MDG : Episode 12

Ok, ok. So.

I've watched MDG since Season 1 and think maybe it's time to start blogging about it.

I like the show.

Compared to America's Next Top Model, MDG pales in comparison, but hey, it's a Malaysian production and although I can find endless corners to criticise, from the choice of the participants to the angles of shooting by the cameraman, I find it highly entertaining and a great effort by the local entertainment industry. Most parts are compelling enough, EXCEPT for the part where the participants talk to their parents/families. I am not too interested to know about what conspires between you and your family. Neither do I really enjoy the crying to each other or the advice given by your next of kin.

And also the gym parts.

Aiyo, who wants to see you jogging on a treadmill, or punching in your kick boxing class?!??!
Boring, boring, skip, skip.

But I know it's for the advertisers and the MDG producers haven't got much choice.

Sorry, I digress.

Back to MDG: Episode 12.

With 7 girls left in the competition, this episode focuses on 'Bella lifestyle' with each girl modelling a piece from Royal Selangor's new jewelery range.

Without further ado, let's start my utterly honest opinion of each girl's photo shoot:

Dawn
In fact, let's start from the very beginning. Dawn's mugshot. Clean, fresh, lovely dimples but something can be done about her nose.
Still, let's not be finicky. Dawn is quite your classic girl-next-door look.

During her shoot, Elaine Daly keeps telling Dawn to laugh. Big laugh, big laugh!
I think this picture is honestly hardly 'lifestyle' - with the words 'Royal Selangor' screaming in the background. Also, Dawn seems to blend in with the background - with her gray top and the gray pewter cup, this picture looks very much like something Terminator will come up with. But, she sells her Royal Selangor piece, it is obvious and looks good on her, but I maintain my stand that it is yet again gray (you can argue it's silver - it's almost the same okay) and gray against gray against GRAY.

WAIT! Sorry, got a bit of black down there. Which is right next to gray on the colour spectrum.

One thing that struck me about Dawn is that she looks very much like Hong Kong TVB actress Ada Choi - the hair and face shape is uncanny.


Maybe she is destined for greatness in the TVB entertainment circle.


Natasha
A slight smirk with a glint in the eye. Just enough of 'Yes, I am pretty darn hot' injected into that gaze Natasha gives off in this mugshot picture of hers.

But with her new hairstyle - I don't know why nor how, Natasha's eyes suddenly went from beautiful big, to goldfish gi-normous.

And her shoot. Her Royal Selangor accessory is the best of the lot, it's high street, chiq and very couture at the same time. But, but ... her POSE!
What's with the kaki kangkang!!??!
OMG. It looks like she forgot to sit with her legs close. And the next part where Elaine tells her to imagine she is a prrrincess descending from the staircase - Gawd... Just doesn't work does it? You'd imagine floaty, dreamy like of wafting in between half consciousness and just basking in the splendour of the princess moment but - no, fail max.

Cannot take, cannot take.

Next please.

Pinky
Aiyo.
How did she pass the audition? Fat cheeks, roundish face and flattish nose - reject, reject!! She looks like a girl that's not quite come of age yet.

But thank goodness for Shawn Cutler and also the make up team that gives her a much sophisticated look, adding definition to her face and piling on 10 years to make her look the woman she is supposed to be.

Her Bella lifestyle shoot is in my opinion the best out of them all. The slight peer over the shoulder and hunching of the back at the just correct degree coupled with her nice long legs gives dimension to the whole picture.
Perching on top of the bar top also gives it a sexy edge, top marks!

Juanita

I first came across this name in my Form 5 English literature book - The Pearl. My English teacher used to pronounce it with a J and that would lead to countless amount of snickering between my friends and I that it is pronounced wrongly and that our English teacher is crap.

Well, looking back, I got an A1 for SPM, hence she is NOT crap, in fact, very good, but then again, she pronounced doves as do-ves.

Ergh.
The hair. CHOP IT OFF!!!

Chop it off they did and hence we welcome the rebirth of the fictional Juanita of my secondary school days to the contestant that is every bit a va-va voom model in today's MDG.

The picture looks right at home in a catalogue for selling furniture.
I don't quite like the facial expression that she's giving off; a bit of a triple B - bland, banal and boring. In fact, I'll start triple B-ing everyone who comes across as that.
Her attempts of big laugh by Elaine Daly does not work, parting your lips a quarter of an inch is NOT laughing, my dear Juanita.

But, she shows her piece of accessory well enough and it complements her skin tone, although I maintain my first opinion - this picture is trying to sell the furniture in it.

Sashya
When I initially saw Sashya, I thought, 'Hey, this girl's got spunk!' And so she does with her perfectly sculpted cheekbones that one should kill for. Well, I would. I also like her very dark eyes and eyebrows; man, she's got it going.

Then this shot.
Hmm, nice colour combination of pink, white, black and creamy yellow... but what is she selling? Where is the pendant?
*Squints and zooms in*

0 results.

Kind of defeats the whole purpose of the shoot, no?

But her pose is good, full usage of her limbs gives shape to the rather bland sofa she is on.

(Yes, ANTM that I follow devotedly always talks about giving shape to your pictures and I believe this picture will be given a thumbs up by Tyra Banks herself)

Ming

The first impression I got was, her face is shaped like an egg. Smooth and oval, Ming comes across exactly like a china-doll Gong Li version in an extremely good way.

Quite a change from your classic stereotypical chiseled features of the models you see nowadays.

She has my vote as best looking of the lot.

This is an absolutely stunning picture. Maybe it's the photoshop effects, maybe it's the colour and ethereal lines, maybe it's the reflection of her on the other side of the glass, but this picture is mindlessly beautiful. I wish I had a picture like that.

Instead, I have this. Similar concept but it lacks the dreaminess and of course, pretty Ming in it.

However, if you throw this picture of Ming into the context of 'lifestyle', this er... does not quite make the cut. HOW is it lifestyle? In fact, why did they take a picture of her like that as a lifestyle shot?!

So this is not Ming's fault but the fault of the MDG people.

Denezia
Not much of cheekbones nor sharp nose, Denezia's looks are pretty standard. But I have to say she got uglier and uglier as the series wore on.

I mean, don't judge me for judging her. There is something wrong with her mouth but thank goodness it is completely hidden when she smiles. Of course, compared to the general population, Denezia is pretty, but compared to the other contestants - sorry. However, throughout the series, she comes across as genuinely nice and friendly. I'd want Denezia to be my friend if I had to pick one among them all.

This. Is. A. Rubbish. Photo.

WHAT, may I so kindly ask, WHAT is this picture trying to portray?

Lifestyle? No.
Royal Selangor ware? Double No. Not even a bit of it can be seen.
Pretty face? Triple B.

Even I can do this shot lorh.


Just smile only wert.
So difficult meh?

Only that in Denezia's shot uses a better camera and a nicer background (gray, yet again) and all she is doing is semi laughing!!!!

I cannot even comment on whether it is good or bad, as it is just completely irrelevant whatsoever to the theme of the photoshoot.


And at the end of the episode 12, the girls start this huge argument about who says that Natasha paid the private hospital off to write her report, and that her mother can see her for 3 hours each day, and how they miss home et cetera et cetera.

Haih.

Think of the poor students who study overseas or those who work away from home and don't see their families for over a year. That's 52 weeks. And you guys are there for..............



..............




..............




..............







10 weeks.


-_-




Time to grow up people.

As an end note, my favourite moment of the entire episode is watching the photographer George Ting shoot.

His clothes are classic!

Strappy Sandles.
Old T-Shirt.
Baggy 3/4 cargo pants.
1000-dollar camera.

And I bet he makes a gazillions ringgit per shoot despite wearing a RM 10 outfit.

How unfair lucky.