MFP'S RAJA BERSIONG (1967) DIRECTED BY DATUK JAMIL SULONG

My father's last movie for Malay Film Productions was Raja Bersiong based on our first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman's original story. It was also the first widescreen color movie to have come out of Jalan Ampas, but not the first color movie - Ribut and Hang Tuah having been released in color a few years before.
Unfortunately it was also claimed to have been the movie the broke Jalan Ampas's back - having been the studio's most expensive movie to date and it wasn't a box office hit.
I have watched the movie many times but of recent the copy has been missing. No DVD copies around. So it was heartening to find out that someone had actually posted the movie on Youtube.
Do view it. Most people are put off with the dialogue which was unique - it was presented in pantun form, one of the few Malay movies to do so. Another movie directed by my father done in this manner was Bidasari.

Here it is: Jamil Sulong's Raja Bersiong based on Tunku's story and produced by MFP in 1967.























Hope you enjoyed this movie. One of my dreams is to actually take this legend onto stage and present it at Istana Budaya. It has all the elements - conflict, tragedy, horror, history, music and an epic feel.

PROBLEM WITH PERSATUANS – AGAIN

(I wrote about the persatuans about two years ago)

During out shoot recently, the authorities came for a visit. To check on my crew and staff and artistes. They actually checked our membership status to the four main persatuans that Finas endorses – SENIMAN, Profima, FDAM and Karyawan. Of course there are others, but these are those that are usually on set. SENIMAN is basically for actors, as is Karyawan but anyone can actually be a member. Profima was previously Persatuan Pekerja Pekerja Filem Malaysia (PPFM) but because their acronym clashes with Persatuan Penerbit Filem Malaysia (PFM), they decided to change it to Professional Film Workers of Malaysia or something like that.

Anyway, to produce anything in this country, you must be a member of one of these associations (persatuans). Legally I’m not sure how secure this is. I was once a Union member as a journalist and I know how that works but in the chaotic world of filmmaking, could Finas actually enforce such a ruling if it is legal.

I’ve actually asked a lawyer friend and he said that at most the requirements are just advisory but not mandatory. Why? Because one can question the standards of each persatuan and what they offer to the industry. There is no pre-qualification like the architects or engineers.

The persatuans within the film industry are merely a social association working with the framework of the Rules and Regulations as set our in the Registrar of Societies.

If persatuans are that powerful, every industry would have to bow to the thousands of associations out there. Kesatuans are different as are associations of professionals i.e. architects, engineers, contractors, builders and such. There are various bodies and authorities and agencies that monitor the standards of their work.

Anyway, back to my location shoot. Half of my crew were not Profima members. And at that moment, we were shooting a scene that was supposed to be Australia in winter. And to make that scene authentic, we need kweilohs. So we got a casting agency to get some kweilohs for extras.

Hahhaha...we forgot to mention to our agent that we need kweilohs who are members of Seniman!

Jeez..how can we forget that!! We also needed special permission to use foreigners in that scene. Fuhhh lagi problem. Luckily for us we just got a memo and a warning – for using kweilohs who are not Malaysians and non-Seniman members, for hiring crew members that were not members of Profima.

Wokey.

WTF do I need to hire someone from an association that these people don’t believe in? I know so many who pay subscription fees just to work in the industry and they really don’t care what the association does or doesn’t do. It’s like a toll to work. Sounds familiar tak? You want to work in the industry? Sure, pay your membership fee. Annually. Then you can work to your hearts content.

What kind of mentality or industry that accept this kind of situation?

Are we going to be bullied into doing this? What do we (the producers) get out of hiring bonafide members? Are members truly qualified to work as a gaffer? A bestboy? A clapper loader? A key grip? A production manager or assistant director? Is there a guarantee of their performance and quality of work? None right? They are just Malaysians who decide one day to “Hey I think I can earn some decent money working on a technical crew of a TV or film production”, and all I need to do is join Profima. That’s it. Nothing to it. So why do you want to blame me for using some crew member whom I know have worked for years in the industry and is more professional and proficient in his work as a tech crew but did not join Profima?

What is it that these associations including Profima or FDAM done for the industry lately? From newspaper reports Profima just organised an awards ceremony that not many people knew about or was invited to participate or attend. What’s more mind boggling was that one newspaper even mentioned that the event cost more than RM3 million to stage!

Wow! How the association exco members or its normal members ever approved such a budget is beyond me. If you read the articles of the Societies Act Section carefully, I’m really not sure how many of the associations can survive scrutiny. Isn’t there any member out there who doesn’t want to find out how Profima spent money for the event? Don’t they care what happens to the society’s funds?

Don’t the members know that they as members have the legal right to check the books of their association at any point of time (reasonable hours or working hours)?

Anyway, if these associations that Finas holds high esteem for are maybe entities that are not managed properly, how can they be pillars of professionalism in the industry? So why bother?

I think it is about time Finas steps it foot down and demand a complete and detailed review of all the associations in the industry. Check their accounts, see if it is audited. If they do not want to show it to Finas, get a members to compel them through the Registrar to allow them to check their administrative procedures and their accounts. Hire a lawyer to review all the associations constitutions – trust me – the constitutions of these association are at best a sheet of rules and regulations that cannot stand the test of law.

If the associations want to be considered a powerful and the pillars of the industry, be above board, be clean, be exemplary and above all be incorruptible.

Do all this and I will guarantee that you will see the members become more proactive in the management and administration of the societies. And as a producer, we will be more than glad to support and cooperate with these entities.

The ten most powerful people/production companies in Malaysian film industry

Most every publication have their lists on who is the most powerful people in the film industry. Hollywood Reporter, Entertainment Weekly, E! And even Fortune produce lists showing people like Oprah, Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, John Cameron, Jon Favreau etc.

Who are the most powerful people in the Malaysian film industry?

Below is my list based on productivity, influence, popularity, box office impact and other factors. Least of all quality of product. Yup serious. Quality is not an important factor at all. This is not my first Most Powerful list - I did it a few times before when I was a film critic and a columnist for a couple of local newspapers in the 80s.

We will start from the last in the list to the top of the list.

Number 10

The indie film movement. This group of upstarts have been making waves for the past few years. Even though their films hardly make a dent in the local box office market, their movies have been attracting international acclaim and interest. Only recently, Malaysian Liew Seng Tat won an award at the high profile Sundance Film Festival in the US. Other indie filmmakers have been winning various awards at other international festivals in Rotterdam and Taiwan. A couple have already left our shores to ply their craft overseas and have been successful. A few of these indie filmmakers have also tried their hands on making mainstream movies and only James Lee seem to be making enough box office to be considered a serious mainstream filmmaker. His latest film Sini Ada Hantu opens in February 2011 and this follows his modest hit Histeria which was released in 2009.

Number 9

Shamsul Yusof

This young director is making waves with his action movies. None of his movies have lost money for his father’s company Scope Productions. Locally, his movies have also been winning technical awards for the past few years. At 25, he is a relatively newbie but with his win as the Best Director at the Malaysian Film Awards, he has been seen by many as one of the best hopes for Malay mainstream movies.

Number 8

KRU pictures and brothers. This siblings has gone far from their hiphop beginnings. Their empire has grown quite extensive including a couple of huge concessions in the corporate world. In the film industry, they have been making inroads though box office wise, their movies have not made big coins. They however made it big last year when their fairy tale musical comedy Majika won the Best Film nod at the National Film Awards.

They are also in the midst of completing their multi-million ringgit film studios in Cyberjaya and awaiting the release of their multi-million ringgit epic Merong Mahawangsa. They have also entered international production arena with the release of their animated movie Disco Worms and the box office dud Deadline starring the late Britanny Murphy.

Number 7

Grand Brilliance

They have not been producing much the past two years, but the ability for them to produce at a moment’s notice makes them a serious player. With Media Prima and Primeworks behind them, GB will soon be amongst the major film produces again. What to watch out for is the cinema version of TV3’s major TV hit Nur Kasih.

Number 6

Line Clear Films – the company owned by the Maidin brothers. Associate Professor Razak Maidin is the creative force behind this team and has been constantly producing four to six titles a year. However, whilst they are still churning out mainstream stuff, they need to recreate the magic of five years ago when Razak’s films were making serious box office impact. His recent titles weren’t much to shout about, but nevertheless, their productivity is still something to watch. However, with Associate Professor Razak being tipped to head FACT in Uitm there might be a chance that Line Clear might not be as prolific as before.

Number 5

FINAS - the National Film Development Corporation. Why are they in the list? Because they sit on a major fund for the players. This fund, both grants and loans, allow filmmakers to produce their visions. However, it is because of the grants which in effect makes FINAS into a production company that land them in the list. Once release, the grants for movies of patriotic and cultural nature will allow at least 5 producers to roll out ‘quality’ movies meant for local and international markets.

Number 4

Tayangan Unggul – this Astro owned entity, managed by Gayathri, has been in the forefront of the Malaysian cinema industry for quite awhile. Many directors have been hired by TU to produce some gems over the last few years including Adflin Shauki, Kabir Bakhtiar and Mamat Khalid. Last year, their movie, Mak Limah Balik Ke Rumah, directed by Mamat Khalid, broke box office records after coining nearly RM9 million worth of tickets.

Number 3

The Cinema Owners

GSC, TGV and Cathay are the two big cinema chain owners. If I’m not mistaken, GSC and Cathay are related, and TGV is partly related to Astro’s parent company. Being the three big cinema chains in the country, how they help promote local movies is crucial to a movie’s success. They actually love it when a Malay movie makes big bucks because they rake in 50 percent of the box office takings.

Number 2

Ahmad Idham – this prolific filmmaker has been producing blockbusters for himself and his partner MIG. His horror movies Jangan Pandang Belakang, Congkak, Jangan Pandangan Belakang Congkak, Damping Malam, are all big box office movies. His success rate makes him a darling of producers, investors and cinema owners. He was also even rumored to have been in the running to take over the Finas DG hotseat. The fact that he is also on Finas’s Board of Directors, make him a powerful young filmmaker indeed.

Number 1

David Teoh/Metrowealth – David Teoh is the most powerful man in the Malaysian film industry. He has the financial clout to produce at least 12 titles a year and what’s more, his movies – more than not – make profits. His latest horror movie released late 2010, Nangkung took in more than RM8 million. This was after his comedy Adnan Sempit made more than RM6million. David has a philosophy that irks a lot of serious filmmakers, but he is hardly apologetic. He makes hit movies, he is the darling of the Malay film press, he is loved by the people who are involved in his productions as he lavished them with expensive gifts when the movie makes serious coinage and he is respected by the powers that be. He is also on the Finas Board of Directors. He has no serious competitors or challengers in the industry and if he monopolises the screen time right up til 2012 with his many movie titles (that is already completed or in production), other producers will find it hard to survive.

SPECIAL MENTION

An entity that deserves mention would be the pirates who whacks the movies as soon as they can get their hands on the masters or a copy of the films produced. For example Mamat Khalid’s Estet pirate copy hit the streets within a week of its release. Usually, Malay titles appear within a month but these days, the titles appear within two weeks. They take away revenue from producers who have to beg borrow and steal to produce their work, and they get away with it. In Sarawak, where there are hardly any theaters in towns like Sarikei, Mukah, Bintulu and Sibu, pirated Malay titles are sold indiscreetly and make a bundle for the pirates. It seems like a never ending problem for the local film industry.

Another entity that is as powerful as any of the producers or directors is the Malay entertainment press. These people, both the mainstream print and the magazines, have the power to make or break anyone. An artiste who falls out of favor with them will be 'blacklisted' and even hunted down til they fade away. Anyone who panders to these people with presents, events, open door policy to their productions and artistes, trips overseas, junkets and many other sweets, will be praised and promoted through their medium. A bad movie with the right words in the press can and will become a box office hit. A good movie without the backing of these people will hardly make a dent in the box office. That's how powerful these people are. Step on their toes and you'd be damned forever.

SHORT VIEWS

Two local movies made news before the end of 2010. Ngangkung and Mak Limah Pulang Ke Rumah. Both movies passed the magical RM8million box office number making them the two most successful Malay movies of all time.
I haven't seen Mamat Khalid's Mak Limah yet, but I have just seen Ngangkung.
Help me God, I don't know why this movie made more than RM8 million. Really, truly. I really must not be someone who knows his movies, because if I had seen a preview of this movie before its run, I would have predicted such a box office taking.
I heard good things about Mak Limah, so I look forward to watching it soon. From what I heard, Mamat is already going to shoot its sequel next week. Good luck Bro. Hope you'd outdo the first one.
So, it seems, horror movies still rule on Malaysian screens.
Now, I do hope the Malaysian-Singapore effort entitled Homecoming do boffo business. It stars Jack Neo, Ah Niu, Afdlin Shauki and Mark Lee. A CNY-themed movie in multiple languages - Mandarin, Hokkien, Cantonese, English, Malanglish and Malay - is it a commendable effort and an entertaining movie. I do hope the movie breaks records because it is easily better (in pure entertainment value) than Ice Kacang Puppy Love and Woohoo.

TAKUT - FACES OF FEAR

Whilst we so sibuk about making movies global lah, movies that can sell overseas lah, Indonesia has been doing it without having to depend on entities like FINAS and such. There has been one project in Indonesia that caught my eye, especially when a top Hollywood filmmaker lends his name to the project.

This movie is entitled Takut: Faces of Fear. Listed as producer is Brian Yuzna. If you are a horror movie fan, you know who Brian Yuzna is, so I’m not going to elaborate.

Getting a name like Yuzna attached to your movie, albeit an Indonesian movie, gives the movie credence in the world horror market. How the Indonesian filmmakers did it I’m not sure, but I do remember writing about the Screamfest Film Festival franchise that was taken to Jakarta and Brian Yuzna was given a retropective during the festival a few year ago.

Most probably, during his stay in Jakarta, Indonesian producers sat down with him and thrashed out a plan and actually executed it.

The easiest way to explain what Takut: Faces of Fear is, is to compare it to Thailand’s 4bia. But Takut has six short stories in antholigical format. No links, just six short horror stories directed by young Indonesian directors. I actually only recognise one name off-hand from the seven directors listed in the movie – that of Riri Riza. How come six short stories with seven directors? Well, one of the shorts had two directors who call themselves the Mo Brothers (trying to be Indonesia’s answer to the Pang Brothers of Thailand?).

Surprisingly, most of the horror in Takut is not supernatural. I think only Riri’s Incarnation of Naya can be consider a ghost story. A few are slasher shorts with the Mo Brothers’ Dara being my favourite. It is quite evident the brothers are influenced by movies like Audition and Saw.

Each story is about 15 minutes long, and the performances will exceptionally good. As a horror anthology Takut works, though I find the scare meter low but the violence meter quite high.

Like my current anthology telefeature 3 Cerita 3 Sutradara: Pontianak, Takut has its hits and misses. That’s the beauty of anthology movies. Some works. Some don’t. If every segment works, that’s a bonus. Unfortunately, Riri and gang had creative freedom. Didi and gang didn’t.

Que sera sera.

2010 - WHAT A LOUSY YEAR

Personally, 2010 leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. My trials and tribulations in the film and TV business was the worse I have ever experienced in my life.
What's also strange was that some of my peers and colleagues in the industry had a worse time than me. I know of many producers and directors who went through the whole year without any jobs at all. How they manage is beyond me.
What's stranger still, is that production in KL seems to be booming! How do I know? Well, ask any top actor or actress if they are available for shoot, and they will more than not say they are fully booked.
In my current work for example, for a friend's company, we have had to replace three of the top cast members because of scheduling problems. There was no way for us to wait or work our production around their existing schedules.
Even some of the cast that we took on, they are already shooting with other productions. Nevertheless due to various reasons, we could still take them on and shoot around their existing jobs.
Looking at the situation, maybe I should have been an actor instead of being a producer.
We producers take a lot of crap from everyone. We have to look for funds, pitch for jobs, round up a team that we hope would deliver, face annoying TV executives and when all that is over, we have to wait for the payment. As actors or technical crew they get paid up front, progressive and at the end of production. Once finish, they hop on to the next project.
A leading actor for example, may request from a producer as high as RM3k per episode and if there's 13 episodes, he gets a clean RM39,000 pay for one and half month's work.
That's not bad isn't it?
A top scriptwriter too can earn as much as that if he is in demand. RM30-39k for 13 one hour episodes and most maddening is that most of these writers, who churn out melodrama, are usually not required to do any research at all. They just sit in their offices or their homes in front of their laptops or PCs and churn out about 500 pages for the producer.
Why or why I gatal nak jadi producer?
Anyway, if things don't change, there is a likelihood that I might just give up this business once again. The Malays would say "tak berbaloi" (doesn't make monetary sense). Strangely, I disagree. I think the business can be berbaloi - emotionally, financially and creatively - if the industry is a level playing field.
Unfortunately, this business is not based on merit. It is a business dealing in flash and glamour and it is a business built on pizazz. If you can make certain people in the business think you can deliver, even with zero experience, then you've got it made.
Sad.
Let's see what the new year brings us all.
So goodbye 2010. Hello 2011.

MERAPI ERUPTS BUT OUR FILM INDUSTRY GOES KAPOOOFF!!

I just returned from a week-long trip to Sarawak to produce a documentary on SCORE (Sarawak Corridor For Renewable Energy)...and so was too busy to update anything since internet during the journey between Bintulu to Sarikei and Sibu and Mukah was difficult though not impossible.
Anyway, coming home I was hit with a barrage of events that should have shook the industry. Firstly I feel sad that the targets set by a certain producer for his film was not achieved. He was so confident of getting RM40 million in box office tickets sales for his maiden feature film, but alas, his ticket sales, from what I heard did not even hit the RM400,000 mark.
My dear friend's Estet, a movie that I thought is much better than most of the crap that are being produced locally, too did not make a dent at the box office. To date, it has collected less than half a million in ticket sales. Why oh why didn't the people turn up. Why oh why didn't FINAS help a film that is worth promoting to the public?
Whilst ESTET was going South, another crappy horror movie Nangkung, was making big bucks hitting RM6million since its release. It is still going strong and might even affect Mamat's latest directorial effort Rumah Mak Limah which begins its run today. I wish both Mamat and Gayathri the best of luck.
Meanwhile I haven't checked how well TU's first foray into producing a Tamil movie fared. Appalam, their Tamil remake of Adflin's award winning Papadom began its run a couple of weeks back.
But on the 1st of December two things of note happened. One TV Al Hijrah, Malaysia's first Islamic free-to-air TV station was officially launched. On what channel? I don't know. Read the newspaper reports lah...because you need a normal TV antenna to tune in to the channel (which I don't have). Hopefully, Astro will agree to carry the channel, so that the 3 million households who don't use TV aerials can view the channel.
The second thing of note, however, took the film industry by surprise. On this date, FINAS stopped the practice of rebating the entertainment tax for all local feature films to the producers.
This is startling news for producers as it can be a huge amount. For example, Nangkung who according to some statistics has received RM6 million in ticket sales, will be paying RM1.2 million in entertainment tax from the takings. Before 1st December 2010, this tax would have been rebated to the producer. Now it will not be rebated.
Tough.
So producers are just wondering, what they hell do they need FINAS for? Right now, they line up to register with FINAS for dates because they want the rebates. Those who don't follow this procedure are not entitled to the rebates.
Since the rebates doesn't exist anymore, getting screening dates through FINAS is redundant because distribution companies can now get the best dates for their films directly from the cinema owners.
Meanwhile, the Film Producers' Association has remained silent on this issue much to the chagrin of its members.
We live in interesting but tough times.