There害羞草研究所檚 nothing about the outside of Rob Forde害羞草研究所檚 house in southern Chilliwack that sets it apart from those of his neighbours害羞草研究所�. Yet, if a visitor to Forde害羞草研究所檚 home were to go around the side and enter through the back door, they害羞草研究所檇 be instantly transported across time to various decades throughout modern and ancient history.
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Upon walking through the entryway, one of the first things that may catch a guest害羞草研究所檚 eye is The Bomb Shelter, an area directly across from the door that害羞草研究所檚 been creatively decorated to look like a 1940s bar, complete with its own incoming mustard gas canister. Or perhaps it害羞草研究所檒l be the newly completed Houdini pinball cage that will distract and delight those entering what Forde has dubbed 害羞草研究所淒oc Studio.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭he basement acts like my resume,害羞草研究所� said Forde. 害羞草研究所淎nd my goal when people (enter Doc Studio) is to help them figure out what they like,害羞草研究所漵aid Forde as he sat near to what used to be his Montreal, Quebec scene, complete with the wooden shinny boys in Canadiens jerseys he carved with a chainsaw.
This isn害羞草研究所檛 害羞草研究所漥ust about the creating and the building,害羞草研究所� continued Forde about Doc Studio. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 the picking, the searching for treasures. Finding those cool things, whether it害羞草研究所檚 at an garage sale, an auction, or whatever. I害羞草研究所檓 always on the hunt and it害羞草研究所檚 a good day when you come home with something fun.害羞草研究所�
Forde, who害羞草研究所檚 quite literally a very handy man, has been a practicing doctor of chiropractic for more than three decades, however, during many of those years, he was also a well-known competitive chainsaw artist.
And now that he害羞草研究所檚 begun fixing up spaces creatively during his semi-retirement, the doctor害羞草研究所檚 latest artistic hobby may have lead him all the way to Hollywood.
害羞草研究所淚 didn害羞草研究所檛 ask specifically how they found me, but I害羞草研究所榤 assuming it was from (The Progress) article,害羞草研究所� explained Forde.
Last July, as word spread about the doctor who was remaking basement spaces into immersive scenes, Forde was featured in the newspaper害羞草研究所檚 Scene & Heard section. A few months later, he opened his email and found a letter from Brian Catalina Entertainment asking if he害羞草研究所檇 be interested in hosting his own reality show.
害羞草研究所淚t caught me out of the blue and I was flabbergasted,害羞草研究所� said Forde. 害羞草研究所淚t was two different TV producers from L.A. that contacted me and said, 害羞草研究所榃e害羞草研究所檙e interested in doing a television show about what you害羞草研究所檙e doing.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
Although the offer was unexpected, Forde says he was intrigued and wanted to hear more. 害羞草研究所淪o from there we had a couple of Skype interviews 害羞草研究所� and then they had us do a photo shoot down here, which we (then) sent to them.
害羞草研究所淭hey edit down the Skype interview and the photos and send that out,害羞草研究所� explained Forde. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e looking for a network to pick it up.害羞草研究所�
Brian Catalina Entertainment is the idea-maker behind several popular reality shows, including Swamp People, which is going into its ninth season, The Raft, and Ultimate Survival Alaska.
害羞草研究所淭heir role, if I害羞草研究所檓 understanding correctly, is to be the middle man and get a cut of the action,害羞草研究所� continued Forde. 害羞草研究所淚f their idea of The Basement Doctor, which is the title of the show, takes hold, then the network probably pays them (something for the show害羞草研究所檚 rights).害羞草研究所�
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Talking about the process up to this point, the semi-retired chiropractor laughs when explaining how one of the producers didn害羞草研究所檛 quite understand the concept because of where he grew up. 害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 from Florida, and they don害羞草研究所檛 have basements in Florida,害羞草研究所� said Forde.
害羞草研究所淏ut the other producer totally got it because he害羞草研究所檚 from somewhere up north where they have basements. He said it害羞草研究所檚 going to be so cool because everyone害羞草研究所檚 basements are just a mess, and if you can turn it into something special, the transformation would be fun to (watch).害羞草研究所�
Although he doesn害羞草研究所檛 know for sure which networks have been pitched his show, Forde says he guesses it害羞草研究所檚 gone to stations like Home and Garden TV (HGTV) or the Do It Yourself Network (DIY).
As for how the actual show would play out, much of that害羞草研究所檚 still based on guesswork as well. 害羞草研究所淭hey didn害羞草研究所檛 give us too much information other than I害羞草研究所檇 be the host and (my wife) would be helping me.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 assuming they害羞草研究所檇 provide me with a crew 害羞草研究所� so it only takes a week or two to do a basement. Then they just film the process, edit it down, and there害羞草研究所檚 the show. But again, it害羞草研究所檚 all new to me,害羞草研究所� said Forde.
Signed into a nine-month contract, Forde says it isn害羞草研究所檛 so much about if the show will take place, but rather when the show will take place.
| Rob Forde doesn't only do large spaces, the talented chiropractor also does small spaces that pack a large emotional punch, like this space he created to commemorate his father and the family's horse farm. (Jenna Hauck/The Progress) |
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 not even sure if they害羞草研究所檒l say no, I think it害羞草研究所檚 more of a case of waiting until,害羞草研究所� said Forde.
害羞草研究所淚f enough time went by I would eventually assume that it害羞草研究所檚 probably not going to happen, but then a year from now it could pop up again. The concept is out there, so all it takes is somebody in some office somewhere to like it, and if they like a doctor doing people害羞草研究所檚 basements, then you害羞草研究所檝e got a show!害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚n my mind, I害羞草研究所檓 thinking, 害羞草研究所極h, it害羞草研究所檚 going to happen!害羞草研究所� I just don害羞草研究所檛 know how soon.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 like fishing, I害羞草研究所檓 betting (the entertainment company has) cast a lot of lines 害羞草研究所� and if just one of them bites, they害羞草研究所檝e got some money coming in.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淏ut if it doesn害羞草研究所檛 happen, that害羞草研究所檚 (okay, too),害羞草研究所� said Forde. 害羞草研究所淎s long as I害羞草研究所檝e got people wanting me to help them with their spaces here in Chilliwack, that害羞草研究所檚 all I really want anyway. My main objective in all of this is to let people know this exists,害羞草研究所� said Forde. 害羞草研究所淚f they don害羞草研究所檛 know it exists, they can害羞草研究所檛 find it.害羞草研究所�
However, at the end of the day, Forde says it害羞草研究所檚 all about 害羞草研究所渂ringing people (and families) together and helping them feel proud of space when friends come over害羞草研究所� and he害羞草研究所檒l be happy to achieve that anyway he can.
For more information on Doc Studio, email Rob Forde at rdf9060@telus.net, or visit him on .
Stay tuned to The Progress learn more about when Chilliwack害羞草研究所檚 Basement Doctor will begin making house calls and transforming unused spaces into beloved places.
Sarah.Gawdin@theprogress.com
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