Author Topic: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)  (Read 23810 times)

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Offline Mrs Shrek

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Re: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)
« Reply #25 on: September 09, 2008, 12:34:41 AM »
Well done Ken :tup:

Great Interview :jumpy:

Offline apskip

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Re: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)
« Reply #26 on: September 09, 2008, 06:57:20 AM »
TARAsia Fan,

I attempted to leave a comment on your blog, but was not able to do so. Here is my comment:

I am amused by the incompatibility of McKay's statements that Bertram van Munster in particular is involved. If that were really the case, then how could the "crossover" negative potential be serious?


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Re: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)
« Reply #27 on: September 09, 2008, 07:18:46 AM »
You have to be registered to leave to a comment, apskip. Too many anonymous comments, especially from Mutt & Revolting fans.
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Offline georgiapeach

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Re: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)
« Reply #28 on: September 09, 2008, 09:01:48 AM »
Outstanding job, Ken!! Great questions and there is loads of wonderful content and info there!

Thank you for sharing and :thankyou: to Michael McKay for doing it!

And lookee here:

Quote
This time around we’ve gone for a tighter, more punishing route. The way the route is set up for this series I would best describe as "relentless". We wanted the teams to be always on the go, to be always challenged.

Quote
Actually one of my absolute favourite locations comes up towards the very end of this series so more on that another time.


Quote
FB: In the Racers Revealed program, Kynt & Vxysin from TAR12 were seen. Was that an actual audition tape? Did they want to be in TARA? And what would have happened if you chose them for TARA?

MM: Yes, it was Kynt & Vxysin and they really did apply. They were very keen to be involved but we felt it would be unfair to have a team that had already raced (and raced very well I might add) and also we take teams from Asia. But if we do an All Star version down the track you never know.


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Offline TARAsia Fan

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Re: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)
« Reply #29 on: September 09, 2008, 07:10:09 PM »
Thanks, Peach and Mrs. shrek. The interview was a lot of fun to do.
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Re: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)
« Reply #30 on: September 15, 2008, 09:41:25 PM »
In his latest e-mail to me, Michael says:

Quote
This week's Leg is MUCH tougher for the Racers. A real bruiser.
Hmmmm.
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Offline georgiapeach

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Re: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)
« Reply #31 on: September 15, 2008, 11:37:07 PM »
They need those 90 minutes for something!  :yess:
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Offline banzai

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Re: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)
« Reply #32 on: October 03, 2008, 12:35:54 PM »
<a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/k4TYdr5BMkr1d7MZ8W&amp;related=1" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/k4TYdr5BMkr1d7MZ8W&amp;related=1</a>

Thanks to Alan's video,  :yess: we get to see Mr. McKay in a Sony commercial.  :wohoo:

Offline georgiapeach

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Re: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)
« Reply #33 on: October 08, 2008, 10:41:06 PM »
2 days ago, Michael_McKay says:   (From the AXN forums)
 
 
 Firstly, let me thank you all for the fantastic support you have given to season 3. Our entire production team is over the moon at the reaction to the series. In markets where we get quick TV ratings results, viewership for TARA3 is up some 12% on the record numbers for TARA2 and it is the fans of the show who drive this success. So once again, thank you.

...

 The remaining teams have done a brilliant job just to stay in this Race. I admit they are tired, if not exhausted, and we're not about to let up the pressure just yet. For this week's leg they will need to race smart and continue to race hard. Fall off the pace, even a little bit at the moment, and it could prove very costly.

 we're still following viewer support but from what I've seen to date I may need to start giving some thought to season 4. the GM at AXN will make the call on it. if you see me starting to ask questions on this site about what fans would like to see in season 4 that will be a pretty good hint ;)

 this series has plenty of surprises left in it yet so you can never be too sure what is going to happen.

Re the stinky tofu, no offence meant to our Taiwanese hosts but a few of us tried it out and yes, it sure does smell (but it tastes pretty good if you can get over the smell). 
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Re: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)
« Reply #34 on: October 22, 2008, 01:42:24 PM »
 4 days ago, Michael_McKay says:   
 
 
 Hi Folks, back in Singapore after a whirlwind trip to Cannes for the TV Festival there, then into London for a day. I feel like I'm back on the Race!

The age limit for the Race is 21. You are correct benjbuddy.

We have no plans for a teenage version right now.

Chriswo, thanks for stopping by, we miss you. Good explanation re the food. Also, sometimes we substitute some ingredients to ensure they meet certain criteria.

dhruvthadani, If you go back to the start of the season I said that I was not as interested in a really spread out route like season 2 as I wanted season 3 to me more relentless, more grueling with litle time for teams to rest between Legs. This was more our focus this season. It's up to the viewers to decide if this strategy worked and it has delivered what we set out to achieve.
 
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Offline georgiapeach

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Re: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)
« Reply #35 on: November 25, 2008, 12:59:21 AM »
Michael McKay says: 11/22/08

Thank you to everyone for supporting TARA3. The series has been a huge success and I thank you for watching.

To some folks on the forum: I'm sorry if we could not fulfill all of your expectations :(

I do hope you have enjoyed the three series of TARA and found them entertaining, exciting and informative.

It has been a great adventure for the production team and an exciting addition to the Asian TV landscape.

I hinted at the beginning of the season that we would not be traveling far and wide, focussing instead on short sharp hops that put the Racers under maximum pressure.

I was also interested to see if our viewers preferred to see themselves / their countries on TV. It is funny that people want the show to visit their particular country in Asia but when we do we are criticized for not traveling far enough.

Congrats to the final three teams. Once again Geoff and Tisha proved how important your cab driver can be. They raced well and should be forever proud of their effort.

Ida and Tania were a good flight connection off winning (that was the crucial element for them). Sure they had some luck on the double elimination but, in the end their luck ran out on the flight connection.

Sam and Vince: To come back from that 4 hour penalty on the road block was a superb effort and they deserved their victory.

To all of the other teams, congratulations. You join a small and exclusive club. To be a part of the TARA family is a special gift indeed.

Thank you to the sponsors who make this mega expensive series possible. They are not only sponsors but true supporters.

And a personal thank you to Ricky Ow, Frank Sutera, Jack Lim and the team at AXN. They are marvelous people to work with.

Thank you to ALL the team at activeTV who have worked so hard to make TARA3 a success. Three production members ended up sick in hospital during the making of this race and I had to argue with them to get them to stop work. The dedication of our production team is unbelievable.

The heroes of the series are the camera and sound crews who run with the Teams and share 26 hour bus trips and all the other things we put the Teams through. Well done guys. You are world class.

Thank you to the entire post producton team who don't get to travel to all of the exotic places the rest of the team go to and hardly see daylight for months.

Thank you to Control Risks for keeping an eye on us on the Race. And to ISOS for helping out the walking wounded.

Thank you to the hundreds and hundreds of people we worked with on the ground. All of the hardworking local crews in Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Macau, Hong Kong, India and Oman.

And speaking of Oman, that is one cool place. If you get the chance to go there, take it!

And finally, a huge thank you to the families of the production teams. The absence from home for weeks on end is difficult and we appreciate your support.




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Offline georgiapeach

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Re: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)
« Reply #36 on: November 25, 2008, 01:06:52 AM »
 2 hours ago, Michael_McKay says:   
 
 
 Thank you to everyone for their feedback. I will discuss TARA merchandise with AXN. Maybe for purchase online.

Re the Sony ads featuring Sam and Vince, the less I say about that the better, suffice to say I was not involved in that decision.

Dragoon, thanks for the suggestions, we would try to do less back to back countries if we do TARA4.

A TARA4 is not confirmed so no call for contestants at this stage, sorry.

We would, of course, be only too happy to produce a 4th series as it is a pleasure to make the series for AXN.
 
 
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Offline georgiapeach

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Re: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)
« Reply #37 on: December 18, 2008, 10:50:03 PM »
2 weeks ago, Michael_McKay says:   
 
 
 I guess they were referring to Sam and Vince being the underdogs by virtue of coming into the race late when another team had to drop out). I would say AD and Fuzzie were the underdogs this season and look how well they did.


2 weeks ago, Michael_McKay says:    
 
 
 Hi Folks, sorry i've been away (no not TARA4).  (**TAR Israel**)

Re merchandise, we will look at what we can do prior to a new series but I hasten to add there is no confirmation of TARA4 at this time.

Christian, yes, non eliminations are worked out well in advance. Except for a team not being able to go on for some medical reason, NEL's are planned well in advance. It has to be this way because of the massive logistics involved. But, I tend to agree with Mik-Mik that an unintended consequence of the double NEL is that, in TARA2 and 3, a team has come in last on both occasions so has twice escaped elimination. I'm not keen on this either and will keep this in mind for any future seasons.

Thank you tara3fan, I am pleased you liked this series. Sam and Vince were a great team and a delight to have on the Race, as were A.D. and Fuzzie.

Folks, we have no plans for a teenage edition - sorry. 
 


20 hours ago, Michael_McKay says:    
 
 
 Just to let you know that TARA2 won the Asian TV Award for the Best Adaptation of an International Format.

All associated with the production are very proud to have won this award.
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Offline georgiapeach

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Re: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)
« Reply #38 on: December 18, 2008, 10:51:18 PM »
In hindsight, that 11/22 post probably means that TAR Israel had wrapped by then...
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Offline TARAsia Fan

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Re: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)
« Reply #39 on: February 25, 2009, 09:15:40 PM »
Michael McKay has agreed to do another interview with me. I'll talk with him about TARA3. If you have any questions, I will be glad to ask them (none about TARA4, he cannot talk about that). Please write your questions in this thread and I'll try to get to as many as I can.

Here is my first interview with him that I conducted last year.
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Offline georgiapeach

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Re: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)
« Reply #40 on: February 25, 2009, 09:23:19 PM »
I'd love to know his impressions of how TARI worked out, and why they didn't choose to caption the show in English, which would have substantially expanded their audience.

Were they pleased with the "toughest race ever"? I loved the lots of local transport, will they continue that?

Ultimately, how do they think the casting worked for them?

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Offline TARAsia Fan

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Re: Michael McKay (TARA Producer)
« Reply #41 on: February 25, 2009, 10:31:10 PM »
I have to rewatch the seasons (which is always a good thing).
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