I am on Facebook and I happen to see a note entitled ‘Fake Mediacorp Audition… by Mediacorp’. Of course it piques my inquisitiveness – why would Mediacorp hold fake auditions? I proceed to read the account, penned by actor Brendon Fernandez:

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Mediacorp has been calling up actors and making appointments with them to attend an audition at Mediacorp for an English-language project which has been described as a ‘still in development drama-dy’. This is in fact completely disingenuous.

In the account that I heard from an actor who attended the audition on 25 May 2009, the waiting time was in excess of an hour and a half past the scheduled appointment time.

When the auditionee is finally ushered into the area in which the audition is supposed to take place, he or she is given several forms to fill out. The area is reported to resemble a badly-constructed mock up of a TV-set. The auditionee will be left alone in the room.

After some time has passed, the auditionee will hear a knock that appears to come from inside the wardrobe that is on the set. There will also be a voice of someone claiming to be locked in the wardrobe, asking the auditionee to let them out. When the auditionee opens the wardrobe, it will be empty.

At some point after this, the crew will burst out from concealment, and announce something to the effect of ‘Surprise, you’re on ‘Just For Laughs- Gags’!’

I was saddened and angered to learn that this is how Mediacorp treats working actors today. This was a deliberately concocted scheme to lure professional actors into a humiliating trap. The people who attended devoted their time and their skills in preparation for what they believed to be an audition for a role in a professional tv series. Some may have given up other opportunities for work in order to attend. These actors responded in good faith to what they thought was an opportunity for work, and they were treated abysmally.

If you feel the same way I do, please spread the word. Let people know that this happened. Tell friends in the industry. Tell friends who are not in the industry, but who watch Mediacorp TV. If you work in Mediacorp or for Mediacorp, please speak about this to your colleagues. Ask whose idea this was, and who ok-ed it. Basically, tell other people how you feel. I’ve reached my tag limit for this note, but you can link it, if you like.

I am aware that this is only one part of the story. Those from Mediacorp who perpetuated this charade will undoubtedly have their own version of events. Nevertheless, at this time I find it necessary to state that I personally cannot imagine any circumstance or combination of circumstances that can excuse such behaviour.

It is never permissible to treat other people without respect.

Sincerely,
Brendon Fernandez
Singaporean Actor


Another acquaintance, actress Daphne Ong, was also scammed:


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Looks like I wasn’t the only one who felt completely scammed today (Brendon Fernandez has posted a note about this incident too).

I was called for what sounded like a common casting at MediaCrap today (25 May).

When I get there, the first thing that sounds amiss is that I’m told I have to wait for another few auditionees to arrive before we can proceed to the audition. The second odd thing is that the casting it is not in the Annexe building as usual, but in some obscure corner of the compound. Anyone who has auditioned for MediaCrap before would know.

While in the holding room, I am told how lucky I am that I am next in line, and that others before me had had to wait a pretty long time.

I am then led into a room where I see a TV actor (let’s call him L) I had worked with very recently; he appears very surprised to see me, then tells me he’s producing this new show. We proceed into a small mock-up of an office where I can plainly see 3 two-way mirrors. L tells me this is a mock-up of the office for the character I’m auditioning for. I’m then told to fill out a talent form and memorise a short piece of dialogue for the audition - a piece of dialogue that is set in a pub, not an office, by the way. L then leaves me alone in the room.

A minute later, he startles me from behind, obviously having entered from a hidden door behind me. Being not a complete moron, I figure it’s a deliberate setup to make me squeal, which I don’t since I don’t scare easily. He leaves the room and tries the same trick again, only this time I actually can hear the ‘secret’ door opening behind me. At this time, he says, ‘Surprise! You’re on Just for Laughs!’ and points to the camera in one of the two-way mirrors.

At this time, a dude walks in (whom I assume is the director) and says that my reaction is very calm, and asks me to try it again and pretend I’m really scared. I’m also very helpfully introduced to the notion that I’d ‘be on national TV!’ for giving a truly scared reaction.

I ask whether I’ll be paid for this. I’m told that I won’t, but will be ‘compensated’ for my time and trouble - a whopping $20. But oh, this is ‘also a casting’ for the future - either to be a pranker for the show or for ‘future projects’.

I promptly ask that I be excluded from future such gags.

Not only was it a complete waste of my time, it is an insult to professional actors. In addition to my intelligence being insulted, I, along with goodness knows how many other actors have been taken advantage of today.

MediaCrap, who already aren’t known for their regard for actors, have sunk to a new low. They have absolutely no respect for us as professionals and think that they can get away with luring people who are seeking real work opportunities and scamming them for a cheap show.

Am thoroughly pissed off.

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Given the circumstances, this is an extreme INSULT to artistes, this is outright exploitation. Not only did Mediacorp cheated these actors of their time and money – they could have picked up other opportunities within that time period they gave to Mediacorp – by including them on the setup as part of a planned production without the intention to pay and without prior warning or information, this is outright exploitation in Mediacorp’s benefit.

We just wonder what on earth the station has come to today. No offence to those who are employed by Mediacorp, but I am commenting about the decision of the powers-that-be in general, that there is much to be scrutinised and the bacteria preferably disinfected.