Who's Shooting What? 2011 : Sanif Olek

Director: Sanif Olek


Project: Voluptas (Latin for "pleasure" or "satisfaction"), indie feature film.

Voluptas is part of my new LOST film trilogy. Currently in-production.

"What you don't need, you don't want them"

'Making films' written by Sanif Olek

I have been asked this question many times from many Singaporean filmmakers who are just starting out, don't have the 'connections' or rich parents. Or others who wonder why I'm slogging on making films when I can just remain doing fun television programmes. I wish I have the perfect answer, below are extracted from the latest one I posted on Imran Ajmain's Facebook post. I've attempted to respond the best I could.

The Question.

How do young Malay people interested in film and video find out about doing something?
What kind of projects that you see happening elsewhere could we emulate for the SG scene for indie movie-makers?
Because of censorship & funding, and just about the lack of scarcity for content, Indonesian film-makers burst into a straight-to-DVD frenzy, and going strong til today. Can this happen in SG?

My response.
You NEED to COMMUNICATE your STORY to your audience. Tell them WHAT YOUR STORY IS ALL ABOUT. If you YOURSELF are able to tell your story in ONE LINE effectively, you have managed to engage your audience 80% to your story.

For example, you must be able to tell "My story is about Jack who wants to go up the hill to fetch Jill a pail of water", not "My story is about Jack's frustration going up the hill to find water for Jill". We already know it's frustrating to go up the hill, on top of that to carry a pail of water. We WANT to know HOW Jack manage to fetch that water for Jill.

What is so unique about your film?
Ask yourself these questions - why would you want to watch another half-past six MATRIX when Hollywood has done it perfectly? Why would you want to watch another Godfather when the one done by Francis Ford Coppola is considered the TOP 5 best film of ALL TIME in the world. Why would you want to watch another INFERNAL AFFAIRS when even the one remade by Martin Scorsese (The Departed) is considered inferior to the original done by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak in Hong Kong?

I feel that "wannabe" film story tellers are so fearful of how people would react to their work. Or how their film would look like. I've mentioned this and I'll mention this again. STORY is king, and I believe this applies to to making music/poetry as well. When your CONTENT is good and effective, people will be drawn to it NATURALLY lah.

Technology CANNOT assist you when your storytelling is zero. Good example of impressive films with flawed storytelling - Spiderman lll, X-Men lll, 90% of Michael Bay's films, Gangs Of New York, Matrix lll, etc...

I observe that a lot of people are worried more about technique and style than CONTENT. Technical gimmick and eye candy CANNOT hide flawed storytelling. Your HDSLRs and REDs can come later, much later, after your STORY.

You want to be innovative? Fine. Go to film school or at least study the fundamentals about structure. Quentin Tarantino learnt about linear storytelling so that later he could start breaking some rules.

The late P Ramlee (father of Malay cinema) said, "Seni itu adalah kerja Tuhan maka lakukan dengan bersungguh-sungguh dan penuh keikhlasan" (Art is God's gift, thus practice it wisely with sincerity).

Yes the only way to get your film noticed is film festivals. Don't get disappointed if the first film festival you sent your film to gets rejected. Different film festivals have their own niche and target audience. One of the reasons your film gets rejected could be the theme in your film is not suitable for the film festival, or that the film festival's programmer is simply NOT into your film, not that your film might be bad. Otherwise EAT HUMBLE PIE and make another one, and another one, to improve on your storytelling.

Oh, your family and good friends are not exactly the best people to judge your work.

For my views on censorship, kindly read this article. On government film funding, check the Singapore Film Commission's website (which you can google/bing/yahoo).

I'm still self-funding my films. Either my stories are engaging that many of my collaborators may have volunteered themselves to see that it gets made (and I'm truely humbled), or they are too nice to tell me my stories suck (which I'll be upset as they're not being honest)! Either ways I still love them - after all this industry is about constructive criticism, no?

Just do it, the rest shall fall into place.

On that note, this film, Ramuan Rahasia, is seeking funds to complete.





Sanif Olek is a local independent filmmaker who made the following short films :Lost Sole,a la Folie and Ameen on top of his feature film project Ramuan Rahasia.

He wrote this with the Malay Community in mind as audience but the article has some truths for all of us in general. This piece was taken from his blog site.

Viewpoint from a filmmaker - Sanif Olek

We continue with a series of responses from local filmmakers on the current regulation and/or censorship system in Singapore. This is an ongoing project initiated by a group of students from LASALLE. Discussions and exchange of views are encouraged between members of the public and arts practitioners on the regulatory issue of films in Singapore. View our previous interviews here.

We find out what local filmmaker, Sanif Olek has to say:

1. During the process of making a film, have you ever felt restricted by any regulatory boundaries set by MDA? If yes, in what ways?
Telling stories is an intuitive, instinctive process. I let my stories flow. My work in television trains me a lot about restrictions. Nevertheless, I don't see restrictions as limitations. There are other ways of telling your stories and communicating your ideas effectively. But if one needs to shoot a scene of someone "licking" ice-cream, I'm afraid there are no other ways of presenting someone "licking" the ice-cream, are there?

2. If for artistic purposes, would you make a film which you know might attract censors or cuts but still continue to do it anyway? Why?
I want to tell my stories effectively and avoid sensationalism for the sake of being sensational. I shoot something because there is something that I want to communicate. You can't fool the audience if your film is not sincere. I don't shoot a film on purpose to attract negativity. I think the panel in the censors are getting smarter. There are 6877000000 people in the world who wants to see your film, with or without censors.

3. In the Arts Community Position Paper, it is suggested that regulation should be implemented in place of censorship, as the former involves objective classification that is not politically-motivated. What is your view?
Can you rephrase your question, please? This question is too cheem for my heartland intellect lah.

4. Two of MDA’s guiding principles behind its regulatory work are to uphold community values and to safeguard national and public interest. What is your view?
State whatever they like. Yes we can find all of these in their mission statement.
However, I do agree that Singapore is multiracial and race and religion are very delicate issues. Some adult individuals are mentally-deranged when it comes to these things and still need the government to look after them. *not insulting the intellectually-handicapped here - please stick to context*

5. Have you participated in any discussion programmes or feedback consultations with regards to content regulation initiated by MDA? Would you participate in future? Why?
Was invited but most of the time didn't go because 1. invited at the last minute or 2. couldn't be bothered as most of the time these panels treat these discussions like primary school social class (?) sessions. I got bills to pay (don't we all..?), and that's very important for struggling artistes like myself. Yes would love to come.

6. What do you have to say about the censoring/banning of content in films screened in local theatres which are still obtainable on the Internet?
There's so much the MDA or any censorship bodies can do but ultimately I think PARENTS are still responsible to what their kids watch on the internet. Technology is so advance these days for the parent to utilise to regulate what they want their children to watch.

Here is a short video that documents some of the public's opinions

Want to add your 2 cents worth? Join us in an open discussion on facebook

Afterthoughts on Sinema Export! Sanif Olek's Love Trilogy

Sinema's Showoff! series has of late been playing to maximum capacity, and due credit has to be given to Singapore Polytechnic's tireless efforts in keeping the programme alive and kicking - having a team of young, enthusiastic student volunteers sure can do wonders. I have to take my hats off to the curators; I have not been to a single Showoff! session that was badly assembled. Of course there were the occasional weak films, but to be fair this is a platform to raise the profile of budding filmmakers, so I think that is unavoidable.

Following the resounding success and overwhelming reception of the Showoff! series, the team at Sinema and Singapore Polytechnic has conceived of a new programme. Sinema Export! is a newly launched event that will screen award-winning and acclaimed local films that have been supported by Sinema and Singapore Polytechnic at international film festivals and/or curated programmes.

I was down for the pilot Export! session. Billed as Sanif Olek's Love Trilogy, it boasted three of his shorts that have already travelled the film festival circuit extensively. It was heartening to see the entire screening hall filled up, even though I (being my usual cynical self) suspect many amongst the audience were cast and crew members of Sanif Olek's productions. Nonetheless, the crowd made for a more cosy atmosphere. (Though I'd like to digress at this point and say that the guy in front of me who brought his McDonalds meal into the theatre did a damn good job of ruining that because I was incredibly perturbed by the smell of oil and french fries permeating the hall.)

As a self-declared aficionado of (local) film, I am ashamed to say I have never heard of Sanif Olek prior to the event. And yes, shame on me, because after watching those three shorts, it occurred to me how incredibly talented and underrated he is. As a filmmaker, he has an incredibly fresh voice, and he tells his stories with great conviction.

I won't be reviewing the films because Jeremy has already done so previously, but what struck me was how unapologetic Sanif was in setting his faith as the theme and backdrop of several of his films. Many filmmakers are wont to steering clear of such touchy topics, and many who do tackle such issues in their film do so clumsily. Religion can be used so much more than just a source of conflict or a mere coping mechanism in film. Sanif managed to use faith not only as an instrument for his characters' process of self discovery, but also rather deftly taps on religion to elicit laughs. AMEEN is a startlingly good example of how to humour an audience using the idiosyncrasies of religious people, without being crude or insulting. And even though he features heavy quotations of the Qur'an, those portions fortunately do not alienate, but in a really succinct way round off his films brilliantly.

Definitely excited to see more of his future works.

Sanif is currently looking for funding for his new film, currently in the works. You can go to his production company's website, reeljuice to contact him.

Who's Shooting What in 2010? Sanif Olek

Name of Project: Ameen (final film in LOVE trilogy)

Brief synopsis: Johan, a boy who is a familiar character in the mosque (he appears in Lost Sole - the first film in LOVE trilogy) is infatuated with Sharifah and Yati, 2 Madrasah girls who passes the mosque regularly. His queries on how to win the girls' attention led to astonishing results. Would would he do for love?


Brief background: Ameen completes the LOVE trilogy about love and it's implications. Ameen explores spiritual love, faith and dissects conventional perception we have of one another, within and out, in our respective communities. A film for ALL religious (literal/figurative) clubs :)

Youtube:

Premiere: TBC

Sightings at the Asian Film Symposium 2009

Sanif (Olek) made time for his film screening 'a la folie' while still dressed in his Baju.

Li San posing for me :p