Thanks to everyone for all the tips and helpful advice. It really gives me a better sense of the more common approaches people are taking. Most of it is what I figured but wasn't sure if there were any reality show "rules" i would be breaking.
Just to clarify this is an indie funded pilot that we're shooting thus the restricted budget. And I'm actually an audio guy first and foremost, the co-producer part is where I'm a complete noob. I've been in pro-audio for nearly 20 years and while most of my experience is in studio, I have worked on several productions as sound sup, just never a reality tv show. And while it might be nice to hire a sound sup w reality experience; a) i'm not sure if it's in the budget and i want to have the experience of doing it myself. I figured if i hire a mixer (or 3) that have reality show experience they'd be enough of a help to keep me from shooting myself in the foot w/o losing control of the way production actually sounds.
thanks
jason