Beginning to Find the Cast

The casting of "The Vault Twelve" was like no other. It had to be. I knew right from the start that this was not just your ordinary, run-of-the-mill and predictable Reality Show. Not by a long shot.

For one, The Vault is actually "real". It is not some eclectically-designed and perfectly manicured state set with all the plushnes some of us may have grown to envy from a plethora of cardboard cutouts we are so accustomed to seeing. The Vault was built for one purpose, and for one purpose only - survival!

I knew each cast member had to exhibit several key qualities in order to survive these less than friendly conditions. Living in isolation 40 feet underground with no live TV, no live radio, no phones, no media and, well...no "live" anything, except for themselves, would not be easy.

Therefore, I had to feel it for myself first.

Upon entering The Vault for the first time, it was apparent to me that this would be a show with unprecedented physical, emotional and mental challenges.

A dark and haunting feeling began to envelope me as I descended deeper inside. Suddently, I was keenly aware of the blood, sweat and tears of the men who toiled away during its' construction. I knew that it was a time of great turmoil in the world above when The Vault was initially conceived. And, even more so as the first slab of concrete was poured. The fears and insecurities of nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis were far more prevalent than any of the fears we face today. The effort put into the building of such a fortress, alone, was nearly inconceivable to me - and all for the sole purpose of surviving just one part of the human race. The Vault's sheer magnitude was overwhelming.

I found myself whispering. "What if I survived?" I asked myself.

"Could I actually live down here?" I wondered. "Can anyone really survive the desolation of this place...?"

These feelings prevailed as I began to search for my cast. This was more than just a reality show to me. This was a social exercice like nothing I have ever experienced before. A unique and thought-provoking social experiment that may never be attempted again? It was all real - and all reality!

My search began...