Monday, January 4, 2010

AKU TUMPANG GLAMOR BAPAK AKU?

On Facebook, there's a group called FDAM - Film Directors' Association Malaysia, that has been the battleground for various groups and individuals prior and after the recent Annual General Meeting held on the last day of 2009. Everyone was taking potshots at everyone. I plead guilty too. Harsh words were exchanged, some bordering on libel but all is fair in love and war.

I have been having a running battle with the President of PROFIMA Encik Khir Mohd Noor. But let's leave this relationship out of the picture, because apart from name calling, there's nothing much to be said. He knows who I am, and I know who he is.

Out of the blue, there's this guy who used the pseudonym Bujang Senang, who entered the fray and posted this statement:

Bujang Senang
Bujang Senang
siapa anwardi jamil ni...?sedap sangat bercakap...dia ni sebenarnya tumpang glamor bapak dia je..anwardi tidak dikenali pun kalau muniandi tu lain lah...anwardi ni tak buat ape pun untuk industri ni...cakap je lebih..lain la bapanya banyak menyumbang untuk industri begitu ibunya...tapi klu dia habuk pun tarak..jgn marah itu hakikatnya..terima lah.

(Translation: Who is this anwardi jamil? so easy for him to comment. He actually is piggybacking his father's glamour...no one knows anwardi unlike muniandi..anwardi did nothing for the industry...he talks too much...his father ha contributed a lot as did his mother...but he? not even a spec of dust...don't be angry...just accept the truth.)

Thank you very Encik Bujang Senang whom I consider a coward who hides behind a stupid nickname or handle. Unlike me, and Khir, we don't hide behind anonymity. When I comment or criticise anything or anyone in the industry, especially in my blog, my name is clear for all to see. I am no coward unlike Bujang Senang.

But I am surprised that he dragged my parents into this non-issue.

Well, since he asked the question who I am, let me introduce myself to him and to others who thinks that I have not contributed to the industry. I do have to say that it is a pity that there are filmmakers or film commentators like him who don't know me or others of my generation. And for you readers out there, yes, I am going to isi and angkat my bakul for all to see.

I started life as a journalist and film critic and cartoonist with the New Straits Times in the late 70s. In the early 80s, I was seconded to TV3 as its first procurement officer and then to be part of its production department. There were two initial producers - the late Karim Mohd and myself. I was tasked to produce the station's first two tv series - Nona and Kuali - which became two of the most successful and longest running series in TV3's history until Majallah Tiga came into picture.

I left TV3 to pursue corporate communications work and helped organise the first Defence Show in the country in 1985 with a company called IMS.

However, when RTM started a programme to help local producers survive called Drama Swasta, I decided to try my luck at being an independant filmmaker. However, when my mother read a script I wrote called Karam Di Mata Karam Di Hari, she asked me if I wanted to direct it. Who wouldn't want to jump on such an opportunity? Of course I accepted. The drama starred the late Mahmud Jun and Marlia Musa and it was shot on 16mm.

After that, my mother's company RJ Filem offered to produce my first feature film Tuah starring Jamal Abdillah. The film when completed was invited to Montreal, Berlin, Fukuoka and Tokyo. It also won a Jury Award at the Asia Pacific Film Festival in Jakarta in 1989.

Before directing Tuah, I worked on the foreign movie Farewell to the King directed by John Milius and starred Nick Nolte. I was one of the two local assistant directors working on the shoot.

After Farewell To The King, a couple of friends decide to form a company with me, called Double Vision - a company geared to producing interesting dramas for television (at that point in time).

Amongst the titles I wrote, produced and directed in the early days of Double Vision included Gado Gado and Teater Seram. Tell me who doesn't know about Gado Gado?

As a producer, I have brought in many friends at that time to direct for me under Double Vision - amongst them (please don't be surprised) - Khir Mohd Noor, Harun Salim Bachik, Syed Mohamed, Ahmad Tarmimi Siregar, Meor Hashim Manap, Roslan Hussin and Ebby Saiful. A few other directors have worked with me during that time to but not as directors but as my assistants - they included Liza Ismail, Ebby Yus, Thorpe Ali.

As for actors and actresses who worked under my company, I don't think I will list them because I think it would be easier for me to list those who had never worked with me before. However, I do have to mention that I directed Rumah Kedai Jalan Seladang for RTM and Meor Hashim Manap won the best actor award for his role in that drama.

Apart from the first few early projects I did with my mother's company, all my work were done under my own companies - either Double Vision or other companies that I started after that. Under Double Vision I co-produced two video movies for Japan which starred Sheila Rusly and Sofia Jane and two sinetrons for Indosiar and RCTI. I directed Pak Amy Priyono and Pak Fritz. If you don't know who these two guys were in Indonesian cinema, than you don't know fuck-all about Indonesian cinema.

Over the past twenty over years that I have been involved in the industry I have never worked for any other company except companies that I owned or co-owned. This is unlike most of the FDAM members who live their lives earning director's fees from other producers. They don't appreciate the risk that producers take by offering them the director's jobs.

In 2005, the then information minister, Dato Sri Kadir Sheikh Fadhir invited me to start a new company to help 'sponsor' female veterans that RTM had pre-selected. Including my father and mother, there were ten other veteran actresses in the scheme.

In the two years that the special project was handled by my company, I forked out more than RM250,000 in cash to these 12 people. The project also helped finance my mother's 26-episode drama which she had a free-hand to develop and direct.

My company did not make much if any in profit during that time because all our profits went into the special fund for the veteran artistes. I was hoping that the project would be continued, but unfortunately, as with RTM, each new Minister that comes in have their own plans and ideas and therefore the project was scrapped. And therefore, I had to start again from zero to pitch for new productions.

That's okay, because making movies and TV dramas was my passion. Luckily, in the mid 90s I started a company called Mass Media Interactive which in turn helmed a consortium called Konsortium Multimedia Swasta that was awarded one of the first e-Government under the MSC initiative. In this project, the government did not fork out any funds. The private sector was going to fund the multi-million ringgit project for ten years.

At that time too, being the nobody that I am, I kept in touch with my love for culture and history. With the National Museum, I assisted in various exhibitions including the Asia Pacific film festival exhibition and the performing arts exhibition. I was also involved in the wildly successful and original Hantu exhibition in Muzium Negara and wrote and directed a standing room only play (for two weeks) entitled Hantu-hantu Yang Saya Kenali which M. Jamil acted in; and according to him influenced him in the VCD production Momok and later his successful Momok The Movie last year.

I also found time to research and write two books - the History of the Asia-Pacific Film Festival and Gamelan Nusantara. Both for Muzium Negara. I am sure Muniandi did not do any. And I am sure Khir Mohd Noor and Bujang Senang too did not have the opportunity to do so. I guess Muzium Negara only offered such jobs to nobodies. By the way, in last year's Senjata Nusantara exhibition, I also produced and directed the short video clips for the muzium.

Meanwhile, in the early years of the new millennium, I went a bit bonkers and produced and directed two movies - both were unsuccessful but both financed by companies I controlled with friends. I lost money and so did they. These movies were Ah Loke Kafe and Budak Lapok (which was invited to represent the country at last year's Korean Film Festival). But through failure we learn and move forward.

I also make it a point, that as and when I deemed it fit, I try to employ my 'uncles' from Jalan Ampas in my productions. Amongst others, they include Dato Aziz Sattar, Dato' Mustafa Maarof, S. Shamsuddin, Mahmud Jun and Kuswadinata.

During all these time, I have never tumpang-ed my parent's glamour because it is actually a burden to me as a filmmaker to have legends as parents. Others are luckier. I have said so many times publicly that I always shy away from my father's shadow because it would be stupid of me to try and piggyback on his success and his stature as one of the doyens of Malaysian cinema.

Now my eldest son is interested in becoming a film director and he has done so. Starting as an assistant director under my tutelage and some others, he has now directed on his own, more than ten dramas since last year. Many of you would in fact have seen his direction in the series Bilik No 13, which was amongst the three highest rated show on RTM in 2007 and 2008. He is now developing a new series called Detik 12 Malam. Like me once before, I am giving him the tools to survive in this dog-eat-dog world of filmmaking.

I have produced, written and directed more than 500 hundred hours of TV and feature films in my own lifetime. Best of all, at this point of writing, I don't owe SME Bank or FINAS a single sen.

What I am proud of really is that through my productions, thousands have earned a living at one point in time under my productions. The rezeki that I have been blessed with, I share with others.

And for your information, I have never relished being in the lime-light as a filmmaker. I do however relish the notoriety that I have created for myself as a troubleshooting blogger for the local film industry.

The above is just a snapshot of what I have done in my life. I don't think I have to go into detail about who I am as a son to my father and mother, right?

Bujang Senang, you have actually hit below the belt by bringing into the debate, that is between me and other individuals, my parents. You can call me names or you can criticise or condemn me. You're not the first nor the last. Hassan Mutalib amongst many others has beaten you to it by many years (and I hope you are not Hassan by the way).

But never ever bring into the fray my parents. Never ever say I tumpang glamor. If you knew them personally or even respected them, asked them if I have.

So my cowardly Bujang Senang, (and unless you post your comments under your real identity I will call you a coward), what have YOU contributed to the industry? Let's compare notes shall we?


12 comments:

Norman yusof said...

well said, bro...Bring it ON.

Norman Yusof

ZZ Osman said...

So easy for the to mouth off/write off. Thats my problem, i appreciate everyone for just the effort of doing something. Such a simpleton am i.

Ajami Hashim said...

Salaam abg anwardi,

sbg pemerhati & penonton awam, saya juga MALU baca komen2 kat FDAM FB tu!

tapi saya juga KETAWA kerana ia jadi lawak jenaka lebih kelakar dari filem sifu & tongga pada awal tahun 2010! hahaha!

rizal hashim said...

nice one sir, but the likes of bujang senang and his ilk are aplenty in this dog eat dog world. their job is to pour scorn at others especially within the industry. Nice CV though! hehe

yanti said...

pengenalan yang betul2 penyeluruh... bagus bang Didi... saya bangga menjadi anak murid Encik Anwardi Jamil yang befikiran kreatif dan luar biasa... segala projek2 filem dan drama juga sitcom atau kids programme yang pernah saya ikuti sewaktu bekerja dibawah naungannya mendapat rating yang tinggi belaka... rasanya si bujang senang ketinggalan zaman dan tidak mengikut perkembangan kesemua anak seni atau beliau sengaja nak mengata tanpa menilai dulu siapa yang nak dikatakannya itu... Siapakah si bujang senang berbanding Anwardi Jamil...

Saya malu membaca FB FDAM dan sepatutnya FB tersebut hanya untuk kaum2 FDAM sahaja telah dicemari dan dilacuri oleh entah mana2 pelosok orang yang datang masuk dan diterima... saya ada dijemput masuk join FB tersebut tapi bila terbaca kesemua komen2 sepertinya mereka tidak ada hala tuju... semak dengan tulisan2 orang2 yang tiada tujuan berkata2 dan hanya menyibuk2 dengan entah apa2 komen...

Rasanya si bujang senang ni ada kaitan dengan cerita yang saya dengar waktu abg Didi buat projek di timur malaysia kut sebab sama je bunyinya yang pernah saya dengar sebelum dia menulis... wallahualam...

anwardi said...

Heheheh Yanti Yanti...you pun kenal siapa mungkin si Bujang Senang ni kan? Failed film maker, and self proclaimed screenplay master, sampai boleh ajar orang buat script...kelakar. Tapi kalau Bujang Senang ni memang dia tu lah...by the way, initial Bujang Senang is BS..and you all know what BS really stands for kan?

gascoigne said...

Biasalah tu dunia internet...kau ni famous, mmg lah orang nak hentam kau....takpayah counter attack balik, rilek je dahlah...

macam tak biasa dengan 'baling batu sembunyi tangan internet' ni...

Anonymous said...

abg anwardi jamil,
sape BS? exposekan la..
Mmg tak kenal dan nak kenal sgt.
Mmg memalukan saja bila baca wall fb fdam. Mcm mana industri kita nak maju? Kerjasama takde!!
Apa yang penting? Kerjasama...

Anonymous said...

Eat your heart out Bujang Senang. Remember whom to talk. Jangan pandai throw words. Look at this guy ANWARDI he is not sebarang orang. We are in this world just learn to respect each other. Its better that way. I want to see your profile Mr.Bujang Senang. Anyway Mr Anwardi all the best and god knows you have such long experience. I am amazed. The real filmmaker can feel the pain of going through all the hard years.
All the best again. Chao...

fadz said...

Pak Anwardi, you are a film maker, no one can take that from u!

Mat Rebiu said...

Abg DD, I actually have to thank Bujang Senang because I always wanted to know more about you in your own words. Great CV, sir.

sabariah mad dorm said...

i met presiden profima bout 7 or 8 months ago.

and the he looked at us (crew tgh breakfast kat kedai mamak nak shoot drama 13 eps) and said

"apasal korang tak pakai kasut. tau tak kasut tu penting untuk keselamatan".

and then one of my friend replied

"bang. belum start kerja lagi."

and the he said.

"pastikan korang pakai kasut. bagus untuk keselamatan bla.. blaa.. blaa. blaa.... tgk org commercial. disiplin mantap. kuar rumah je dah pakai kasut. tau profesionalisma. amik contoh diorang blaa blaa. blaa."

and then i replied

"bang. saya orang commercial. masa saya shoot streamix. abang lalu sebelah set kami, tak datang pulak jenguk kitaorang tanya dah daftar profima ke belum?"

the question is, perlu ke ada perbezaan karyawan film ke, commercial ke or drama? bukan sama taraf ke cuma medium tayang (kamera) sahaja yang lain- lain?

agak kecewa bila dia kata begitu sebab dia sendiri membahagikan darjat. so adakah jika karyawan commercial ditimpa kemalangan dia akan bertanggung jawap menunaikan kerjanya?

saya agak kecewa bila dia meletakkan heriairiki (tak tau nak eja macamana) tinggi kepada orang commercial sedangkan saya orang commercial tak pernah pandang rendah terhadap semua karyawan walaupun student projek.

p/s : ni aku betul2 marah sampaikan tertaip dalam bahasa melayu. kalau aku orang kelantan dah lama aku taip dalam lorat kelantan. tapi ada plak yang tak pahamkang.