The Prodigy (TV series) explained

Country:	United States
Producer:	Bryan Ferre

The Prodigy was an alleged proposed American reality TV show in 2007 that promised $1 million in cash and prizes to the ultimate winner, but was actually a recruiting scheme for an alarm sales company.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

The show staged casting events at college campuses throughout the country in 2007.^{[5] [6] [7] [8]} The show's creative director and producer Bryan Ferre announced that they were recruiting field camera crew from Collins College (Arizona).^[9]

Students were reportedly selected from around the country, perhaps as many as 2000. Many of the students cast in the show later claimed it was an elaborate scam by Utah-based security alarm company Firstline Security. The "show" was produced by "Actuality Entertainment",^[7] and producers promised the students it would air on a major network. Many students never saw any cameras, however. No show ever aired.^{[10] [11] [2] [12]} Firstline subsequently went into bankruptcy,^{[4] [13] [14]} and the state of California launched an investigation of the company's practices which led to its license being revoked.^{[15] [16]}

Further reading

• Web site: Karoli . Pure Bull or Pure Evil? . odd time signatures . 9 June 2019 . July 21, 2007. (personal blog of mother writing about the experiences of her son in The Prodigy project)

Notes and References

1. News: Firstline brings security to masses . 9 June 2019 . . June 3, 2007 . Business.
2. News: Rose . Sontaya . False Alarms . 9 June 2019 . KFSN-TV (ABC30 Fresno) . February 15, 2008.
3. News: Rose . Sontaya . False Alarms and a Dose of Reality . 9 June 2019 . KFSN-TV (ABC30 Fresno) . February 26, 2008.
4. News: Rose . Sontaya . Firstline Security, Bogus Billing . 9 June 2019 . KFSN-TV (ABC30 Fresno) . June 3, 2009.
5. News: Hermiston . Lee . UI part of 'Prodigy' search . 9 June 2019 . . April 25, 2007 . Cedar Rapids-Iowa City, IA . 1B . Iowa Today . NewsBank.
6. News: Hermiston . Lee . 'Prodigy' auditions fail to draw crowd . 9 June 2019 . . April 27, 2007 . Cedar Rapids-Iowa City, IA . 3B . Iowa Today . NewsBank.
7. News: Gallegos . Rachel . Students prove to be 'prodigies' . 9 June 2019 . . April 27, 2007 . Iowa City, Iowa . 3A . Newspapers.com.
8. News: McCann . Jessica . TV show recruits at A&M: Almost 100 Aggies apply to be the next big reality stars . 9 June 2019 . . March 7, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140413145936/http://www.thebatt.com/2.8485/tv-show-recruits-at-a-m-1.1191632 . April 13, 2014.
9. The Prodigy, Opportunity Knocks: Reality TV Recruits Film Graduates of Collins College for Camera Crew . . 9 June 2019 . . May 30, 2007.
10. News: Finney . Michael . Reality show contestants duped into selling . 9 June 2019 . KGO-TV (ABC7 San Francisco) . February 18, 2008 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20080218141956/http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/7_on_your_side&id=5954507 . February 18, 2008.
11. News: Hokanson . Chris . Utah based company lures "door-to-door" salesmen . 9 June 2019 . . January 23, 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140413154833/http://www.thebatt.com/2.8485/utah-based-company-lures-door-to-door-salesmen-1.1187852 . April 13, 2014.
12. News: Finney . Michael . Reality show producer talks to ABC7 . 9 June 2019 . KGO-TV (ABC7 San Francisco) . February 28, 2008 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20080229161317/http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/7_on_your_side&id=5986600 . February 29, 2008.
13. News: Finney . Michael . Consumers get faulty alarm systems . 9 June 2019 . KGO-TV (ABC7 San Francisco) . February 29, 2008 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20141010163721/http://abc7news.com/archive/5989126/ . October 10, 2014.
14. News: Firstline Security seeks bankruptcy protection . 9 June 2019 . . January 29, 2008 . Business . Bloomberg News.
15. News: Finney . Michael . State investigating Firstline Security . 9 June 2019 . KGO-TV (ABC7 San Francisco) . March 14, 2008 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20110805022703/http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/7_on_your_side&id=6018592 . August 5, 2011.
16. News: Finney . Michael . Firstline loses license to operate in CA . 9 June 2019 . KGO-TV (ABC7 San Francisco) . June 19, 2008 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20141010163724/http://abc7news.com/archive/6214416/ . October 10, 2014.