Preparations for Gulf Audition Tour underway
Pyramedia returns as the production house for season four of the massively successful Millions’ Poet. The overall success of the program has stunned viewers and producers across the Arab world and beyond in the past three years and is back once again to exceed all expectations. The competition, aired on Abu Dhabi TV will begin its audition tour in Abu Dhabi, continuing on through to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Jordan in the lead-up to the live 16-week TV competition to begin airing in December.
The contract was awarded to Pyramedia for the fouth time by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage who have worked with Pyramedia since the show’s inception in 2005.
The Audition tour will launch in the Capital, Abu Dhabi, with auditions running from October 1 to 5 then the crew will travel with the Millions’ Poet tour bus onto Kuwait City, Kuwait from October 10 to 13, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from October 18 to 23 and finally Amman, Jordan from October 28 to 30. It is expected that the judges will interview thousands of hopeful Nabati poets, choosing only the best to comprise the 48 poets who will take part in the television competition and compete for the prestigious title of the ‘Millions’ Poet’ and the prize of five million Dirhams. The producers of the show expect the tour to attract well over 15,000 Auditionees throught the six-week tour.
In each of the three cities that Pyramedia will visit on the audition tour, ordinary hotel ballrooms will be transformed into a state-of-the-art television studio in less than two days. The set will encompass modern as well as traditional elements, with sand dunes floating behind the poets while a landmark from each country stands tall and proud as the focal point of the décor.
New elements will also be introduced backstage on the audition tour. As each poet is admitted into the studio to meet the judges, a secret room hidden from view of the auditionee will allow people to watch the auditions as they happen and provide their feedback.
Mona Al Ruwaini, the show’s producer said, “We are making every effort to attract larger viewers each year, and with this being the fourth season of the show it was very important to us to ensure the addition of new elements to the program, so we have many new segments and in general an even more enriching viewing experience for our audiences. Our loyal fans of the show will notice the changes we have made to this season but new viewers will also become hooked."
In order to set up the studio and capture as much of the excitement surrounding the auditions, the crew has doubled its size since last year and four camera crews units will be established, two indoors and two outdoors to give viewers a well-rounded vision of all the action as the judges tour the Gulf and Arab world. The judges will also step outside of the studio and go on special trips in each country they visit to help viewers experience the cultural aspects of each city.
“Over the past three years that the show has been running, we have exceeded our expectations every year and I am confident that the Pyramedia team will prove once again that we are able to produce culturally defining programming such as the Millions’ Poet, using the best quality equipment in television programming. We are proud to be a part of such a prestigious and well-loved show and to have such strong support from the patron of Millions’ Poet, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan,” said Nashwa Al Ruwaini, Executive Producer of the show.
The requirements for those wishing to participate in season four of the show states that contestants must be between the ages of 18 and 45 and a participating poem must not exceed 20 verses in the style of Nabati poetry. The assessment of the poets depends on several criteria that include rhythm, rhyme, presentation, language and style.
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