Bintang: Hajat Siti tercapai

Oleh Nor Akmar Samudin
petikan e-media.com.my

HASRAT Siti Nurhaliza berduet dengan M Nasir tercapai jua biarpun mereka hanya berpeluang menyanyi bersama untuk lagu tema Puteri Gunung Ledang yang akan dimuatkan di dalam album runut bunyi filem itu nanti.

Lagu tema berjudul Bagai Sakti itu adalah hasil ciptaan Nasir sendiri.

Kelmarin bertempat di GSC, Summit, Subang Jaya, Siti dan Nasir merakamkan klip video lagu itu. Sesuai dengan ‘mood’ filem itu, Bagai Sakti disuntik elemen muzik Melayu dan Jawa serta boleh dikategorikan sebagai lagu pop.

Sebelum pembikinan klip video itu diadakan sidang akhbar yang amat ringkas oleh Penerbit Eksekutif PGL, Datuk Shazally Ramli.

Klip video itu diarahkan Virginia Kennedy yang juga pengarah filem pendek, Pua yang diterbitkan oleh Elyna Effendi.

Sebelum ini Tiara Jacquelina yang juga teraju utama PGL sudah pun merakamkan lagu Asmaradana yang merupakan single pertama dari album runut bunyi itu.

Inilah kali pertama Siti bekerjasama dengan Nasir.

“Melihatkan wajah abang Nasir yang agak serius, pada mulanya sukar untuk memahami perwatakannya. Tetapi semakin saya mengenalinya, rupanya abang Nasir seorang yang kelakar, peramah dan banyak cakap. Tetapi ketika kerja dia kembali serius.

“Saya suka bekerja dengannya. Memang saya teringin hendak berduet dengannya tetapi kerana kami berlainan syarikat maka hasrat itu terpaksa dilupakan seketika kerana kami terikat dengan peraturan tertentu.

“Jikalau kedua-dua syarikat rakaman mencapai persetujuan saya sedia merakamkan lagu duet dengan abang Nasir dalam album studio penuh. Siapa yang tidak mahu berduet dengan komposer terkenal itu. Lagu dia pun menjadi rebutan apatah lagi jikalau dapat menghasilkan album dengannya,” cerita Siti.

Menurut Siti rakaman Bagai Sakti dibuat di studio Syncrosound, Petaling Jaya. Sebelum masuk ke studio dia kena membiasakan diri dengan lagu itu dan beberapa perkara perlu diubah kerana ‘key’ suara Siti tidak sama dengan key lagu yang digubah oleh Nasir.

“Mula-mula saya kena buat ‘vocal guide’ dulu untuk mendapatkan key yang sesuai. Saya juga mengambil masa sedikit untuk membiasakan diri dengan lagu itu. Kami merakamkan lagu itu hampir lima jam.

“Bagai Sakti adalah lagu cinta tetapi dalam klip video itu babak antara kami berdua dirakamkan secara berasingan iaitu seperti klip video lagu Jika dendangan Melly Goeslaw dengan Ari Lasso,” kata Siti lagi.

Sehingga kini Siti sudah menyanyikan dua lagu tema untuk filem Paloh dan terbaru PGL serta lagu tema untuk VCD Air Mata Ibu dan Zaleha Ayam Patah. Jadi bila lagi hendak berlakon?

“Saya memang teringin hendak berlakon tetapi saya mahukan watak sebagai gadis lasak. Kalau ada rezeki saya hendak berlakon filem yang diterbitkan oleh Siti Nurhaliza Production,” katanya

Laman Rasmi PGL the movie

Saudagar Mimpi baru sahaja menemui laman rasmi PGL ini.
Menarik! Dihasilkan menggunakan Flash.
Anda boleh mendapatkan screensaver, poster, gambar, wallpaper & info PGL di sana.

Movie: Puteri Gunung Ledang to be shown in Venice

Meor Shariman

Puteri Gunung Ledang, Malaysia’s most expensive film to date, will be shown at the prestigious 61st Venice International Film Festival next month.

Executive producer Datuk Shazally Ramly said the RM16 million production will be screened for more than 2,000 delegates at the festival’s Great Spectacular Midnight Films showcase on Sept 5.

“Our entry to the film festival is a milestone for Malaysian cinema,” said Shazally at a Press conference here yesterday.

He said he and his team were taken by surprise when told that the film was chosen.

“When we submitted this film, we did not expect to receive this kind of attention.”

More than 5,000 films from around the world, including Hollywood productions, were submitted for the festival and about 2,000 were shortlisted. Of the shortlisted titles, fewer than 200 were chosen and only a lucky few will be shown at the festival.

“I am proud to say that Malaysia, through Puteri Gun- ung Ledang is the only country in South-east Asia that was chosen for the festival.”

Besides Malaysia, the two other Asian countries with entries in the festival are South Korea and Japan.

Shazally said the film’s director, Saw Teong Hin, is also eligible to compete in the category of first-time directors and stands a chance to win 100,000 euros.

“Puteri Gunung Ledang made international headlines as the first Malaysian entry in a major film festival.

“The Italian media announced that Puteri Gunung Ledang was one of the festival’s brightest prospects.”

He said there was no doubt that Puteri Gunung Ledang would be screened in cinemas throughout Europe.

“We are in discussion to take part in the Toronto Film Festival in Canada, which will help ensure that Puteri Gunung Ledang gets a screening in North America.”

He said the success of the movie in gaining interest of international film organisers is proof that a local production can compete in the international film circuit.

Puteri Gunung Ledang opens on Aug 31.

The epic love story stars Tiara Jacquelina and M. Nasir.

The producers have allocated RM4.5 million for its marketing campaign.

More stories in Buzz [07 August 2004 ]:

Movie selected for Venice fest

petikan The Star 6 Ogos 2004

PETALING JAYA: It will be another glorious milestone for Malaysia's film industry, when the epic production of the mystical mountain princess, Puteri Gunung Ledang (PGL) enters the world's oldest film fest, the Venice International Film Festival, next month.

Also known as the Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica, the world-renown movie showcase, which started in 1934, will be held from Sept 1 to Sept 11.

The organisers reviewed more than 5,000 entries and selected only 200 for the final list. Among the big names that the festival is likely to draw are Steven Spielberg, Nicole Kidman and Denzel Washington.

“Our entry is a prestigious milestone for Malaysian cinema. This would be an excellent platform to show our artistic and technological edge in filmmaking at the international level,” said Datuk Shazalli Ramli, who co-produced the movie with the film's leading actress, Tiara Jacquelina.

“PGL has already made international headlines as the first Malaysian entry in a major film festival.

“In fact, the Italian media recently announced the movie as one of the festival's brightest prospects,” he said.

The RM20mil film has been shortlisted among the Great Spectacular Midnight Films that would be shown on Sept 5 at the Venice fest, which puts it in line to compete in the “First-time Director” competition.

PGL is Malaysian filmmaker Saw Teong Hin's directorial debut, giving him a chance to win a cash prize of ?100,000 if he takes the award.

The selection of PGL as an official entry in the upcoming 61st Venice International Film Festival has drawn the attention of other festival organisers, said Shazalli.

Puteri Gunung Ledang, the maiden production of Enfiniti, is a Malay-language period drama set in the late 15th century that chronicles the tragic romance between the princess and warrior Hang Tuah.

Puteri Gunung Ledang dapat sentuhan M Nasir

petikan Berita Harian 4 Ogos 2004
Oleh Suraiya Mohd Nor

MENONTON sesebuah filem tanpa muzik runut bunyi boleh diibarat seperti menyaksikan filem bisu. Mata memandang dan menyalurkan ke minda sedangkan pendengaran diabaikan sehingga hilang sebahagian nikmat tontonan.

Muzik memainkan peranan penting dalam membangkitkan mood dan memberi jiwa pada sesebuah filem. Justeru, filem Puteri Gunung Ledang (PGL) yang dijadualkan menemui penontonnya pada 31 Ogos ini, tidak banyak bezanya.

Namun penonton dapat menyaksikan satu kelainan kerana muzik runut bunyi filem ini bertunjangkan muzik etnik, meletakkan PGL dalam kelasnya yang tersendiri.

Muzik etnik - fusion antara muzik tradisional tempatan, Indonesia dan sedikit pengaruh muzik Barat, dijangka dapat memberi satu pengalaman baru lagi menarik kepada penonton PGL.

Seperti kesan khas terbaik yang membantu memantapkan filem, muzik runut bunyi juga adalah satu elemen penting yang perlu diberi perhatian. Selain paparan visual untuk santapan mata, muzik menjadi halwa telinga.

Sekiranya paparan visual cantik dan berseni, diiringi pula muzik runut bunyi yang tersendiri, membentuk citra baru pada filem kembara epik romantis terbitan Enfiniti Productions Sdn Bhd (Enfiniti Production).

Skor muziknya menggabungkan pelbagai unsur tradisional dari dua negara serumpun, diberi sentuhan segar dan baru sehingga ada kala membentuk alunan muzik seperti bunyi hujan turun mengikut kesesuaian babak.

Sebagaimana kenyataan Menteri Perumahan Sarawak, Datuk Seri Abang Johari Openg, baru-baru ini yang mahukan muzik etnik diperkenalkan secara agresif bagi membolehkan lebih ramai khalayak menghargainya, muzik runut bunyi PGL mampu memperkayakan pendengaran penonton dengan rencam bunyi kepelbagaian instrumen.

Malahan muzik etnik Malaysia diperbincangkan secara meluas dan dipersembahkan di Persidangan Muzik Etnik Antarabangsa Sarawak Malaysia Borneo, bertemakan Rhythms of Communities, baru-baru ini, meniupkan kesedaran, muzik etnik perlu sentiasa dipelihara.

Elemen etnik ini menghidupkan PGL. M Nasir mengambil masa sebulan untuk menyiapkan dan menggubah untuk filem ini. Sementara jurutera muzik muda, Tan Yan Wei mengendalikan kerja rakaman selepas cuba mendapatkan skor terbaik selama dua bulan.

Ratib, nyanyian berharmoni, muzik silat malahan tembang Indonesia, sejenis puisi yang dinyanyikan, dihimpun membentuk muzik nukleus. Kemewahan bunyi-bunyian dari alat muzik konvensional termasuk penggunaan orkestra dan sejenis alat muzik berbentuk seperti trumpet kecil dari Borneo yang dipanggil Pupuik, digabung untuk melahirkan bunyi yang luar biasa kedengarannya.

M Nasir berjaya menggabung jalin irama dengan paparan visual sebagaimana dapat dilihat dan didengar menerusi beberapa adegan berkaitan, misalnya ketika sekumpulan kuda berlari di tanah gersang dengan bunyi gemerincing perisai mereka berlaga.

Dalam babak peperangan, bunyi percussion yang semakin kuat meningkatkan ketegangan pasukan perang dan kejatuhan Kerajaan Melaka. Bunyinya seperti ombak menongkah ombak, mewujudkan rasa cemas.

M Nasir cuba lari dari bunyi gendang perang dengan menyuntik perasa etnik dalam alunan bunyi dan muzik. Gubahannya agak lain dan jarang didengar. Iramanya kaya, lebih global dan menyentuh kerohanian. Ada sinergi antara imej dan bunyi yang saling membantu memberikan pengalaman menarik.

Mutu dan ketelitian sehingga ke saat terakhir, runut bunyi filem ini turut menyaksikan duet antara M Nasir dan Siti Nurhaliza, M Nasir dan bintang utamanya, Tiara Jacquelina, juga Misha Omar.

Iramanya memukau, sesuai dengan latar zaman, jalan cerita yang menyelitkan sejarah, drama dan percintaan, ia menjadi penghubung dan pengikat naratif PGL agar tampak lebih kemas.

Mendengar hasil kerja kreatif M Nasir, membawa anda ke zaman lampau. Apapun pengalamannya, bersedialah menghadapi keunikan Puteri Gunung Ledang, bulan ini.

Puteri Gunung Ledang dapat sentuhan M Nasir

Oleh Suraiya Mohd Nor
petikan Berita Harian online 4 Ogos 2004


MENONTON sesebuah filem tanpa muzik runut bunyi boleh diibarat seperti menyaksikan filem bisu. Mata memandang dan menyalurkan ke minda sedangkan pendengaran diabaikan sehingga hilang sebahagian nikmat tontonan.

Muzik memainkan peranan penting dalam membangkitkan mood dan memberi jiwa pada sesebuah filem. Justeru, filem Puteri Gunung Ledang (PGL) yang dijadualkan menemui penontonnya pada 31 Ogos ini, tidak banyak bezanya.

Namun penonton dapat menyaksikan satu kelainan kerana muzik runut bunyi filem ini bertunjangkan muzik etnik, meletakkan PGL dalam kelasnya yang tersendiri.

Muzik etnik - fusion antara muzik tradisional tempatan, Indonesia dan sedikit pengaruh muzik Barat, dijangka dapat memberi satu pengalaman baru lagi menarik kepada penonton PGL.

Seperti kesan khas terbaik yang membantu memantapkan filem, muzik runut bunyi juga adalah satu elemen penting yang perlu diberi perhatian. Selain paparan visual untuk santapan mata, muzik menjadi halwa telinga.

Sekiranya paparan visual cantik dan berseni, diiringi pula muzik runut bunyi yang tersendiri, membentuk citra baru pada filem kembara epik romantis terbitan Enfiniti Productions Sdn Bhd (Enfiniti Production).

Skor muziknya menggabungkan pelbagai unsur tradisional dari dua negara serumpun, diberi sentuhan segar dan baru sehingga ada kala membentuk alunan muzik seperti bunyi hujan turun mengikut kesesuaian babak.

Sebagaimana kenyataan Menteri Perumahan Sarawak, Datuk Seri Abang Johari Openg, baru-baru ini yang mahukan muzik etnik diperkenalkan secara agresif bagi membolehkan lebih ramai khalayak menghargainya, muzik runut bunyi PGL mampu memperkayakan pendengaran penonton dengan rencam bunyi kepelbagaian instrumen.

Malahan muzik etnik Malaysia diperbincangkan secara meluas dan dipersembahkan di Persidangan Muzik Etnik Antarabangsa Sarawak Malaysia Borneo, bertemakan Rhythms of Communities, baru-baru ini, meniupkan kesedaran, muzik etnik perlu sentiasa dipelihara.

Elemen etnik ini menghidupkan PGL. M Nasir mengambil masa sebulan untuk menyiapkan dan menggubah untuk filem ini. Sementara jurutera muzik muda, Tan Yan Wei mengendalikan kerja rakaman selepas cuba mendapatkan skor terbaik selama dua bulan.

Ratib, nyanyian berharmoni, muzik silat malahan tembang Indonesia, sejenis puisi yang dinyanyikan, dihimpun membentuk muzik nukleus. Kemewahan bunyi-bunyian dari alat muzik konvensional termasuk penggunaan orkestra dan sejenis alat muzik berbentuk seperti trumpet kecil dari Borneo yang dipanggil Pupuik, digabung untuk melahirkan bunyi yang luar biasa kedengarannya.

M Nasir berjaya menggabung jalin irama dengan paparan visual sebagaimana dapat dilihat dan didengar menerusi beberapa adegan berkaitan, misalnya ketika sekumpulan kuda berlari di tanah gersang dengan bunyi gemerincing perisai mereka berlaga.

Dalam babak peperangan, bunyi percussion yang semakin kuat meningkatkan ketegangan pasukan perang dan kejatuhan Kerajaan Melaka. Bunyinya seperti ombak menongkah ombak, mewujudkan rasa cemas.

M Nasir cuba lari dari bunyi gendang perang dengan menyuntik perasa etnik dalam alunan bunyi dan muzik. Gubahannya agak lain dan jarang didengar. Iramanya kaya, lebih global dan menyentuh kerohanian. Ada sinergi antara imej dan bunyi yang saling membantu memberikan pengalaman menarik.

Mutu dan ketelitian sehingga ke saat terakhir, runut bunyi filem ini turut menyaksikan duet antara M Nasir dan Siti Nurhaliza, M Nasir dan bintang utamanya, Tiara Jacquelina, juga Misha Omar.

Iramanya memukau, sesuai dengan latar zaman, jalan cerita yang menyelitkan sejarah, drama dan percintaan, ia menjadi penghubung dan pengikat naratif PGL agar tampak lebih kemas.

Mendengar hasil kerja kreatif M Nasir, membawa anda ke zaman lampau. Apapun pengalamannya, bersedialah menghadapi keunikan Puteri Gunung Ledang, bulan ini.

Roll Camera, Action!: Angin perubahan PGL

petikan Berita Minggu 03 August 2004

SATU sejarah baru terukir dalam dunia perfileman tempatan apabila filem Puteri Gunung Ledang (PGL) dibuat dengan bajet melebihi RM10 juta. Kelebihan yang mencatat sejarah baru itu ialah kos pembuatannya yang tinggi. Belum pernah ada sebuah filem tempatan yang dikeluarkan dengan belanja pembuatan setinggi PGL.

Saya sebenarnya tidak mendapat maklumat tepat mengenai kos sebenar PGL. Ketika mula-mula dirancangkan filem itu dikatakan bakal menelan belanja RM8 juta. Semasa proses penggambaran berjalan belanjanya dikatakan meningkat sampai RM10 juta. Khabar terakhir yang saya dengar kosnya telah mencecah RM15 juta.

Membuat filem tempatan dengan kos setinggi PGL bukanlah menjadi kesalahan. Seperti juga membuat filem dengan modal sekitar setengah juta ringgit bukanlah boleh diperlekehkan. Dalam konteks pembuatan filem besar atau kecil biayanya bukanlah persoalan pokok dalam kaitan mutunya. Segala-galanya berpusat kepada isi dan kandungan filem itu yang akhirnya bertujuan untuk dijual kepada khalayak.

Pada saya jelas sekali PGL mahu membawa filem tempatan ke satu dimensi baru. Ia mahu menjengah dunia dengan mutu yang membanggakan. Kerana itu PGL memerlukan satu jumlah bajet yang tinggi untuk melahirkan satu mutu estetika yang mencapai tahap global.

Saya ingin mengucapkan tahniah kepada syarikat Enfiniti Productions Sdn Bhd yang membuat percubaan berani dari segi kos pembuatan itu. Tujuannya pastilah untuk melahirkan filem yang tinggi mutu seninya dan pasti pula memerlukan belanja besar. Apakah PGL berjaya dari segi mencapai mutu seni yang tinggi itu? Saya tidak boleh memperkatakan mengenai perkara itu kerana saya sendiri belum menonton PGL yang bakal ditayangkan kepada orang ramai mulai 31 Ogos ini. Apa pun biarlah penonton yang mengadili lebih-lebih lagi seni filem adalah sesuatu yang amat subjektif sifatnya.
Saya percaya harapan peminat filem tempatan terhadap PGL amatlah tinggi.

Harapan tinggi itu lahir daripada kesanggupan produsernya, Tiara Jacquelina yang berani mengeluarkan modal yang amat besar untuk sebuah filem tempatan. Saya yakin Tiara juga sudah pastinya mahu membawa filem ini ke peringkat antarabangsa. Setidak-tidaknya kejayaan yang akan diraih oleh PGL ialah melalui festival filem antarabangsa selain festival filem tempatan.

Pada peringkat global memang banyak festival filem yang bertahap tinggi dan diakui standardnya. PGL pastinya akan menjelajah ke segenap sudut dunia yang menganjurkan festival bagi mendapat pengiktirafan dunia. Festival Filem Asia Pasifik ke-49 yang bakal berlangsung di Fukuoka, Jepun pada bulan September ini mungkin menjadi gelanggang pertama.

Pengarah U-Wei Shaari pernah menempatkan nama Malaysia di pesta filem dunia apabila filemnya Kaki Bakar mendapat pengiktirafan di Festival Filem Cannes beberapa tahun lalu. Tetapi Kaki Bakar ialah filem berbajet kecil yang bergantung kekuatan kepada kebesaran idea dan daya kreativiti pengarahnya. Apakah PGL juga mampu ke Festival Filem Cannes?

Pengarah PGL ialah Saw Teong Hin yang agak asing namanya di kalangan peminat filem Melayu. Tetapi nama itu cukup terkenal di kalangan pembuat filem iklan atau komersial. Banyak hasil kerjanya di bidang pengarahan filem iklan mencapai tahap tinggi dan boleh dibanggakan.

Pada saya memang wajar peluang diberikan kepada Saw Teong Hin untuk mencuba kebolehannya mengarah filem cereka seperti PGL. Kita boleh mengharapkan idea baru daripada pengarah muda ini. Lebih-lebih lagi dia dibekalkan dengan sejumlah modal yang belum pernah diberikan kepada mana-mana pengarah tempatan lain sebelum ini.

Dalam pada menggantungkan harapan tinggi kepada PGL yang diharap lahir sebagai sebuah filem super dalam konteks dunia perfileman tempatan, ramai juga yang bertanya dapatkah dikutip kembali modal besar yang telah dilaburkan? Kalau mengharapkan kepada pasaran tempatan semata-mata amatlah mustahil. Dengan kos yang melebihi RM10 juta PGL mesti mengutip sekurang-kurangnya RM20 juta untuk balik modal. Harus diingat jumlah penonton kita amat terbatas.

Filem Sembilu 2 yang diterbitkan pada tahun 1995 masih lagi memegang rekod kutipan filem Melayu yang paling tinggi sebanyak RM6.4 juta. Rekod kutipan tertinggi bagi filem import pula ialah filem Titanic yang telah membuat kutipan RM11 juta semasa ditayangkan di negara kita.

Tetapi saya difahamkan PGL bukanlah mensasarkan pasaran dalam negara sendiri saja. Usaha akan dibuat untuk pasaran antarabangsa. Indonesia sudah pastilah menjadi target pasarannya kerana tiga orang pelakon besar Indonesia turut berlakon dalam PGL. Mereka ialah Christine Hakim, Slamet Radharjo dan Alex Komang. Sementara antara pelakon tempatan yang menjiwai watak dalam PGL ialah Tiara Jacquelina, M Nasir, Adlin Aman Ramli, Datuk Rahim Razali dan Sabri Yunus.

Pada saya keberanian dan kesanggupan syarikat Enfiniti Productions mengeluarkan modal besar PGL patutlah kita alu-alukan dalam rangka usaha membawa filem kita ke tahap global. Syabas Tiara Jacquelina!

Puteri Gunung Ledang: Ain’t no mountain high enough

petikan The star Online 18 Julai 2004
How do you go about making a movie that has become the costliest ever in Malaysian film-making history? PHILIP GOLINGAI finds out from the director and producers of Puteri Gunung Ledang.

EPIC. Ambitious. Authentic. In the movie world, these words are dangerous. Dangerously expensive, that is.

But that was what Enfiniti Productions wanted when it decided to make a movie based on a popular local legend set in the 15th century. In order to come up with an epic that was ambitious and looked authentic, the company set aside RM7mil for its maiden effort.

When word got out, that princely sum – the biggest ever for a local production – stunned the industry and public. Many months later and poised for an August 26 release date in cinemas, Puteri Gunung Ledang (PGL) is indeed the most expensive movie ever made by a Malaysian production company. But it’s not a RM7mil movie but a RM15mil blockbuster.

That’s a lot of money when you consider that typically, a local movie costs only RM800,000 to RM2mil. Recent so-called big budget films – Embun and Paloh, costing about RM3.5mil each – were government-funded.

RM15mil is also a staggering figure if you compared it to the total box office takings of all 10 Malay movies screened in 2002, which was about RM18.5mil.

But that is the price of ambition. The prime movers behind PGL, executive producer Datuk Shazalli Ramly and producer Tiara Jacquelina, who also plays the central character, were determined to have a product that offered a fighting chance at winning international audiences too.

“We didn’t want to make a movie just for the locals. That is shiok sendiri (pleasing oneself). You will not go anywhere with it commercially. We need more eyeballs and Malaysia, with only 500,000 cinema-goers, would not be sufficient. We want to screen the movie world-wide,” says Shazalli.

Tiara Jacquelina adds: “It will pave the way for Malaysia to be on the world map of filmmaking.”

And the man they entrusted with the job of spending all that money to create that desired masterpiece is director Saw Teong Hin, who takes pains to point out that, hey, it wasn’t all that much if you compared it to Western-made blockbusters.

“RM15mil sounds like a lot of money. But given the film we were trying to make, it is not. Everybody just looked at the figure and said ‘Oh, so much money.’ But we had to achieve a lot with that RM15mil. Look at Troy – it costs about US$200mil (RM760mil) to make.

“A lot of people have jumped to hasty conclusions. If you use your common sense and think about – period drama, 15th century – it means you have to build your sets from scratch and create your own costumes and that takes money,” says Saw.

He insists confidently that movie-goers will understand and appreciate the level of technical expertise that went into PGL when it is released.

“It is equivalent to a standard Hollywood film which, regardless of whether you liked it or not, would have very high production quality and good sound and special effects.

“If you use that as a benchmark, (PGL) comes close to that. So at US$3.9mil (or RM15mil), to be able to do an epic drama is an amazing achievement. Because even an independent, small character-driven film in America would cost about US$5mil to US$10mil.”

Saw reveals that they strove to get the best they could for PGL: “We did live sound with no dubbing, we had actual construction of the sets, we did CG (computer graphic) in 2K resolution because most local movies using CG do it in (lower) TV resolution quality.

For the sake of authenticity, director and producers refused to take shortcuts.

“We could have gone to the Malacca Museum (to film the palace scenes). But to the right, you would see electric poles and to the left were traffic lights.”

In the end, they built the set for a 15th century Malacca palace.

Says co-producer Mini Purushot: “The sets were important. We could not just go to a shopping complex and shoot a scene there. We were showing Malacca’s golden era. So the palace had to be big and grand.’’

The task of building the sets for the Malacca Palace, a Majapahit Palace and the princess’ hut was the responsibility of production designer Haznizar Ithnin. But the grandest set was Malacca town, which had not just the palace, but a village, harbour, mosque and bridge. The location was an open area measuring 300m by 450m in a oil palm estate near Batu Pahat, Johor.

To ensure authentic and accurate depiction of 15th century structures, Haznizar spent two months researching the architecture by poring over books and visiting museums.

Enfiniti Productions also had to recreate authentic clothing for three cultures of that time - Malaccan , Majapahit and Demak. That required extensive research and creativity, says costume designer Mahyuddin Sidik.

“For example, Sultan Mahmud Shah’s outfit was based on my reading of books such as Sejarah Melayu and (extrapolating from) the contemporary garments worn by the sultans today,” he explains.

To illustrate the difficulty of making an epic, Saw uses the example of the scene where the princess of Gunung Ledang, Gusti Putri Retno Dumilah played by Tiara Jacquelina, leaves Java for Malacca.

“It was really, really difficult to do the sailing shot because we had a barge out in the sea with the cast, crew and cameras. Your timing must be right as you could not dictate which way the waves were going. And because we were shooting off Pulau Perhentian, we could not anchor the barge on the coral reefs so everything was adrift. We needed many days for a shot that lasts only about 20 seconds on the screen.

“That is why many people don’t do this sort of thing because it is hard. But I wanted to take up the challenge. To the producers’ credit, they shared my vision. They could have easily said ‘Forget it’ and they would have saved time and money.’’

The script also required scale. ``There is nothing that can replace scale,” explains Saw. For example, to do a war scene you need a minimum number of people (referring to the battle between the warriors of the Demak and Majapahit Empires).

``In the planning stage, we cut down on the number of extras to what we thought would be sufficient. But when we went to the site, it was amazing how the people were swallowed up so quickly by the space. So we had to add more people so that it did not look cartoonish.’’

The filmmakers had to recruit extras on the spot by going to different villages and telling the penghulus that they were shooting a movie and needed people in the scenes.

Adds Purushot, “We used more than 500 extras and that meant providing them with costumes, food and an allowance.’’

The war scenes also required 100 horses and riders, not to mention 50 children, 30 cows, 50 goats and 50 chickens – a veritable zoo!

“We had burning houses and stunt men on fire with six cameras rolling at the same time,” recalls Saw with relish.

Foreign expertise was brought too and the international crew included B.G. Magendran, the art director who oversaw the set building carried out by his team of skilled builders and craftsmen from India; Jason Kwan, the director of photography from Hong Kong and Purushot who was a television producer for Sun TV and Surya TV in India.

The filming took cast and crew to several locations all over Peninsular Malaysia including Tasik Kenyir, Cameron Highlands, Lata Kijang waterfall in Perak, Sungai Kesang in Johor and Pulau Indah in Selangor.

This is also the first time a Southeast Asian movie used digital intermediate (DI) technology. “With DI, film is transferred into (computer) data and we do the corrections – colour grading and visual effects – in that format before transferring it into film,’’ explains Purushot.

Over 20 minutes of visual effects, totalling more than 200 shots, were used in the 155-minute movie. For example, when Hang Tuah (M. Nasir) searches for Gusti Putri Retno Dumilah, he follows a trail of seven butterflies which are computer-generated graphics inserted seamlessly into the scene.

For the music score, the production house used live instruments. “Of course we could have done it with a synthesizer.

It would have been cheaper but we wanted to go as high quality as we could,’’ says Saw.

The film, which was shot in 94 days during a nine-month period starting in January 2003, has all the proportions of an epic. But Saw is quick to point out that it is “huge” not just for the sake of merely looking impressive.

“It is huge in a functional way,’’ he says, adding “when you see the movie, you will be surprised that it only cost RM15mil.’’

Let’s hope it’ll be a pleasant surprise for Malaysians and the rest of the world.

Wooing a princess

petikan The Star online 18 Julai 2004

IN a nutshell, Puteri Gunung Ledang is the tragic romance between the princess of Gunung Ledang and Hang Tuah, the famed Malaccan warrior.

But just who is Puteri Gunung Ledang?

“It is a very difficult question to answer,” says Zainal Borhan, Universiti Malaya academy of Malay studies associate professor. “The two texts that mention her are Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals) and Hikayat Hang Tuah.

“In terms of literature she exists but the texts are mythical. There are no archaeological or anthropological evidence that suggest she was real,’’ he explains.

He adds that up to now the writer of Hikayat Hang Tuah, which was written in 1621 remains unknown. As for Sejarah Melayu, “we can only guess that Tun Lanang wrote it in 1612.”

Typical of folklore, there are several versions of the legend. In some, the princess is not even human but a fairy and that she continues to live on Gunung Ledang (or Mount Ophir, the highest peak in Johor) to this day.

The basic premise remains the same: She was a beautiful princess who made her home on the mountain, either to escape an arranged marriage or to withdraw from the world after her beloved husband died.

But her great beauty drew the interest of the Sultan of Malacca – sometimes identified as Sultan Mansor Shah (1456-77) but in the movie, it’s Mahmud Shah (who lost Malacca to the Portuguese in 1511) – who sent his warriors, including the legendary Hang Tuah, to ask her hand in marriage.

Although the legend has no hint of a romance between the warrior and princess, it becomes central to the movie.

But the part about the legend that is consistent and most memorable in all versions are her bizarre conditions for marriage: a gold and silver bridge from Malacca to Ledang, seven trays of mosquitoes’ hearts, another seven of mites’ hearts, a jug or barrel of areca nut juice, a barrel of tears, one cup of the sultan’s blood and one of his son’s.

The sultan fulfilled all but the last demand; he couldn’t bring himself to kill his son, which was the princess’ sly intention since she did not want to marry him.

In shaping the story, Puteri Gunung Ledang director Saw Teong Hin, scriptwriter Mamat Khalid and others visited Malacca Museum and Solo in Indonesia but found little help there.

“Either there were no texts from that era or they had been destroyed,’’ Saw says. ``But that gave rise to a very interesting situation because (historians and books) have very different views on the legend. Some say Hang Tuah went up the mountain, some say he did not.

That gave us room to improvise because there is no definitive version.”

Great expectations

petikan The Star Online 18 Julai 2004

IT’s not just the film-makers who are hopeful and excited about Puteri Gunung Ledang.

Dr Wan Zawawi Ibrahim, a professor at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Institute of Malay and Civilization, for one, is rooting for a movie can stand on par with, say, Thailand’s best, the critically-acclaimed epic, The Legend of Suriyothai.

He also views PGL as a refreshing change from the 90% of Malay movies that are “like variety shows”.

Film studies and scriptwriting lecturer Hassan Mutalib, “really hopes this is going to be a film that will be noticed by the world like Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon, which won the grand prize in the 1951 Venice International Film Festival.’’

Film critic Saniboey Mohd Ismail says many of the 16 movies released this year so far, like Bicara Hati and Bintang Hati, were very poor fare.

“Kuliah Cinta was also bad. But people wanted to watch that kind of stuff and it made RM4.1mil. I teach film-making in UiTM and if you are talking about aesthetics, that is not the kind of movie that you want to use as a good example of film-making. U-Wei’s Kaki Bakar has aesthetic value and it was shown in Cannes but Kuliah Cinta will not go anywhere outside Malaysia.”

Having seen PGL, albeit not fully completed then, at a private screening over two months ago, Saniboey is in a position to give his impressions: “Technically, the movie is one of a kind. I have never seen a Malay movie done like that. It is like watching Musa (the South Korean historical epic) - very serious and grand.”

However, Saniboey adds that he “could not feel the love between Puteri Gunung Ledang and Hang Tuah.”

Still, he believes the audience may overlook that aspect because they would be amazed by the film’s technical wizardry.

Dr Wan Zawawi, who also writes on Malaysian films, says moviegoers will look forward to PGL because it is the first big budget Malay movie. But he is unsure whether it will make money. He gives the example of Paloh, which was produced at RM3.5mil, but earned only RM142,645.

“The quality was good. But it was hard to understand as it played with themes that are not commercial. And Malaysian audience do not like to be challenged. They don’t go for thinking movies,’’ he says.

Executive producer Datuk Shazalli Ramly, the executive producer, is confident the Enfiniti Productions’ debut movie will make money.

He explains how the budget of RM7mil was increased 100%. “We increased the budget after I went to Rome in early 2002. Our original plan was to make a movie for Asean consumption – Malaysia and Indonesia – but when I was discussing the concept (in Rome) I realised that there was an opportunity for us to go for the international market.”

But that meant doubling the budget to give the director the means to improve the cinematography, which Shazalli says is key to a film’s success in the international market.

Enfiniti has worked out the math: it expects to recoup RM7mil from the box office takings in Malaysia and Indonesia. And the parent company of Enfiniti, Encorp Media Group, which has a controlling stake in ntv9, a television station, will use its contacts with television stations around the world to sell Puteri Gunung Ledang.

“I am in touch with 1,200 TV stations CEOs and if I can sell the movie for US$20,000 (RM76,000) to each station ... you do the calculation,’’ says Shazalli, who is also CEO of Encorp, adding that ntv7 spends RM80mil a year buying programmes.

“I bought an Iranian movie for US$20,000 so similarly somebody in Iran has to buy my movie now. It is an advantage for us to have a TV station.

“Malaysians have to understand that to go into something like this, you need a business plan. Our returns should not be based on the collection of one box office (in Malaysia). We are global now. And we can sell to the world the TV rights, cinema rights, VCDs and DVDs of Puteri Gunung Ledang,’’ he adds.