'Survivor' Turns 45: Behind the Scenes with the "Next Generation" of the Crew
During a visit to the set of Survivor earlier in 2023, Parade.com spoke with various crew members about their origin stories with the show, mentors they've had, and how they view the "next generation" of production. These are their stories.
Across over two decades, Survivor fans have gone back and forth on how to define generations of the show. Did the "old school" era end with Heroes vs. Villains, All-Stars, or even Borneo? Has the concept of making "big moves" to win the game popped up in the 20s or the 30s? A couple of years ago, the veteran reality series helped create a demarcating line, branding its post-pandemic return following the anniversary season Winners at War as a "new era."
While 45 seasons of Survivor have contained a multitude of generations–no matter how you quantify them–the same can be said behind the camera as well. The series is genuinely an iceberg in a tropical climate, as every week of back-breaking challenges and back-stabbing betrayals comes due to the work of over 400 individuals making sure everything is done smoothly. Over the years, crew members have come and gone, from being in the trenches as production built the plane as it flew during the electric first season to making things run smoothly as clockwork during the show's now-permanent residence in the Fijian islands.
No one is more representative of the eras of the Survivor crew than Riley Rantfle. She started with the show twenty years ago in the Pearl Islands of Panama when she was just a teenager. She quickly got promoted to Third Assistant Director for next season's All-Stars, learning the ropes of directing before ascending to her current role as First Assistant Director and Senior Producer during the 28th season nearly ten years. It was a true educational experience, in more ways than one.
"I was growing up on the show," Rantfle tells me during a set visit to the production camp in Fiji earlier this year. "I was realizing a lot of things. I thought I was going to be in the police force or Navy. To see them, I could suddenly go, 'Oh, I can sort of cross those things off the list. I don't need that. I don't need to go to college. Why would I leave this and go to college or university and study something that I'm actually getting paid to do?'"
Riley Rantfle (R), with her department members Taylor Autumn (L) and Jaimee Hunt (C).
Related: Everything to Know About Survivor 45
If Survivor is a university, then the "dream teamers" are its freshman class. Every season, bright-eyed youngsters are brought onto set, where they help fill in the gaps that require extra manpower. They help rehearse and troubleshoot upcoming challenges–every time you see faceless bodies on screen while host and executive producer Jeff Probst introduces a competition to the castaways, those are the dream teamers in the flesh! They help stand in for Probst and the castaways during tech runs for Tribal Council. They pitch in on painting props and set pieces. Rantfle herself was brought on as a dream teamer in her first season, and her experience of seeing how all parts of the Survivor sausage were made was essential to the job she does today.
"As a dream teamer, you get to work with all the different departments within Challenge and Tribal," she explains. "As an assistant director, I can put it all together. So then, when I'm going to build a call sheet or any schedule for the show, I've got more of a background. Having an understanding of all the other departments can only help me as an assistant director and as a scheduler."
Field Producer Andrea Joynt was a Survivor superfan who had her dream become literal when she got onto the dream team during season 33 in 2016. She made an impression immediately, touting in our interview that she hung in for a full hour while testing a classic endurance challenge. From then on, she proved to the crew she was there to stick it out. And though her primary experience in production to that point was in post, she immediately fell in love with the storytelling on the island. When her time on the dream team was over, she segued into a role as a night segment producer, before her job literally went from night to day.
Segment Producer Keoni Smith also started as a dream teamer, recruited by Co-Executive Producer Jimmy Quigley while filming the series Ultimate Ninja Challenge in Canada. As a self-proclaimed "ski bum from Whistler," he experienced a change in climate in more ways than one as he traveled across the Pacific. When the show restarted production in 2021, he stepped up in a hybrid role as dream teamer and producer, something he never would have expected even a year ago.
"I didn't really know it was an option," he says. "When you hear the word 'producer,' you don't really know what that entails. And so when I came out here and started seeing all the people doing all the different things, I was like, 'Oh, wow, you can actually produce. That's your job, to follow story, do all the logistics. That's awesome. I want to do that.'"
Like the sixteen to twenty contestants who starve themselves in pursuit of a million dollars every season, every Survivor origin story is different. Through the first seventeen years of the show, it consistently traveled to locations around the world. And like a giant boulder that is a key part of the now-requisite "mergatory" challenge, it would gather locals who would stay on for years to come. Roberta "Bertzie" Limjap was recruited as a local dream teamer when the show went to the Philippines in 2012. The visual aesthetics of the show quite literally caught her eye. She soon became an art assistant before ascending to her current role on standby props. Not only is she responsible for purchasing materials off-island that go into the various props and set pieces, but when Probst goes to tally the votes every week, she is the crucial person who arranges them inside the urn to perfectly set up some of Survivor's most classic blindsides.
When Survivor went to Nicaragua in 2014, Paulo Velozo was recruited by Production Coordinator Marcia Mendes. The two native Brazilians had previously worked together on another show in the Amazon rainforest, and the series needed an extra set of hands as a camera assistant for challenges. Comfortable in the water, he dove in to film crucial underwater sections. Once he had a hang of how to operate those weighty pieces of Survivor hardware, he never looked back.
"I was doing everything I can," he tells me. "In my spare time, I go shoot the full moon. Then I go dive and shoot sharks over here. I was pushing to shoot interviews. I was trying to do everything."
That initiative was recognized handily. Like Smith, a position opened up two years ago, this time for a camera operator for "reality" (a production term to describe when the contestants are at their tribe camps, not participating in challenges or Tribal Council). Once again, he took the dive, learning his new role under arduous circumstances. But he took to it like a fish to water. When I visited season 46's tribe camps, he was as natural as the landscape around him, in step with the players as they scurried around, capturing every moment of this life-changing experience.
Related: Meet the Full Cast of Survivor 45
Paulo Velozo
In 2016, Survivor appeared on the seemingly last stop on its world tour: The Mamanuca Islands in Fiji. Though it's a location they've stayed at to this day, they still did their traditional recruiting of locals, including Save Qalova. The Fijian had aspirations to work on a TV show, so when Survivor came into town, he jumped at the opportunity. While initially brought in as a grip, his hard work was recognized immediately. This year, he starts a new role as a camera assistant, which allows him to get more involved in the filming process.
"I'm so lucky to have this show," he says, beaming a mile wide. "It really makes me feel at home in the family. Where I was brought up, I was coming from sugarcane fields. So I didn't know anything about filming. And when I came for the first time on Survivor, it gave me more energy to push on and keep doing this. I'm so happy."
Necessity is the mother of invention. Across the years, we have seen players create strategies and maneuvers that have changed the game forever, from the "Black Widow Brigade" convincing Erik Reichenbach to give up his immunity necklace to Russell Hantz finding a record number of hidden immunity idols without clues. When Survivor returned after one year off, the first filming hiatus in the show's history, they faced a reduction in the run of a typical season, from 39 days down to 26. Where others saw a restriction, Quigley saw possibility.
"??Survivor basically has the three tenants of reality: Tribe camps, challenges, and Tribal Council," he explains. "And then what happens between all those things was really what fell under me most of the years before that."
Like nearly everyone on the crew, Quigley has his own packed Survivor resume. He started in Gabon fifteen years ago as a tape coordinator, responsible for getting the physical tape of the season to and from Los Angeles. Since then, he's worked about half a dozen jobs on set. And when the "new era" came into view, he saw an opportunity for another one.
"As we've gone into this new era of a more difficult game, that sort of has exploded a bit with twists, scrambles, journeys, and different elements that require a lot of work."
The result: Team F.L.I.N.T. (an acronym for "Fields, Logistics, Idols, Notes, Twists"). A new group for the new era, they are responsible for the twists, advantages, and rewards that have become a recent staple for the show. From procuring idols through saying silly phrases at challenges to the seemingly-cursed "Knowledge is Power" that allows a person to take an idol or advantage from another player, they're behind it all. Much like the Sanctuary, which also falls under their purview, Quigley's office, where Team F.L.I.N.T. meets, is "where good things happen."
Related: Jeff Probst Chooses His Favorite Moment from Survivor
The members of "Team F.L.I.N.T." (from L to R) Keoni Smith, Jimmy Quigley, and Andrea Joynt.
Like any good Survivor player, Quigley realized this could not just be an individual effort. He had to find allies. Joynt was the first brought on board, as he was impressed with her first season as a segment producer on Survivor: Ghost Island. "That was sort of an early 'big swing' concept," he reflects, "that had a lot of fun new ways of doing some Survivor stuff within the Survivor world." Considering how much the titular twist on that season was all about bringing back "cursed" idols and advantages from seasons past, it was only logical for her to be brought into a think tank around the very subject.
When it was revealed that the new era would consistently start with three tribes, it only made sense that a third member had to be brought in. Though Smith was the most junior, he credits Quigley with helping him get his foot in the door on Survivor in the first place. And it was clear he saw potential in him back when they were scouting through marshes in Canada, as he helped turn Team FLINT from a duo to a trio.
For the past five seasons, the three have worked in tandem to create a brand new version of what some call "the greatest game on Earth." Like castaways in their first couple of days, they have been building the "new era" shelter, strategically placing brand-new advantages, structural changes, and recurring "journeys" that encourage cross-tribal relationships. And though fans feel like the run of a typical new era season has been set, according to Quigley, the skeleton has yet to solidify completely.
"I think we're definitely still figuring things out," he admits. "We're evolving. Journeys in that first season in 41 are so different to what they are now, but still with the same ethos. I think the most exciting part is what we have in store. We have ideas now between the three of us that you probably won't see until season 50. So it's fun to see how we're able to take not only what we've learned, but what we're doing now, and apply it to what we're going to be doing in the future."
Of course, while Team F.L.I.N.T. is one of the newest things born out of the new era, that doesn't mean innovation isn't running rife around the set. Indeed, throughout my interviews with the crew, one of the consistent things I was told was how encouraging other production members were to have newer people try things if they had the initiative and the resources.
"They are so open," says Velozo. "It's so different than other shows. Camera assistants typically never touch the camera. Here, you can shoot. If you bring something to a person, and they like it, they use it."
According to Velozo, Series Director Dave Dryden gathers the camera operators in front of a room filled with screens after every challenge rehearsal. There, the team reviews the footage taken, giving constructive criticism. And though initially, the concept of a firing squad wielding 20-pound cameras had Velozo sweating, he referred to it as the "best course ever" to not only learn from the best but be encouraged to go out there and get footage for yourself.
Related: Here's a First Look at the Tribes for Survivor 45
Roberta "Bertzie" Limjap
As Rantfle's role on the Survivor crew burgeoned and the amount of things she needed to juggle increased, she needed more hands. She has created her own department specifically around managing logistics of the day-by-26-days. The group is even in its own "new era," with recent additions Jaimee Hunt and Taylor Autumn.
"As a department, you have to get along," she says. "So obviously, I'm looking at personalities as well. This is the first year I've had all females in the department. I was like, 'Okay, well, we've got to think about that.' Because you're working together so closely, you've got to really make sure you fit." Luckily, Hunt and Autumn had both been dream teamers, and Rantfle brought them on, seeing potential and an echo of her own journey.
"We knew that they were good at the job, very good at scheduling, and they would ask the right questions at the right time without being too obsessive about anything. And time is limited, so there's only so much coaching or babying that you can do as well. So I need to know that when I'm sending Jaimee or Taylor out to Tribal before me or challenge before me, or going to do second unit where I'm not going to be there, I need to know that they can handle it, and also that they're probably going to handle it in a similar way to what I would need. You can have people that work in different ways. You also get some Assistant Directors that are just sort of yellers."
It's Day 3 of a Survivor season. The contestants reach the end of their first Immunity Challenge. They are absolutely drained after three days of minimal supplies, their bodies in shock from a rapid deterioration of nutrients. On top of that, their bodies are banged and bruised from what they just went through, covered in equal parts, sweat, scratches, and sawdust.
Their final trial, though, before the puzzle that leads to victory and all-too-important safety from the vote, is a big one. A giant ramp stands in their way. Quickly, they come up with strategies to summit it. One person reaches down their hand, getting their tribe member to the top. Then that person reaches down themselves, helping those who are struggling to join them at the same destination.
This gesture of teamwork encapsulates the functionality within the Survivor crew. Everyone I spoke to during my time in Fiji has been that person trying to get up the ramp, needing that hand from above to get to where they need to be. And summarily, that gives them the initiative to reach down once they reach the top, assisting the others below them.
Every year, a new crop of dream teamers arrives, ready to begin their own adventure of a lifetime. And every year, Rantfle attends their orientation, introducing herself and making one thing absolutely clear.
"I let them know, 'Look, this is where I came from. I understand what you're going through. And I try to sort of have that open invitation that if you need any help, if you have any questions, if you don't understand how something works, please come and see me,'" she explains. "Because I know how valuable that was for me to have those people I could just ask a question, and you don't feel stupid. Coming in from the outside world with no understanding of film and television, to have someone you can go to and ask any question, and they'll explain it to you in a kind way and help you along the way."
Rantfle professes she would not be where she is today if it wasn't for Hanna Hartley. She had served as a second assistant director when her career had begun and was vital to her getting her sea legs in the game. Through Hartley and her husband, who had become a first AD, she had immediately found a new family.
"They were sort of my Survivor parents from the very beginning," she says. "I feel like in the Survivor world, and the professional world, they raised me, and they were sort of my sounding boards. Even when I left for two years, it was still them who I called or emailed when I had a rough day or needed help handling a certain situation."
Joynt has many people to thank for where she's gotten to in Survivor. But she particularly shouts out co-executive producer Joe Lia. "He is so generous," she says. "He always goes out of the way to let you know when you're doing something well. In season 37, I had to shoot a little scene at night. And I wasn't working in post. And I remember getting a call when I was at home with my family. It was Joe calling me, letting me know I'd done a good job. He made a point of doing it. And he continues to do it."
Related: Read Our Interview with Survivor 44 Winner Yam Yam Arocho
Save Qalova
Qalova credits previous best boy, Michael Cronin, for believing in him. When he debated a change in department, making a big move to becoming an assistant cameraman, he was all for it, telling him, "Save, you go for it. It is your time. Do anything." It's that attitude that has made Qalova feel that the sky's the limit when it comes to his pursuits.
Even someone more senior like Quigley has had his mentors, making particular reference to Executive Producer Matt Van Wagenen. "When I was a segment producer, I worked on the show for five years, and then left for a year. During that year, Matt and Jesse Jensen became Executive Producers. And then, the year after that, they welcomed me back as a field producer. But those two guys especially have been from that very moment. This job that we do requires you basically work with every single department. And that's not something that I had any experience with. They were instrumental and really helpful in helping me navigate the pre-production world that I wasn't as familiar with coming from post-segment producing."
But if you ask any former dream teamer who is the one who most helped them get to the top of this metaphoric ramp, it's none other than the strong arm of John Kirhoffer. He has been a mainstay since the very first season, one of the few to have stayed with the show throughout its entire tenure. Though fans primarily know him for designing the epic challenges that the castaways compete in every episode, he also serves an off-screen role as a foster parent in the consistent cycling of new kids every year.
"JPK definitely was the one who inspired us and motivated us," Limjap says, reflecting on her time on the dream team. "'You can do more after dream team. You can't be drifting forever because the team is so fun. You have to go to the outside world and fly.' He's our dad. He has so many kids in the show. He pushes you in your second year, like, 'Go, go, go. Where do you want to shadow? What do you want to do?'"
Smith agrees. "[It was so important] having him involved and bringing you up and having them being huge advocates for you moving forward, and progressing you in the show as well. It's such an incredible show, because everyone here is always rooting for each other. It's not hyper-competitive. It's not a dog-eat-dog environment. Everyone is just supportive. Everyone's seen here. It's refreshing. It feels like a family."
"It feels like a family." When some fans hear Survivor players say this, both during and after the game, they're hesitant to take it at face value. This is a cutthroat game for a million dollars. You wouldn't give this person the time of day if you passed them on the street a week ago. What makes you suddenly say that they're as close to you as a blood relative?
Despite whether those bonds are authentic in front of the camera, behind it, they're 100% familial. The one constant I got from talking to so many different people of different nationalities and different ages across different departments is the ability to get the job done. Everyone is working towards a common goal, from the dream teamers to Jeff Probst: Make the best show possible. And that immense amount of support has served as the foundation of the Survivor shelter to prove its permanence, even during some of the windiest storms.
"When we're hiring people for outside positions, one of the selling points is that when you're on Survivor, you get to do your job," Quigley explains. "In terms of other shows, a lot of the times you're left to sort of fill in the gaps that shows don't know exist. Survivor knows where those gaps exist, and people are allowed to do their job, and do it as well as they can. And I think that also allows for everybody to help out, too. We wouldn't be able to do anything that we're doing without the camera department's help, without art, the people in the props department. Everything we do, we know how great every other department is. And so, when we come up with ideas, we know we're able to come up with ideas, because all those people do their jobs."
Getting that assistance also provides ample opportunities to reach down and pull up the prospective members of the next Survivor generation. As the show celebrates season 45, its lasting power in the face of a consistently changing television landscape has been palpable. But while the show may last forever, the people behind it will not. Indeed, over two decades, many have arrived and departed to different sets and jobs. But those currently working on Survivor make it their priority to address the next generation of crew, the new layer of foliage on this Fijian family tree.
"We regularly use dream teamers to help out in different ways when we need an extra hand here or there," Joynt says. "And it's always fun to hear the excitement in their voice when they get to do these things for the first time. That excitement is infectious. We definitely try to keep everybody in the loop and have them have these learning experiences that we got to have. I think there are lots of chances for them to come out and see other areas of the show, including what we do."
When I speak with Limjap, she is currently working alongside a new initiate on all the minute details for an upcoming Tribal Council. "I see it slowly unfold, and you're just like, 'I can't believe I'm already here.' And then you're happily showing them, and you want them to get there too because everyone helps you the same way. You want to pay it forward."
"I'm pushing the locals in Fiji," adds Qalova. "I'm like, 'Please, do this.' I feel better helping them, knowing how to do a lot of things."
"I love it, man," says Velozo, grinning from ear to ear as he speaks. "When I see some of the dream team trying to get better, they look at my stuff sometimes. Sometimes they go to post and say, 'I looked at your tape, man, it's good! Can you give me some tips?' I love just helping out because here's a land of opportunities. And I want everybody to give."
Rantfle has a different way of viewing the idea of the next generation. Across almost 40 seasons, she has risen through the ranks, from an aimless teen to managing a department filled with people the very age she was when she started. But the Survivor family became quite literal for her when she met, fell in love with, and married former Segment Producer Dave Rantfle. She gave birth to their first child, Charlie, two years ago. Throughout my time in Fiji, I saw the precocious toddler walking through the mess hall, having breakfast with her mother before she went off on her daily mission to make Survivor magic happen.
"Where we live, everyone eats the same, looks the same, talks the same. If you do something different, you're different," Rantfle tells me. "Whereas here, Charlie is getting to learn Fijian, and she's getting to learn Spanish. She does sign language. She hears and sees all these people from around the world, and they're people to her. They're not someone from this country or that country, or they do this differently.
"They're just people, and they're all our friends. She calls everyone 'friends.' Every time she sees a boat coming in, she goes, 'Friends!' and runs up to the boat. She waits for all the crew to get off the boat, and she's there to say hi to everyone."
Whether from a past, present, or future generation of Survivor crew, there will always be someone there to show them how it's done, to give them space to create. And there will always be more "friends" to welcome off the boat into the adventure of a lifetime.
