You may be wondering about the digits in title.
It was about 10 years ago (since 2002) when I conceptualised RAMUAN RAHASIA ("the elusive ingredient", loosely translated) as a film and 3 years ago when the 1st phase (February 2009) of filming the feature film began. Since then, I have gone through interesting personal and professional journey at various levels. This experience highlights to me the meaning of humility and value of compassion. Importantly, it has taught me the value of engagement - of discovering my self and utilising the creative gift I have to affect change, for the benefit of society and my community. It has also taught me to appreciate the creative company I have been blessed with and those before them to further the cause for social change. Their perseverance inspires me. Their friendship gives me strength and reason for being.
I used to wonder why I'm still on RAMUAN RAHASIA, putting myself out there when many would have considered the project as a "lost cause". No, it's not glamorous having my face splashed on main feature articles when the discussion is about the lack of money to complete a project. It's not glamorous obliging to full-page write-ups pleading for money hoping for a kind soul out that would be moved by the real intention on making RAMUAN RAHASIA. However these need to be done to connect with my audience and appeal to new ones.
I am blessed with compassionate friends in the industry and I sincerely thank them. I appeal to keep RAMUAN RAHASIA in your radar, please.
I have been doing a lot of soul-searching. On several internet responses addressed to my Malay community I posted this,
I get asked repeatedly why I have not applied/received any financial support from the relevant film bodies or organisations. I don't wish to discuss that here as this post is not about that. Furthermore it won't be enough to fit 13 years of that here. It's also unhealthy to speculate these speculations in print as doing so would possibly invite legal suits. RAMUAN RAHASIA would prefer to expend its money constructively.
To those unaware, I have been on a crowdfunding campaign since early 2010. Subsequently, I have set up a new funding here. The response since the 1st crowdfunding call has been good but very slow. What is humbling for me is that many of the contributors have been the "little people" (I've yet to hear from the big-wigs) - people like you and I who take the trains and buses to work. It is the things they wrote (I wish I can share all of them here) that move me a lot. It is these little, sincere notes that make it all seem worthwhile. And no, it's not just coming from the Malay folks. They just believe. So, tell me my friends, how could you not be moved by these gestures???? These and the support from industry peers has made me see the need to complete this film, regardless of the odds.
Last I spoke with Cathay-Keris (Singapore) I was assured (in-principle) they would be keen to exhibit the film - but no money for production - when the film is finally completed. I'm humbly appreciative of the gesture. This is one more assurance to push for additional funding to complete RAMUAN RAHASIA.
I realised some time ago that despite my accolades in the television industry, I have to work harder when it comes to making films and selling them. I am among the millions of first-time feature filmmakers who aspire to share the stories of his community to the world by having my community's cultural record be projected on the giant cinema screen. As a document for future generations, much like how the late, great Malay filmmakers (P Ramlee, Hussin Haniff, M Amin) who made their endearing stories at Jalan Ampas (Shaw Brothers) and Jalan Buloh Perindu (Cathay-Keris) have done with their films.
The journey for a new product entering the market is as uncertain as Nemo's (yes, that film cartoon character) first adventure in a fish tank. Hey, Nemo persevered and endured because of the eclectic friends and alliances he made with total strangers who eventually lead him back into the ocean. The fish tank was a scary environment for Nemo but he return to the ocean a better fish with the experience in the fish tank. Understably, not many folks dare to make that first venture nor pay for an untested, new product - but a trusted brand should never be complacent too. Subsequently I believe a set of collected samples and regurgitated business models cannot guarantee fixed Return-On-Investments (ROI).
Filmmakers like Majid Majidi, Pedro Almodóvar and Zhang Yimou inspire me greatly. Their resilience to communicate their respective stories in their native tongue humbles me, who is still struggling to speak Bahasa Melayu effectively.
Looking ahead and reflecting the journey I've walked in the last 3-4 years (emotionally and professionally), I can only hope that my audience would see through my intentions. RAMUAN RAHASIA is not just a "Malay film". Nor RAMUAN RAHASIA is about the race to be the "1st Singapore-Malay Film". Nevertheless, there is the urgency to project a particular Singapore Story. Singapore has developed rapidly over the last 50 years that the world has found it harder to connect with contemporary Singaporeans on a human level. RAMUAN RAHASIA is a discourse that I would like the larger audience to engage with me - of a cultural collage unique to Southeast Asia.
This video gives me hope in my journey with RAMUAN RAHASIA.
(No, I don't have commercial affiliations with Apple)
It was about 10 years ago (since 2002) when I conceptualised RAMUAN RAHASIA ("the elusive ingredient", loosely translated) as a film and 3 years ago when the 1st phase (February 2009) of filming the feature film began. Since then, I have gone through interesting personal and professional journey at various levels. This experience highlights to me the meaning of humility and value of compassion. Importantly, it has taught me the value of engagement - of discovering my self and utilising the creative gift I have to affect change, for the benefit of society and my community. It has also taught me to appreciate the creative company I have been blessed with and those before them to further the cause for social change. Their perseverance inspires me. Their friendship gives me strength and reason for being.
I used to wonder why I'm still on RAMUAN RAHASIA, putting myself out there when many would have considered the project as a "lost cause". No, it's not glamorous having my face splashed on main feature articles when the discussion is about the lack of money to complete a project. It's not glamorous obliging to full-page write-ups pleading for money hoping for a kind soul out that would be moved by the real intention on making RAMUAN RAHASIA. However these need to be done to connect with my audience and appeal to new ones.
I am blessed with compassionate friends in the industry and I sincerely thank them. I appeal to keep RAMUAN RAHASIA in your radar, please.
I have been doing a lot of soul-searching. On several internet responses addressed to my Malay community I posted this,
I consider myself an observer, storyteller and filmmaker. I'm not good at expressing myself in smart-sounding posts and essays, but I do find joy in expressing through the visual medium (film, television), where I humbly consider myself more proficient. I want to serve my community - via the respective familiar platforms that I can communicate my thoughts. I don't believe that posting questions and rhetorics on the whys and hows to be cathartic.
The film medium cuts all boundaries and is accessible to everyone. I believe that when the film, RAMUAN RAHASIA, is ready, perhaps it would bring us to another level of LOVE and appreciation to what makes kita orang Melayu (the Malay) unique. This is not my film. RAMUAN RAHASIA adalah filem kita - untuk santapan masyarakat kita (is our film - for us). Like the written prose, films contribute to our community's cultural development. It documents our current being. Thus, if you are concerned about our community please open your hearts and support generously to the RAMUAN RAHASIA film fund appeal. Let's walk the talk together.
I get asked repeatedly why I have not applied/received any financial support from the relevant film bodies or organisations. I don't wish to discuss that here as this post is not about that. Furthermore it won't be enough to fit 13 years of that here. It's also unhealthy to speculate these speculations in print as doing so would possibly invite legal suits. RAMUAN RAHASIA would prefer to expend its money constructively.
To those unaware, I have been on a crowdfunding campaign since early 2010. Subsequently, I have set up a new funding here. The response since the 1st crowdfunding call has been good but very slow. What is humbling for me is that many of the contributors have been the "little people" (I've yet to hear from the big-wigs) - people like you and I who take the trains and buses to work. It is the things they wrote (I wish I can share all of them here) that move me a lot. It is these little, sincere notes that make it all seem worthwhile. And no, it's not just coming from the Malay folks. They just believe. So, tell me my friends, how could you not be moved by these gestures???? These and the support from industry peers has made me see the need to complete this film, regardless of the odds.
Last I spoke with Cathay-Keris (Singapore) I was assured (in-principle) they would be keen to exhibit the film - but no money for production - when the film is finally completed. I'm humbly appreciative of the gesture. This is one more assurance to push for additional funding to complete RAMUAN RAHASIA.
I realised some time ago that despite my accolades in the television industry, I have to work harder when it comes to making films and selling them. I am among the millions of first-time feature filmmakers who aspire to share the stories of his community to the world by having my community's cultural record be projected on the giant cinema screen. As a document for future generations, much like how the late, great Malay filmmakers (P Ramlee, Hussin Haniff, M Amin) who made their endearing stories at Jalan Ampas (Shaw Brothers) and Jalan Buloh Perindu (Cathay-Keris) have done with their films.
Filmmakers like Majid Majidi, Pedro Almodóvar and Zhang Yimou inspire me greatly. Their resilience to communicate their respective stories in their native tongue humbles me, who is still struggling to speak Bahasa Melayu effectively.
"If music be the food of love, play on..." (TWELFTH NIGHT; Act 1, scene 1)
Looking ahead and reflecting the journey I've walked in the last 3-4 years (emotionally and professionally), I can only hope that my audience would see through my intentions. RAMUAN RAHASIA is not just a "Malay film". Nor RAMUAN RAHASIA is about the race to be the "1st Singapore-Malay Film". Nevertheless, there is the urgency to project a particular Singapore Story. Singapore has developed rapidly over the last 50 years that the world has found it harder to connect with contemporary Singaporeans on a human level. RAMUAN RAHASIA is a discourse that I would like the larger audience to engage with me - of a cultural collage unique to Southeast Asia.
This video gives me hope in my journey with RAMUAN RAHASIA.
(No, I don't have commercial affiliations with Apple)
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