Running for the ratings

• Source: Global Times
• [09:24 September 02 2010]
• Comments

Logistics were also a problem. "We took trains to different pit stops. But it's a real rush to get a crew of 80 people off a train in one minute before the train has to leave!" said Ge Gong, the senior director of the show who had previously directed Shanghai Rush.

"Although our team members were familiar with each other from Shanghai Rush, coordination was very demanding. We had 20 dispatch buses, a crew of Chinese, foreigners and interpreters, and a lot of luggage!"

The show's host Allan Wu, a Chinese-American who is also the host of The Amazing Race Asia, felt the pressure as well. "I needed to be quicker than the players. But I never knew when they would arrive. During the shooting in Ningbo, I was running a high temperature, but I had to look cool for the racers. In another episode, I had to wait on the top of a mountain in the very early morning - I was very cold and tired."

The biggest challenge for director Ge is to "find the best scenes."

"China is such a huge country with diversified geographical traits, foods and cultures. As we try to express the spirit of the show - the world is a playground - we have to be very careful about selecting the right scenes."

After the first two episodes the show has been well-received by viewers, government officials and Disney ABC, Li said.

Shell Ni, a 26-year-old Shanghai girl who watched the original show in the US, said: "It is quite similar to The Amazing Race. I hope they can show more of the psychological struggles of the racers."

Currently, Disney is selling the online and overseas broadcasting rights of China Rush, while ICS plans to negotiate the production for a second season.

"It's a pity that we didn't have enough time to cover some of the other interesting cities this time. If we have a chance to produce a second season, we will consider remote cities in Tibet and Xinjiang, as ICS is an English-language channel, foreign contestants will still be our focus. Not understanding Chinese makes the race more exciting," Ge said.

Wu is also looking forward to more filming. "I like the show and it suits my character. I am open-minded and adventurous." The Singapore-based host has registered his name "allanwu" at Sina Miniblog, a twitter-like service provided by Chinese web portal Sina.com, to stay in touch with his Chinese audience. "I want to continue hosting programs in China where the audience is huge. This is a great opportunity for me."