Thursday May 28, 2009
No excuse for nude run shoot
I REFER to “TV show producers say sorry” (The Star, May 16). The recent uproar over the nude run involving a Survivor-like TV series by a Danish production company ended by simply offering an apology and the sacking of its director. But are such actions enough to act as a deterrent to others?
The producers of the show, dubbed Expedition Robinson, also assured our authorities and Malaysians alike, that the scene would not be aired at all.
While it is reassuring to hear of the promises made and the action taken by the company to immediately expel the director whose insensitivity and ignorance have affected us all, there are still lingering doubts as to why things have to happen first and then be rectified?
To my knowledge, all foreign film/TV production companies, including the local ones, need to seek approval from the relevant authorities on their intended shoot, storyboard, script outline and location before permission is granted.
As for foreign filmmakers, they have to follow stricter guidelines. The need to engage a local production house to assist them and at the same time help in coordination works.
The appointed local production company can also then act as the “eyes and ears” of our authorities in ensuring that no unwarranted shoots take place, what more an immoral scene like the “nude run” on one of our islands.
If I am not mistaken, this is the on-going practice in ensuring that local production houses also get a share of the economic pie by supplying rental equipment, providing extras and to top it all, learning some tricks of the trade.
Everyone knows that when the country is featured in any film or television series, it will raise awareness and provide free publicity, but surely not like the one that happened on one of the islands off Johor.
There have been many incidences of bad publicity involving film/TV production shoots in our country. Letting them off easily with just an apology or an assurance that such indecent behaviour will be erased does not fit the bill.
In this era of new technologies, one may just get off the hook in the mainstream media but what about other available media? Haven’t we seen many versions of the same shows being produced and screened without the explicit scenes being axed?
We must define some form of heavier penalty for such unhealthy activities and most importantly, carry out stricter enforcement to ensure that such things do not recur in our country.
I am sure there are many other choice locations elsewhere in the world for a “marooned” Robinson Crusoe to choose from!
ZARI MALAYSIANA,
Petaling Jaya.
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