Hanging at HCC
MTV attracts a belly dancer, a pro boxer and aspiring rappers to its opencasting call in Houston
An enthusiastic HCC student during her audition.Houston Community College TV
The man behind the webcam and audition process.Houston Community College TV
MADE/Facebook
"Those poor things tried!" Houston Community College public relations director Martha Barrera said. Barrera was talking about the hopefuls who tried out for the MTV reality show MADE at HCC.
The tryout drew in all types, all looking for a TV moment or a career boost from MADE. The Emmy award-wining "inspirational reality" show follows an aspiring student in each episode who wants to pursue a life goal they've been afraid to seek out on their own.
Only 66 students applied to participate in the casting call which stretched over two days — and only 14 actually braved the audition and showed up the first day at the HCC Southwest College campus. "You can tell that the ones who showed up were actually prepared and determined," Barrera said.
MTV chose the community college for the tryouts because it's a departure from its usual reality TV settings.
HCC community outreach coordinator Lisa Hernandez said that even though there was a small turnout, "There were a few standouts with an aspiring belly dancer who wasn't actually a pro, but she demonstrated anyways."
The participants included a dedicated pro boxer, Michael Martin, who said that "If this audition falls through, I'll try my luck at an upcoming boxing reality show also being produced by MTV." Another hopeful candidate, Nolan Powell, a Hurricane Katrina survivor, was an aspiring actor who says he already had some credits to his name from appearing in a few indie films.
Barerra told CultureMap that the most promising story of the day was from Diana Sanchez, a budding restaurateur. "She was prepared with a complete business plan and just wanted MTV and MADE to give her exposure and capital to start her vision for a healthy fast-food idea."
Sanchez wants to open an organic chain of fast food restaurants that promote a healthier lifestyle by offering a wide variety of kid-friendly choices to make it easier for working parents to feed their kids right.
Hernandez says MTV chose the community college for the tryouts because it's a departure from its usual reality TV settings.
"They were inspired by the students ability to balance work and school," Hernandez said. "They weren't the typical students. They're hard-working. Overall, they were also looking for something fresh and different and several innovative ideas."
