Secrets From Behind the Scenes of ‘Shark Tank’

The Pitches

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The pitches are the best part of the show, but surprisingly they usually take about an hour. They only take around ten to fifteen minutes when you’re watching them on TV, but that’s because they’re chopped down to meet time requirements. In season 4, the “Plate Topper” founder Michael Tseng said he was in the tank for over 2 hours before a decision was made!

The investors typically know nothing about the entrepreneurs or their companies before they step into the tank. There’s a lot of explaining to do, and unsurprisingly, there’s a lot you don’t see in the final cuts.

Short Seasons?

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The seasons are usually around 30 episodes long, but they’re shot in just 17 days! The group of investors usually see six to eight different pitches each 12-hour shoot day.

“We’re cold, we’re hungry, we’re miserable,” Robert Herjavec once said of conditions on set. He said that’s why it’s so important for the entrepreneurs to grab their attention.

The Sound of Silence

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The start of each pitch starts with 30 seconds of silence. The entrepreneurs go and stand in front of the judges for 30 awkward seconds while the producers get ready and the cameramen work on their best angles. Some of the contestants said that this “stare down” moment was incredibly awkward.