4 new friends,1 dear pixie and a froggie in Sabah

Froggie Favourite Five!

Came by a mass circulating email that asked to list your favourite songs...here's mine...

1.kau ilhamku (know lyrics end to end...love it to no end...sing it most often...wanted to buy the rights for it to use it for a movie of mine...now trying to find a friend in warner chappel to get discount! or maybe trade...give me use of song...give you guys music vid...)



2. where's the love? (love the meaning! black eye peas...went for their concert when they were here...was bored to death to their rapping...then this song played...nearly wept for joy as the packed stadium sang in unison)



3.singing in the rain(from the Gene Kelly movie...if I suddenly burst into song when I am happy it's either this song or kau ilhamku...)



4.For God so Love the World (I miss singing this song soooooooo much...often sing it with the young christian students in highschool...now as I sing it alone...it's still nice but I miss dearly the many voice rendition)



5.Love Let us Here ....was I dumb or was I blind or did my heart just lose it's mind? why I go and throw a perfect dream away...looking back, I never know... how I ever let you go but destiny will see return to have another day...Love let us here...right back to where we belong...we followed a star and here we are now heaven seems so near...love let us here... (Kermit sang it in the muppet treasue island movie when he and miss piggy hung from a cliff awaiting almost certain death)

Yes, I am more traditional and like lyrics you can actually hear rather than loud brash bashing music...unless it's a bond tune...So what's your five?

kompangs,selendangs and a katak...

The 50th Asia Pacific Film Festival...is held in kuala lumpur malaysia....admist kompangs,selendangs and a katak...

an International Actress falls as there was a small step down in the red carpet...she's not careless...it's a quite stupid construction at istana budaya(our national theatre),during the launch night the food served consist of satay and chicken drumlets...the amount they prepared was really small and food finished as soon as it served leaving international delegates to wander around seeing if there is any left,and major amount of malaysian crowds at the various launchs look like obedient government servants in nicely pressed batik who disappears as soon as the minister leaves....

That aside, it's a film festival so films not being shown(not even privately) due to content (people taking off baju!) is a travesty... Malaysian born Taiwanese filmmaker Tsai Ming Liang speaks his mind about co-production when asked whatabout a malaysian co-production for his highly critical films..."you usually co-produce with a stronger party and not a weaker one...besides malaysia too conservative!" Malaysian films are also noted for being mere advertorials of the country's muhibah and culture...not so much a product of it but a direct intepretation of it...and in a co-production, he may have to abide by limitations as such and do what they(the co-producers) want...however, if it was a co-production with france...they let him do anything....but he has praise for his home country...malaysian passport very good...no need visa for alot of countries...not like taiwan passport! Still...back to the issue of censorship limitation...Tsai has this to add...why my film can't be shown in this festival? Is it because someone takes off his clothes? Does it mean that someone takes off his clothes it is pornography? I don't think so because if it is then how did my film win major awards in Berlin film fest...

kinda busy so aside from the briefs above....free movies at KLCC and Midvalley today and tommorow...tickets on first come first serve....and in signing off...show the movies damn it!!!!

Malaysian Idol blog has been finished...do comment on what you think of Malaysian organization and also censorship:P

Friends! Help Our Animal Friends!

As you may be aware, the SPCA started a petition
to the prime minster to raise the cruelty fine from
RM200 to a significantly higher fine of around
RM10,000.00. The petition, which included the
signatures of supporters, was supposed to be
handed to the prime minister in October 2004.
However, this has not happened, as we only
managed to raise 20,000 signatures.

Due to the insufficient number of signatures
collected during the first phase of this petition, the
SPCA is entering a second phase in hope to
collect at least 100,000 signatures locally and
internationally.

Therefore, we are now entering a phase II stage of
the petition whereby we would like you to join our
effort for this cause. Please download the petition
forms. Kindly photocopy it and distribute it for
signatures to be collected. The more names we
have, the better.

On behalf of the animals, thank you very much for
your support.

Please sign the SPCA petition at
www.spca.org.my.

Malaysian Idol

Froggie Idol

Idol worship is forbidden! as a Catholic...it is written in the bible 'Thou shall not Worship other Gods besides me'...I guess lots of malaysians are going straight to hell...but then it's said that the Lord's a forgiving God or I must be terribly out of context like most jihadist :p

Yes, it's Malaysian Idols grand finals at Genting Highlands! I was working a camera and got to be behind the scenes so yeah...you are reading the writing of a froggy with a silly grin.

I was up in Genting early wednesday morning and as a walk into the arena of stars at 9 am early for my 10 am eta, it was quite quiet...then slowly an army of carpenters, electricians, welders, sweepers, truck drivers slowly packed in. They were unpacking chunks of prebuilt stage pieces, welding the stage frame, nailing down loose boards, laying wires and doing all sorts of fixing up stuff while the TV3 crew layed wire tracks for the more than 16 camera setup that will be used to shoot the show.Later in the afternoon, a bunch of people would appear at the corner of the arena and they will be jiggling and dancing...early rehearsals for the show tommorow.

I would say these idols are some of the luckiest people...behind the scene so many craftsmans to build the stage, so many camera crew to setup the intricate camerawork for the show's broadcast, stage decorators to beautify their platform, dance and vocal coaches to fine tune their voice moves, lighting and sound experts, musicians and back vocals...the list goes on. Well, they are idols...meaning that we should lust for them, we should helplessly have our hearts melted at the thoughts of them, we should die for a photo opportuinity with them, we should spend endless nights dreaming of them and also we should also be lifted up by their melodious hum... in short, we should do our part and idolise them...

On the other hand, there are the type who thinks...seriously would it makes a difference whomsoever wins? They are afterall the ones who gets the glory and the glam...why should I make my contribution to the telco's bank account in support of them? Well...if everyone's thinking like that, malaysian idols may as well close shop... but technically idols do play a part in the structure of society...they are not merely a large money making machine, they in turn gives us a pleasure...a smile in giving us something to escape to, something to aspire to, something to look up for and something to be proud of collectively...

Yes on a larger scale, our idols in sports, in arts, in movies and in song (unfortunately not our ex F1 driver)represents the best of us as a country...and puts us on a world map...it give the country an image that would in turn serve an economic and cultural and significance...

So how do you get to such a place and become an idol? Well, there's the good old way of working your way up the ladder...practicing with only your own believes and dreams as a driving force, going through countless rejections and hoping you reach the rainbow at the end of the storm before you give up to obstructions and difficulties...otherwise...there's the other way...appear on malaysian idol and hope you make the cut. Be interesting to gauge from you guys out there which is the better way...so feel free to leave a remark on your opinion, your say...

That said...I was hard pressed to vote for my idol of choice...to whom should my vote swings? I thought I base it on whom smile at me more times the three days I'll be here and often weaving between them doing my stuff...at the end...losing counts of inexhaustable smile I decided to throw my vote the underdog's way...hey everyone deserves a chance to be an idol... :)

Hunky Sized Malay Running from Toy Sized Dog

Last night this frog was working very hard until I felt like going to the mamak for a drink. I think this middle age father like man was very glad I did that...as soon as I got downstairs of my apartment, there was this man running about chasing after his daschound(is that the spelling?)

It was really funny...he brought it out for a walk and his leash came loose...now the little dog was just trying to have fun and find companionship running up to the malays walking into the apartment but they were petrified running about silly...and when that happen what's a dog to do? chase after lah...very funny scene...a hunky sized malay running from a toy sized dog.So I decided to help the poor fella get his dog...whereas he went for the chase like stupid approach and telling from his look he's been at it for some time...

I did the kneel down to his level and puppy,puppy,puppy approach...it worked...he came running to me and was caught...the man was like thank you thank you thank you! I got licked all over the face...and normally I wouldn't be concerned, it was fun but of late someone I know passing because of hepatitis did make me reach for the nearest bathroom to have a wash...

Happy Merdeka Everyone

a Frog on Flags and a Happy Merdeka day…

Merdeka means independence and on the 31st August of every year, Malaysian’s would go out in full force to celebrate our ‘Hari Merdeka’, our Independence Day or so hoped the ruling party. It’s now 5.30 pm, I am working on my computer and thinking what can I do tonight to usher in Merdeka day. Was pretty busy, so didn’t make advance plans; so there’s nothing on the cards yet for me. Standing alone in my room and singing the negaraku at the stroke of midnight accompanied by the live broadcast on TV feels pretty lame…so I do feel like getting something on the cards and quick. I message one of my friends…hey any plans for tonight? Expecting a yeah, let’s go celebrate Merdeka with the crowd, I get instead let’s go shopping…it’s the last few days of the mega sale. Another friend said yeah…Redbox and karaoke…very patriotic presuming they are there to sing negaraku, but the chances of them crooning bad renditions of pop tunes are far more likely.

Thoughts got me hungry…I decided to go downstairs and acquire an Otai Burger (A new variation of the Ramli has surfaced it seems, Mc Donalds watch out). Things doesn’t seem so ‘Merdeka’ but at least I have got my flag flying from my window…I thought as I peered up between the leaves to see my flag. It was unsettling, in my hugely overpopulated high density condominium block, there’s only a mere 4 flags. I kid you not….In the whole six apartment blocks that made up the Kelana Puteri Condominiums, I hardly see any more than 10 flags…inclusive of two on the guard house placed by management. A glimpse at Kelana Putera down the road fared no better…the two blocks in my view had a Malaysian flag count of 0. More prominent were TO LET and FOR SALE call 012…. signs.

After getting my burger and going back up to the apartment a malay dude gestured at me and I said to him, ‘satu block bagunan besar, kurang 10 bendera…’( One huge apartment block, less than 10 flags…)He laughed in agreement...but remarked…ya, kerajaan tidak bagi kita, mereka patut beri…(Yes, the government didn’t give us the flag, they should give it to us…) For crying out loud, are you that poor you can’t buy one? I said at heart…sampai hati kata macam tu ( he really can have the heart to say that!) golly, so if I look out of my apartment window and the scarcity of the flag in kelana jaya area must be an appalling indication of onset poverty? Can’t buy a flag….good golly…

Anyway, there are many buildings in the city out there with flags and declaration of merdeka aplenty, there are cars enveloped with flags, there are beautiful commercials firing our spirits on TV…but I just wish…I just so wish that here in Kelana Jaya, admist the ordinary folk in my condominium block and its surrounding areas and you my dear reader would be so grateful as to fly the flag…maybe not this year but please remember next year. As I type this, there the sound of a flapping flag outside my window in tune to my pecking of the keyboard…it sounds nice…to my friends and all Malaysians out there… a Happy Merdeka Day!

Writer's Note: Blog version...Original writing much longer slated for magazine publication later.

Recharge Revelations and a Working Frog

I was introduced to raves and parties from work actually, being one much preferring the solitude of a good book, the breeze of a beach or the greens of a jungle. Now some of my friends think I work the coolest job in the world…I like to think so too…who doesn’t like to think his/her job is cool? but a friend of mine, training to be in the medical field has a job so,so,so,so much more interesting and cooler…even in her studies, she cuts up dead people for forensic , deliver babies…and a whole lot more…I guess it reduce my work to quite cool, much better than office work anyway heheheh… but the key word here is the word work… part of what I do is to provide MCP (multi-camera productions) and videography for event coverage. In short, I get paid to go to events and provide video work whether it is shooting the event or set up a multi camera production. Hence how I find myself… camera, microphones, video lights and tripods at hand in Recharge Revelation beach party in Port Dickson on the 20th August 2005. All ready to provide video coverage for the party …But who wants to know about work right? Let’s talk about Recharge Revelations…

For some, an avenue to beat the stresses of a modern workday, for others the avenue to beat boredom from not working and loafing about at home anyway, for rebelling, for music, for dancing, for picking up chicks…for partying… 23 000 people found reasons to show up, get tickets and fill the two dance floor (Recharge and Revive) of Revelation, there’s at least 1-2000, I guess that’ll sneak in without tickets and another good 2000 more standing outside not having a ticket. The last revelation was held in Genting, this time it’s at the beach as Genting didn’t really fancy the crowd cramping up it’s system anymore after the jam packed Zoukfest in March this year.

So down to the beach we go… and the fun to be had from this party. There’s the usual cigarette girls who would peddle a box to you every ten feet, superstar DJs that spins and puts the crowd into a trance fusion of blissful dance decadence and of course his loud music that feels like an extreme pace maker if you walk pass a speaker. Some party people really have hearts and eardrums of steel as they stand a whole night in front of these speakers oblivious to it. But incase someone need some reprieve there’s a recharge spa where you can have a rub down…but the quality of the massage is dubious as I belief the masseuses to be selected more on look than any true massage skills. In addition to that, there’s a cool down juncture where there was a rain of water coming down for anyone to dance in the water. A brilliant and quirky idea were a few big beach balls that were left for anyone to toss about and have fun...they were really tempting me to quit work. Now, I wonder what’s my strange affection for BALLS…to move on, Revelation also had a place to dine and tents where you could get freebies and drinks.

To complete the picture, a ferris wheel with a clever twist...as you jump into one, a ‘loved one’ at hand and go wohhoooo! an opportunity to be alone and make out, you hear jeers and screams of delight from the crowd…yes, there’s a camera setup in your private domain and it’s broadcasting live for all to see on a huge screen....that is if they all aren’t already too busy peering over at the vast amount of skimpily dressed bodies of both boys and especially girls. Some where even pouring beer all over themselves… Well at least, it’s not Genting…they wouldn’t catch a cold and this is a beach party so who am I to be prudish… As the party went on… sometime late into the night, fireworks and a zeppelin proudly proclaiming the words REVELATIONS filled the sky…ahh…the music, the lights, the crowd, the wet bodies, the wonder…the work… reebit! : p

P/S the Cross is the picture above was a picture taken from a guy’s shirt…amongst all the ‘heavenly morale’ things at the party there was this cross blinking sumore!

someone : )

we emailed...we sms...we called...we met...we to be continued

someone...

Recharge Revelations at Port Dickson is over...pretty cool beach party...will blog about it later...but anyway...smiled to someone who smiled at me when I was there...then we both sort of like ask 'do I know you?' at the same time... then we found out that we really didn't know each other...but started chatting for a while.....someone from One Academy who studies advertising and has a pretty smile...I didn't get your number!!! ahhh kicking myself now...hope you find your way here as I told you my blog...if I am right and you like to have coffee somewhere...do email me your contact at linus_frog@yahoo.com.... otherwise...leave me a message herelah...

Linus

Frog : Episode 1

In the year 2000, I made a little film called Demolition Frog. It's a story that I had to tell about a little frog taken from his family in a rice field to become the subject of cruel laboratory tests. The frog is left in a beaker yearning for family and home.I guess it's a release of buildup of angst I have against the mistreatment of animals by us, the self appointed rulers of the universe. The film's success and subsequent screening in film festivals in France, Manchester, Phillipines and Thailand was largely unexpected...but I am needless to say very happy.Being more determined than ever and ambitious, I wrote a second story Frog:Episode 1. It's a prequel, this time it's my small comment about our we seem to take our environment for granted...seems kinda timely seeing the haze and all... but I never got started having my attention being taken away by firstly trying to get a sponsor for the project and then my other interests of painting, my gradually building and busying career, SEPET, my other project Ordinary Miracles (tentatively shelved due to a lack of budget and me not wanting to compromise on a story of my beloved hometown of Kuching)

That's the problem with the practice of art and creating anything...it really only take the initiative of being able to pull yourself away and committing to something...and yet that is in itself asking alot...from the idiotic distractions modern life tend to throw at us.I mean nowadays even important family matters are sometimes put aside and left to mount into huge problems in the course of a busy day...however, it is strange to note that while matters of self and heart gets placed aside, most of us would eventually finish work that brings in the dough...goes to show how important money really is huh?

Demolition Frog was a clay animated project. It's a traditional form of animation that is done physically; the shot being made from posing clay models instead of manipulating pixels on a computer...needless to say, it's an ardous task. So why do it? I have friends who are telling me to tell the story with software like maya or lightwave... but I much rather do it with clay...why? Well, there seem to be certain sentimentality, a feeling, a romantic quality to clay. When I was in Thailand, I marveled at the temples…the small drawings that filled the massive temple walls each in it little way gave the place its total charm. It must have taken ages to do those drawings which aren’t in anyway manufactured…but slowly hand drawn by artisans. Hmm…In some ways we have de-evolve as it seems we are all less and less reluctant to put heart, sweat and time into doing something worthwhile but want to emphasize on as fast of a turnover and financial profit…and hence why, not to be a hypocrite, I am doing it the hard but gratifying way…I want the frog films done with clay… (I intended to do Ordinary Miracles with cell…25 hand drawn frames a second)

Two out of three young people, answered my offer to work on Frog. One’s a student the other a freelance graphic designer. They were like everyone, busy with their own lives, but they loved the story at hand, were concerned and they called as we were building up to the starting day…one didn’t take my offer even though she initially told me to give her a chance and said she like to try out productions. I guess she wanted the more glamorous acting type roles and balked when I said the words ‘hardwork’. Ah well…two out of three ain’t bad.

So we started on the 12th of August 2005, wie jie showed up at my apartment at approximately 2.30pm, I jumped out of bed from a really late night and we began… he was new to this so it’s up to me to gauge the task at hand and instructed him on what to do. Firstly, we evaluated, sized up the scope of the project and what we had to do…then we started….We worked humbly, seated on the bare floor of the living hall of my apartment with low chairs wrapped in newspaper serving as our table and work space…there isn’t any air conditioning but it was quite cool…the haze was went away on the day we started work (I initially wanted to reluctantly cancel due to the haze)…God’s gift I suppose… Later that day, Hooi Yee joined us…she’s also new to clay but a trained classical animator. Over two days, we modeled leaves, trees with wire and paper, we fashioned land from plasticine, we painted toy tractors and flavoured them to look more like authentic dirt and rust filled vehicles. Every once in a while we stopped to have a break and discuss directions we are heading, sometimes we scoured my animated film library for inspirations… As we worked, all the while we joked…talked about stuff (some dirty…cheng! cheng! cheng!) and I guess had fun…hard work isn’t all that bad.

So the journey has started….I am very… no freaking happy…I finally pulled myself away from trivial distractions and life’s sometimes stupid busy-ness and got started on t Frog Episode 2. To wie jie (who I jokingly call wicked) and hooi yee…my many and sincere thanks…and let’s hope that we follow this good start and finish a great film…

NOTE:
Frog : Episode 2 is self-financed meaning I am paying out of my own pocket. Cost include raw materials, technical equipments and expenses, petrol and transportation expenses, meals for crews and other miscellaneous cost. If excess money is raised, volunteer crew will be paid. Anyone else SERIOUSLY interested to contribute to this film…whether as a volunteer crew or to offer some financial help whether big or small do contact me at linus.frog@gmail.com with the heading HELP FOR FROG FILM. Sponsorship welcomed whether in money or in kind - equipments. Credits can be arranged, while gratitude and thank you‘s’offered with all my heart. When done, I hope to sell the film on VCD with proceeds benefiting the Malaysian Nature Society or another environmental based charity(as yet arranged)

Inquisitive Malaysians

I fell asleep early last night, actually I was just taking a cat nap seated on the floor while resting my head on my bed but I somehow fell asleep and crawled up semi consciously onto the bed later. Too tired from not having slept the night before…I awoke at 4 am and being quite awake I decided to get my butt up to do some housework…putting laundry into my washing machine and collecting used bowls that littered the apartment. Romantically musings that I would be moving out of here soon, my home of six years…
I will be moving to a house next to a park with a pond, waterfall and turtles…a more froggie happy environment as opposed to this, a over populated condo next to a highway with some uncivilized people often defacing the lifts and the walls. But it has been a good home for me…I will miss it.

Then suddenly, I heard a police siren…then like how thunder follows lightning…a screeching sound and a bang! There has been a traffic accident on the highway again…I hear a crash approximately three times a year….my current apartment face the highway outside the new giant kelana jaya and it is like the perfect accident spot…screech bang screech bang…screech bang is as common as the mat motor and their oh so silent engines at night.

Anyway, as I was peering out of my apartment to try and see the crash but as of the haze which is bad…I can’t see anything much…and being the ever inquisitive (Kay-po in a better word) I decided to drive out and see what’s wrong…upon reaching the site I saw a police car and a civilian vehicle banged up. Nested my car on the side of the road, grabbed my camera and went on to be inquisitive…

This is hear say from the crowd of other inquisitive people that began building at the site. A police car was rushing down the road going the opposite direction of the traffic chasing some mat motor in a lethal weapon style. Civilian car unaware crashes into the police car…mat motor gets away…leaving an accident site with a growing number of spectators…Nobody died but I heard the two police men broke their legs while the man in the car was totally fine and walking about having only a glitch in his neck that he was trying to shake off from the looking of his car…the scene was very muhibah…there were Indians trying to help out, Malays trying to wave at oncoming vehicles to slow them down and Chinese busily taking down the car plate numbers…there on, pictures speaks a thousand words so I shall leave you to that….

After 30 minutes and having enough I decided to leave the scene…there were also angry looking police officers with what looks like an M16 so I don’t want to be shot accidentally…people with SLRS could be prime targets…so I walked off…to my surprise as I got back to my car there were at least ten other cars parked in front and at the back of me by the side of the road…Malaysians are very inquisitive… : p

Linus

Froggie's First Kiss

Hey Everyone...

Sorry I've been away...got alot to do...handling the entire pensonic TV campaign that is launching end September so I hardly have time to breathe...sigh

Anyway, it has come to my attention that I hardly blog in an irrelevant way and my blog looks more like editorials...so since a friend of mine started a thread about first kiss, I contributed and thought I bring it here too...so here's my first, dare I say, horific kiss...

Anyway...kiss stories...well I have not got much experience in this department...anyone care to teach? *hint* ;P

Anywy, am not someone who test on innocent pillows or cousins or outside tuition but hey I am not heartless okay? I wanted it badly too,it's just that I m too shy...so due to self restrain (either that or nobody really kiss frogs!) my first kiss was held off until I was like 19 or so, and my first girlfriend. cheng-cheng-cheng!

It was sometime in July 1999, I was courting my ex clumsily for quite a few months...I hinted many times...I always said I want to find a girlfriend and have my first kiss before the new millenium.. infact I wanted my first kiss at the dot of the millenium...

Anyway, I was in her room...she finally said yes to this clumsy complusive obsessive stalker ME!(hey, I've got no sister or many girlfriends to show me the ropes of relationship ok)

Having heard that I always wanted to kiss during the millenium, she teased me...
so you want it now or you wanna wait...the devil!!!

I say I dunno...up to you.And she said...ok, we'll wait and I am like 'auuuuggghhhh' inside...I didn't know what else to say...I have ingeniously screwed my situation...then we hugged and she asked again...now or wait...I said another stupid thing...my lips are dry...she's probably like '!!!!' by now...then I said ...nah let's not wait...and she jumped on me...I was petrified! I thought

kiss = a soft plucker after two of you close your eyes, gently and slowly bend in to one another

...what happened was this big wet sucker was attached to me and something is pushing hard against my teeth which I grit together in absolute fear!!!...It took a while and then I gave up and my mouth got invaded and I was no longer a 'virgin' kisser...Not that I don't like french kissing but today I live longing for that one sweet kiss...just the innocent peck that I never had and will never have again...sigh...

A friend of mine had this same story actually...and said to me hey...I always thought that my first kiss had a taste of vanilla or chocolate..but it was like eww...wet and soppy tounge and all.

So yeah...If only I had kissed another someone who's never been kissed...and we discovered together oh what fun you can have with a tounge rather than having it jabbed right in...well that's the froggie's...so what's yours... : P

someone... :)

Glittering, Glamorous Lights and a Frog.

On the 17th July 2005, PWTC was suddenly crammed with so many filmmaking industry who’s who and a whole host of cameras vying to capture their smiles that a can of sardine would say they have ample room to move about. The event was the 18th Malaysian Film Festival (FFM18-Festival Filem Malaysia ke-18), the Malaysian equivalent of the Academy Awards. Everyone knows what goes on in the Kodak Theatre… cinema online has a lowdown on what goes on in our own ceremony as yours truly covers from the point of view of an invited guest.

Long red carpets stretch the length of the corridor on the 4th floor of the PWTC. Movie posters and balloons line the glamorous walkway where celebrities are lit from a constant stream of flashes and reporters vying for their attention. Once inside, an usher will guide the nominees to the appropriate seating at the front of the theatre. There’s an upper floor of spectators and fans in attendance, those lucky enough to win a ticket to the ceremony from road shows held prior. Once seated, a wide video screen that extends the length of the stage, two big video screen beside it that shows you the live telecast, a camera on a giraffe crane that swoops over the crowd and a many busy people serves to further ignite the excitement of the night.

A while after I am seated next to Auntie Fati, Sharifah Amani’s Mother and a winner from a previous Festival Filem Malaysia, the ceremony began with a obviously Cirque Du Soleil rip off as soldiers descent from the ceiling on ropes. Funnily, the motive include some of them landing on the ground and point guns into the crowd with weird semi-stern faces. Then suddenly a pile of film ( it kinda looks like a pile of garbage) on stage come to life with silver dressed dancers. Next up, our host for the evening, Bob Lokman and Linda Onn took hold of the microphone and it’s the moment of truth for all nominees in the crowd. The first award of the night went to Gangster for box office collection. It’s a surprise that they are presenting this award at all, as though Gangster lead the pack in ticket takings; it took a mere two million something ringgits, which isn’t really much to scream about.

The ceremony continued with stage performances intertwined with awards but after an inspired performance of Kayu, the others like Pontianak Menjerit, Gerak Khas, Gangster and Puteri Gunung Ledang were lackluster with the gerak khas song? bubbles? To be brutally honest, the choreography of the dance seemed rather repetitious and when the dancers were getting into set pieces it became a little clumsy too. However, amusingly edited backing video with bullet shots like that seen on time crisis video games serves to sway your attention away from it all (Writer’s note: FFM should all learn how the academy awards uses simple fades to really dramatic effects) As a whole, the presentation at least gets you get engrossed in a myriad of colours and an applause to the fact that they tried... Other highlights…hmmm….‘bagus cina menang!’ was heard coming from the crowd when Saw Teong Hin won best director.

A truly Million Dollar Baby / Aviator moment ended the night as Bob Lokman said ‘pemenang filem terbaik ialah’ (the best film is) and squinted his eyes…to loud thunderous cheers!! At this point Amani reached over and grabbed this frog to go out on stage. Enjoy the pictures!

Self Help for Filmmakers

Self help seminars are all the rage nowadays with big names speakers like Anthony Robbins of ‘Awakening the Giant Within’ fame making it to our shores so it is hardly surprising that the local filmmaking industry with the initiative of one man in particular, Mr. M.P. Nathan, is looking to import Hollywood expertise to our shores. Self help for moviemakers anyone? Welcome to the Action Cut Seminar.

This seminar is returning after an initial bout in 2002, yup…they did it once before, all the way out in the now down trodden dessert that is cyberjaya but to their credit they have manage to arouse enough interest and collaborations even then (yours truly was there in attendance) to lure Mr. Guy Magar back for a second round. It is hardly surprising that the seminar is now within much reachable venue, that of Sunway University Campus.

Anyway, seated at my desk upfront here in Sunway, my arsenals of stationary primed, I feel so much like a schoolboy once more waiting in anticipation of a teacher who’s flying in from that mystical place of filmmaking Hollywood. Yes folks it is Hollywood Comes To Malaysia right here today! A quick glance around, I see some familiar faces…Actors - Aflin Shauki, Animator -Syed Hassan, Film Critic -Hassan Muthalib, Infamously Vocal Producer David Teo of Metrowealth, Commercial Director - Virginia, K.L. menjerit’s Director of Photography - Mukriz, Film Exhibitor Yvonne of GSC, Film Distributor Patrick Wee of Audio One and even Dave, the Camera Department personnel of film equipment rental house F.E.G. Among them, sits an army from Finas and other companies, all geared to up their game I suppose… in this seminar.

The compulsory speeches and thank you starts the day leading up to the launch gambit where the James Bond theme screams out from the speakers with confetti cannons blasting left right corners effectively awaking those still sleepy in this cold Friday morning.

blah blah blah blah.....FULL VERSION IN CINEMAONLINE...blah blah blah

After a day, everyone looked tired but appropriately enlightened with a wealth of information. Pacing for the seminar was good and the information relayed made you felt satisfied, an ‘Ooomph’ if you will. Audiences earned a quite through understanding of the process. Though its not what I don’t already know having been in a feature film, producing commercials under my company and also having sat through Action Cut 3 years back, I personally gives the thumb up for Guy. It’s nice to have what basic essentials of filmmaking you know sorted out for you, re-looked and reinforced. In the words of an Akademi Filem Malaysia graduate, it’s equivalent to an entire semester of pengarahan ( direction ) and penerbitan (producing classes).

Urgency and the Need to do.

the need to do… very small words...

How come we can go to school and study when we cannot do so at home? Or so it seem so to me it's because we hapless beings become stingy when it comes to giving a measly donation but willingly fork out huge sums of money to pay for tuition whether it be an after school tuition or in the context of college. Remember that line from Good Will Hunting? Something about books and how one can choose to actively better oneself through books at the library? There're so many books out there...if you are armed with a basic workings of how to read (you'd be surprised at our literacy rate)... technically you can bring yourself to the ranks of any scholar if you just work at it and consume information like how we say consume food when we are hungry...Given, it is not an easy nor fun task...hence the meaning of the word DISIPLINE hence why we have to have tuition so we can be whipped and forced to do so by our tutors...

I am provoked to writing this because today (July 10th) I was talking to a friend about when he will start shooting his own film. Correction, I wasn't talking but sneering him as to when he will start. Rewind a little...this friend of mine is a hardworking crew member of a huge production entity but that's all he does...he's a crew. He doesn't get any say whatsoever and he doesn't get much real satisfaction from what he does...he always whines about how he admires independent filmmakers who have day job and yet prolifically makes films. He longs to tell his story like them but never seem to start despite me offering as a friend to give him the support both technically and morally. Duties as a friend and as a filmmaker who craves tales, I want to see his stories told too and wish I could kick his skinny but lazy ass to work on it. He tells me a good premise. I say work it into a story and write it down. Foward one month...we meet up, he has yet to write anything saying he wrote it already in his head...I say fine...next week...a week pass he says he cannot write it out in English. I say fine...write it in chinese...a week later I am to repeat my frustration again due to another excuse...The world can be filled with excuses...I don't have my homework...my dog/cat/hamster/turtle ate it...the wind blew it out of my hand...it got soaked as my mum spilled her drink...I used it to wipe my smelly ass as the public toilet has no toilet paper...yeah right....an excuse is an excuse...you didn't do IT! Hence the work is undone, unfulfilled and uncreated…human kind didn’t progress….end of story.

In a world where lock stock and barrel half hearted merely money making shop-lot colleges proliferate and where we are all too consumed by the word intelligence, degree and graduation, I think we missed the point entirely…its all a matter of discipline and taking an initiative…I would say. The world’s smartest can be beaten if by mere means of overpowering and overthrowing his need to do.This article will be continued... I need to watch a movie.

SEPET amongst the stars

Just moments before writing this, I received an sms from a lady excitedly exclaiming that SEPET is HMV no.1 best selling Asean film in Singapore. That lady has every right to be happy, her baby, SEPET has touched hearts, is loved by many and has claimed a number of firsts for a Malaysian film. To add to it’s mantle, it has become the first Malaysian film to play in Nokia Starlight Cinema. Ahh…the starlight cinema, though there is always the risk of rain, the presence of the occasional irritable insects, no soft seats to cushion your butt; there is a certain wonder of watching a film in starlight cinema, of watching a film under the stars amidst open skies and friends sharing a mat laid out in a field. Take off your footwear and short grass gently brushes your toes that curl in bliss. In addition, tonight there was also SEPET.

In the field there was a mix; hardcore SEPET fans whom seen the film before and has come for another serving, new crowds who have come to see what all the news about, as well as their unknowing friends who are about to discover a little movie about a chinese boy, a malay girl and an unforgettable love story. Just before the movie, the making of it was screened as to share with the crowd the joys and friendship that was born in making this film a year and a half ago in the land where pomelos are aplenty Ipoh. After the short video my two friends Sharifah Amani (ORKED), Ng Choo Seong (AH LOONG) and I presented a few gifts consisting of sepet T-shirts and posters to the crowd. It’s then that I have an odd feeling that a few of the collectables have been nicked, as there were fewer that I brought to the site. I should frisk all the staff of starlight. hahaha.

Then it came time, the lights dimmed and the movie starts…me, Choo Seong, Sharifah Amani and another cast member Alan Yun (Jason’s brother who answers the phone, one of Malaysia’s top models) sat and it bated breath just hope that they loved the film. Throughout the film we reminisce, we made fun (Alan jokingly stood and clapped momentarily for his short bat an eyelid and miss it moment in the film) and we changed dialogue (take for example … add lib dirty dialogue to Ida and Harith’s not naughty enough bed scene) Then, the film ended. It started with some starlight staff asking for autographs on their crew tags and lead to a whole queue of people with this funny grin asking for autographed and photo opportunity. After quite a number of John Hancocks, smile and flashes, the crowd cleared…as we walked out of the field, I just thought how fortunate it was for me to have this experience of being in this film…and also how surreal it was for me to have once watched a film here to be now on screen and making people laugh teasing Jason about cutting of his little brother. I was snapped out of the trance when I received a text message, “Thanks for the invite, enjoyed the movie and looking forward to the sequel ” I am a tad sad that my character will not make it to the sequel but you’ll have the sweet Orked and the King of Puteri Gunung Ledang who has a controversial LRT ad... Adlin Aman Ramlie. Your goose bumps up yet?

Leap for the rainbow

A FEVER, A QUARELL...HAPPINESS
I shouldn't be all too happy as I just quarrelled with a friend and I have a hint of a fever... with a sore throat and a heavy forehead...allright...maybe I do have a fever...but I am happy...no I am not some sadist machoist to love pain... but I am happy as I view all this difficulty as part of my journey towards my goal...you see the fever was brought upon by nights awake finishing off my workload to earn my keep and the quarrell is over silly interpersonal stuff brought upon by you guessed it...a conflict of ideals in a shared dream to make films.

IN ANOTHER LIGHT
Talking about films, in a movie called Ask Me If I am Happy, the opening scene was of a dying man asking the audience to ask him is he happy? after he illustrates that happiness can indeed come in some funny ways...the diver who wanted to explore the depths of the ocean dying after he reached the sea bed... the climber who died at the peak he conquered...are they happy? Well happiness comes in funny ways...

WHAT SADNESS BRINGS
...some of my more morbid friends tend to look at life through a looking glass that's obviously tainted with sadness because I think life's wonderful with all it's dilemma being a sprinkle of pepper...what is a story's peaks without its lows? Being at a lowest point just mean there's only one way to go...up.Tragedy is often comedy it is said...you just have to know where to look...even in the Tsunami there was a silver lining...it watered down an acheh gearing for a civil war.True enough there are losses and sympathy to be had...we should grief for those at loss or lost but its a collateral of sort...we get more united in helping a nation rebuild, we again see that we are mere mortals at the wrath of nature and we learn to appreciate how fortunate we are.... rather cruelly, we also get gossip worthy news material...

EMBRACE
I see our lives as a journey...much as frodo has his trials to the mountain which made Lord of the Rings a thrill for some of us...our lives too need variety and that sometimes call for salt which as much as it stings also sterilize a wound...if you watched the pilot episode of desperate housewifes yesterday, you'll see in that an idealic life can often be less desirable than one with a flavour. and it was the flavour that made as well as attracted us to the show.

SEE
I am not born into a wealthy family but I was never left wanting aside from my crazy dreams which I chased hungrily even as a kid. At times, I wondered what it is like to be born a rich kid but also I really appreciate my upbringing that enriched me...but I had to see it...I know of friends in similiar consequences being unhappy...

GET UP
Why do we fall...the elder Wayne ask a young Bruce. So we can learn to get up. Always...always get up...things are never as bad as it looks when we are up and ready again after a fall...when I was young, I would be playing and running...when I fall, I'll just get up and tell myself it's not that bad so I can continue playing...had I gone to mother...I will be grounded and miss out on all the fun running and catching...but it is often neccesary to remember to get up...casualties who survive are often those with the will to recover and it is a known fact in business that most companies go belly up at the turning point from loss to profit.

RELATIVITY
when we are down...the floor provides an interesting angle of view but it often portray things in intimidating and horrific bigger than it is light...often, when presented or burdened with a problem...I take a cold shower, a big glass of honey and I seem to get pass the titanical hurdle with relative ease...

ROMANTIC MUSINGS
As a whole my musings today is merely about looking at disasters with a bright rose tinted eye...this last point is I think further emphasize how when romanticized a problem could be a pleasure.I don't know if this turns away girls or attract them...I very much like to be caught in a fix with my girlfriend cause in fear you will suddenly feel more protective and drawn closer to another as the common sense that there's safety in numbers dictates...I may remain single forever saying that it'd be romantic to be caught in a dire situation where you both know you will perish and have but moments to share. Relistic everyday view...I find that making up, shaking hand after a quarrel gives a great comfort...make better couples and better friends....

MORNING AFTER MIDNIGHT DARKNESS
So there is always happiness to be found even if it's in the romantic musings after...to all of you struggling with something...don't give up...and always get up.Happiness in a decision...In a storm... Leap for the rainbow...reebit!

An undated file photo shows Philautus asankai, a new species of female tree frog, at Agarapathan Biological site in central Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan biologists have found dozens of new species of tree frog over the last decade in the island's dwindling rainforest, but warn many known species are either extinct or on the verge of disappearing because of man. (Wild Life Heritage Fund/Reuters)
from http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050629/sc_nm/science_srilanka_species_dc

Saying Hellooooooo

In frog tongue, it's a mellow and low toned 'brooaaakkkk' or at least I like to think so seeing my frogs do it to one another.

Anyway, it’s a magical thing the word hello or its counterpart more street credible hi. If there was ever a word that bonded more people in the world than the word love, I guess it’d be hello as even in love, hello does often come before, writing which I am reminded of a lovely line in a film ‘You had me at hello’. Hello is also heard instantaneously with almost every phone ring, any ‘chanced-upon’ meetings with friends and even when two strange eyes meet…

It’s from a simple hello that the metaphorical ice melts between strangers and acquaintances start. It is from acquaintances that we possibly becomes friends and subsequently partners whether in business or even in love. Think back at how you met that friend you now hold dear or that person you keep close to your heart. The bond that grows from the little bridge that is hello can also see strangers miraculously progressing to unforeseen and unexpected wonders sometimes even becoming one unit, the family.

So what does it takes to say that simple word hello? It’s actually as simple as twitching the lip and the tongue, so simple sometimes I don’t understand and feel it’s sad that people don’t say hello… how sad if two strangers are meant to meet or has a blessing to offer one other but never would they do, all because of an unspoken hello. I wonder how many people might have passed, people whom I have selfishly with held my hellos. To them, I so wish I have the chance to say my hello again. Need a hello have a reason? Well sometimes it’s said and taken with disregard…. but it is a funny thing that sometimes a hello need to be provoked (by a mutual friend)…a hello needs to be forced upon (imagine a mother forcing her young shy kid to mix), a hello need to be even be chanced upon…(a meeting unplanned)

Like all things…sometimes a hello amongst friend is forgotten… with no other words said… what’s left of the spark is not a fire but a hello long forgotten buried by layers of time and day; the friendship started by the hello lay wasted a dull shade of grey... Like all things we abuse or use with disregard, a hello is also sometimes sacrilegiously used as the word to say to passing-ly acknowledge someone without any weight at heart or any space at mind…with no gist, at a party like a parrot hello, hello, hello…

But at the bright side there are good hellos…I am writing this as I said hello to two strangers the other day…at the park I met a friend who contributed to this post and an artist running by…the hello exchanged made my day bright and gay.

With this, to you this frog says hello…

Linus

Expressive Froggie!

Here are some expressive ways to present the marvels that's a froggie....contribute your stories, jokes, musings, thoughts and eceteras on a frog or frogs in general at the comments section below...first ten gets a starlight cinema double pass ticket to any show except LOTR! do leave your email so I can get the ticket to you...

starlight cinema starts tommorow!!!!!yippeee!!!!!

:P

: P

SARAWAK!!!!

A friend of my sent this to me so being proudly
Sarawak to the bone I placed it here!!!!!!

Linus

Thousands of i.d.i.o.t questions

1.hey!u swak ppl live in trees ah?
YES,we have elevators too..they're really an
engineering feat coz its not ez to fit an elevator
into a tree.

2.u guys got electricity isit?
YES..but since cost of transmission is too high
due to the geographic barriers,we use independant
solar panels n mini turbines scattered all ard,they r
exactly 30k of them!!

3.over ther got wht car?
we ride wild boar.when the plane arrive at the
airport,we take our wild boar n ride it all the way
to our tree house.

4.Got road meh?
no.just jungle trails n few roads ard town

5.u bidayuh form sulawesi there huh?
yes we r head hunters.human brain is the best
food.

6.s'wak inside sabah right?
no,we're one independent state u idiot,sabah is a
town in s'wak ;)

7.eh,sabah s'wak not the same meh?
yes!!how many times i have to tell u sabah is a
town in s'wak

8.Kuching big ha?
soso la..but we have the largest population of
stray cats in the world.abt 400k,y do u think the
city is called kuching leh u idiot?!!

9.kuching got so many cats la....
YES LA!!!how many times i have to say??

10.Kuching got malay?
duh!

11.s'wak ppl can speak english?
no.but we speak french coz we were colonized
by the french in the 18 century n then by the
aliens in the 19,so our local dialect is pretty much
based on the alien languages tht no one
understands...

12.Kuching got airport or u use boat go johor..
kuching airport is only fit for fokker.... since a
fokker cant go so far...we have to use
steamboats,no joking!!steam boats coz swak so
rich with timber,its much cheaper than diesel or
any other petrol



THE FACT!!
1.the only state to be ruled by a white RAJAH.
2.swak is the largest state in m'sia.
3.swak supports whole m'sia with its own
economy!!!now u know how generous we r !
without us....where got PUTRAJAYA??where
come KLCC?????
4.swak population is 2176800.kuching has
458,300.
5.there r 27 ethnic groups tht speaks 45 different
languages n dialects
6.70%is english literate!!
7.kuching int'l airport hosts a number of direct int'l
flights!
8.swak has never achieved independence. ruled
by the BROOKE family,given to the british
empire,offered to m'sia.
9.kuching is the most liveable city in m'sia n the
7TH most liveable city in the WORLD...even kl is
behind at 12th..
HAHA..

1.we have electricity
2.in kuching,we c mercedes benz till we wanna
puke!u fool!!
3.the only ppl tht live on trees r those primitive
homo sapiens....thousands of years ago........nvr
study kah bodoh!
4.our guys r handsome n chicks r hot.real hOt~~
5. The size of Kuching is the equivalent of..
uumm.. uumm.. the size of..
uumm.. big la big la.. {[nick: almost the size of
semenanjung malaysia,about
124,449.51 square km]
6. kuching is one of the best cities to live
in around!! yoyoyo... kuching rocks!kch kia n ppl
now we realli realli know how lucky we r !
CHEERS!!

hehehehehhehehehehheheheheheheh

Starlight Cinema Froggie Style

Apologies for being away...am busy as usual, but sometimes I do wonder if I am really really busy. I still had the time to play with a film projector and did the following...

I recently bought an old film projector...something that was thrown off the shelves when video became the hot item of town...yes, it's that old....now I spend hours fiddling away at it's knobs and sprockets...hehehehehe....it still really amuses me how 24 frame of film can pass the projector light in a second!!!

The other night at about 4 am I got hold of and screened the rushes of my brother's new short film 'wicked'onto the wall of my house. As it was a film projector and was meant for distant throws I cannot get an image any larger than a 29 inch TV even while throwing from the one wall of my apartment to the other...then suddenly I got a silly idea...I turned the projector around and wallah! I projected it right out of my window across to the other apartment block opposite mine...I was estatic and jumping about like a monkey...it was a cinema paradiso moment for me...

I ran and knocked at my housemate room...they don't sleep early either...and said...look out of the window! My housemate was worried a neighbour might call the police...then again they probably hoped the police take this psychopath away...

I believe no matter how busy we are and how little sleep we are already getting,we should make time for the needless and silly things in our lives and it is in this random creation of myriad wonder that adds flavouring to life...or at least doing so does amuses this silly little frog.

I wonder if anyone was watching the twenty minutes I ran it...ree-bit!

NOTE: Wicked shot on 16mm is the followup to crook and is currently awaiting its turn to be cut on steenbeck afterwhich it will pass strigent aaron quality control to see if it's viewable before it gets any screening....

Lightsabers and Fanfare

Are you working or are you saja datang(just come)...I asked a sith...I saja datang. Ning Baizura was equally entralled by the man...I decided to take a picture with him...it's not everyday you have a picture with a Sith Lord...I asked him if he wants his face seen...he said to me...sith lord dwell in mystery and darkness...oh well suits him...in the cinema, lightsabers are waving in the air to much cheer and fanfare...if you haven't guessed it...I am watching Star Wars III : Revenge of the Sith.


A REVIEW
Irrespective of whatever whomsoever says of the movie Star Wars: The Revenge of the Sith, it will command a big and eager crowd; some who are even bedroom Jedi with battery operated light sabers. I am no huge fan of the star wars franchise but I like movies as a whole and that in itself already got me all going, psyche up to get myself into one of its first screenings in Malaysia on the 18th May 2005, opening day. Having successfully done so, I sit and await with anticipation. As the screen turns black, I can already hear the theme playing in my head, it had already etched itself in stone at the back of my mind.

As usual the movie opens with a short summary on the recent happenings of the force, placing the audience well into the hot seat of a political intrigue and quickly making them cinema chair politicians of sorts engulfing the movie as some urgent matter at hand. Having already establishing a core by which to work, the movie immediately goes for the million dollar shot with a fleet of spacecrafts in battle peppered with explosions and a roller coaster of a camera. However, under these eyeballing attractions there is still an emphasis to tell a story. I have heard remarks from some fans that Sith has a lousy story but I think that remark just undermines its clever modesty of having an unclouded and uncontrived underlying story. Afterall, the movie having already a predestined end has the allure of all prequels, seeing how things unraveled and slowly mount up to become what they are, gives a strange satisfaction that comes with deconstructing and reconstructing anything. Done intensely but quick with just enough consideration for plot and pace, I have no complains.

I did feel that George, seeing this is the last of the six films (unless he changes his mind and do the next three sequels) began to be more playful at heart giving the robots wounded moans that’s sounded like it came from a children rendition of death in a play. I laughed heartily when 3CPO got kicked like a trash can. Adding to this, there was also a lizard beast that was so cute! These elements may seem corny to some but hey, George and frequent collaborator Spielberg’s (he’s not on this film) aim was always to make Sunday matinees.

The acting. A mix between the outrages and the serious the acting is…and that’s not something easy to pull off. Imagine having dress like a Jedi holding a lightsaber and being an actor…it isn’t easy to bring the world of star wars alive because it’s neither comedy nor noir whereby the actor can just veer right over and be either extreme. It’s a costume drama sitting on the fence and the fact that dialogue comes off the screen with enough integrity as the actors donned wondrously outlandish costume living in a land of make believe is an achievement.

The visuals of this film are far more intimate with closer static camera angles that often over shoulders without much camera drift or really wide vista shots. The colours are also very much muted down with a smaller palette being used. (Another reason for the muted colours could be attributed to the fact that this film was shot on Hi-Definition Video and transferred to film for the print that I saw. Could have sparkled more digitally)This isn’t necessarily bad but it does make the film feel much less epical in scale for me.

All in all, Stars Wars: Revenge of the Sith is an enjoyable watch as you immerse in the wondrously vivid world of George and follow it’s political intrigue with knights and light sabers out to risk all for the nation or should I say Republic. As I got out of the cinema the queue for the next screening is testimonial to its following and draw… irrespective of whatever whomsoever says of the movie.

Linus Chung

Froggy smile!

apologies for the vainity but I like this picture from an interview I had online. for the interview check out http://www.sarawakfilmsociety.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=76&Itemid=51

the cornily happy cast and crew..."When I was a kid, a book I read advised young artists to be themselves. That decided it for me. I was a corny kind of guy, so I went in for corn." - Walt Disney

smile yourself a happy day...

Expression or Depression

Yesterday I was in my car alone on the way to watch the star wars premiere when caught in a moment of sudden bliss I was singing to beribu bintang loudly and flailing my hands all over the place while waiting a red traffic light.Suddenly I looked over and there was this lady starring right at me with this look of amusement and disbelief like is this guy insane? is he allowed to drive? but seriously what's wrong with this picture?

I feel everybody is walking too straight nowadays...I really do. Aside from moments when people let loose and get down in discos I often find that people generally walk the same, talk the same and don't express anymore...it is often said that we grow up and forget our childhood dreams, losing our childish innocence in a manner of growing up...but I think sometimes it's decidedly loss by ourselves not wanting to be a fools or wanting to strangely be atypical and voluntarilly fitting in to society's norms...

This weird stiffling tendencies could also be attributed to the city lifestyle that pigeon hole us into organised, scheduled being and utterly overly stiff individuals.I feel sick to my stomach when I see the lift lobby of my apartment at about 7pm everyday...you have a bunch of zombie like people with a sad look, a shoulder droop composure and an overall depressed aura...a smile, a skip and a hug could make everyone so much happier but it doesn't happen...sometimes on occasions there is a sparkle of hope with a small smile between friends or a baby is there and an auntie is making faces but it ussually doesn't ignites...

I am going to star wars...why do we enjoy so much the cinema, a play, a song or art? ...well I think because only in an expression and when we have an expression or when we are privy to an expression do we finally embrace the perhaps intrinsic nature which we have inside as God's beings to celebrate life and thus we feel happier.

Today, fashion trends ecetera sells us happiness in desires but what I feel is that true happiness lies in being expressive... I was thinking of the word that oppose expressive for the title of this blog...non-expressive, mundane and then it hit me...depressive could be the reverse of expressive...so we should all just be expressive. If not alot, sing a little, dance a little, smile a little and see what joys you can paint into your heart with this little bits of expression...

Off to blow bubbles!

Linus

In the pictures above I am suppossedly a bad singer somewhat like a william hung character but with the haircut etc, someone said to me...you look more like rachel lee cook in She's All That...if that's true...freaky!

No internet : (

my internet's down....to those who pop by...thanks alot...will be back posting shortly after I ammend my 'connection' problem.

Froggie tank About a week ago...i bought a new little froggie for my tank.It's a clawed frog and though it sounds ferocious it's actually a very reserved water frog that just waddles around...
At only about an inch in size,I was initially a little worried about letting him run free in my frog tank with it's other inhabitants that could digest crickets its size but after some thought I decided that it should be relatively safe as my other specimens are tree frogs and peat frog which does not hunt in water and this little froggie only stays in water. I had great joy watching my frogs in the tank though it's a little annoying that frogs are largely nocturnal which means they sleep by day and wake by night which makes observation a little more difficult and the tank less interesting by day or when the lights are on.

Other than that I throughly enjoy my little biosphere of a tank with a little dry sand area for burrowing,a little shallow water where the frog could waddle and some open water for swimming.Watching frogs give me a great serenity and allows me for a moment to escape pollution both physical and emotional that comes with my city living...I encourage anyone to do the same and keep rather than eat froggies.

Symbol of Fashion and fucking Excitement?

A friend of mine recently provoked the following email which have been adjusted into a post cause it's relevant.

I think it's fun and okay for you to party...to live life while young...I wish I can have the time to experience it myself... but something disgust me about you /some of the teenagers .... I really think that one should not be wearing his/her crucifix when she/he is calling her/himself a slut or partying hard because it then becomes a fashion accessory...

Also, it's one thing to be having your 'vices' it's another altogether to have it while in full declaration of your faith and believes which totally oppose it...the difference being somewhat like fucking another guy quietly at your husband's back and strapping your husband down and fucking another guy in full view of him.

Let Jesus remain a symbol of Christ love and not a symbol of fashion and definitely don't mock him by having him there and crucifying all he stood for.Hence why I don't wear a cross though I m Catholic from birth...I am still waiting till I am ready.

Linus

something I took on the 1st April 2005...how time pass fast...just for fun!

Quick, who's the leng chai star in Vanilla Sky? Who's the director of a better tommorow? Who's the director of Jurassic Park? ...the answers? Tom Cruise, John Woo and Steven Spielberg.I think most of you will have gotten them right...but what if I ask you who's the gaffer? (person who does the lights) or the sound man? Today I photographed some of my friends who work in the film industry...not as flamboyant actors or hotshot 'chick-magnet' directors, but the often unheralded heroes behind the magic of it all...many of you have congratulated me on SEPET but two of these people also worked hard to realise that film...the other three also serve to bring you stuff like commercials, kopitiam, 3R, homecoming and Visits: the hungry ghost anthology. Please give a hand of applause to my good friends; Yoke who's was a camera assist and now a soundman, Eleanor Low the art director, Auntie Zai the makeup artist, Pitrine the production coordinator and Kamariah the production assistant! Auntie Zai has worked as makeup since I was 2 years old and she's the one who has worked on SEPET...other little foreign movies which bears her touches? Entrapment and Anna and the King! : P BRAVO!!!!!!!! Also buy Vida who deserves credit for greenlighting an article high-lighting these marvelous hidden gems!

On the 3rd of April 2004, Sunday, I had to have a haircut as I was going to play a nerdy fella in a commercial.I had to cut my hair after 8pm the day before my shoot...needless to saymy regular barbershop isn't open and so aren't a dozen or more others I had hoped to cut my hair...finally I found one that was and the poor stylist had to endure my grunts, groans and etcetera...

what to blog?

I don't know what to blog...as I do not want to be preachy going on and on with rhetorical ramblings....then there's self censorship...something very funny and embarassing happened to a friend but I can't blog about that as he may not like the news spread further than it already has..so I am here you guys but am figuring out what's worth saying before shooting my mouth off saying what amounts largely to nothing...reebit

Linus

picture from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3305285/?GT1=6428

The Pope has passed...

*the following may be religiously inclined and sensitive*

I’ve a many a post to put up today…there’s lots of things happening I want to share. But of all things I think I should put this up for this very day.

Today marks the passing of Pope John Paul II.

… I never know how to feel on such an occasion of death of a friend of a family or a stranger, much more that of a Pope. For one, I feel tremendous guilt for not having a lousier day or a gloomier day, one that I may offer up as my cross. I also feel that I should be at the church to offer my prayers for him today though I was not; being busy running around most of the day.

In the papers I see the crowds in the Vatican’s St. Peter Square and the masses with head bowed in solemn prayer, I wish in my heart like them I’d be…holy and united in prayer for a Pope, for a God, for a religion always there for me. But I am not there.

I am very selfish. For the little I’ve done, I want people to care. For the pope, only in his passing had I took notice and said I wish I’ve done more…. never have I actively followed in his agenda of uniting the people of the world and creating peace. Never have I gone beyond the promoting the idea beyond my friends, family or parishioners having to put my life at a limb or doing anything more difficult than lifting a finger. It’s that easy and ‘fashionable’ to say peace to all or forgiveness but how many of us actually go out and do it and how many of us actually still hold grudges even against small seemingly insignificant failings of our acquaintances.

For what I’ve done, I may as well be condemned…but it’s not too late…I am still alive and salvation is at hand if I’d only want and deserve it.

When I mentioned how I don’t know how to behave at the occasion of death, I am referring to an observation of mine where the deceased’s joint acquaintances take his death and subsequent wake as a reunion of sort and start talking loudly and drink gleefully…it’s funny cause to look at it in another manner, some of us are doing just that right now, going on with life as usual though the pope has passed. Please do pray for him and yourselves my friends.

P/s In hindsight it's so ironic that the previous post was mockingly about praying for me.

Pray for me...

I woke up with a big frown today,
I am terrified, petrified....in the mirror,
I saw something I can't wash away,
I had the face of a man in terror,
I contemplated 'what if there's an error'
I forced a smile but the frown chosed to stay,
I was facing the nightmare of nightmares afterall today.


I am going to the dentist today for a toothache...pray for me.

and since I am in a photo posting mood...here's more froggies!!!!!!

Malaysia Muhibah Network Ryze Malaysia!

A friend's dream come true...a birthday gathering of her friends...

...mockery is the other sincerest form of flattery...and for you stuck-up stupids at the censorshipboard board...this is a joke ok?

a place called Zouk...

Ahh....Zouk...one year in malaysia...URBAN BAROQUE!

a summary of it all...firstly...I was in zouk on good friday, so much for resolutions of becoming a good Catholic again for the year 2005! As so I don't get condemned to hell, the world better not end soon! But I was working handling the 3 video coverage of the event and I was not drinking ( I never drink )...so I guess in someways I was carrying my cross.

Infact I was so tired and so immersed in my work, I dissed a fairy (a friend) who came over to say hi...needless to say, I felt guilt...worried about losing a fairy I called and tried to find her later...she said she's downstairs I said I was upstairs so ironically she tried to find me after I called and I did the same. In the dark and crowd...we went in circles.I stumbled onto her only much later in the DJ console area...she was contorting into all sorts of funny position trying to take her pictures with an interesting frame...I admired her relentless search for the picture despite holding what's possibly the smallest of digital cameras...she held it with pride and showed a flare in what she did...we exchanged hugs and chatted awhile...probably misinterpreting one another as the room was way over the reccommended decibels... I asked her...how she(fairy likes partying and works covering events)endures this senseless senses bashing everynight...I'd die...she smiles.

Zouk launch was pretty good but all too brief. The direction of the deco and ideas like the camouflaged 'invisible' men scaring people on the way in were cool and all but it's over in like minutes...and they looked like they were rushing to blow out the candles on the cake...

I stayed on until up to about 2am trying to get more shots and giving my clients...zouk themselves more shots for their money.Then I caught wind of an impending raid...so I decided to go...wouldn't be funny to have my camera consficated...but was asked by the clients to cover some more shots inside...
I did it with a little reluctance especially so when the client says the rumour of a raid is 95% true... but ah well...commitment...going back in like 15 minutes later...the crowded hall was empty so there's nothing to be shot and I can go...went for a meal and chatted awhile with crew...then drove pass zouk again...there were police units outside with canines...glad I left or the client probably lose all their images aswell.

...A Happy Birthday Zouk...

*cough*cough* zouk air not suited to frogs!

rebbit....

Praising our bosses and clients! : P

A friend See Ming set up an impromptu gathering of friends for me to shoot a day in her life...it was one of those time where you had food,drinks,good company, new friends and have so much fun going blah blah blah.... sharing experiences.....praising our respective bosses and clients! : P

Froggies get new home!

I am so very busy but I still found time to set up my four foot tank for my pet frogs...now I am sleeping 2 hour nights to compensate...if that's not genious I dunno what is! Here one of the tree frogs float in the tranquil water...he looks happy but he worries me as after his fun in the pool he'll leap up and sleep pearching on the cover a mere inches from the tank lighting system...I am prepared and it's covered by plastic but still...you can never be too sure with electricity....by the way...would like to give a shout out to Navin and his gang at Toby's Pets at PET safari, IKANO...very helpful and nice people if you ever want to keep frogs too...

Reebit!

How we became friends!

SEPET - little wonders and how we became friends...

If it's not because of SEPET, I would not have become a supporting actor. And now I am slated to be a 'william hung' type character for a small commercial.And guess what? The producer is Ellyna from SEPET, the wardrobe Sharum is also of SEPET and Auntie Zai of SEPET is joining us I speculatively heard. hahahaha. Recently I got a chance at directing a commercial. The actor? Alan Yun of SEPET.

Happy coincidence? Well yes *smirk* :p

...forget the glory of being part of SEPET or the little hellos I get on the street; what I got most from were friends...or more appropriately a family.

At random...Yasmin, Nani, Loong(Choo Seong), Edmund, Karen, Kak cindy, Aunty Zai, Ujang, Mei Ling, Harith, Ida, Adibah, Alicia, Jovein( even though he was unable to make it for shoot at the end) Alan Yun, Karo, Vincent(the sound fella)the list goes on and on...

It's an interestingly simple process to become friends...we just had things to do together and spend time together doing SEPET and in the process of it laugh, cried, and shared. Here's some of the little wondrous things by which we become friends...

1)Choo Seong (Ah Loong) is a cleanliness freak...everything on his table is arranged in invisible grids. Nani and me (his onscreen girl friend and best friend) is otherwise.

2)Edmund (the beautiful one/ the one with the damn handphone) takes a hell of a long time to set his hair and also vainly says outloud to me (almost reciting like a parrot)...my sister (Alicia) is a hottie! when I was going through her pictures on a laptop. He is also the self appointed set massager and gives an awesome back rub!

3)Karo Khoo (the cool samseng) comes onto the rehearsal space and sees me holding a card with cindy and the likeness of a girl on it one day and says eh...where's the chic? I cried out...'kak' cindy? ada orang nak jumpa! and out comes 'kak' cindy crying ' a...siapa nak saya?' to a less that amused karo.

4)I had long hair before sepet...halfway down my back.when I had it cut for sepet...yasmin gave me a 50 cent coin for luck but she had to say don't cry baby! I guess it was prompted when I was looking very worried as 'kak' cindy's chest area was a mere inches of my face when she's doing my hair from the front.

5)A member of the cast who smokes but her parents don't know ran up to me one day as we were hanging out after rehearsal. 'Keong! Quickly! ' she called out in desperation trying to pass me a lit cigarette. I said "no thanks, I don't smoke" ....she flicked it into a bush away saying 'bodohnya keong!' in anguish. I didn't know her mother paid a sudden visit and she wanted me to JUST hold it.

6)Vincent of add audio was adamant that not even a cockroach can pass when sound was being recorded…he would freak out and call another take…now, one day we were all gathered and he was asked in for an important production meeting. They said to him…yesterday the sound department did badly! Just as he had a glint in his eye…everyone yelled happy birthday!

7)On some nights a few of us will be in Yasmin’s room and we just chatted or danced to Sam Hui as Yasmin said she wanted to use the beautiful song in her film!

8) In each rehearsal, Ng Choo Seong (Ah Loong) get two girls; Nani (Orked) and Karen (Maggie)while I get a cold hard floor having to rehearse the scene where I get beaten. It pays to be the hero.

9)Keong was also the director’s of photography’s name so after I answered a few times when they called him, I walked away once when they were calling for me.

10) SEPET was shot really quickly with one or two takes of most scenes. Fearing my acting wasn’t up to par and believing that more takes equals more quality I once said to Nani before a scene… they only take one or two takes…don’t you wish they take more takes…to her reply of yeah…that shot after that conversation we made many mistakes and took a lot of takes! Nani said Chow Yun Fatt was no John Travolta!

11) The inspiration for the annoying handphone gag by Edmund came from us relating to Yasmin that Edmund’s ring tone was annoyingly superwoman…so everytime there’s a call there’s this sudden loud lyrical rendition of I’m not a SUPER- WOMAN…I’ m not the one that you can….At one point, we took to singing along when the phone rang.

12)Me and Ng Choo Seong had to put on high school uniforms with girl school badges and carry school bags to an all girls school in Taman Tun and pose for pictures there to be used as props! After the effort it wasn't even seen!

That’s all for now….SEPET just won the grand jury prize (the top prize) at the 27th Creteil International Women Directors Festival 2005 France.Congrats to Yasmin the mother of the beautiful film and of our little family.

: P ree-bit!

Tomboy...outdated preceptionlah!!!!!

It's a hot afternoon...in a two seater Lotus Elise...we were going fast...she was a bubbly hot malay babe (Go watch SEPET!)... my eyes were trying to fixate as psychedelic images are formed before me...she was shrieking in delight...I was trying not to bump her too hard... : p

...as my camera flails left and right with the momentum of the car's incessant turning and twisting. I am having a ride with Masna Zulkifli who’s at the wheel and shreeeccchhhhh….is showing me how you twist the car and make a figure 8. I try to make whatever images I can by holding my camera and pointing blindly every which way as she maneuvers the car like a rodeo cowboy…

I am with Masnah Zolkifli, a hot MALAY babe with a thing for outdoor activities like scuba diving, fast cars, bungee jumping, skiing, para-gliding and superbikes. She’s already part of Louis Vuitton’s next generation campaign, an actress, spokesperson, a freelance interior designer, owner of a desktop publishing agency and Malaysian Youth ambassador which was conferred to her by Tun Mahathir no less. Wait, before you think she’s another showy like (proven not as good as he thinks he is) Alex Yoong, she’s displayed an understanding of self and humility…she neglected a spot offered to her on a rally car team because she thought she still have a lot to learn and is unready…my hats off to her.

Anyway, deservingly, she gonna get another award soon so here I am (enjoying myself having the champion of the K.L. precision driving challenge driving me about) working…trailing her, shooting that gut wrenching awww…. video that comes on before she receives it on stage. Seriously though, I doubt it would be gut wrenching but unnerving with a wow and a pumping soundtrack.

In her own words, she cleverly says “I not a tomboy…that’s an outdated perception of a girl active in sports!” I’d personally think she’d just one who swim with guys or better still sharks any day…and yet she’s a sweetheart, one who makes up to mummy for her gusty behaviors the rest of the year by sewing curtains with her come hari raya…but before you can say awww…she’s off with a vroom speeding down KL’s highway on her own super bike…

But that’s another story as she twists her steering violently while the other hand yanks tightly on the brake screeching the car to a stop only to look over and ask. Some more? some more?

How she’d get so far? Giat, yakin dan iklas… effort, confidence and sincerity… words with conviction and panache said of the traits she live by. Honestly, a deserving recipient of the award and a mentor for any girls or any guy or any frog for that matter…

P/s : As I chatted with her further…I learnt she’s keen on embarking on a movie where there’s a love story with action…something right up my tree so that’ll be interesting…

a day with action girl!

Stolen lines...

Stole this from a friend's blog.

The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'."
-- unknown

"Looking back, I have this to regret, that too often when I loved, I did not say so."
-- David Grayson (1890-1990)

wished my words were worth stealing!

Linus

I read somewhere that Feng shui dictates...have a frog any where in your house to enhance the good but never in the bedroom. Here, I present to you...a shelf above my bed head...

SEPET

yap yap yap blah blah blah...

yap yap yap blah blah blah...

I just got back from doing an interview for Shortcuts, a new tv show for an Astro channel by REDcommunications.How it went? Well first the host when yap,yap,yap then I went blah,blah,blah and we kept at it until our time slot is up...as usual...adding to the clutter of opinions, views and thoughts that already clog up our sad cursed lives in this contemporary world :p

I went to england and saw myself!!!

LIFE - WORK

Last week I was covering Zoukfest at Genting Highlands. In between whatever else, I was working on a research paper for University Malaysia Sarawak on Film Funding in Malaysia to add some academic work into my life…then in midweek; I had to go through a rigorous prep process for a commercial to lens on Sunday.

I told a friend I don’t have free time. My friend responded that we all have free time. I thought…hmm…

I have been really busy lately. I didn’t have time to do normal stuff like read (aside from time in the loo), workout, take walks at Taman Tun ( I am a pebble walk junkie) or do anything other than work which is to entertain to a client’s needs and execute video productions for them, be it an infomercial, a corporate video or a video coverage of an event. Am not complaining, these work does pay the bills and allow me to chase my dreams in films and spend on whimsical fancies but sometimes you do feel like asking the question why? WHY?

At times, I do feel that at this young age, this is the time for one to work hard and struggle but at times I do wish to have a more laid back life of going out and sharing time with friends at parties. Then again, sometimes I feel I don’t work hard enough and utilize the opportunities that I have been afforded by a stable loving working class family. I don’t have the shackles of having to worry about working my ass off supporting an ailing mother or to support my siblings because I don’t have a father, a situation some friends that I know endure with a brave face…so I really should not complain and be able to fly free.

So to work or not to work and am I doing my best? What is my best? And will I burn out if I work too hard? Reach your potential! What is that limit that I can go and what is my potential? I remember having read that life is not a sprint but a marathon and that I should pace myself. Every rubberband has a snapping point when its maximum stretch has been reached.

But sometimes modern life do make you feel stressed to work harder and make something of yourself to attain mainly wealth which directly links to status and to some satisfaction often forgetting the other joys of having time to yourself, your friends and your soul. An interesting point to look at it would be to look at ants…they work so hard and yet their ‘work’ is so futile in our eyes…think how God would look at us if we work really hard and forget our gifts of life.

Work is about having the means to afford your life and it would be stupid to forget life for work. Now am I forgetting life for work?

I am back...

"It's about time the frog blogged," something that someone if anyone out there who actually visits my blog would probably say...well it's not that I don't want to blog but time seem to pass so fast and at the end of the day you don't feel like it...but sometimes with certain things that iconic saying is more than true...JUST DO IT! actually that's how I started this blog anyway...so now I shall continue to write once again...

Linus

The Berlin Film Festival and the Berlinale Talent Campus were awesome and inspiring to say the least...thanks to all the organisers, established film professionals who shared and my colleagues from the world over...answering to Dieter Kosslick simple yet profound words...much love to you all and allow me to call you my friends...lets make films not war.

City of angels....Berlin

Re-bit...from Berlin city. Hello everyone from Berlin City. I am here as part of the Berlinale Talent Campus, a part of the Berlin Film Festival. It's a gathering of over 500 young and some not so young people with eager hearts, great ambition, inspired ideas and dreams of filmmaking to mingle, mix and learn to further realise their as yet buried or half buried potential.

11th February. When I arrived here, it wasn't as cold as I expected...maybe it's just the physcology of being told it's very cold and having expected the worst, I encountered much less. Straight away I prowled the streets but my wallet I kept tightly in my pocket as buying anything aside from the prerequisites of survival that's food is an absolute no due to the currency exchange which meant everything was expensive...It was not snowing here and I was actually asking people are we already heading towards springs or are we in winter...we are in winter...snow is an add on.

12th February.The second day I was suddenly struck down though....I just awoke badly and right after breakfast I vormitted. The weather became rainy and much colder than the first day as if God was turning down the termostat in response to my bickering that it wasn't cold. I ran to the toilet and vormitted a total of five times the second day...some caucasian guy actually pat me on the back and said...rough night? take it easy...It wasn't a rough night at all...I didn't drink or anything...

Second day con't. I want to eat. It was the most horrid of feelings... I am cold and hungry and vormittish. I can't eat cause I'll vormit and I am hungry cause I am cold and you'll get the picture....I just told myself...pull through and suffered the day...trying to sleep it off at the most uncomfortable way on a couch and still trying to look presentably decent...not to just slough away with my feet dangling in the air. But the people were nice...the berlinale organizers were wary of me being ill and brought me back to rest...on the way home,I decided to buy lunch anyway but in burger king I didn't make it to the bathroom and the cleaner lady was right infront of me when I did you know what... she came to my aid and brought me to the bathroom and gave me tissues after. I offered apologies to her nods.

13th February. Off the topic of vormits and ills....on the third day I picked it up...I began to eat more ( I was eating to a point where I think stop...better a little than to puke it all out. a little being a mere spoonful) and feeling much better. I guess I've adjusted. The Berlin Film Festival is awesome with happenings pepperred all over the city with a feeder bus tying the knots. Everywhere you'll see the unmistakable teddy ( a bear, the mascot of the festival) As I heard, Berlin film Festival are with the grand ambition of overtaking Cannes as the main european film festival in a few years...the Berlinale is awesome too. Everything is well though out at the Berlinale, there is this wild room where anyone can show their work, many lectures, screenings and workshops were going on at any one time and there big names in the industry came out and with eager enthusiasm buddy-buddy with us kids. It snowed today...my first time seeing snow but I didn't just ran out to play with fears of aggravating what happened yesterday.

14th February. Tired but happy. I am watching so many shorts listening to so many people...it's a great time but nontherless tiring like any endeavour. Saw a good short today called turkey girl about a girl having to offer a pet turkey to a doctor as a girt (bribe ) to cure her mother. Unwilling and unconsolable but inevitable she finally does give in asking her boyfriend to slaughter the turkey as she doesn't want it to be done in the hads of a stranger. He does so. The nest day as the girl went to see the doctors with her baskets of gifts she learns that the doctor a vegetarian! I liked how these simple minute focused life story are so good at emphasizing the humanity and the heart...

At night, we had the talent on Red carpet where we are brough en bulk like sheep to the red carpet of the berlin film festival to be flooded by cheers and cameras for us to have a feel what it'll probably be like one day when we return to Berlin...old hopefully not too old and established. The treatment be great had I deserved it....but now it felt funny....In the jam packed red carpet, Dieter Kosslick climbed up on a ladder and spoke to us all... his words rang with great resonance and though I cannot transcribed it word for word it went ...this is a difficult industry, make contact, make friends, learn to work together, respect each other and love each other....with that I bid you all love from the Berlin Film Fest!

Linus

entangled in my interest of films...just me