My Lucky Star (Fang Yang De Xing Xing)

**Katherine Yang** · 02-18-07, 04:45 AM

I'm quite busy now but i'll try to answer all the confused things in this topic

Originally Posted by ellledubs

Whoa.. march 4?! that's so soon! cuz really, some series take about a year to film, this is crazy!

so they film while it airs too, right? that's interesting, never knew it worked that way with some series...

It doesn't mean the series stop shooting in Mar. In fact, they only finish the 1st half of the plot and shoot about 5-7 episodes before airing. When the series is on air, viewers can visit SETTV's forum and leave their comments, sth like whether the series is good, what they want their characters to do.... The script-writer will base on the desire of majority to edit the storyline.
Have you ever wondered what they shoot a drama for ? A drama is shown for viewers, so our comments are the most important thing. It's meaningless if the producer keeps a consistent plot which is perfect to their view but none of the viewer satisfies.

It's exactly the way Korean drama is filming (and we all know about the so-called "Korean wave" that has currently affected Asian entertainment). And if you ask me if it's taking high rish to shoot a drama while airing , I can tell you SETTV has at least 5-year experience in doing that way

Since their very first idol drama "Lavender" (in 2001 if i'm not wrong), it's the way they produce their series and most of them become BIG HIT in TW: Lavender, My MVP Valentine, At the Dolphin bay, Prince turns frog, Smile Pasta.... And they also changed the plot many times to match viewer's desire. You can notice the storyline which is posted in the offical website sometimes is very different from the drama.

What other advantages to film a drama in that way ?
If the drama is very successful, they will film more episodes. It doesn't mean "dragging" but they add more details, more characters and other new actors will get a chance to appear in a hot drama in order to be in the spotlight. That's the way they do for WZBQW (Prince turns frog)

If the drama is not welcome or has rough rival, they'll shorten the story and use the budget to prepare for the upcoming series, so they don't waste their money. That's the way they do for "Green Forest, my Home"

SETTV's drama is usually on air on Sunday nights.
Ppl will discuss and leave their comment on Mon and Tue
Ratings report will come out on Tue
A summary of preview will be posted in the forum on Thu ---> ppl will be eager to wait for the next episode
Few short preview clips will be air on SETTV's show from Thu to Sun ---> ppl are too curious that they must watch that episode (and it makes the ratings is higher

)
I call it "interaction". We not only watch a drama but we "live" with the cast as well. The actor can go for shooting in the morning and appear in a show (live broadcast) in the evening to tell you what happen in the next 2 episodes. It's also a special feeling if you ask who ends up with who, since no one knows it, even the leading actor and actress (because the plot hasn't finished when they are filming)

Well, there still have other things to clear up. But i'd better write about them next time

**relive** · 02-18-07, 05:30 AM

Katherine Yang, thank you so much for sharing your experience in Taiwan's dramas. It looks very interesting.

I look forward to your next messages

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**ladycoco** · 02-18-07, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by Katherine Yang

I'm quite busy now but i'll try to answer all the confused things in this topic

It doesn't mean the series stop shooting in Mar. In fact, they only finish the 1st half of the plot and shoot about 5-7 episodes before airing. When the series is on air, viewers can visit SETTV's forum and leave their comments, sth like whether the series is good, what they want their characters to do.... The script-writer will base on the desire of majority to edit the storyline.
Have you ever wondered what they shoot a drama for ? A drama is shown for viewers, so our comments are the most important thing. It's meaningless if the producer keeps a consistent plot which is perfect to their view but none of the viewer satisfies.

It's exactly the way Korean drama is filming (and we all know about the so-called "Korean wave" that has currently affected Asian entertainment). And if you ask me if it's taking high rish to shoot a drama while airing , I can tell you SETTV has at least 5-year experience in doing that way

Since their very first idol drama "Lavender" (in 2001 if i'm not wrong), it's the way they produce their series and most of them become BIG HIT in TW: Lavender, My MVP Valentine, At the Dolphin bay, Prince turns frog, Smile Pasta.... And they also changed the plot many times to match viewer's desire. You can notice the storyline which is posted in the offical website sometimes is very different from the drama.

What other advantages to film a drama in that way ?
If the drama is very successful, they will film more episodes. It doesn't mean "dragging" but they add more details, more characters and other new actors will get a chance to appear in a hot drama in order to be in the spotlight. That's the way they do for WZBQW (Prince turns frog)

If the drama is not welcome or has rough rival, they'll shorten the story and use the budget to prepare for the upcoming series, so they don't waste their money. That's the way they do for "Green Forest, my Home"

SETTV's drama is usually on air on Sunday nights.
Ppl will discuss and leave their comment on Mon and Tue
Ratings report will come out on Tue
A summary of preview will be posted in the forum on Thu ---> ppl will be eager to wait for the next episode
Few short preview clips will be air on SETTV's show from Thu to Sun ---> ppl are too curious that they must watch that episode (and it makes the ratings is higher

)
I call it "interaction". We not only watch a drama but we "live" with the cast as well. The actor can go for shooting in the morning and appear in a show (live broadcast) in the evening to tell you what happen in the next 2 episodes. It's also a special feeling if you ask who ends up with who, since no one knows it, even the leading actor and actress (because the plot hasn't finished when they are filming)

Well, there still have other things to clear up. But i'd better write about them next time

Thanks Katherine for the info on Taiwan drama. This is a very interesting concept, interactive drama, shortening or lengthening and rewriting the script as the ratings go. Would they have to make up some silly ending to wrap things up if the rewritings get out of hand? Do they at least have an idea if My Lucky Star will have a happy or tragic ending? It's very different from US dramas where everything follows the script to the T. So have they ever missed airing an ep because of delays? I think it is very tough on the actors to rush filming for the coming ep and promote it as well.

Frog turns to Prince is the first Taiwan drama I ever watched in my life. To be honest, its plot is rather silly, over the top, and quite predictable. The ending is rushed leaving a few details unexplained. I managed to finish it because of Joe Chen.

**beanybeans** · 02-18-07, 06:16 PM

That does sound a bit extreme and it's cool that it caters to the viewers' interests. But after they gather all the viewers' opinions, do they take some time off to continue the script, film another batch of episodes and then go through the same process again? If that were the case, then people wouldn't be able to see another episode for maybe a little while. I don't see how they would have time to get viewers' opinions after each individual episode and then write the script accordingly, film it, and then release it the following Sunday. Or maybe there's already a full script that's open to modification based on viewers' opinion and ratings.

**ladycoco** · 02-18-07, 08:53 PM

New My Lucky Star trailer, never seen before. Two urls are provided.

From www.cracyintw.com:

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.ph...5970E167CA93B1
http://www.sendspace.com/file/mq03l0

**ladycoco** · 02-18-07, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by beanybeans

That does sound a bit extreme and it's cool that it caters to the viewers' interests. But after they gather all the viewers' opinions, do they take some time off to continue the script, film another batch of episodes and then go through the same process again? If that were the case, then people wouldn't be able to see another episode for maybe a little while. I don't see how they would have time to get viewers' opinions after each individual episode and then write the script accordingly, film it, and then release it the following Sunday. Or maybe there's already a full script that's open to modification based on viewers' opinion and ratings.

Or maybe they have script A, script B, script C, ... and choose which one to film as it goes. So if most of the viewers want My Luck Star to be a tragedy they will film it that way and vice versa. Interesting.

**beanybeans** · 02-18-07, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by ladycoco

Or maybe they have script A, script B, script C, ... and choose which one to film as it goes. So if most of the viewers want My Luck Star to be a tragedy they will film it that way and vice versa. Interesting.

Yeah, i was thinking that that might be a possible option too...having multiple scripts with slightly different plots/twists all ready to go and the one chosen will be based on viewers' opinions. But i guess if this is what SETTV really does, then they really go far to get those viewer ratings up. Quite impressive. Gosh, with this in mind, now i'm really wondering how My Lucky Star will turn out. It's kinda hard to imagine that the way the series will turn out will be based on viewers' opinions. It's kinda like those reality tv shows where you vote for your favorites.

**relive** · 02-18-07, 10:53 PM

Whatever I hope it could be happy ending.

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**relive** · 02-19-07, 07:23 AM

Behind the scenes, Jimmy and Ha Na had a lot of fun.

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**ladycoco** · 02-19-07, 04:22 PM

My Lucky Star theme song: Our Memory

The demo version:
http://tw.streetvoice.com/music/user-song.asp?au=9651

download urls:
http://download.yousendit.com/E8777C092A84E6F4
http://www.sendspace.com/file/suy56g

This is the song that plays in the background of the 11 minute preview. It is beautiful. Does anyone know who the singer is? She wrote the music and the lyrics and sang it too.

**relive** · 02-20-07, 01:43 PM

Thank you for your update, ladycoco.

The airing time of My Lucky Star has been postponed to March 11.

**ladycoco** · 02-20-07, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by relive

Thank you for your update, ladycoco.

The airing time of My Lucky Star has been postponed to March 11.

Any idea why? Production delays? They must have ep 1 filmed already. Anyway, we will have to wait for the vcd/dvd.

**beanybeans** · 02-20-07, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by ladycoco

Any idea why? Production delays? They must have ep 1 filmed already. Anyway, we will have to wait for the vcd/dvd.

Or until it gets fansubbed. Since i need English subtitles, the fansubbed version tends to be nicer with the English translation.

**relive** · 02-22-07, 09:21 AM

From www.crazyintw.com

http://download.yousendit.com/BB5247D037EB25FB
http://www.sendspace.com/file/e60cck

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**Katherine Yang** · 02-22-07, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by ladycoco

Would they have to make up some silly ending to wrap things up if the rewritings get out of hand? It's very different from US dramas where everything follows the script to the T. So have they ever missed airing an ep because of delays?

Frog turns to Prince is the first Taiwan drama I ever watched in my life. To be honest, its plot is rather silly, over the top, and quite predictable. The ending is rushed leaving a few details unexplained. I managed to finish it because of Joe Chen.

Of course they have to keep a safe distance between airing and shooting. Regarding the plot, I think they don't totally depend on viewer's opinion. I'd better tell u an example to make it clear
In Smile Pasta (one of SETTV's lastest drama), the elder brother accidentally made the younger's girlfriend die so the younger brother left home and their relationship went estranged. At first, they want the younger brother to fall in love with the elder's fiancée so there would be a "triangle" (the first 8 episodes goes on that way). However, when this series was airing, ppl love it since it has a happy atmosphere. It's such a light-hearted drama that can make everybody smile whenever thinking of. The "2 brothers falling in love with the leading girl" is so old and boring. People don't want the revenge to ruin their lovely drama so they had to change the script. Then the younger brother is only the fiancée's good friend who is always by her side to help her win the elder's heart
In Mr Fighting (a series about 'boxing'), the 2 leading actors were supposed to be rival at the end and one of them suffered serious head injuries in the last round and lost his memories. In fact, it was totally different. They're still good friends and none of them lost the memories

There are some examples to tell you not to believe 100% in what are written in the official site

Do they at least have an idea if My Lucky Star will have a happy or tragic ending?

The lastest drama of SETTV has a sad ending was in 2004. All their drama since then have a very happy ending for the leading couple. If there were a complaint abt the ending, it would be that all the characters are happy. Sometimes it's so fast and unrealistic

but being a sucker for happy ending, i don't mind

I think it is very tough on the actors to rush filming for the coming ep and promote it as well.

Yes, i can tell you it's very very tired for the actors for shooting and promoting at the same time. A successful drama of SETTV usually has 20 episodes which is aired in 5 months. It means the actors must stay in TW for at least 5-6 months

Regarding the quality, a drama that is filmed in half of a year can't have bad quality. SET's crew make the 'editing' very well (when i watched "Green Forest, my Home", i had to pause every 2 minutes to take screencap since all the scenes are beautiful). And SET only releases 3 drama a year (while TVB releases 10-20 series per year

) , i think it's only 2.5 drama since they can't air 3 drama (15-20 episodes) in 52 weeks

Jimmy went to mainland to shoot drama for such a long time. So all his fans get acquainted with Chinese drama which is totally different from Taiwanese taste. That's why you'll find some details overacted but they're very common in TW idol drama

**ladycoco** · 02-22-07, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Katherine Yang

The lastest drama of SETTV has a sad ending was in 2004. All their drama since then have a very happy ending for the leading couple. If there were a complaint abt the ending, it would be that all the characters are happy. Sometimes it's so fast and unrealistic

but being a sucker for happy ending, i don't mind

Jimmy went to mainland to shoot drama for such a long time. So all his fans get acquainted with Chinese drama which is totally different from Taiwanese taste. That's why you'll find some details overacted but they're very common in TW idol drama

Katherine,
You are a walking encyclopedia on Taiwan dramas.

Thanks for filling us in. Please clarify. Did you mean that Taiwan dramas are more overacted than Chinese dramas? I do find the dialogue of some Taiwan movies too syrupy. I only watched some mainland ancient series. Nothing to compare with.

I do hope My Lucky Star will have a happy ending. He Na and Jimmy are such a cute couple. I hope they will end up happy.

**shirineko** · 02-22-07, 10:24 PM

Hi! I'm really really excited about this series!!!! It's airing so soon! I will have to wait for the dvd though cause I don't have access to the channel that will air the series.

**relive** · 02-23-07, 07:41 AM

Clips from www.crazyintw.com

http://www.sendspace.com/file/mlkwij
http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.ph...8C18F86865B47D

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.ph...aFJVVGw1VEE9PQ
http://www.sendspace.com/file/zqyxsh

New gorgeous couple = Jimmy & Ha Na

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**ladycoco** · 02-23-07, 01:54 PM

Looks like the promotion machine for My Lucky Star is in high gear. This is today's clip on He Na's character.

2 urls are provided, 3MB
http://www.sendspace.com/file/sfnetp
http://download.yousendit.com/D88173ED7874A494

**relive** · 02-24-07, 10:45 AM

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