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02 March 2006
MediaCorp TV12 sets up new artiste management unit
The New Paper
By Sheela Narayanan
Aaron's happy about it... but not her
While artistes like Aaron Aziz believe being managed by TV12 can bring them more pay, others find themselves being dropped by production houses as a result, they claim, of their higher rates. SHEELA NARAYANAN reports
MORE money, better projects and bigger exposure.
MORE money, better projects and bigger exposure.
The careers of these part-time television artistes may have just got a much-needed boost.
This is all thanks to the three-month-old artiste management unit (AMU) at MediaCorp TV12.
Its head, Mr Alex Zulkifli Mohammed Salleh, believes that part-time artistes like Aaron Aziz will no longer have to put up with low salaries or delayed payments.
This is because the unit is trying to get more involved in their artistes' salary packets and career development.
Aaron is one of 17 new artistes who have signed up to be represented by TV12's AMU.
Only three of them are are full-timers. The unit encompasses artistes from Kids Central, Suria and Vasantham Central.
Other than Aaron who was with talent management agency Fly Entertainment, the rest were previously unrepresented.
Mr Zulkifli told The New Paper that the AMU hopes to promote TV12 artistes in the same way their sister stations - Channels 5 and 8 - are currently doing with their artistes.
'We want to make sure that really talented artists are given the opportunity to grow just like Channel 5 and 8 actors and singers,' he said.
Not everyone is happy with the new AMU. (See report facing page.)
But Aaron, 30, is happy to jump on the bandwagon.
Aaron, who also runs his own events management company, told The New Paper he signed up with TV12's AMU because he believes in its vision.
'(AMU) wants to make this professional and not have this image that we are only part-timers doing it as a hobby,' said the hunky actor, known for his role in Channel 5 drama Heartlanders.
'We have talent and we are serious about it.'
Part of AMU's plan is to get its talents to do cross-over projects in the English and Mandarin channels.
'If Aaron Aziz can be in a Channel 5 show, I don't see why my other Suria or Vasantham Central artistes can't either,' said Mr Zulkifli, who is in his 30s.
His vision is echoed by Suria's vice-president Fahmi Rais. He told Berita Harian last month that the channel wants to give their artistes a different image.
'One of our tasks this year is to take more responsibility to manage the affairs of our artistes,' he said.
'We want to develop their potential and turn them into a professional force.'
So what can TV12 artistes expect from this new management system?
While Mr Zulkifli declined to give details, The New Paper understands they have a service contract where they can take up outside projects, subject to some restrictions.
These restrictions include giving TV12 projects priority but that will be on a case-to-case basis, said Mr Zulkifli.
AMU will also take a 25 per cent cut from their earnings.
However, as AMU artistes, they will get first bite of TV12 projects and endorsement offers.
They will also have a stylist and a makeup artist for their gigs.
Most importantly, the unit will try to increase salaries for their artistes as well as ensure that they get paid on time.
At the moment, a part-time artiste working on a Suria or Vasantham Central programme can be paid between $300 and $400 for a drama series or a variety show.
Mr Zulfikli feels that is too little.
He thinks they should be paid at least twice that amount and he admitted he has had a few run-ins with production companies over artistes' salaries.
'We want to be known as a station that can churn out good programmes with quality talent. How can you have that if you are not going to pay the talent accordingly?' he said.
Apart from Aaron, the three Anugerah finalists - winner Khairul Anuar and runners-up Syed Azmir and
Fauzie Laily - have also signed up with AMU. Also with contracts under their belt are host Rima Melati and veteran TV actor Azhar Noor Lesta.
Azhar, who is currently seen in Suria's new comedy Erlin Montel, believes the change will bring good exposure for Vasantham Central and Suria actors.
Said the 43-year-old actor, who has been acting part-time for 25 years: 'I wish this happened five or 10 years back.This is a good move for this old man to be part of this new approach to nurture our best talent in the station,'
PRODUCTION HOUSES: Why pay more?
WHILE the AMU's intentions may be good, the changes are not sitting well among production houses who depend on part-time artistes for their shows.
Unlike Channel 5 and 8 who create their own programmes, TV12 outsources most of their programmes to these production companies.
Some producers are even asking if they should pay so much for AMU artistes when there are other non-contracted part-timers out there who will work for less.
Two Vasantham Central AMU artistes, Kavitha Subramaniam, 26, a financial advisor, and Gaiyethri A Rahman, 24, told The New Paper they were dropped from separate projects by one production company.
According to them, the production house had claimed that under the AMU contract, they were too costly.
Said Kavitha ''I was warned by the other actors that this would happen to me if I signed up (with AMU).
'I was disappointed, but I have put my faith in AMU. We'll see what happens.''
One producer told The New Paper he wasn't surprised that production companies may start shying away from hiring AMU artistes. He declined to be named as his company does work for TV12.
'We work on very tight budgets when we make programmes for TV12,'' said the producer, who has been in the industry for over 10 years.
'If there is a cheaper option, you can't expect us to pay a premium price for talent.''
SMALL MARKET
He added he had reservations about how helpful AMU would be, considering that the Malay and Indian entertainment markets are small here.
'There is only one company and it's not like there is competition to promote their artistes against another company's. Let's hope they do it right,'' he added.
But TV12 remains unfazed about these problems and is still optimistic about their role in nurturing their artistes' prospects.
Said Mr Zulkifli: 'Yes, the producers can always take somebody cheaper. But really, enough is enough.'If we want this industry to grow and expand, we can't keep treating our talent this way.''
