Sammul Chan & Michael Tao Bash TVB

TVB brought many actors and actresses to fame, but many of them left the company in the end. The main reason? Dissatisfaction.

Once as one of the young actors TVB are promoting, Sammul Chan decided to leave the company last August after working for them for 11 years. He made a recent television appearance and talked about his reasons behind leaving the well-known television station. He saw people from his generation like Raymond Lam and Bosco Wong are being promoted but not really himself.

"A youngster is working hard, and is acknowledged by the audience. Others already received some awards, but I'm still standing at the corners, not even a nomination."

In fact, Sammul thought of signing the management contract with TVB, which would make him a biological child of TVB, but he didn't get a satisfying pay raise. The company couldn't even agree on a small raise (under 100).

"They also wanted me to sign a 10-year long contract, but no change in salary," he said. "Fighting for these slight changes, not worth it."

Now he is "free," the actor can do more on his own, including using Cantonese to speak on Cable TV and he described that as "feeling fresh air." As for others are not renewing their contract, he disclosed it's natural if they are not happy working.

Not only Sammul is speaking out, the "housewives killer" Michael Tao is also commenting on TVB's system. He disclosed he once signed a 2-year contract with TVB to film 20-episodes per year. He waited several years and finally shoot "Sisters of Pearl." There were still 10 episodes left when the contract ended and that was when TVB wasn't being reasonable to him.

"They told me to unconditionally extend the contract for 6 months, like a freebie to TVB," he said. "I felt it wasn't reasonable. Why would I have to take their fault?"

In the end, TVB paid the 10-episodes salary to the actor. Then several months later, TVB have a drama they want him to star in. But they require him to pay back the 10-episodes pay first.

"This is a just unacceptable!," he expressed.

Source: Oriental Daily  / By: KAY @ Kay's Entertainment

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[Updated Pics] TVB Puts Bus Hostage Crisis in New Drama

Filming the scene

The Manila Bus Hostage Crisis

Although it's been more than half of a year since the Manila Bus Hostage Crisis happened, but it's still a pain to most Hong Kong residents.

A dismissed Philippine National Police Officer hijacked a Hong Kong tour bus and took the Hong Kong tourists as hostages in an attempt to resume his previous position as a police officer. Eight hostages were dead in the end, and some of the other hostages are now facing long term injuries from the incident.

TVB's new drama "Flying Tigers"/"Special Duties Unit" (tentative name) starring Joe Ma and Jessica Hsuan was filming a bus hostage scene yesterday, very similar to the Manila hostage crisis. The scene is about Kenneth Ma, who plays the villain, takes over a tour bus and demands the police to release his wife (JJ Jia). He goes crazy when he knows his injured wife dies.

The scene is similar to the hostage crisis happened in Manila, Philippines last year. Not only it's also a bus hostage crisis, it's also similar in which the hostage taker is emotion-driven by the fact his close family member is held by the police force.

Actors filming the scene was not so willing to film this scene. Jessica Hsuan is worried this part would rub salt into the wound of victims from the real hostage crisis. Kenneth Ma, whose role resembles the real hostage taker, expressed he has no control and can only follow the script.

As one of the hostages in the scene, Christine Kuo believes the screenwriter just wants to show the message the bad can't win the good and didn't purposely try to relate it to the unfortunate incident. Her boyfriend in the drama Oscar Leung thinks similar stories have been seen in other movies; it's just now everyone is being more sensitive to it.

Source: Oriental Daily  / By: KAY @ Kay's Entertainment

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