From other countries that run similar programs, and I present the winner of Ukraine's Got Talent....

SYNOPSIS:

This video shows the winner of "Ukraine?s Got Talent", Kseniya Simonova, 24, drawing a series of pictures on an illuminated sand table showing how ordinary people were affected by the German invasion during World War II. Her talent, which admittedly is a strange one, is mesmeric to watch.

The images, projected onto a large screen, moved many in the audience to tears and she won the top prize of about £75,000.

She begins by creating a scene showing a couple sitting holding hands on a bench under a starry sky, but then warplanes appear and the happy scene is obliterated.

It is replaced by a woman?s face crying, but then a baby arrives and the woman smiles again. Once again war returns and Miss Simonova throws the sand into chaos from which a young woman?s face appears.

She quickly becomes an old widow, her face wrinkled and sad, before the image turns into a monument to an Unknown Soldier.

This outdoor scene becomes framed by a window as if the viewer is looking out on the monument from within a house...

In the final scene, a mother and child appear inside and a man standing outside, with his hands pressed against the glass, saying goodbye.

The Great Patriotic War, as it is called in Ukraine, resulted in one in four of the population being killed with eight to 11 million deaths out of a population of 42 million.

Kseniya Simonova says:
"I find it difficult enough to create art using paper and pencils or paintbrushes, but using sand and fingers is beyond me. The art, especially when the war is used as the subject matter, even brings some audience members to tears. And there?s surely no bigger compliment."


http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=vOhf3OvRXKg

Yes she is a mesmerizing and very talented. Also she chose material very near to the hearts of her audience.

Michael

Many of the non-US versions of AGT, allow artists more time to do their routines. Some also pay artists, who are not in the competition. It makes the shows a lot more interesting.

Yes, it seems that the other country's versions actually do focus more on talent instead of whether the act'll play in a Vegas showroom--not that the two are mutually exclusive, but it does narrow the field.

I hear that over here in the UK - if you feature past a certain part of the prgram youhave to pay a percentage of all bookings to the show! Kind of like an agents fee! Only for all gigs you do and they don't activly get you work!

SYCO (Simon Cowell's company who I believe own these shows) essentially owns you and your act after a certain point. You end up going on tour with BGT over here, I assume something similar happens in other countries too, and you get very little if any pay at all for this.

Its the fact you lose creative control of your show that I dislike most. Even more than the fact that the program is one of the most manipulated "reality" shows I know.

Regarding this video, OMG! Its beautiful. I love things like this and I wish there were more things like this. I stand and watch the guys from http://www.dirtybeach.tv for hours. If you're ever in London head to South Bank. Amazing stuff

WOW!!

Other, non-competition reality shows contract branding as well. Many of the chopper-building, house-demolishing, restaurant-opening shows have a clause that calls for a portion of future business to be included as show revenue.

Considering how much these shows can "make" the business, it does stand to reason that the producers want to make a little off of that fame. I can see why some disagree with this practice, but is it any different than paying a publicist or an agent if the name and product recognition works for the individual or company?

Chris

I don't think it is any different in principal ..... But if you signup with an agent you can at least negotiate the percentabe they get paid and have acl ause to enable you to move on if needed. Butfrom what I hear about BGT they really screw you over with the cut they want and they assume that any work you do after the show airede is as a drect result of thier putting you on the TV.

Best policy in my mind is ...... don't do it! I know people who are really good performers and have gone on it to not even make it past first stage. Which is good for them!

Angry artistes are hot.

AGTs contract allows you to give them 100% control over your business and artistry.

The following should give you a laugh...

Was contacted over a three year period regards BGT with constant phone calls to me sometimes four or five times a week.
Also a total of 18 emails which in the end did my head in to the extent I blew my top.

This is from the penultimate mail that I sent them >>>
De to the angle this "Talent " Show has taken and the damage it has done to well respected entertainers within the fraternaty, no body of note would have anything to do with it.
The so called "experts" who increase their listings on the backs and insults of others is not the way to behave.

Sadly there are many desperate people out there who will give you an endless supply of dummies in order to keep you afloat.

I am not that desperate.

I would be more than happy to pull your experts appart in public,,,but there again they have no talent so it would be a no brainer.

(In his previous mail to me, he refered to me as being rude),,,So I replied,,

BTW you refer to being rude ! Hahaha your whole event is based on rudeness, what`s up, can give it out but can`t take it !

The person acting as the booking agent was Frankie Mensah @ talkbackthames. tv 02076916792 1 Stephen Street, London, W1T 1AL

I sent a pic of me holding Cowell in a head lock. With appropiate phrasing!!

I had the pic taken at the waxworks in Baker Street,,,the image of Cowell with me punching his lights out was a scream.

Now get this,,,the final mail from Frankie boy offered me a job as advisor for BGT,,I refused and said I would rather f*** a rat in a sewer rather than dirty my hands on slime like them.

Ok thinking about it, maybe I was a little harsh,,,hahaha sod it!

They have not rung me since.

The Cowell pic is displayed on my show stand and so far been threatened with legal this and legal that hahaha you get pass a certain age and then you just don`t care any more.

Ken.

There is an assumption that you are a nobody without portfolio or a client list before shows like these air. I'm told that the wordsmithing of the contracts is sometimes what keeps a viable reality show from being picked up by a major network.

Chris