They are three, have never done TV and carry on their shoulders a heavy responsibility: launch the new version of RMC Découverte. Marie-Sophie, Mickael and Stéphane land in the station this Thursday evening in Van Mecanic, a French creation that combines both a theme already dear to the channel (mechanics, it’s in the title) with a subject that we are less used to seeing on channel 24, namely decoration .
The vans, whose sales increased by 20% in France in 2020, are the stars of this new program. Purchased “in their own juice”, eight vehicles will pass into the hands of decorators Marie-Sophie and Mickael and mechanic Stéphane in order to make them real houses on wheels. Failures under the hood, strict budget, the three experts are tasked with giving these vans a second life. And above all, no question of cheating in front of the cameras! “These are vans intended for sale so we knew very well that when we fitted them out, they had to be very comfortable, not just for TV,” warns Mickael during a press meeting at which 20 minutes has assisted.
A small rebirth for RMC Découverte
More than a new show, Van Mecanic is the figurehead of a transformation of channel 24 of TNT. This week, the channel returns with one idea in mind: to attract a larger audience than usual. “This is the showcase program for the new editorial line of RMC Découverte,” announces Stéphane Sallé de Chou, general manager of the channel and of RMC Story.
With this program, executives hope to continue to speak to their target audience, which is more male, while attracting people not used to watching Top Gear, Wheeler Dealers Where Vintage Mecanic. “We do not put a handkerchief at all on the old RMC Découverte, reassures the general manager. We hope that we will also address a target a little more feminine than usual. The new population is mixed whereas before it was too often exclusively male. “
Attracting men and women to a mechanics program could prove difficult. In order to achieve its objectives, the chain promises a clever mix of DIY and development, “a segment that we did not have at all,” notes Stéphane Sallé de Chou. From one episode to another, the proportion of decoration and repair of machinery varies, while keeping the mood of the workshop and, consequently, the DNA of RMC Découverte.
In the coming weeks, the public will also be able to take a seat in front of the new programs of the adventurer Mike Horn and the explorer Antoine de Maximy for unpublished numbers of I will sleep at your house, a sign of openness to a wider public.
Three strangers at the head of a show
As the original format, Van Mecanic had everything to build. The first task to be fulfilled was therefore to cast the planners. For this, the production company traveled across France and met several faces, until it fell in love with Marie-Sophie and Mickael. However, one question remained unanswered: will the couple ensure in front of the cameras? “Either it takes because they are fresh and natural and they do not have the codes of television, or it does not take because they want to be the animators and it does not work”, summarizes Stéphane Sallé of Cabbage. Without wanting to spoil it, the coin ultimately fell on the safe side.
“Being in front of the camera is not the thing that we dreaded the most, it even made us laugh,” says Marie-Sophie. The most stressful part was doing your job and having the camera behind. It was quite an experience. “His companion completes:” We were often on stage, we did lots of shows, musicals. Having a lot of people in front of us has always made us laugh. “
Authenticity at the heart of the project
“We are really a documentary channel so we don’t want to make televised productions”, indicates the managing director of RMC Découverte. The watchword was therefore authenticity throughout the various stages of the program’s creation process. The mechanic Stéphane has been working in this field since the age of 16 and is thinking of opening his own garage soon. Marie-Sophie and Mickael have created their vehicle transformation company since the discovery of “van life” in 2015 during a trip to Australia.
“If we enlarge the line, it’s as if our three talents had their garage in real life and that we put the cameras”, summarizes Stéphane Sallé de Chou. The stated ambition is to install Van Mecanic like a big brand of the chain, without forgetting to sell the format abroad since more and more countries are interested in this new nomadic life. Finally, will the show do more kilometers than its own vans?