Last year Ross and I went to BNTM Live show. We both agreed that it was not worth the money we had paid for our tickets. It was a very disappointing experience; the only good thing was the actual catwalk show.
Even though we felt this way about last years show, we decided we would try again this year. Fortunately we could use the fact that we are the lead photographers for Sky's Angels Magazine to get press passes and a couple of VIP tickets for the catwalk show. So at least we didn't have to pay this year :)
To view pictures from last years show check out our Facebook Page.
We arrived at Excel and made our way to the press office, which from the emails we were sent was supposed to be at S9.
Well this was not the case. The "press office" was actually a roped off area by N10 with one of those portable display stands they use in supermarkets as a desk. First impressions and all that - this was not a good start!
Anyway, we were given our passes and my ticket to the catwalk show; because we were early we had to wait for our guest, which was Mr Demitri Jones from ITV2's Models, Misfits & Mayhem. Demitri is the head of hair and make-up for the show and has been a writer for our magazine - Sky's Angels Magazine - from the very beginning.
As soon as Demitri arrived we went back over to the press office to get his pass and ticket for the catwalk show. Then we discovered the next little problem - the seating number on his ticket and mine were about 20 seats apart! We weren't even seated next to each other.
Seriously!? These tickets were sorted out at the same time so surely we would have seats together? Well at least they were VIP tickets.
Now it was almost time for the doors to open and to get some pictures of the girls from the show. In the press pack they called this a photo call - it was more like a nightmare. Everyone pushing and shoving to get to the front. I had no chance, mainly because I’m short and could not see a bloody thing. Ross managed to get a few shots by holding his camera in the air and hoping and praying.
After Ross had got some shots, Demitri grabbed my hand and rescued me from the crowd, what a sweet guy.
Last year I missed out on getting pampered, so this year I went straight to The Powder Room. Luckily because we were early there was not much of a wait. I was going to have just my make-up done and Demitri was going to have his nails and make-up done.
On the website for BINTM live show they say that in the powder room you will be "pampered to within an inch of perfection".
This was certainly NOT the case for me and I don’t know if the MUA I had was still early on in her training, or if it was just the incredibly poor lighting or just the plain fact she was not provided with the correct tools she needed to do her job.
Because I already had make-up on the MUA had to remove this. Ok, she had some eye make-up remover, but no cotton wool. So she had to use a tissue which is not the most ideal thing to use on the eye area. She was very gentle, but she missed some bits which I thought she’d notice eventually ... but she didn’t. I didn’t have the heart to tell and it is actually her job to notice.
She then applied foundation. She didn’t remove the foundation I already had on even though I had told her I already had full make-up on. I think what didn’t help matters was the lighting in the hall. It was not ideal for putting make-up on, but she still should of noticed that I had foundation on before putting new foundation on.
However the foundation she used was not a bad match considering she didn’t have the complete collection (only 3 colours).
After the foundation was applied we talked about what sort of eye shadow colours I usually use, which is earthy colours, golds, browns, greens ... and for whatever reason she put a lilac shade on me. Does that count as earthy!?
Also after she'd finished I had to tell her to reblend in the colour on my right lid because it looked like it was done by a child. This is not good, she should have noticed that it had not blended properly, she’s meant to be the MUA, not me.
After my eyes where done, she jumped straight to doing my lips rather than my cheeks. The product she was going to use was still in it’s packaging so I had to sit there while she tried to open it. When it was unpackaged I noticed it was the Just Bitten Lip Stain.
This is like a felt-tip pen that is normally applied directly to the lips. But obviously this couldn't be done at a show like this for hygiene reasons. So it had to be applied with a lip brush ... which simply did not work well at all. She eventually got it looking ok, but they should really have thought about what products could be used easily given the situation.
Almost done with my Powder Room experience, the MUA almost let me leave without any blusher on and I had to point out to that she hadn’t done it. Seriously she would of let me walk out of there without any if I hadn’t said anything.
My next stop was going to be the Adee Phelan hair station. I have naturally curly hair and I've yet to meet a hairdresser that can deal with it properly.
But after the Powder Room experience I was totally put off the idea of having my hair done, so this left us with loads of time to kill - which we did by just wandering round. Apart from the Powder room and hair stand, there was really very little of any interest. Some old shoes on sale at overly extortionate prices, some naff clothes, tacky jewellry, loads of chocolate and sweets (really good for aspiring models!) and a drinks company claiming that their soft drink will make you burn 200 calories! Really, I think the organisers should be more responsable than letting this sort of rubbish into a show that attracts thousands of young, impressionable, wannabie models.
The open catwalk was generally boring, with some untalented bands and the enevitable token TOWIE guest (so sick of that rubbish, especially Amy "professional" Childs).
The best bit of the day so far was Demitri constantly being stopped by teenage girls and asked if they could have their picture taken with him. Ross was finding the double takes from the girls hilarious and I found it quite amusing too. I think by the end of the day Demitri was exhausted from the smiling. The poor guy was just trying to have a day out! - but this happens when you’re on TV.
The Catwalk Show
When we arrived in the morning we were told to go to the VIP lounge for 1:30pm. We were told all the press would then be taken into the hall. So at 1:30pm we made our way to the VIP Lounge which was basically a roped off area in the corner, overcrowded and completely packed with all the general public, not very VIP if you ask me.
Instead of the press being taken into the hall we were herded into a corner and had to wait until the public had gone in. Me and Demitri gave up and just went in and made our way to the hall.
Ross however had to wait. Once everyone else had been let in, the press were herded into the narrow gap between the seating stands. As always the video and photographers forced their way to the front, desperate to get the best positions against the gates that had been added.
At which point the security guards then asked "who has tickets for seats"? and then attempted to get the seated reporters through and past the massed sea of video and photography guys and all the equipment, tripods, etc.
Then a guard came up behind them and said a second "press pit" was available for 6 people (press pit?? We hadn't even seen the first press pit yet! Oh hang on, they were actually calling the gap between the stands the Press Pit - what idiot thought that one up!?).
So Ross and a few others were taken out of the hall made to walk al the way around the outside to the otherside of the hall - where they were promptly told "sorry you can't be here". So, they had to come all the way back to the original corridor between the stands, which now meant they were at the back with zero chance of even seeing any of the stage. Then another guard said "we have another area". So off they went again. The lights went out and the show started before they got half way!
This time they were taken to a small gap between the side of the hall and the first set of stands right by the main screen. So when all the dancers and models came out all any of them could see was their backs! Ross spent the show jammed up against the side railings of the seating stands, unable to move anywhere - but he still managed to pull off some great shots.
A complete fiasco! At last years show it was a proper catwalk stage with a proper press pit at the end of the runway. Whoever put this together this year didn't have a clue.
As Ross was still being herded when the show started, he texted to tell me to start shooting. I hadn't originally intended to shoot from the stands because of all the heads, but luckily I'd changed my mind and was already shooting.
Overall the show was ok, but not a patch on last years. The lighting was not as good, the dance choreography was no where near as good and the general stage layout with models and dancers coming from both ends just didn't work. Viewers were unsure where to look and things happening at one end were missed because you were distracted by something happening at the other.
The the clothing, etc, and the music performers were also not a patch on last years catwalk show.
I’ve got to say I was very disappointed with the catwalk show this year. I had hoped that they would have taken the success of last year's and built on it, correcting the minor mistakes and enhancing what they had ... But alas this was not the case. The whole thing was very badly thought out and arranged. Last years was a lot better.
In fact the entire experience was very disappointing, not just the catwalk show, there were no "better" points at all in comparison to last years. I'd really hoped this year was going to be bigger and better, but really the majority was worse and they just crammed in more rubbish stands full of tat.
Will we return next year? Probably not. I certainly wouldn't pay for a ticket!
The best bit of the day for me was getting to hang out with our friend Demitri Jones.
Check out Demitri's Facebook Page.
To see more of our pics from the day go to our Facebook Page and check out the BINTM albums.
