Sri Lankan Version Of Topgear!

[ae100]

Having had a look at a few TV shows in local TV channels, just got an idea of how an entertaining TV series could be developed to suit Sri Lanka based on Sri Lankan automobile culture. (Because obviously the current local TV motor programs are too childish, not informative and boring)

Just a list of ideas (may sound stupid - but appreciate your thoughts)

• The program may discuss unique facts on automotive culture of SL

  e.g. Three-wheeler culture / Leyland bus culture / "keeping a 20 year old car in brand new condition" culture etc.

• May be a real comparison of options for a buyer of certain levels of budget

  e.g. If you have Rs. 1 million - whar are your options (with real cars shown, driven and compared)

• Facts & Figures (market prices / common problems in using a vehilcle in SL / how to avoid being ripped off at a garage etc)

I'm not a media person, but being inspired by programs like Topgear, I think we could do much better in terms of creating a popular and interesting Motor programme in any of our local TV channels.

Ideas are welcome..!!

[SeanD]

Having had a look at a few TV shows in local TV channels, just got an idea of how an entertaining TV series could be developed to suit Sri Lanka based on Sri Lankan automobile culture. (Because obviously the current local TV motor programs are too childish, not informative and boring)

Just a list of ideas (may sound stupid - but appreciate your thoughts)

• The program may discuss unique facts on automotive culture of SL

  e.g. Three-wheeler culture / Leyland bus culture / "keeping a 20 year old car in brand new condition" culture etc.

• May be a real comparison of options for a buyer of certain levels of budget

  e.g. If you have Rs. 1 million - whar are your options (with real cars shown, driven and compared)

• Facts & Figures (market prices / common problems in using a vehilcle in SL / how to avoid being ripped off at a garage etc)

I'm not a media person, but being inspired by programs like Topgear, I think we could do much better in terms of creating a popular and interesting Motor programme in any of our local TV channels.

Ideas are welcome..!!

Interesting idea. Do you think we would have enough material to make a TV series though (aside from the used car segment- if I remember correct, the modern Top Gear had that in its first season, before James May replaced the third presenter).

Why not make it a fun filled documentary (with multiple episodes as needed) instead?

[ae100]

Interesting idea. Do you think we would have enough material to make a TV series though (aside from the used car segment- if I remember correct, the modern Top Gear had that in its first season, before James May replaced the third presenter).

Why not make it a fun filled documentary (with multiple episodes as needed) instead?

Yes. That's exactly what I mean! We don't need to replicate Topgear in SL, but we could make a great series of fun-filled yet very informative TV series to suit SL. I'm sure we'll have enough things to talk about.

e.g. What will take you from Pettah to Piliyandala (without getting copped) during school time - A motor Cycle, 120 bus, 120 AC bus, a trishaw or a Maruti Driven by a lady?

What's the most interesting road in SL - Galle road / the road through the ramboda pass to nuwara eliya / Kandy road or some rural short-cut laid in the middle of a paddy field?

Other interesting facts about SL vehicles - 8 people can go in a trishaw / thapal 90 can go 100kms in a litre of petrol / how to overtake a Leyland bus / how much of a dominance a white Defender has in SL roads etc etc etc...

its all about ideas..! What do you think.?

[kotte mafia]

as a man who is into media i think your concept need more segments in the program and a huge budget to support the program with alot of local knowhow .... at least to shoot it in various locations in SL ...... after all this need to find a broadcaster who is willing to buy the program to broadcast ..... you cannot follow top gear of 5th gear and make such a program locally .... sirasa TV program is doing a decent job so far i never watched it for many years though ....heard there are alot of similar programs in SL Nowadays ... even though i don't like the commentator if they are replaced with someone likE our DD or some one who is in the racing sean it would have been more successful with entries about road safety .... driving tips ..ETC .... need to get more involved in the local events specially like underground drag sean ... 4x4 bud baths .. Mod's ... tune ups garages ..... local police, motoring and event management bodies ........... or the best way is to just make a program with all the materials in AL and you will end up with one good program ....

PS : better to have a comedy minute tooo for our in house comedian

[Pericles]

local events specially like underground drag sean ..... local police,

Little trouble accommodating both these parties, methinks.

[kotte mafia]

Yah thats true but not in the same day ....you can bring in the dragsters masked ..... and interview them in a abandoned wear house or a garage ..... or even seat both parties on the 2 sides of the program and let them sort out there differences .. and use like sirasa super star system to send SMS .... to se who the public like the coppers with the shining badges or the bad boys from the block ....

[ae100]

as a man who is into media i think your concept need more segments in the program and a huge budget to support the program with alot of local knowhow .... at least to shoot it in various locations in SL ...... after all this need to find a broadcaster who is willing to buy the program to broadcast .....

Good to have someone with a media background. But I don't think this will require a budget as large as the crazy local tele dramas. You don't need to pay the huge number of actors. True you'll have to get some contacts to get vehicles to demonstrate, but won't the car sales guys / agents / parts dealers / service station fellows want to show their logo on TV and spend some money to a thing like this??

you cannot follow top gear of 5th gear and make such a program locally .... sirasa TV program is doing a decent job so far i never watched it for many years though

Agreed. But I'm not suggesting that we do a SL TopGear. The idea is to get rid of the boring speeches, Q&A sessions, repetetive video clips of the same car driven by the same dude every week and come up with more live and entertaining stuff.

The cop & dragster thing would be a cool one. (if the cops behave cool enough to be presented..) :-)

[kotte mafia]

there are alot of people with more experience than me into the media business in AL machang .... true it won't cost us alot but to bring down the cars thankz to the contacts .... but shooting equipment ... locations transport logging all add up .. guess AL made a DVD some time back even though i never saw it heard it was good .... was trying to DL it from torrent .. but couldn't find it ... so if we made something similar to that it will be nice to watch ....

showing logos and all i have no idea about it machang because the broadcaster should agree on that matter after he buys the master tapes from us he is going to go out in the market looking for sponcers... so Eg: if we said any thing bad about a maruti ... Unit#d Mot#rs ( i have no idea on who is the agent for maruti ) will surely never sponcer the program, if we are not dependent on outside money we can really talk hard facts ... without fear ( its not a political program end of the day where after you made certain comments about the ruling body you get phone calls, human skulls as gifts and cars or vans with out number plates following you )

yes i agree all this Q&A sucks big time .... but it helps people to understand what's wrong with there cars before going blindly into a garage and expose your self for the rip off ... but i can be done more creatively by selecting few questions and showing it on what's wrong using a real vehicle

coppers and dragsters .... sure that will be fun .... but never show the cars boys .... cos you will be marked by every coppoer who,s in it for a easy buck

[shanX]

Agreed. But I'm not suggesting that we do a SL TopGear. The idea is to get rid of the boring speeches, Q&A sessions, repetetive video clips of the same car driven by the same dude every week and come up with more live and entertaining stuff.

The cop & dragster thing would be a cool one. (if the cops behave cool enough to be presented..) :-)

Yup, but the topgear concept would be nice, I mean they practically do almost everything with cars, like long road trips ...etc. None of the automotive shows here, took their shows outside their studios afaik, so yeah someone could make a lively show, involving different automotive cultures/people. Anyway, I think Sirasa/MTV is the channel that could do a show like this. But not sure, a cops-dragsters discussion would do any good to both parties.

Ahh you're talking about bodykit'ed cars and ricers I assume. They shud be banned, not allowed lol

[JadeyBlitzen]

Top gear is no longer a factual program as it was until the late 90s. The reason most people most brits sit down in front of their tvs on sundays is because its more of an entertainment program. not something filled with boring facts like how an lsd works. this is why women of all ages like this program. cos its full of comedy, exaggerated facts and sarcasm based around cars and is presented by people who tend not to get too pedantic over mechanical subjects.

The question is can we really pull off something like this in a sinhala program without having to make presenters make fools of themselves? If you think of extremely funny tv programs "api nodanna live" is probably the first program that'll come to our minds. can you imagine having those presenters in a car program and having to take them seriously when they are introducing us to the most important car of the year? so we'll need some top notch presenters who can cover all bases (mostly acting).

I'd say the best choice will be to base the program around fifth gear. it doesnt miss out most of the facts though at the same time it doesn't make you rofl.

[ae100]

Ya obviously a typical sinhala presenter won't be able to handle it. This is exactly the reason for the boring nature of the current motor programs run in local channels. None of the presenters are auto enthusiasts or at least they are not able to figure out the the model & make of the car most of the time when they present. On the other hand the experts they bring in to the show don't know a thing about presenting a show.

I'm sure there are young chaps who are interested in the field of automobiles + who have the ability of presenting a program nicely.

Budgets + equipment would defa be a prob. We won't ever be using the ultra high quality cameras what Topgear people use, but again I'm sure our media chaps would come up with some tricks to do the things if proper guidance + budgets are given.

[Buddhika M H]

Thought to add some comment @AL forum after a longtime(tho i came here most of the time just read forum), on this topic cos its somewhat unique and interesting.

As you guys say, it will be interesting to see such a program. But as many points out it will be hard to a factual program 'like' (or interesting as) Top Gear.

Main thing is yes, we petrol heads will love seeing some people fooling around with cars, but how majority will react? I mean seeing some of our cultural reactions (not to say they r wrong) it might get a negative rection from the majority and even from Media heads.

So it has to be factual as most suggest.

Talking of 'Presenters' best person I can think of is Chamika Roshan of Sirasa. I think it was his idea to start Sirasa Autovision. In the first few years I think he used to present that (and also the program called 'Gadgamatics'), but after some time presenters changed for some reason. As far as I felt he is an car enthusiast & knows something about automobiles.

Costs and finding sponsors would be a problem. But with increasing automobile market, we 'might' see some companies coming in.

Also I think there might be a problem of finding news, related items for the program in the long run. I mean we cant always talk about Ferraris, Bentleys coming out this year, or there wont be many interesting cars coming out to SL market that we can have road tests for each week.

And we cant forget the fact that many people who watch these programs will be the people who wants to buy/maintain a car. So the 'boring' buying/selling tips, Q&A are almost impossible to get rid of. I think it might be better if we can have some person talking about current market trends and stuff, like in the old Top Gear with the big lad that James replaced later (think Jason or something?)

Anyway I think it will be really great to see at least a try of some sort.

[SeanD]

I'm still not sold on the idea of a "TV series" as opposed to a one time mini-series. I mean, Top Gear has access to pretty much ANY car they want in the world, and that's really the only reason I watch that show (along with having a seemingly unlimited budget, such as to send cars into space as rockets). What are we going to talk about once we run out of the handful of exotics in Sri Lanka (assuming the owners will even allow them to be shown). Bajaj threewheelers and Nissan Sunnys?

I still think a documentary length film, or even a mini-series, would work better, where we can get everything we need to address wrapped into one fun-filled show, and don't need to worry about advertisers and sponsors in the long run.

[Devinda_Z]

Talking of 'Presenters' best person I can think of is Chamika Roshan of Sirasa. I think it was his idea to start Sirasa Autovision. In the first few years I think he used to present that (and also the program called 'Gadgamatics'), but after some time presenters changed for some reason. As far as I felt he is an car enthusiast & knows something about automobiles.

And we cant forget the fact that many people who watch these programs will be the people who wants to buy/maintain a car. So the 'boring' buying/selling tips, Q&A are almost impossible to get rid of. I think it might be better if we can have some person talking about current market trends and stuff, like in the old Top Gear with the big lad that James replaced later (think Jason or something?)

ah yes, he was quite good - he actually sounded like he knew his stuff

i think the last show he did was the coverage of the Hummer H1 after the Tsunami

as for second hand buying tips - i remember Jason from Top Gear but i think Johnny from Fifth Gear is more current.

[xXx]

I'm still not sold on the idea of a "TV series" as opposed to a one time mini-series. I mean, Top Gear has access to pretty much ANY car they want in the world, and that's really the only reason I watch that show (along with having a seemingly unlimited budget, such as to send cars into space as rockets). What are we going to talk about once we run out of the handful of exotics in Sri Lanka (assuming the owners will even allow them to be shown). Bajaj threewheelers and Nissan Sunnys?

I still think a documentary length film, or even a mini-series, would work better, where we can get everything we need to address wrapped into one fun-filled show, and don't need to worry about advertisers and sponsors in the long run.

Spot on Sean. I really doubt there's enough interesting things to feature in a weekly show. That's the biggest obstacle the current shows are facing. Mini series is definitely the way forward. Not too sure how that'll fit in with the local TV culture.

Yah thats true but not in the same day ....you can bring in the dragsters masked ..... and interview them in a abandoned wear house or a garage ..... or even seat both parties on the 2 sides of the program and let them sort out there differences .. and use like sirasa super star system to send SMS .... to se who the public like the coppers with the shining badges or the bad boys from the block ....

Am i missing something here? What is there to sort out??????? One is breaking the law and the other is enforcing it (atleast trying to). I find providing a platform to discuss the tint issue and the high speed law issue more practical and useful.