Page 60 - Metro

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TRSQ@KH@M 2TQUHUNQ reboot to date, awareness of the show’s @C@OS SGD OQNFQ@L ENQ KNB@K @TCHDMBDR TMCDQ SGD RTODQUHRHNM NE
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schema is underdeveloped among the local target audience SGD NQHFHM@K OQNCTBDQR
compared to those watching the American series. Moreover, a
VLJQLĺFDQW SURSRUWLRQ RI $XVWUDOLDQ FRQWHVWDQWV KDYH WKHPVHOYHV The production of a localised text thus requires an acute judge
been unfamiliar with the American series, with many expressing ment of what can be considered ‘entertainment value’. 21
discomfort about the ‘backstabbing’ aspect of the game. The TRSQ@KH@M 2TQUHUNQ LV D FROODERUDWLRQ EHWZHHQ 1HWZRUN 7HQ
inclusion of the HII in 2016, for instance, was accompanied by and the American production company Castaway Television,
D OHQJWK\ H[SODQDWLRQ RI WKH UXOHV DQG VWUDWHJLHV DVVRFLDWHG ZLWK which offered initial guidance and provided key structures (such
the object, and led to an unintended outcome when it made DV FDPSVLWHV DQG FKDOOHQJHV 7HQ FRPPLVVLRQHG (QGHPRO
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cause possession of it exposed him as a strategic player. In sub expectations of its entertainment and factual programming arm,
sequent interviews, Iadanza spoke of how openly being a fan of as seen in its other reality titles 3GD !@BGDKNQ, 3GD !@BGDKNQDSSD,
WKH VKRZ ZDV D VLJQLĺFDQW KDQGLFDS WR KLV FKDQFHV RI ZLQQLQJ ,@RSDQ"GDE and ( L @ "DKDAQHSXw &DS ,D .TS NE 'DQDŪ As
18
the game. To be openly knowledgeable of the American game VWDWHG DERYH ZKLOH LWV $PHULFDQ FRXQWHUSDUW VFUHHQV RQH KRXU
in TRSQ@KH@M 2TQUHUNQ made one a threat, resulting in players long episode weekly (inclusive of advertising breaks), TRSQ@KH@M
who presented as overly strategic being eliminated early. 2TQUHUNQ VFUHHQV PXOWLSOH ORQJHU HSLVRGHV SHU ZHHN 7KLV H[
cessive schedule aligns with the Australian media ecology’s
demand for a heavy emphasis on advertising – something that
Heavy incorporation of sponsors
can’t be achieved with only one weekly episode.
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ways to market products to audiences. The /QNIDBS 1TMV@X PDW LV LQIXVLQJ WKH VHULHV ZLWK FRQWHQW IDPLOLDU WR ORFDO DXGL
and 3NO ,NCDK franchises, in particular, ences. Through the inclusion of relevant
employ branded products to enhance con stories, a local adaptation of a reality
To be openly
testants’ appearance. Baltruschat draws show is able to inject itself into ‘the
RQ 9ODGLPLU 3URSSpV DQDO\VLV RI 5XVVLDQ knowledgeable of the symbolic matrix of national and cul
folktales to articulate how commodities tural familiarities’. The ostensible
22
American game in
are examples of a ‘magical object’ used to $XVWUDOLDQQHVV RI 1HWZRUN 7HQpV
assist characters/contestants on their jour Australian Survivor 2TQUHUNQ reboot was particularly evident
QH\V WR D WUDQVIRUPHG oqDIWHUr VWDWHp that made one a threat, in the theme of ‘mateship’, which was
19
is to say, they achieve their goals through resulting in players explored through the lens of masculinity.
the use of the aforementioned magical ob 6DP :HEE DQG /HH &DUVHOGLQH ZRXOG
jects. In these shows, the dramatic narra who presented as RIWHQ LQYRNH PDWHVKLS WR ĺJKW DJDLQVW
tive is intertwined with product placement, overly strategic being overly strategic players like Iadanza.
giving prominence to the exchange value Their clichéd expression of Australian
eliminated early.
of these items rather than their use value. identity was also contrasted with the
This type of integration is a key part of FRUH DOOLDQFH EHWZHHQ %URRNH -RZHWW
contemporary reality television, and a heavy reliance on spon )HOLFLW\ (JJLQWRQ DQG (OHQD 5RZODQG GXEEHG WKH oPHDQ JLUOVp

sorship was evident in the 2016 season of TRSQ@KH@M 2TQUHUNQ, by many fans on social media. $QG LW ZDV RQO\ DW WKH ĺQDO
ZKLFK KDG WKUHH $ WLHU VSRQVRUV +ROGHQ DKP KHDOWK LQVXUDQFH tribal council – once she was free from the risk of being voted
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UHZDUG FKDOOHQJHV t SDUWLFXODUO\ WKH IDVW IRRG FKDLQ ZLWK H[WHQ LW\ ZLWK WKH $PHULFDQ VHULHV
sive segments of contestants exclaiming how much they loved The progression of reality shows is heavily contrived through
the food. This marketing strategy blurs the episodic boundaries FDUHIXOO\ SODFHG JDPH WZLVWV KRZHYHU LQ VSLWH RI WKHLU DVVHU
of television. Clips of the show were used in ad breaks, and WLRQ RI UHDOLVP VXFK SURJUDPV DUH DFFHQWXDWHG E\ EHKLQG
stills were used on social media, to further promote products WKH VFHQHV SURGXFWLRQ DQG HFRQRPLF FRQVLGHUDWLRQV ZKLFK
– mirroring the approach used by many other Australian reality are not always apparent to the viewer. In the case of TRSQ@KH@M
shows, such as ,X *HSBGDM 1TKDR and ,@RSDQ"GDE, both of 2TQUHUNQ, key decisions regarding format have exhibited a lack
which display extensive Coles branding. While this sponsor of foresight by the production team. The American 2TQUHUNQ
ship strategy works for shows such as 3NO ,NCDK and /QNIDBS regularly utilises tribal swaps, merges and double eliminations
1TMV@X t WKH VSRQVRUV WHQG WR EH IDVKLRQ UHODWHG PHDQLQJ to keep players on their toes. In contrast, during one reward
audiences can achieve their own transformations using the FKDOOHQJH LQ WKH $XVWUDOLDQ VHULHV WKH UHVXOWLQJ WULEDO VKXIĻH LQ
desired brands – the thematic connection to the brands is lost volved the winning team selecting who they would want to join
in TRSQ@KH@M 2TQUHUNQ, as the experience can’t be replicated them from the losing two tribes, with unselected contestants
through the consumption of its advertised products. having to merge and form their own new tribe. This reorganisa
tion created a RHFMHkB@MSKX RSQNMFDQ tribe, leading to a complete
decimation of the tribe consisting of unselected contestants.
Challenges of format localisation
Further consequences of this production decision were the
There are several issues at play when adapting franchises for elimination of several stronger strategic players and the birth
local audiences. According to Baltruschat: of a dominant alliance of players who were inexperienced in
JDPHSOD\ 6HYHUDO PHPEHUV RI WKH ODWWHU ZRXOG WKHQ RSHQO\
%NQL@S KNB@KHY@SHNM HR A@RDC NM @ LDCH@ DBNKNFX VGHBG HM- admit in confessionals that they did not want to play an overly
UNKUDRŭKDMFSGX BNKK@ANQ@SHUD OQNBDRRDR ADSVDDM SGD NVMDQR tactical game, meaning the second half of the season lacked

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