Watch Hot Set

Hot Set was a Syfy competition series that premiered in 2012 and was hosted by Brad Ashten. Each episode saw two teams of skilled set designers and production builders go head-to-head in a fierce competition to create the most stunning, imaginative and believable motion picture sets for a specific film genre.

The show was judged by a panel of industry professionals, led by film critic Ben Mankiewicz, who provided expert feedback to each team throughout the design process. Joining Mankiewicz on the judging panel were professional production designer Curt Beech and script supervisor and set decorator Christy McLaughlin.

In the first round of each episode, the teams were given a challenge to create a small set based on a specific film genre, such as horror, sci-fi, or action-adventure. The teams had just 24 hours to build the set from scratch, based on a set of requirements that included specific objects, lighting, and props. The judges then evaluated the sets and provided feedback to the teams, ultimately deciding which one would move on to the final round.

The second round was the elimination round, where the remaining team was given a much larger set to build within a 3-day time period, leading up to the final judging ceremony. During the final round, Mankiewicz and the judges screened each team's final project, evaluated their attention to detail, construction techniques, and overall creativity, and then declared a winner.

What set Hot Set apart from other reality competition shows was its commitment to authenticity. The show provided an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the film industry, and it was clear that the judges and contestants were deeply passionate about their work. The sets that the designers created were incredibly immersive, and they were evaluated heavily based on their realism, believability, and attention to detail.

Overall, Hot Set was a fascinating and engaging competition series that provided an inside look at the art of creating movie sets. The show was fast-paced, engaging, and filled with excitement, while also providing a lot of insights into the real-life challenges of designing sets for films. The contestants were talented, the challenges were diverse and stimulating, and the judges were engaging and thoughtful. It was an excellent series for anyone interested in the film industry, and it was a shame that it didn't continue beyond its first season.

Hot Set is a series that ran for 1 seasons (6 episodes) between September 18, 2012 and on Syfy