ITV

Tag: Mike Whitney

  • AXN to showcase biggest ground event Wednesday

    AXN to showcase biggest ground event Wednesday

    MUMBAI: The action-oriented AXN is constantly looking
    to top off whatever it has done in the past. This year
    it managed to achieve that with shows like 24.

    Now it will air what is so far its biggest on-ground initiative in India from Wednesday.

    Extreme Dhamaka will air every Wednesday at 9 pm with
    repeats on Thursday at 1 pm and Sunday at 9 am and 8
    pm.

    As reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com this show is an extended version of the reality themed Who Dares Wins.

    Extreme Dhamaka had toured six cities and the 13- episode programme will showcase highlights from each venue.

    Addressing a media briefing earlier this evening the broadcaster’s marketing vice-president Gregory Ho said, “This has been a big investment for us. With the same amount of money we could have bought two to three quality series from the US and aired it. We, however, felt that the effort taken was worth it and the show is way of
    saying a big thank you to our viewers.”

    Ho said, “We finished principal photography six weeks ago and so it has been a hectic time for us. What was unique is that everything from conceptualisation to post production
    was done here. Our immense confidence in the Indian
    industry has been justified.”

    The show will be hosted by the hosts of Who dares Wins
    Mike Whitney and Tania Zaetta along with the winners
    of AXN’s Hot ‘n’ Wild Deepica Sarma and Salil
    Acharya.

    Sarma said, ” Our job looks glamorous but on the surface of it was 15 hours of daily hard work. The result was that I came out feeling real. This is not a fantasy and we are not selling dreams. These are real people. The road response especially in Chandigarh was fantastic.”

    One of the highlights was a main dare performed in Mumbai at midnight. Apparently, it had rained that day and so putting together a stunt involving fire was made all the more difficult. This involved a man riding a motorcycle through a burning bus. The show also examines the various security measures that are put into place like the protective padding.

  • Australia states its case for effectiveness of films in promoting tourism

    Australia states its case for effectiveness of films in promoting tourism

    MUMBAI: Another session at Locations 2003 dealt with the manner in which films can help in promoting tourism. Australia of course is one of the best examples of this. Films like Mission Impossible II, The Matrix Reloaded have helped in showcasing the beauty, colour, uniqueness of that country’s landscape. Remember Tom Cruise hanging from the side of the mountain in the opening scene of MI II?

    Anupam Sharma explained to the gathering how and why Australia is being given a boost through film. He co-produced the first Australian-Indian feature film in Australia. Right now he is producing a documentary on Indian film making in Australia. The Bollywood documentary is targeted at the international film market. The Hunter Valley, Canberra and the Outback have already benefited from Indian films like Dil Chahta Hai being shot in their regions.

    His Sydney-based company Films and Casting Temple organises the Australian shoots for Indian movies, TV commercials and music videos and the hiring of Australian dancers and film crew to work on them. He was also instrumental in the first Indian television series to be shot in Australia. At the seminar he noted that cooperation between India and Australia in the filmmaking arena got a boost five years ago when actor director Feroz Khan scripted Australia into a film of his and shot for 40 days down under. Since then over 80 projects materialised between the Indian and Australian film industries including television serials, music videos and ad films by the likes of Lakme, Bharti Cellular, Kingfisher.

    “In five years the production of Indian films in Australia has gone up by 39 per cent. There are two distinct trends. One is Indian filmmakers who are also tourists to Australia. The second is Indian tourists to Australia inspired by films. The numbers have gone up substantially. In fact tourism increased from India to Australia increased by 23 per cent from 1999-2000 when Indian filmmakers were beginning to discover the allure of kangaroo land. It is not just the landscape that has Indian filmmakers coming back to Australia for more but also the harmonious relationships, which have been forged with the Australian film crews. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane boast of state of the art production facilities.

    “The overseas projects have greatly benefited the Australian economy by providing jobs. The easing of visa restrictions has made the process of Indians shooting their films here easier. Tourists want to see in real life what they saw in reel. The Australian Tourism Commission is therefore bullish on the Indian market. It recently released its global round up report on Asia. In 2001 45,000 Indians visited Australia and by February 2002 this number had increased by 16 per cent. Annually the traffic from India is growing at a rate of 18 per cent.

    “As far as Indian films shot in Australia are concerned two Australian organisations will have a Bollywood film event down under later this year. This will be the most extensive showcase of Indian cinema around Australia. In the future there will be exchanges between the two film industries on several theoretical and practical issues.”

    He pointed out that it was not just Indian filmmakers going to Australia. Leading Australian cinematographers, stunt directors, designers and post- production companies are now working in India on Indian films. As far as television is concerned AXN’s upcoming Extreme Dhamaka will have not just the hosts Mike Whitney and Tania Zaetta from Australia but also the production crew from Australia to coordinate the difficult stunts. In fact AXN has increased the budget by 50 per cent from last year.

    Sharma added that the days of Australia promoting tourism through films could be traced back to the 1980s with Crocodile Dundee with Paul Hogan. Our Shrimp on the Barbie campaign which was conducted in the US saw a flood of tourists from America. In recent times films like Moulin Rouge, Inspector Gadget have raised interest in the country.

    Sharma has written in conjunction with Oz Straits a guide, which gives Indians guidance about what Australia has to offer in terms of locales and production facilities. He also pointed out that seven Australian scripts related to India are in various stages of development.

    Sharma noted that with Crocodile Dundee the perceived lifestyle of Australians and national landmarks got plastered on screens throughout the world. These films act as brochures for Australia. “The good news is that Australian films and films shot in that country offer diverse portrayals of people. The presence of landmarks like the Darling Harbour, elaborate group dance sequences on the steps of the Sydney Opera House in Dil Chahta Hai act as effective advertisement.”

  • AXN contest winners to host ‘Extreme Dhamaka’

    AXN contest winners to host ‘Extreme Dhamaka’

    MUMBAI: Seems like reality has finally come of age in India. While media might have pooh-poohed AXN’s Hot ‘n Wild contest as yet another beauty pageant, the action adventure channel may just be having the last laugh.

    Embarking on their second biggest local production, a hybrid version of Who Dares Wins and Fear Factor, AXN is all set to begin shooting forExtreme Dhamaka from 21 September.

    The channel has stated that the two lucky winners of Hot ‘n Wild contest will get a chance to host Extreme Dhamaka. The contest is scheduled to be held on 20 September in Mumbai.

    The channel has roped in ex-Australian cricketer and screen icon Mike Whitney and the Aussie model-cum-actress Tania Zaetta for its Extreme Dhamaka venture too. The two contest winners will host alongside these celebrities. It will pave the way for the biggest on-ground action and adventure initiative that India has ever seen, says a company release.

    Taking a cue from the success of last year’s AXN Who Dares Wins-India Special, which saw a large number of entries, the channel decided to launch the long awaited reality show, the release states.

    Zaetta who was the host of Who Dares Wins for eight years, will be among the judges at the at the grand finals of Hot ‘n Wild contest.

    Speaking about the venture, AXN’s assistant vice president (marketing and sales), India, Rohit Bhandari says, “We have been realizing the growing popularity of adventure shows in India, more so since the launch on Fear Factor here. With the response that we received for Who dares Wins last year, we realized that India is finally prepared for a dare show.”

    Bhandari, elaborates, “The entire effort is going be colossal in terms of logistical implementation. Both international and local expertise will be used to ensure maximum security during shoots. We will also make sure that the quality of production is on par with international broadcast standards,”

    When asked about the budget, Bhandari refused to reveal figures but says that they have upped last year’s special budget by almost 50 per cent. Scheduled to be shot from 21 September to 8 October, the special event for Extreme Dhamaka will take off on a six city tour in Delhi, Chandigarh, Bangalore, Chennai, Pune and Mumbai. The televised version will go on air six weeks after the event, probably in December, the release says.

    Bhandari adds that although the effort will be a one-off event aired as a special season, next year around, the channel will be coming up with yet another format especially for the Indian masses.

    While the channel is skeptical about the nomination format of the show oversees, the Indian version will have people dared on the street just like last years AXN Who Dares Wins-India Special.

    But unlike the relatively softer version, where Whitney approached unsuspecting Indians on the streets or at shopping malls daring them to attempt certain stunts, Extreme Dhamaka will be shot in stadiums throughout the country, with dares designed to be more demanding, severe and rigorous. The show will be presented by Hero Honda in association with Center Shock, Airtel and Nokia.

    The highlight of Extreme Dhamaka will be the Main Dares which will be shot in India this year. The press release says, Main Dares will create some heart-stopping moments.

    Speaking about the format Bhandari says, “Last year when we shot The AXN Who Dares Wins-India Special, we were sure Indians would enjoy participating in the street dares which were fun to do and not that severe. But the format of Extreme Dhamaka is based on three levels: first is the “can-able mini dare”, which is a milder version and is not as challenging and gutsy as “mini-main dare”, the second step. But the toughest one the “main dare”. The dares are designed to put an individual’s physical and psychological limits to the test.”

     

  • “What is unique is that we target the average Joe” : Mike Whitney

    ‘Who Dares Wins’ has long been a staple of the reality genre on the telly. For the past four years Indian viewers have seen Australian ex-cricketer Mike Whitney host the show on AXN. As readers are probably aware Whitney is down in India to host a series of dares for the AXN India Special.
     
    Indiantelevision.com’s Ashwin Pinto held a tete-a-tete with the charismatic man with an enviable sense of humour on Friday who spoke about his career, his philosophy on life.
     

    When and how did you get involved with the job of hosting shows on television?
    In 1994 I retired from cricket at the tender age of 35. I started working for a promotional company called Promotional Marketing. One day I got a call from a television producer at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, which is the country’s national broadcaster. He said that he had heard me speak at a sports event and found my style witty and humorous. ABC had apparently put a show together but the host had taken ill. He wanted me to fill the slot.

    I immediately said ‘no’. At that time we were busy doing various sports promotions for the likes of (batsman) Michael Slater as well as a motorsports event. When the man personally visited me in my office the folks I worked with encouraged me to take a shot. The result was 13 episodes of Great Ideas. This was a show that dealt with different kinds of inventions, gadgets that Australians had come up with. The offers slowly started coming from the likes of Channel 7, the Nine Network and Galaxy, a cable operator that has since closed down.
     
     
    “Safety is our paramount concern. Insurance costs are enormous and so it would be foolish to attempt difficult feats, which involve skill without first conducting trials.“
    		 
     

    What would you say is the reason for the enduring success of Who Dares Wins?
    What is unique is that we target the average Joe. The anonymous person who normally goes unnoticed in a crowd. We give him/her the chance to do something he would not even think of. Some of our main dares have taken days to rig and there has been a lot of expense incurred which for an individual is impossible. We do not want celebrity sports people or famous movie stars to appear. We are not interested in a man boasting of finishing in the top three in an Ironman contest or someone who holds swimming records. Our profile is the man who is an excellent husband and a devoted father. However his wife may feel that he is missing that extra zip which makes living so worthwhile.

    We get around 5,000 letters each week. Through the years the production team has been able to get a feel of the kind of personality involved by going through them. My assistant Nathalie visits the wife or husband supposed to do the dare and pretends to be a close friend of the spouse. This process is vital for us in choosing participants for the main dares.
     

    Tell me about the amount and kind of preparation involved for the difficult and dangerous stunts?
    Safety is our paramount concern. Insurance costs are enormous and so it would be foolish to attempt difficult feats, which involve skill without first conducting trials. We have a team of stuntmen who perform the tasks at hand in advance so that we know that they are doable.

    For instance if the stunt involves a car being driven over a ramp or through obstacles then the speed, distance are tested. We also make sure that the car has a roll cage. We have thus been able to avoid disasters from occurring. At the most a participant has landed with a bruise or a cut.

    The beauty of the show is that we do not force anyone to do anything. The choice of whether or not to perform is entirely up to the participants’ discretion. We are also fortunate in that most participants are aware of the limit to their physical endurance.
     
     
     
    “Survivor, The Amazing Race and the myriad shows that have popped up are all spawns of Who Dares Wins in one form or another.”
    		 
     
    Is the level of spontaneity involved an added attraction?
    In India the format will be entirely spontaneous as we are doing street dares. We are aiming to create exciting and involving television. Through the endeavour we are hoping to give people better contact with the show when they see friends or relatives appear. Indians will warm to the fact that we have taken time out of our schedule to shoot especially for them. Each time I have visited the country I have become increasingly fascinated with the culture and to experience it first hand is fantastic. I have also been impressed with the level of awareness about the show among the population.
     
    Have you got any future projects lined up as television host besides ‘Who Dares Wins’.
    I have been hosting Sydney Weekender on Channel 7 for several years now. 350 episodes have been shot. It is a lifestyle leisure show, which tells you about the various activities and places one can do visit over the weekend in Sydney. I have also been a referee for Gladiators. This is a sports based programme where men and women challenge stronger and bigger beings.
     
    What is the scene like for reality television in Australia? Is it picking up?
    Yes. Over the past four – five years there have been a spate of shows. I would like to point out that Who Dares Wins was the first reality show aired on television. I was informed by David Mason of Mason Media that the idea came about when he and his partner Adrian Brant who directed me in Great Ideas played a round of golf. They were discussing programming ideas and different types of strategies they could come up with.

    We are not about shocking or embarrassing people. We simply want to put people in an unfamiliar environment. The important thing for us is that participants involved have a laugh. I would say that Survivor, The Amazing Race and the myriad shows that have popped up are all spawns of Who Dares Wins in one form or another.
     
    Have you ever done a show, where feats performed are too repulsive or dangerous?
    The idea of a feat being repulsive is relative to ones situation. For instance you may think that eating sheep’s eye is nauseating. However go to the Middle East and your host will serve it to you as a delicacy. If a participant fails at the first attempt on a main dare I do it myself. I would say that I have done this around 20-25 times. If I feel that the risk is too great then the dare gets canned.
     
    Tell me a bit about your career as a sports commentator.
    I have commentated on just two events, which are The Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000, and the recently concluded Commonwealth Games in Manchester. For a retired sportsmen to take the plunge into entertainment and showbiz is unique and refreshing. After being a sportsman for 15 years I was looking to get away and do something different.

    So far I have not commentated on cricket. I still maintain contact with the game however. I was privileged enough to be voted life member of the New South Wales Cricket Association. I am also the President of the Randwick-Petershan Cricket Club in Sydney. We participate in local competitions
     
     
    “In India the format will be entirely spontaneous as we are doing street dares. We are aiming to create exciting and involving television.”
    		 
     
     
    Did you make the transition easily from cricketer to television host and sports commentator?
    Yes. I am a talker and so the journey was a natural progression. I like expressing myself. I like jokes and cooling off over a glass of beer. My view on life is that it is to be enjoyed and lived out with zest. There is not much point in sitting around looking glum. I also believe that in life nothing is completely impossible. For me there only exist degrees of impossibility
     
    I have noticed that during the important events there is a certain amount of bias on the part of the commentators. Is that acceptable in the profession?
    Absolutely not! A commentator has to call the play on the field as he sees it. In fact I do not like bias in any field of life. It is disappointing to hear of cases where the commentator is siding with one team to the extent that he loses his enthusiasm when the other side triumphs. The rarer the occurrences of such incidents the better.
     
    What was the experience like playing Test cricket for Australia under Allan Border?
    For Border captaincy was initially a struggle. He took over after Kim Hughes left and I don’t think that Allan was keen on the job at that time. It was sort of thrust upon him. His captaincy really came to the fore when we won the Ashes series in 1989. After that we never looked back.

    One of his best and most important years as captain came in 1987. We won the World Cup in India which was a phenomenal revelation. For the first time Border won a test series. Playing New Zealand I blocked out the bowling of Richard Hadlee in Melbourne. We were thus able to draw the match. The team went from strength to strength.

    In fact because some of our top players went to South Africa on a rebel tour in 1984-85 it opened the door for stars like Dean Jones who scored a double hundred on the 1987 tour to India, Steve Waugh as well as my pace bowling compatriots Craig McDermott, Merv Hughes. There was a void in our test cricket ranking which in hindsight proved to be a blessing in disguise if you look at the level to which these cricketers have taken Australian cricket.
     
    Highest and lowest point of your cricket career.
    Taking 7-27 in 12.1 overs at Perth when India toured in 1991-1992. Ripping through a line up containing the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Kapil Dev, Mohammed Azharuddin takes some doing. In fact I took 17 wickets in that series. I also have pleasant memories playing the Sheffield Shield. My most disappointing moment was not being able to go on the 1989 Ashes tour. This is especially because in the previous test I had taken 7-89 against the West Indies
     

    Would you agree that a decade later the Indians are still a bunch of bunny rabbits on pitches with pace and bounce??
    To be fair Australia is a tough venue for any touring side. Each pitch is different from the other and if you notice the most consistent players are those whose game and technique are complete. Players like Steve Waugh, Michael Bevan, Darren Lehmann have scored lots of runs all over. We play hard and fast because defeat stings like nothing else. Steve Waugh as a captain takes things a step further. Not only does he want to win but he wants to completely vanquish the psyche of the opposition. Crush the mindset of the opposition players so that the next time they play the lesson is not forgotten. The defeat should still rankle in the memory.

    In India the problem is that not only do wickets offer turn they also do not offer much for the fast bowlers. This encourages batsmen to come on the front foot. In Australia the bowlers are at your chest and head all the time. So you need excellent back foot technique.
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