CJ: Celebrity Car Wars is back on History Channel Asia for a second season, what’s different?

LL: The level of craziness to the challenges has outdone itself - some old favourites are given a twist and the idea of doing any challenge in reverse just begs absolute mayhem. In this season, some of our celebrities have claimed they’ve raced before so that’ll be interesting to see if that materialises on our Celebrity Car Wars circuit!

CJ: Think you could describe Season 2 in three words for us? What should viewers expect ... or not expect?  

LL: Irreverent, entertaining, charismatic. Viewers can expect a roaring return to the Celebrity Car Wars stage with a strong mix of motoring mayhem, comedy, and diversity. As with last season’s challenges, this season is packed with grit and good humor. Classic automotive fanboys can look forward to some vintage beauties to ogle over. 

CJ: What were the key factors in green-lighting the second Season? We hear Season 1 digital content drove over 69 million impressions!? 

LL: Ratings - regionally, Season 1 did well in our key markets and talk over social media included suggestions on challenges for the next season which was a positive nod to the inclusiveness of this show, that it’s not just for petrolheads, it’s a show for everyone.

CJ: Tell us about your experience on set with activeTV during the production of S2? Any standout moments for you?

LL: A production like Celebrity Car Wars requires an almost Optimus Prime-sized effort - from logistics to testing viability of the challenges, racing courses and tracks to ensuring maximum safety checks - and to witness a near accident-free execution of Season 2 was impressive. Everyone was in sync with the requirements and expectations of the production and it helped that everyone was constantly in good spirits as that helped to draw some amazing moments in television. We couldn’t have asked for a better production house than activeTV.

CJ: What does it take to make GOOD reality TV? Tell us the formula ...

LL: Haha, that’s the golden question isn’t it? I believe that no standard formula exists, as producers of any good reality TV - and activeTV are such - you know there’s only so much you can plan. The best producers are the ones with the confidence to throw their plan away and the ones to extrapolate the small, intimate moments that are unexpected - those subtle moments help develop characters. Emotion is key - from your characters and from your audience. And lastly, it’s important to keep it fresh - try new things and think on your feet.

CELEBRITY CAR WARS: MONDAY 9:55pm (SIN/HK) on HISTORY

he special will discuss diabetes, which is reaching epidemic proportions in some countries around the world, including Singapore.

TVF has been appointed to distribute internationally. Food Detectives is supported by the IMDA's Public Service Broadcasting initiative.

CJ: Where did the format come from?

MM: It’s an activeTV Original. I’m a fan of Top Gear but I felt that show relied so heavily on the  3 key hosts that it would be hard to continue on if they left. I also felt it was a hard one to format around the world for the same reason. I was toying with a car show where the cast changed every season. At the same time, Caltex approached us for a TV show format.

CJ: The show is in its second season, do you plan to take the format outside of Asia?

MM: Absolutely. It was created from the ground up with that in mind. The host role, for example, was fully developed, then we went out to cast, choosing Bobby Tonelli.  We created a format manual from the get go and have continued to refine it. There’s a lot of layers, it’s actually a family entertainment show that reaches a 60/40 male/female audience. It’s a lot more than a car show. The show’s writing is very specific, as is its relaxed jokey style. We poke fun at pretty much everything, including ourselves. The show never takes itself too seriously.

CJ: When you repeated a challenge in the new series Bobby Tonelli smiles and says “we’re nothing if not lazy here at Celebrity Car Wars”.

MM: Yeah, like I said, everyone is fair game, especially ourselves.

CJ: The Celebrities seem to be having a ball.

MM: That’s a key ingredient of the show, we are all having fun, in front of and behind the camera. The Celebs have the time of their lives, they don’t want it to end. That said, there’s no doubt they each want to win the Championship, it gets very competitive.

CJ: Just back on the format, will you be repping it at MIPCOM?

MM: We will be at MIPCOM of course, but we are now in the process of appointing a Distributor so our role will be largely to support their efforts.

CJ: What are the production challenges?

MM: The first one was weather. We shot in the Philippines during the rainy season. Plus, in this series we ran with a couple more cameras than season 1, so about 50 in all. Obviously, that requires a fair amount of planning in terms of directing but also media management and post production. It’s actually quite a huge production but it doesn’t have a big budget, so our production schedule is necessarily “efficient”.

CELEBRITY CAR WARS : COMING SOON TO HISTORY CHANNEL ASIA 

Motoring Marvels is an 8 episode Branded Content series featuring Bobby Tonelli; celebrating the world’s automotive wonders, all things with an engine and wheels. Bobbi Tonelli reviews eight magnificent machines from the most powerful beasts, the pristinely preserved classics to the remarkable rebels that defy the limits of automotive performance. 

We recently spoke with Rajiv Jayaraj -  Director, Content Production at MEC Wavemaker about all things Motoring Marvels and the notion of 'Branded Content'.

Q. What was MEC’s and or the clients thinking behind the concept, and more specifically ‘Branded Content’ that lives online. 

Raj: Caltex was the principal partner of Celebrity Car Wars, an 8-part reality show that put 6 celebrities from across the region through a series of hilarious motoring challenges while demonstrating the benefits of Caltex’s new Techron fuel.

Off the back of this show, we created over 50 pieces of digital content, customised by market, that was shared across our social media pages as the episodes were broadcasted on-air. The response to the digital content was phenomenal and drove over 69 million impressions exclusively on Caltex social pages. Motoring Marvels was a natural extension from CCW and allowed us to sustain our association with both the property and the overall motoring experience.

Q. Why did you turn to activeTV? 

Raj: activeTV is an Emmy-winning production house with a reputation for creating both highly entertaining as well as high-quality content. Having witnessed what they were capable of with Celebrity Car Wars- which bagged a gold medal at the recent MARKies Awards for Best Idea - Content Marketing, it was a no-brainer to go back to them to develop Motoring Marvels. 

 Q. Can you tell us about the vignettes, and why they’re different to other content you may have been involved in producing?  

Raj: Motoring Marvels takes Bobby Tonelli, the host of Celebrity Car Wars, on an automotive journey of discovery to uncover some of the sexiest vehicles on the planet. A lot of vignettes and brand content out there tend to overpower the story with product or brand messaging. With Motoring Marvels, we set the rules out from the beginning, and we wanted a series that connected with fans from a story-first perspective. Bobby Tonelli and the producers at activeTV have such a passion for cars and we wanted that to translate into the content. We made a conscious effort to stay away from overt branding or forced product messaging and instead opted to focus on a topic our audience was interested in – awesome cars. 

Watch the full Motoring Marvels season HERE

We’re delighted to announce Celebrity Car Wars has taken home GOLD for Best Idea - Content Marketing at this years MARKies Awards, a showcase of unique and deserving works of brilliance. MEC Wavemaker, in partnership with activeTV, developed the custom branded reality series, a rollicking, new hour-long action reality series that is a mix of competition, fun, rivalries and adventure. 

Thanks to MEC Singapore, Caltex Singapore, Bobby Tonelli and EVERYONE who contributed to bringing this action-packed series to life #CelebrityCarWars #didyousayseason2?

The new show will run on Dream Cruises newest luxury cruise ship- World Dream, when it launches this November 2017.

Dream Cruises President, Mr. Thatcher Brown said “We’ve been absolutely delighted to stage China’s Got Talent on board the Genting Dream. It has played to packed crowds and our guests have loved the experience, so it was a natural decision to commission activeTV to produce a second, unique production for World Dream”.

activeTV President Michael McKay says, “China’s Got Talent- The Dream Experience is the first of its type and to produce it within a cruise ship environment has been challenging, exciting and extremely rewarding and we look forward to creating this latest incarnation for World Dream”. 

activeTV produces the theatrical adaptation of the hit series under license from Fremantle Media. 

The 8x1hr series is fronted by Asian-based American host Bobby Tonelli, and takes 6 of the region’s most famous celebrities who, Tonelli agrees “may be hot but can they drive?”

The celebrities like Allan Wu, Andrea Fonseka, Joey Mead King, KC Montero, go through around 16 automotive challenges, often with hilarious results, while furthering their motoring skills “such as they are” Tonelli quips.

The series has already been heralded as a success with timeslot increases of upwards of 300% and the series shooting into History Asia channel’s top 5 shows. Not surprisingly, discussions on a second series are already well advanced.

The format will wing its way to Cannes where activeTV hopes it will capture interest from buyers on the lookout for a fun filled, competition based, sexy-looking car show.

Celebrity Car Wars has a definite sense of humour and seeks to create its own tone, it doesn’t take itself too seriously, in fact sometimes it goes out of its way to send itself up including the much heralded final prize of admittance into the series’ own Hall of Fame, a club so exclusive it has no members.

Michael McKay, President of activeTV and Director of Celebrity Car Wars shared, “The series used 46 cameras including 2 drones, a camera crane and even hid miniature cameras inside fire hydrants, instead of the usual traffic cones (which I banned from the show for being too common).”

“Congratulations to Josh Wedd, our talented editor, and the enthusiastic and hardworking Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 2 team for making the series such a success,” said Joan Leong, activeTV’s Vice President Production.

The award was collected on behalf of Josh by activeTV’s Creative Director Paulo Vivan. The series was produced for Star World.

activeTV also had another nomination in the same category for The Food Detectives Season 2 for MediaCorp Channel 5.

The Apollo Awards ceremony was staged at Marina Bay Sands and is an initiative aimed at honouring the best in production and post-production across Asia Pacific, with a strong focus on the creative and technical mastery behind the scenes. It has garnered overwhelming attention from industry players as the nature of the awards is uncommon in this region. 

ActiveTV’s ‘WACKY WORLD BEATERS’ is nominated for a Rockie Award

Banff, Canada: ActiveTV's ABC production of ‘Wacky World Beaters’ has been nominated in the Category of Children’s Non-Fiction at this year's Rockie Awards.

The 20 x 24 minute series follows the zany antics of Hosts Amberley and Gilly as they set off on a global adventure to find the world’s ultimate wacky sport.

Of the 6 nominated programmes, the series is the only Australian show in this Category amongst a diverse range of shows representing excellence from across the World.

 “We are very proud that Wacky has been nominated for this prestigious Award” said Executive Producer, Amanda Peppard, “we were thrilled with the instant popularity of the series when it screened on ABC3 last year and now for the show to be recognized by the industry tops it all off”. 

The series was an immediate hit when it aired in 2014 on the Australian children’s public digital television multichannel ABC3, achieving a significant 70% increase in average audience, compared to the 2013 timeslot average.

Peppard credits the show’s success to the small but hard working and experienced cast and crew who crisscrossed the globe to shoot in 11 countries in as many weeks.  ‘We set out to bring a world of diverse peoples and cultures to our young audience’s screen”, says Peppard, “and in doing so we pushed the boundaries of what can be achieved on a factual kids show’s budget and schedule”.

Its no wonder the activeTV team were able to pull it off, the prodco’s credits include many versions of THE AMAZING RACE franchise around the world.  Other children’s programs include 91 x half hours of the hugely successful PRANK PATROL AUSTRALIA (sold to multiple territories including CBBC, ZDF, RAI), a series of 3ON3 for ABC3 and GAME ON, a youth skewed reality game show produced for Starhub in Singapore.

WACKY WORLD BEATERS was developed and produced in association with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, produced with the assistance of Film Victoria and distributed by the Australian Children’s Television Foundation.

About ActiveTV: activeTV was established in Australia in 1988 and has built a reputation in ‘live’ event television, reality series production, factual children’s programming, high level sports production and event management in both entertainment and sports. activeTV moves seamlessly from entertainment and reality television to sporting events.

activeTV's Asian and Australian operations combined to produce one of Australia’s top reality series, The Amazing Race Australia, for the Seven Network, winner of an International Emmy award. activeTV delivered two seasons of this mega series, best demonstrating their ability to deliver complex television productions under immense pressure. In Asia, they produced four successful seasons of The Amazing Race Asia, for AXN Asia, and two seasons of The Amazing Race Philippines after a highly rated first season for TV5. They have also produced four seasons of The Amazing Race Israel and The Amazing Race Ukraine.

Other notable productions in the portfolio include Asia’s Next Top Model (Season 2), the annual Christmas event Carols in the Domain (an Asia TV Awards winner), Ultimate Escape, Prank Patrol,  E! News Asia, the Award Winning Food Detectives, Can You Serve, Driving Change with Caltex, and Cash Cab Asia.

Already a ratings success in Italy, Brazil and Portugal, local versions are rolling out in Spain and Bulgaria in the next few months with the format picked up for production in the US, China, Mexico and Peru.

In announcing the Australian tie-up Avi Armoza said “We are thrilled to see ‘I Can Do That!’ continue to extend to more regions across the globe and to be working with activeTV on this exciting format. The format brings the essence of prime time to TV – spectacular and diverse performances combined with a dramatic, emotional and humorous viewing experience, all in one show.”

Another exciting Armoza format spotted by activeTV at last year’s MIPCOM TV market is The Gran Plan, a factual series featuring a trio of grandmas! In each episode, three strong-willed grannies tackle situations from first dates to last dates, from career struggles to unhealthy addictions. They bridge the generation gap in their own hilarious way and force their young protégées to move on with their lives.

“The Gran Plan is a funny, heart-warming series that we feel will be a hit in Australia, especially as it cleverly bridges the generation gap” says activeTV President, Michael McKay.

Currently casting in the USA as well as India, Singapore and the Philippines (where activeTV Asia snapped up the rights), The Gran Plan has aired in Finland, Switzerland, Israel, Lithuania and Serbia.  Production is also underway with the giant Brazilian broadcaster Globo.

In the original series Comedy Wilderness, Australia’s favourite comics drag their best mate along to tick off precious bucket list moments, promising both touching and hilarious TV. 

Created by Dan Colless, the development of Comedy Wilderness is the culmination of a major transformation activeTV underwent when Channel 7 opted to take what was an award winning production of The Amazing Race Australia in-house. 

"We had to reinvent ourselves to a certain degree” says Michael McKay, rather candidly, “so we focused on securing terrific formats from places like Israel and South Korea and to developing our own creative" he adds, clearly energised by the challenge.

"We've invested time, money and resources to make sure activeTV goes into 2015 with a fantastic slate of programming and now comes the fun part; identifying where it best sits and pitching it in" he adds.

Singapore – activeTV takes home the Best Entertainment (One-Off/Annual) award for Woolworths Carols in the Domain 2013 for Channel 7 Australia. This was announced at the Awards gala ceremony amongst some of the region's biggest names in the industry.

Woolworths Carols in the Domain is Australia's largest free Christmas concert. The event held in the Domain Gardens in Sydney began in 1983 and has since became an annual concert during Christmas drawing more than a hundred thousand people attending each year.

activeTV also had a total of three other nominations at this year's Asian Television Awards for Best Children's Programme (Wacky World Beaters – Nagasaki Speed Eating Contest for ABC3 Australia), Best Adaptation of an Existing Format (Asia's Next Top Model Cycle 2 for Fox International Channels) and Best Entertainment Presenter/ Host (Nikki Muller for The Food Detectives for MediaCorp).

“We are extremely pleased with this regional recognition and honour. It is truly a reflection of the hard work, commitment and quality that activeTV has consistently delivered through the year. On behalf of the team, I would like to thank the our broad taser since 1988 Channel 7 and our committed sponsor partners for their continuous support for what is a much loved Christmas tradition in Australia,” said Michael McKay, President of activeTV.

Asian Television Awards 2014 was attended by over 450 industry professionals, channel heads, personalities, and production crews, making it the industry's most significant and celebrated event in Asia. Recognising excellence in programming, production and performance, the results across 30 categories were evaluated by over 60 judges from the region.

activeTV Asia today announced the formation of a major production centre out of Manila, Philippines.

activeTV Asia has identified the Philippines as a major content growth market, driving its decision to establish a production base there.

The company already produces the mega reality series “The Amazing Race Philippines” for TV5. The launch of the Manila-based production centre coincides with the CBS multi Emmy award-winning US version of the franchise racing through the Philippines this week.

activeTV President, Michael McKay, says the company will initially focus on reality, shiny floor shows and factual entertainment, and feels its “first position” move is an important step in creating a thriving production operation out of Manila.

“Over the coming weeks we will announce a number of significant formats we have secured for the Philippines market as well as a key commercial tie up,” promises McKay.

Local prodco, Mandala Productions, will provide local logistics, manpower and strategic support with Johanna Kirsten Lagman stepping up as Executive Producer of the new operation. 

“activeTV and Mandala have worked closely together over recent years so the alliance was a natural progression and means activeTV Philippines will hit the ground running,” says Johanna Lagman.

The nominations for activeTV include original kids format “Wacky World Beaters” for Best Children’s Programme (for ABC), “Woolworths Carols in the Domain 2013” for Best Entertainment (One-Off/Annual) (for Seven Network Australia), “Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 2” for Best Adaptation of an Existing Format (for Fox International Channels). Nikki Muller is also in the running as Best Entertainment Presenter/Host for her role in activeTV’s original format “The Food Detectives” (MediaCorp).

From action-packed adventures, to thrilling reality TV, activeTV has produced and adapted a myriad of quality programmes with broadcasters, including free-to-air television stations, digital and pay-TV platforms. “Wacky World Beaters”, for example, was recently launched this year, and has since increased the audience viewership for ABC3’s timeslot by 70 per cent.

Recognising excellence in programming, production and performance, the Asian Television Awards comprise over 30 categories, and the results are determined by an expert panel of over 60 judges from across the region. Results will be announced on 11 December 2014.

“To say that I am excited about the nominations is an understatement. We are thrilled to see our productions recognised by the industry’s most celebrated event in Asia. The team has put in a great amount of hard work, effort and time for not just these four productions, but for all our shows,” said Michael McKay, President of activeTV, who also won Best Direction at the Asian Television Awards in 2011.

"We are delighted to be nominated for such prestigious awards, especially across different genres," McKay added.

activeTV is a multi-Asian TV Awards winner having previously won for Best Adaptation of an Existing Format for The Amazing Race Asia in 2008 and 2009, 2011 and its Cash Cab Asia production garnered the Best Entertainment Host for Oli Pettigrew. 

The Amazing Race Philippines 2, hosted by Derek Ramsay, will see 11 teams of two, race around the country, in a bid to be the last team standing, and win the coveted title as winners of The Amazing Race Philippines 2 and cash prize of ₱2 million from PLDT Home Telpad, 2 house and land lots from RCD Royal Homes and 2 brand new Kia Sportage cars.

Riding on the success of its first season in 2012, activeTV assembled an international team of experienced producers and a vast team of local crew for The Amazing Race Philippines 2, and oversaw the entire production of the series. From casting, to scouting of locations in the Philippines to final production, the activeTV crew handled every aspect of what is regarded as the most complex of reality shows. 

Directed by Michael McKay, President of activeTV, a total of 39 cameras were used throughout the filming process to capture the thrilling competition and action of the teams, as well as the scenic landscapes of Philippines. 

“The challenges of a nightly version were considerable from a production and planning view point and co-creator Bertram van Munster, ABC Disney and our team worked closely together to develop a format that would suit the half hour, nightly format,” McKay said. 

“This meant dropping the Fast Forward and ensuring the action could be condensed into half hour installments but still keep the pace that The Amazing Race is famous for,” McKay added, obviously delighted with the outcome. 

“We have an amazing team behind this season, with their wide array of expertise and experience. I believe we have produced a fantastic season with a diverse cast, and captured the beauty of the Philippines from a myriad of angles. Beyond the competition, I am proud to see The Amazing Race series showcasing what a beautiful and fascinating country the Philippines is”. 

“I think I’ve seen more of the country than most Filipinos. It is a stunningly diverse and beautiful country and I loved shooting this series”. 

Margie C. Natividad, Vice President, Production Unit Head Entertainment TV of TV5 Network Inc. shared, “The Amazing Race is undoubtedly one of the world’s most watched TV programs and it has found its home in the Philippines at TV5.” 

“Aside from winning the award of Outstanding Adapted Reality Program in the recent Golden Screen TV Awards (given by The Entertainment Press Society), once again, TV5 is out to prove that there is more to Philippine primetime television than soap operas with the upcoming season of The Amazing Race Philippines 2.” 

“In this second installment of American TV franchise in the Philippines, the obstacles are made more exciting, more thrilling, and more amazing in different destinations across the country for the 11 hopeful pairs who will try to surpass each other to be first to reach the finish line. This season’s audition turnout was 400% higher than the last season with aspiring races coming from all points of the archipelago,” Natividad added. 

“With the help of activeTV, the second season has definitely changed the way our racers strategise and prepare their game plan. Their expertise on putting up a great race has made this season even life-changing for some of the racers as relationships have become stronger. The race around the Philippines will definitely showcase the beauty of the different islands that we have conquered. It is also remarkable that the production staff is composed of so many races and different nationalities yet we only have one goal, and that is to create great content with high production value. What’s 

even more amazing is that all foreign crews fell in love instantaneously with the Philippines. If only for that, TV5 is proud to have partnered with the best in the industry. Thank you to activeTV Asia for this awesome experience and we hope to add up another award and recognition for this excellent work,” said Natividad. 

The Amazing Race Philippines 2 is the third race for activeTV this year. activeTV was previously involved in the latest American version of The Amazing Race Season 25 with CBS and Worldrace Productions, and is currently producing The Amazing Race Israeli Season 4 with Reshet TV. 

activeTV Asia is proud to add another trophy to the cabinet with Food Detectives picking up the prestigious Apollo Award for 'Editing - Long Form in the Entertainment/Reality' category.

Congratulations to Jo Ng, our talented editor, and the enthusiastic and hardworking Food Detectives production team! The series has been a wonderful success, thanks to the support of our broadcast partner MediaCorp Channel 5, the Media Development Authority, and our distributors TVF International. A second season has already been commissioned and production is well underway.

Following on from the huge success of its kid’s series Prank Patrol Australia, the team at activeTV are excited to offer up a new brand of comedy to Australian kids with the debut of 'Wacky World Beaters' this Sunday at 5.50pm on ABC3.

'Wacky World Beaters' is a 20 x half hour kid’s factual series featuring two highly competitive, slightly zany Hosts who set off on a global discovery tour of wacky competitions. Their mission?  To find the world’s ultimate wacky sport!  In this hilarious, action packed series Amberley and Gilly compete against the world’s best…and each other while uncovering amazing people, culture and history wherever they go. 

“We are proud to deliver up a highly entertaining series which will take viewers to places they’ve never seen while uncovering zany competitions they never dreamed of,” said Executive Producer Amanda Peppard, “equally we’re really excited to showcase much-loved children’s Host Amberley Lobo in some very wacky situations alongside newcomer William Gill who has to be one of the funniest young guys you’ll see on children’s TV.”

The factual series is likely to be one of the most ambitious taken on by an Australian kid’s television production company with filming taking place in ten countries across Europe and Asia as well as multiple interior locations.  It’s this diversity of backdrops, people and cultures that’s sure to excite young viewers as they are taken on a frenetic, action-packed, super sporty and very funny tour of all things wacky.

'World Wacky Beaters' is produced with the assistance of Film Victoria and will be distributed by the Australian Children’s Television Foundation.

ABC3's crazy new series 'Wacky World Beaters' follows hosts ABC3's Amberley Lobo and local Adelaide comedian William Gill as they go on a global expedition to find the world's ultimate wacky sport.

Produced by activeTV Originals for ABC3, the series will be filmed in more than 10 countries across Europe, the UK and Asia, and will dive into the world of the most unique and wacky competitions as well as the cultures, history and incredible scenery surrounding them.

Taking trains, planes, buses and the occasional tuk tuk to get to their destinations, Amberley and Gilly not only set out to discover the world's wackiest sport but will also compete in as many of these crazy sports as they can! A pumpkin regatta in Germany, haggis eating in Scotland, air guitar world championships in Finland, bog snorkelling in Wales and gravy wrestling in England are just some of the crazy sports they'll discover.

“We are incredibly excited about this original activeTV format which will see us shooting around the world. It will be a whirlwind shoot and we’ll be drawing on our unique experience producing 10 series of 'The Amazing Race' to make it happen,” said Amanda Peppard, activeTV Executive Producer.

"Plus, we’re taking two of Australia’s hottest young talents – ABC3's Amberley Lobo and funny guy, Gilly – along for the ride of their lives. But finding the world’s wackiest competition won’t be a relaxing holiday for these guys… they’ll be genuine competitors in an array of crazy championships so they’ll need every ounce of their courage, determination, athleticism and humour they have to win."

Geoff Cooper, ABC TV Children's Executive Producer, said: "'Wacky World Beaters' offers the adventure, amazing locations and awesome hosts our audience expects from ABC3 factual programs. They'll love the friendly rivalry of Amberley and Gilly as they try to find the competitive edge over each other to win each wacky event."

'World Wacky Beaters' is produced with the assistance of Film Victoria and will be distributed by the Australian Children’s Television Foundation.

ABC3 will screen 'World Wacky Beaters' in 2014.

MediaCorp Channel 5 has commissioned activeTV Asia to make a new original health/lifestyle series, which puts a magnifying glass to the foods Singaporeans enjoy everyday.

Currently in production, The Food Detectives, is hosted by foodie and health ambassador Nikki Muller and uncovers the secrets, investigates the options and dispels the myths on a number of prime food suspects, including chicken, fruit juice, chocolate, table sauces, nuts, noodles and curry.

The 14-part series is supported by the Media Development Authority’s (MDA) Public Service Broadcasting fund and marks the first time activeTV has worked directly with Singapore’s
national broadcaster.

Assisting The Food Detectives team is UK-based TVF International, who is onboard as consulting partner.

Marc Checkley, activeTV’s Vice President of Development and Co-Executive Producer on the series said The Food Detectives brings a fun and engaging perspective to health and food science.

“It’s ultimately about making informed choices, revealing little known facts and changing the way we think about the food we buy and consume. The time is ripe in Singapore for such a series as palates are diversifying and kids and adults are eating a range of different foods.”

Checkley added that the series also delves deep into food packaging and where food in Singapore – which imports more than 90 per cent of its produce – actually originates. 

“A lot of research has gone into this series, which not only feeds the brain but also celebrates Singapore’s favourite national pastime,” he said.

Will Stapley, Senior Executive, Asia-Pacific at TVF International affirms that the series has great potential, in Asia and internationally. “TVF works closely with producers and broadcasters across the world to develop content tailored for the international market. We are delighted to be partnering with activeTV on this exciting production.

The Food Detectives debuts on MediaCorp’s Channel 5 on October 29.

'Driving Change', the 360-degree CSR series produced by activeTV Asia and media agency MEC, has taken top honours at the Singapore Media Awards.

The original series, developed for Chevron, under its Caltex brand, was named Best Pan-Asian Campaign at a glitzy black-tie event held at the Ritz Carlton on 29 August.

The first-of-its-kind reality production, saw TV personality Henry Golding, travel to five cities in Asia in an attempt to fulfil a series of tasks that would aid local communities. The catch was he only had three days to pull off each challenge and had to tap into the power of social media to recruit assistance and donations.

Communities that benefited from 'Driving Change' included sourcing 2,000 pieces of sporting equipment for the kids of Smokey Mountain, The Philippines; rebuilding the library for the flood-stricken Ba Nong Plong Pode school in Thailand; and raising RM30,000 for a year’s supply of school resources and food for 50 children from the MyKasih Foundation, Malaysia.

Golding’s efforts were relayed and documented in real-time via social media channels, such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and through a microsite on the regional Caltex website. There were also regular video diaries that played out on the National Geographic Channel. The series culminated in a one-hour television special that debuted on FIC’s StarWorld channel on January 1 this year.

The five-week campaign benefited more than 18,000 children and elderly people across the region and garnered more than 700,000 unique video views on YouTube alone.

'Driving Change' also marked the launch of activeTV Digital, the company’s digital/online production division.  Other recent projects have included those for Heineken and Yahoo! Singapore.

More information on the annual awards can be found at www.sma.com.sg

activeTV have announced the launch of a new content division at its networking event last week in Singapore. 'activeTV Originals' aims to address the need for more original content creation across the Asia-Pacific region and developing world-class formats that have international appeal. During the cocktail event, more than 50 industry executives and channel heads, were given a taste of the current slate of programs and pilots under the Originals division, spanning a range of genres.

This included Singapore character comedy Taxi Chronicles, for Yahoo!; Next Please!, which follows the trials and tribulations of a sharp-tongued Australian acting coach and agent; food entertainment pilot Progressive Dinner Wars for a Malaysian broadcaster; epic Antarctic adventure Race to the South Pole; twisted travel show That Geeky Guy and The Look, which goes in search of a real-life My Fair Lady. In the reality/factual genre, there’s new pan-regional treasure hunt series Treasure Trail and Snake Wars, which pits man against reptile in the wilds of suburban Australia. Additionally, in kids TV, activeTV is in development on an exciting pan-regional reality series with an Australian broadcaster.

Speaking at the event, activeTV’s President Michael McKay said the Originals division is about investing in world-class ideas locally for audiences everywhere, “We feel the time is ripe to ramp up the development and creation of our own international formats for local, regional and international audiences. Broadcasters are beginning to look to this part of the world for new formats. It’s a natural progression and we are able to take advantage of this trend with an amazing creative team along with regional talent and partners.”

Originals is a collaboration between the Asian and Australian businesses, spearheaded by McKay and supported by Marc Checkley, Head of Development (Asia) and Amanda Peppard, Vice-President of Development (Australia). Working hand in hand with the team is Priscilla Yeo, head of casting. “There’s an obvious trend to character-lead entertainment and we are investing a lot of resources to find those characters and marrying them with our shows,” said McKay. He added that the company “is continuing to acquire and produce international formats but are supplementing this with our creative prowess and expertise in production”.

activeTV's production of Channel 7's 'The Amazing Race Australia' has scored a first for the hit reality series at the International Emmy Awards. The series won an Emmy for best Non-Scripted Entertainment at the prestigious awards held tonight in New York City.

The win gives the format, created by Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri, its first International Emmy to add to the original series' thirteen Primetime Emmys.

activeTV president, Michael McKay, host Grant Bowler and Channel 7 USA bureau GM Zane Bair were on hand to accept the award on behalf of the vast army of cast, producers, camera crews, international facilitators and locals from around the world who worked on the inaugural series.

"This is a win for all of our talented crew, dedicated facilitators and suppliers from every corner of the globe who have worked with us for so many years," said Michael McKay, Executive Producer.

McKay also paid tribute to Channel 7 executives Tim Worner, Brad Lyons, Angus Ross and Trent Chapman as well as host Grant Bowler.

The Australian version won rave reviews and top ratings when it screened on the Seven Network in 2011. A second season followed in 2012 with critics applauding the series as a ‘standout production' with ‘inspired casting', a fast paced energy and a ‘dry Aussie humour'.

"Having worked closely with activeTV for many years, I'm delighted to see the Australian version recognised by the Academy," said van Munster, "Michael and his team delivered two stand-out series both of which were clearly of an international standard as this award recognises." activeTV Asia is co-owned by van Munster (Profiles Television) with McKay.

activeTV also produces an Asian version which was nominated for an International Emmy in 2009 as well as races for Israel, the Philippines and is now co-producing a Ukrainian version.

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