The Apprentice Production Values?

Elmo

So I have written before on The Apprentice production values. One of my main problems with the show is its production values. Especially when it has good advertising, sponsorship and product placement. This is a valuable asset for both TV3 and ShinaWhil. I assume that they want to provide the best quality production. However it seems to me that it lacks quality. Ok Ireland is a smaller country to the US and the UK which have major populations and NBC and the BBC have far more money.

However New Zealand around the same size and yet they seemed to have got the look and the feel of this show spot on.

I do think the Irish version is enjoyable and I enjoy all apprentice programmes and the will obviously be different from country to country in terms of accent and personalities. However production values remain the same.

Here is the opening of season 1 of NZs Apprentice: -

And Ireland's 1st ep second series: -

Am I being too hard?

leggo

I get what you mean...but, to me, the rawness of the production only compliments what makes The Apprentice Ireland great.

If they took it all very seriously like the US and UK versions with high-gloss, dramatic features then it would quickly venture down the road of self-parody.

The fact is, this is a great show (for me at least) BECAUSE of its flaws. The so-called massive business prospects are few and far between and the fecking eejits are out in force. At least it's made to look that way (granted, the challenges are likely much more difficult than they appear so it's easy to play armchair critic). And that's what we want as a viewership. We want to see people talking themselves up in an aside then failing to sell Cornettos on Grafton Street miserably.

The production, to me, is what sets the mood for that to happen: the raw camera shots that look as if they're being shot with a handheld, the board room which looks more like a re-designed play centre than a dungeon...I doubt it's designed that way deliberately, but it falls into place nicely.

If it were all very serious and professional, like the UK version, or over-the-top dramatic, like the US one, as Irish people we wouldn't be physically able to take it seriously. The begrudgers in us would come out in force. We'd look at these people being fed to us as serious, legitimate business candidates and switch off in disgust. And the show wouldn't be half as enjoyable as it is as a result.

Elmo

I see what your saying but I would also point out that the high production values of most other series don't take away from the personalities involved. The Americans are obivously different to New Zealander's, Ausies, British and Irish and we are all different to one another. I don't think this "raw" production in the Irish version ads to the overall feel of the show, it just looks bad. I think that if the production had been taken seriously none of the quirkiness of Befney would have been lost. And as you point out it is unlikely that the "raw" production values are on purpose.

If they took it all very seriously like the US and UK versions with high-gloss, dramatic features then it would quickly venture down the road of self-parody.

All part of the chringyness factor of the show for me

Sizzler

A little bird tells me TV3 are in trouble with the BCI again for product placement in the last series.

Given they were reprimanded in the 1st series for the infamous renualt episode and warned about future conduct it will be interesting to see what happens this time......

Elmo

Sizzler wrote: »

A little bird tells me TV3 are in trouble with the BCI again for product placement in the last series.

Given they were reprimanded in the 1st series for the infamous renualt episode and warned about future conduct it will be interesting to see what happens this time......

Give a guess as to who is now on the new board of the BAI. Don't hold your breath. Product Placement is here to stay. :mad:

Sizzler

Elmo wrote: »

Give a guess as to who is now on the new board of the BAI. Don't hold your breath. Product Placement is here to stay. :mad:

Please dont tell me Cullen is :eek:

On a sidenote, anybody see the article in The Phoenix magazine on Cullen recently? Bill "bullshit" Cullen, classic, summed him up to a tee

Elmo

Sizzler wrote: »

Please dont tell me Cullen is :eek:)

No its not Cullen. Larry Bass was appointed to the board of the BAI. AKA owner of Shinawhil productions. :rolleyes:

Sizzler

Elmo wrote: »

No its not Cullen. Larry Bass was appointed to the board of the BAI. AKA owner of Shinawhil productions. :rolleyes:

Ah FFS.

Talk about a conflict of interest :mad:

Elmo

Sizzler wrote: »

Ah FFS.

Talk about a conflict of interest :mad:

Well I said it back in Jan and in Feb or March questions were raised in the Dáil

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=64423698

Sizzler

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/apprentice-rapped-for-plugging-chocolate-maker-2113568.html

wrote:

The Apprentice TV show fronted by tycoon Bill Cullen has been rapped for plugging a well-known chocolate maker, the broadcasting watchdog said today.

In the episode from last November contestants were asked to create a new style of Cadbury's dairy milk eight square bar with an Irish twist.

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) said opening scenes of the show breached advertising rules when apprentices were briefed on the task.

Watchdogs ruled there was product placement through visual and verbal branding of Cadbury's products which was not editorially justified and gave the sponsor undue prominence.

However, the BAI said The Apprentice format and the sponsoring of the programme were not at issue.

TV3 claimed the series was only viable through sponsorship and the use of certain products could not be seen as placement.

The station also said no undue prominence was given to chocolate bars over and above what was necessary for the apprentices to complete the task.

Elmo

Sizzler wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/apprentice-rapped-for-plugging-chocolate-maker-2113568.html

Typical TV3 response we did nothing wrong. Suppose we can't expect much more from executives in this country.

Gibson101

Elmo wrote: »

No its not Cullen. Larry Bass was appointed to the board of the BAI. AKA owner of Shinawhil productions. :rolleyes:

Larry Bass is now on the board for the BAI? How do you know if you don't mind me asking?:eek:

Elmo

Gibson101 wrote: »

Larry Bass is now on the board for the BAI? How do you know if you don't mind me asking?:eek:

Because the BAI is a Quango (Government Regulatory Body) and the Minister (Eamon Ryan) and Department (Communications, Energy and Natural Resources) issue a statement when making such appointments.

And apologies Board should be replace with Authority Member: -

http://www.bai.ie/about_authority.html

Our man in Havana

And it is all a matter of public record in any event.

Gibson101

Talk about conflict of interest. Has it been brought up by anyone else?