucket list....

Last updated Dec 25, 2020

Promotion

What will the leading cause of death be in 2030?

Future Health of our Nation (Text) Greater numbers of older people will require care for chronic diseases and age-related health problems. Deaths from Alzheimer's, hepatitis C and certain cancers are rising. By 2030: Cancer may overtake heart disease as the #1 cause of death, killing 640,000 people each year.

cdc.gov - Future Health of our Nation Infographic - CDC

The impact of America’s growing, aging population on the future health of our nation.

Future Health of our Nation PDF Version

Future Health of our Nation (Text)

America has a growing, aging population, which will greatly affect the health of our nation.

The number of older adults in the U.S. will double by 2030.

Greater numbers of older people will require care for chronic diseases and age-related health problems.

Deaths from Alzheimer’s, hepatitis C and certain cancers are rising. By 2030:

Cancer may overtake heart disease as the #1 cause of death, killing 640,000 people each year The number of hepatitis C-related deaths may grow by as much as 3 times Alzheimer’s disease may become the 4th leading cause of death, killing over 150,000 people a year CDC is monitoring these problems, working to detect and prevent them, and sharing information to help combat them.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

What is the TikTok bathroom thing?

The "Devious Lick" bathroom challenge on TikTok involves students recording themselves vandalizing school bathrooms and sharing their videos. Sep...

Last updated Sep 30, 2022

What are the 10 basic knife cuts?

Kitchen Language: What Are The Basic Knife Cuts? Baton. Thick cut chips or steak fries are cut in chunky batons about 8mm in thickness. ......

Last updated May 3, 2019

Promotion

Is it better to have gold or cash?

Gold could be far more efficient than cash at storing wealth. Interest rates remain low, meaning that your money in the bank “earns virtually...

Last updated Aug 9, 2019

Promotion

Why do some adults dislike reading?

Generally speaking, people dislike reading due to poor reading skills. If a person can't read at an acceptable speed, it can cause frustration and...

Last updated Dec 9, 2021