Bogus Supermodel Organizer
Life has been hectic lately. A big news that blew me away was when this happened:
Amber in contractual dispute with reality show's creator
In May this year, a father and daughter team approached us to help them produce a reality TV show entitled Malaysia's Supermodel Search presents Ford Supermodel of the World.
After meeting with us several times and asking us to work them long-term to organize this show for TV, we gave them the costings revised several times as they kept coming back to change this and that. They also asked us to help them create the content for 10 episodes and wanted our profile to submit to the broadcaster.
Seeing that they were sincere as that they kept coming back and assuring that they will work with us and from their word, we sat and discussed with them. However, they kept delaying our request for them to pay us to start the production. Time was running out as they themselves said that the schedule was tight and they had to deliver the Supermodel winner to the international competition by the first week of November. This dilemma dragged from May to Aug.
Finally in mid-Aug 09, they said they had finally found their sponsor and apologized to keep us waiting for so long. They asked us to revise our quotation one more time as they said, now the Final episode was going to be held on that 'popular tourist spot up on the hill' + a few more items. They said they would sign the contract & pay us to start work within the same weekend. You see, they had finally scheduled the roadshow and auditions within the next 2 weeks. It had to go on and we were out of time in preparing the 'shotgun production' that it had turned out to be.
They met with us on a Thursday and promised to pay by the following Monday. Well, Monday came and went. No reply from them. Tuesday came and went. And they did not reply our messages. We had booked the crew to shoot on that Saturday. By Wednesday, still no news, so I sent a message that we were canceling that shoot if they didnt reply by 5pm. The father called and asked if it was ok NOT to shoot that week. Well, if they couldn't pay then we hv to delay the shooting till the next thing was planned. So we advised them to delay the actual competition as we knew they couldn't have possibly organized the contestants well looking at their chaotic schedule.
They went ahead with the audition at the end of Aug in which Amber Chia was invited to judge. And our calls were still not answered about starting production. Time was running out.
The Continuation...
Well, what do you think happened next? Amber and our client was pictured in the papers several days after that, smiling and announcing their MOU.
But another 2 weeks later, on Oct 5, Amber's crying face was splashed all over the papers, as she claimed to have been duped by her partner, which she considered her good friend. I can't say that I know the entire story, but I don't think Amber even knew this client that well -- her good friend.
As for the rest of the story....you can search online. My gut feeling before that was correct...it will be known as "Amber's show" after all...
Some people are saying that both these girls are playing this up for publicity. I don't know but I don't think so....
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/10/5/nation/4843326&sec=nation
http://www.dailychilli.com/news/229-ford-wants-amber
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/12/2/nation/5219751&sec=nation
Amber in contractual dispute with reality show's creator
In May this year, a father and daughter team approached us to help them produce a reality TV show entitled Malaysia's Supermodel Search presents Ford Supermodel of the World.
After meeting with us several times and asking us to work them long-term to organize this show for TV, we gave them the costings revised several times as they kept coming back to change this and that. They also asked us to help them create the content for 10 episodes and wanted our profile to submit to the broadcaster.
Seeing that they were sincere as that they kept coming back and assuring that they will work with us and from their word, we sat and discussed with them. However, they kept delaying our request for them to pay us to start the production. Time was running out as they themselves said that the schedule was tight and they had to deliver the Supermodel winner to the international competition by the first week of November. This dilemma dragged from May to Aug.
Finally in mid-Aug 09, they said they had finally found their sponsor and apologized to keep us waiting for so long. They asked us to revise our quotation one more time as they said, now the Final episode was going to be held on that 'popular tourist spot up on the hill' + a few more items. They said they would sign the contract & pay us to start work within the same weekend. You see, they had finally scheduled the roadshow and auditions within the next 2 weeks. It had to go on and we were out of time in preparing the 'shotgun production' that it had turned out to be.
They met with us on a Thursday and promised to pay by the following Monday. Well, Monday came and went. No reply from them. Tuesday came and went. And they did not reply our messages. We had booked the crew to shoot on that Saturday. By Wednesday, still no news, so I sent a message that we were canceling that shoot if they didnt reply by 5pm. The father called and asked if it was ok NOT to shoot that week. Well, if they couldn't pay then we hv to delay the shooting till the next thing was planned. So we advised them to delay the actual competition as we knew they couldn't have possibly organized the contestants well looking at their chaotic schedule.
They went ahead with the audition at the end of Aug in which Amber Chia was invited to judge. And our calls were still not answered about starting production. Time was running out.
The Continuation...
On Sept 7, a friend called and asked if we were available to help her out in a very urgent production. She described what it was -- our concept! So, being pissed off at the unprofessional behaviour of our "client", we sent her a message to clarify what this news was about. Our "client" said that she had news for us, she had just signed a partnership with Amber Chia, and Amber will be the one producing this show after all, and "to be fair to her," she quoted, Amber is looking for quotations. She said she would "check with Amber" and get back to us.
We were not pleased at having been taken for a ride. So, is it ok that anyone that has money can call themselves a producer or a modeling competition organizer? Well, I guess so with the no-respect-to-the-profession attitude in this country.
Frankly, in my mind I was thinking it was a smart step for Miss Client to partner with Amber and use her high-profile to get things done, knowing that our client had next-to-nothing knowledge in putting together a modeling competition, let alone a TV event. But at the same time, I was feeling that it was a stupid move on her part because now this is going to be known as "Amber's show." She is the one that the public knows, and once Amber is associated with it, where would Miss Client stand? We knew she was keen to be known as the boss, seeing that this was her "baby." But, if she could just be satisfied with being the back seat partner, why worry for her?
Well, what do you think happened next? Amber and our client was pictured in the papers several days after that, smiling and announcing their MOU.
But another 2 weeks later, on Oct 5, Amber's crying face was splashed all over the papers, as she claimed to have been duped by her partner, which she considered her good friend. I can't say that I know the entire story, but I don't think Amber even knew this client that well -- her good friend.
As for the rest of the story....you can search online. My gut feeling before that was correct...it will be known as "Amber's show" after all...
Some people are saying that both these girls are playing this up for publicity. I don't know but I don't think so....
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/10/5/nation/4843326&sec=nation
http://www.dailychilli.com/news/229-ford-wants-amber
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/12/2/nation/5219751&sec=nation
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