Thailand's groundbreaking reality show 'True Academy Fantasia' is back for a fifth season, with 16 young wannabes hoping to make it big. Executive producer Attaphon Na Bangxang gives us the inside scoop
KANOKPORN CHANASONGKRAM
The ace executive producer is an artist at heart and an entertainer in soul. |
When UBC Academy Fantasia debuted on June 21, 2004, Attaphon Na Bangxang wasn't at all sure whether there would ever be a second season.
But by the middle of the nine-week 24-hour reality show, it was the talk of the town and even CNN and Reuters international news agency came to Moonstar studio, then the AF concert venue, to interview the executive producer, who was now confident there would be a couple of sequels.
After a glorious finale that crowned footloose Pacharapon "Vit" Jantieng as the first AF winner, Attaphon envisioned the show continuing for the next 10 years.
He's now halfway there, with the countdown to the fifth production of what is now called True Academy Fantasia (True AF), which premieres on Monday, May 12. But after last year's staggering success - a season of highly talented contestants and striking personalities - can the TV wizard still weave his magic and keep viewers glued to cable channels instead of switching to free TV's juicy tob-joob (hit and kiss) soap operas?
While viewers have become familiar with the format, and despite suspected manipulation, this reality show's real people, real tears and real emotions can be profoundly moving, as well as addictive. Giving advance warning of what's to come on True AF 5, Attaphon says with a sparkle in his eyes, "As always, anything can happen. This provides the thrills and chills. The more shocking the twists, the more fun it is to watch."
Whatever he has up his sleeves for the new season, the AF mastermind admits facing a tougher task each year in creating the unexpected to get the audience's adrenalin gushing and their tears rolling. And that "anything can happen" philosophy sometimes boomerangs on him too, exercising his problem-solving abilities, increasing his stress levels and giving him restless nights throughout the three months of live broadcast. Nevertheless, he remains hugely enthusiastic about making the hit reality show.
The AF5 gang will keep you company for the new season, premiering May 12 on TrueVisions 20. |
So, how did he come upon this cable blockbuster, now prioritised as TrueVisions flagship programme? As part of his job as Chief Programme and Content Officer, Attaphon globally shops around for TV shows to add to the menu of sports programmes, popular series and reality shows like America's Next Top Model and Project Runway. Academy Fantasia, originally a Mexican reality show, was probably one of Attaphon's best buys. Local production began five years ago with a huge initial investment, kicking off the second decade of his career in the TV industry with a challenge, AF being Thailand's first ever 24-hour reality show.
The show telecasts the lives of a bunch of 12 hopefuls, known as nak la fun (dream chasers), round the clock in a house-cum-training camp. Hidden cameras capture them doing everything from taking singing, acting and dance classes, to preparing themselves for the weekly live concert at Thunderdome, Muang Thong Thani, during which the contestant with the least SMS votes is eliminated.
"TV viewers may at first have thought of it as a singing contest," says Attaphon. "They have a timeless appeal, like the Eurovision Song Contest, one of the longest running television shows in the world, now in its 52nd year,"
"True AF offers that magical singing contest ingredient, but it's much more than a talent show and over the last four seasons viewers have come to realise that it's a popularity contest. The reality show component allows them to see the contestants' true nature, their good and bad habits. And they may pick their favourite because of an affinity with a certain personality, rather than simply because someone is a good singer."
Watching the programme on TrueVisions 20, one practically becomes a peeping Tom as the cameras zoom into the bathroom, living room and even underwater to catch the AF guys and gals brushing their teeth, stealing a nap and splashing around in the pool. In the fifth season, the ace executive producer plans to offer even more close-ups.
In previous seasons, the AF residence was located in clubhouses of the Sarin City and Magnolias housing estates. This year, Attaphon has a brand new playground for the filming of True AF5 and with a just-completed 4,000 square metre studio at Bangna Trat Road Km 18, there's more space for him to exercise his art of making reality shows.
"There will be more flies on the wall," he says, referring to over one hundred cameras that are all set to roll. "The number of cameras is likely to outdo any other reality show in the world. The new studio has been designed with a gap between walls, to allow cameramen to closely follow the movements of the nak la fun. So, with both fixed and hand-held cameras, we can artistically cover the happenings of the AF house from various angles."
The reality show, a 100 million baht plus investment, now has a new house ready to welcome the AF5 contestants. Out of this year's 18,800 applicants, Attaphon doesn't hesitate to say that his team has chosen the perfect line-up: 16 good looking youngsters aged 18 to 24, ranging from a US-imported political science graduate to luk thung princesses from Sing Buri and Chiang Rai.
"From experience, we now have a good eye for interesting characters and simply pick contrasting personalities - the key to a strong cast," he reveals. "Whether through chemistry or conflict, we will see how people from different backgrounds get along in the house. Anyhow, buffered by Thai culture, the AF house tends to be a warm place of comradeship, making the programme a good family show."
Looking back to the first season, Attaphon admits that he mistakenly presumed that the reality show would appeal mainly to teens, and never thought that it would turn out to be mass entertainment for the whole family.
"Doing the show is extremely rewarding for me, not from achieving top ratings, but because it brings family members together. I've heard about fathers and sons, husbands and wives, who hardly talk to each other but True AF gets them discussing the show," he says.
"The show is like a friend, and many viewers long for a new season to keep them company. Senior citizens who are often alone during the daytime are hooked on the show and they look at the contestants like sons and daughters, or grandchildren."
Besides strengthening family ties, the programme brings people from all walks of life together and even before the fifth season has started, staunch supporters have already established themselves as fan clubs for the 16 contestants.
Those who have never watched the reality show may not understand how it builds such a strong emotional bond, as well as an overwhelming urge to vote in order to keep a favourite nak la fun in the game. But will the programme still generate SMS voting in these times of rising oil, rice and sugar prices?
An enticing deal with TrueMove means that all SMS votes (3 baht per vote) can be redeemed as phone calls after the season ends in August. To make voting easier (and to get people to pay more), the mobile server devised bulk vote-buying in batches of 10 and 20 with a special SIM card and no-need-to-dial Touch Sim technology.
"In the past, viewers would have to send postcards to the TV station. Right now, SMS voting is the way to find the most popular contestant," says Attaphon, who is adamant that there's no fooling around with the results.
Regarding the programme's evolution, he recalls how as a first-timer reality show maker, all he thought of was the production. He's an artist at heart and an entertainer in his soul. No, the 40-something doesn't come on stage for a song and dance, but the right side of his brain is always working on fresh ideas to keep the audience entertained.
"What's still most important for the fifth season is the production and keeping the AF signature, in order to minimise mutation as much as I can," Attaphon says.
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The Class of 2008, True AF School
V1
Somruthai "Prink" Prommachan, 20
- Petite as she is, Prink boasts a powerful voice. In contrast with her compelling singing, the Chulalongkorn University student is a gentle and sensitive girl
V2
Rachan "Beer" Soasawang, 19
- Describing himself as talkative, Beer looks forward to living in the AF house where he will find good food as well as good friends.
V3
Thanapol 'Tab'
Mahathorn, 18
- The hulking Tab
listens to Kayne West (since he was 7)
and hopes to be a rapper and producer like his idol.
V4
Phattharakun
"Benz" Haynes, 19
- The affable Benz used to be a hot-blooded teen, but music has cooled him down. He's a rocker at heart but can croon romantic ballads to charm pretty ladies.
V5
Savitree "Beau"
Suttichanond, 22
The law firm assistant with a degree in
political science quit her job to follow her biggest dream: to be an internationally
recognised singer like Tata Young.
V6
Issaree "Micky"
Thongthammaroj, 18
- Her childhood dream was to be an astronaut. The show will help her reach for the stars and shining with great confidence, she hopes to go far as a singer.
V7
Pornpawee
"Nan" Apicho, 18
- The Bangkokian with a sweet smile doesn't suffer from stage fright because when the entertainer spirit gets into her, she gives her
best shot.
V8
Saharas "Pump" Narukupchanchai, 20
- Pausing his business administration studies for AF training, he hopes to make his high-pitched singing his trademark.
V9
Kanuengpim "Nim" Promkorn, 20
- A native of Chiang Rai, the luk thung
talent idolises R&B princess Lydia, and finds a similarity in the two genres, such as using vibrato.
V10
Satika "Good"
Siripoonyothai, 19
- A music student majoring in jazz, she's mastering her scat. Route 66 is her
favourite number but she will get a kick out of singing other styles at the AF school.
V11
Koonkanit "Dear" Sookpeth, 19
- Hailing from Sing Buri, this country girl always seems to be full of fun. With a never-give-up spirit, Dear's going to show the world what a dek baan nork can do.
V12
Patarapon "Ron" Tooun, 18
- Flashing his light-up-the-world smile, Ron says that he's not the most talented but the training will better his singing, to make him and other people happy too.
V13
Nat Thewphaingam, 19
- A sentimental guy, he expresses his feelings through songs. Nat doesn't shy away from dancing, however, and hopes to Step Up his skills with Khru Ped.
V14
Thasachai "Kee"
Chanaathakarn, 24
- He's not worried about how to behave in the house because he can't be anything else but himself. Love me for who I am - that's all he asks for from his fans.
V15
Yossanan "Wahn"
Wongseng, 18
- Completing pre-college programme from Mahidol University's College of Music, the kid is is an opera singer, who belts out O del mio amato ben to warm up his vocal cords.
V16
Ausadaporn "Green"
Siriwattanakul, 18
- With a passion for playing golf, her father named her Green. If she doesn't make it big as a singer, the chirpy 170cm tall teenager could be Thailand's Next Top Model.
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AF fans wanted to see their fave nak la fun rather than the sponsors at the press conference. |
We'd like to thank our sponsors
AF fans waited and waited to welcome the new nak la fun at the True AF5 press conference. As it turned out, the event seemed to be more a matter of saying "Thank you" to the show's various sponsors than introducing the new contestants.
An executive from a consumer product giant shared how the reality show has allowed her company to effectively reach out to consumers. And since there are no commercial breaks on the cable station, it's surely only fair for these companies to use product placement to send their marketing messages. Isn't it?
UBC AF 1 and 2 were pretty much clean of product placement, with kind-hearted sponsors taking a back seat. Over the following seasons, however, the sponsors have become more and more high-profile, exploiting the show for promotion of their products.
Last season, in some kind of AF in Sponsorland episode, there was a 24 hour convenience store in the house, a scaled down supermarket, and the house fridge was loaded with a sponsor's ready-to-eat products. On Sundays, the AF kids had to get up to play a stimulating pizza delivery service game (to get the feel of being a delivery boy) and other activities were cleverly designed for tele-advertorials.
This phenomenon doesn't appear so boldly in imported shows like Survivor, The Amazing Race or America's Next Top Model. The contestants in those reality shows don't have to care about pleasing the sponsors, unlike the AF 4 bunch who actually had to say things on air like how yummy the shrimp wonton soup and super deluxe pizza were, how drinking pop was good for them, and how well the moisturiser worked on their skin.
It's a pity that commercialisation has diverted the reality show from its original roadmap. But this is Thailand, where the patronage system runs deep, even onto the small screen. There's nothing left to say but, "Hey sponsors, thanks again for giving us True AF5."
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