Do you remember the heroine Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) from the recent box-office success The Hunger Games (2012)? Or for those with a far longer memory, do you remember Truman (Jim Carrey) from the acclaimed hit The Truman Show (1998)? Can you guess what shared experience did both of them have?
[From left: Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) from The Hunger Games, and Truman (Jim Carrey) from The Truman Show]
Yes,
you might have guessed... they were both under camera surveillance in
the films! And as a result, entertained their audiences. Despite the
violence and cruel nature of the 'Hunger Games', Katniss showed
remarkable spirit and determination to overcome all odds. Similarly,
Truman, who did not know he was in a 24-hour reality TV programme since
he was born, inspired us by his humanity and his optimism towards life.
[Sunsilk Academy Fantasia Sunsilk明星学院]
Now you can be Katniss or
Truman, as Starhub will be launching a new concept reality singing
contest called Sunsilk Academy Fantasia (明星学院) on 8 July 2012!
This
singing competition is unlike those that came before it. It brings the
standard elements of a singing contest together and transcends them by
means of the concept of camera surveillance.
14 finalists will be
selected from auditions in May, and they will be housed in a specially
built academy monitored by close-circuit cameras 18 hours a day (well,
not far away from what Truman had experienced, but at least you know you
are on camera!).
- Auditions will be held at Square 2
shopping mall at Novena on 19 & 20 May, and are open to youths of
all nationalities between the ages of 16 and 30. More details to follow
in the near future!
For 10 intensive weeks, these 14
finalists must adapt to living life in the limelight, whilst undergoing
intensive training that includes singing, dancing and acting lessons by
well-known personalities (sounds like training to compete in the 'Hunger
Games'!). They will also have limited communication with the outside
world.
[Image from the media conference for the official announcement of Starhub's Sunsilk Academy Fantasia at St. James Power Station]
With
the promise to groom the winner to stardom, this multi-platform singing
competition will bring reality TV to a whole new level where viewers
can get to see the makings of a star from start to finish.
Contestants
will pit against one another on their singing abilities and showmanship
during weekly concerts held at Dragonfly Bar, St. James Power Station
where contestants with the lowest votes will be eliminated. Results will
be based on a 70-30 ratio, with 30 percent of votes decided by a panel
of judges and 70 percent through SMS voting by the public.
The
winner of Sunsilk Academy Fantasia will bag the coveted prize of a
two-year singing contract and a recording album with renowned local
record label, Ocean Butterflies Music!
[From left: Ophelia Su Bei Ru (蘇貝如), and Louis Wu (伍洛毅), who will be hosting the daily shows for Sunsilk Academy Fantasia]
[Photo credit: StarHub]
The
Sunsilk Academy Fantasia will also be a 360º multi-platform experience
with a dedicated Academy Fantasia Channel on StarHub TV, allowing
viewers to catch 'live' non-stop excitement within the Academy. StarHub
is also offering a simulcast of the Academy Fantasia Channel online, and StarHub TV on Mobile.
E
City (StarHub TV Channel 111/ 825) will screen daily recaps,
highlighting the best and funniest moments. The weekly concerts will
also be aired on E City, Academy Fantasia Channel, StarHub TV on Mobile
and online.
On the social media front, viewers can “Like” the StarHub Entertainment Facebook page for exclusive
behind-the-scenes footages and contestants’ blogs. For the latest
gossip, viewers can follow tweets on AcademySG. To join in the
discussion and share their thoughts, they can use the hashtag #AFSG.
There
will be a Weibo account for users to join the discussion platform as
well. For enhanced interactivity, smartphone users will be able to
connect to contestants with just one touch when the Sunsilk Academy
Fantasia app developed by StarHub is ready at a later date.
[From left: Billy Koh (许环良), Eva Chang (张美香) - General Manager of Ocean Butterflies Music, and Tan Tong Hai (陈东海) - Chief Operating Officer of StarHub]
[Photo credit: StarHub]
Do
you have what it takes to be 'live' on camera 18 hours a day for 10
weeks? More importantly, are you prepared for a grueling and challenging
competition that will test you to your limits, and transform you into a
star singer?
The Sunsilk Academy Fantasia is a great opportunity
for you to not only showcase your singing, dancing, and acting talents,
but also to win your fans with your heart and optimism (like Truman!),
and defy the odds to persevere in this winner-takes-all, high-pressure
cooker of a competition (like Katniss!).
Game on! And remember, be prepared!