Celebs become videographers in Season 3 of Fuse’s ‘Made From Scratch’
If Fuse’s “Made From Scratch” seems to have taken on a more intimate tone in Season 3, it might be because of the way the eight episodes were shot.
Premiering Wednesday, Sept. 15, the new installments of the half-hour series that follows musical artists in their kitchens as they and kin prepare family recipes were actually shot by the subjects themselves. There were no production crews this time around, a concession to the pandemic, only camera packs and lighting shipped to the celebs’ homes with instructions on set-up and use.
According to Jon Scarlett, Fuse Media’s vice president of content and a producer on the show, all the artists acquitted themselves quite nicely as their own videographers. “It worked well with kind of the overall narrative of the show,” he explains.
“It’s not just playing on titles, it’s not just about the artist’s background and how they’re made from scratch or even how the dishes they’re creating are made from scratch. But really the show itself is made from scratch in the way that the artists themselves are taking it upon themselves to really produce it and shoot it.”
This season, the focus shifts to younger artists as viewers get to go inside the kitchens of pop singer/ actress Becky G, singer/songwriter Maria Isabel, rapper Smino, R&B singer Joyce Wrice and singer/ songwriter/actress Tinashe, and watch them prepare a dish with a close family member as they let down their guard and reveal how family and food has shaped their identity as people and artists.
“One of the best environments for that is in the kitchen,” Scarlett says, “or hanging around the dinner table and having a home-cooked meal with somebody you grew up with. So we were able to lean into that.
“And obviously this show is not a cooking show,” he continues. “We’re not lifting out recipes and having the audience kind of follow along what they’re making. It’s more about the interaction and the sharing of anecdotes and stories and really heartfelt conversations around food and dining with a loved one. And that’s really what the show is about. More so than just kind of two people in the kitchen cooking, it’s really about sharing those intimate moments.”
But still, while the emphasis is on family and intimate moments, the recipes prepared in Season 3 will be made available via the “Made From Scratch” web page (www.fuse.tv/shows/made-from-scratch/Pj1MPw0nxcl3) and social media for anyone who wants to follow along.