Wow nice animation. As long as you don't do another bola kampung story. It's nice but too much already in Malaysia animation.

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Added on September 14, 2010, 2:51 pmNever involve the government when doing business. It always end up bad. Even if financially secure, you sell your soul to the devil, lol.

This post has been edited by LeechFever: Sep 14 2010, 02:51 PM

Why specifically have to be "kampung" theme based all the time or rather lazy idea like "kacang". Upin and lupin is good but still kampung based theme. I mean there are so much other better creative idea that is low cost and does not need complex background. And the only way to grow is to do away with repetitive theme and come up with something new. Animation need not have to be brilliant, but the story needs improvement.

I can imagine they argue that "Kampung" theme is more rooted to Malaysia culture but I hardly agreed on that. "Kampung" just another "village" and like the rest of the countries, the concept of village is not that unique in malaysia.

Another issue I have with Malaysia animation is the sound effect. Some animation is fine but it comes to sound, it feels very awkward and does not blend in well.

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Added on September 14, 2010, 3:34 pmBanks and government funds are different things lah. And seriously government funding is bad for business and yes, at times they will do somthing to the production like inserting pro government message. Unlike private entity, government are more "cincai". What that means, they care less about quality as long as there are result. Animators tend to get paid high but produce lower quality animation in hopes for higher profit. This actually encourage lazy syndrome in the company and people are less motivate to work harder. Look at some of the government funded companies and you can see they splurge money like no tomorrow but no quality behind their work. Even now, I see couple of pro government animation on TV, but very lousy quality.


This post has been edited by LeechFever: Sep 14 2010, 03:37 PM

Lol, I have a feeling the company is going to have hard time getting out from government support and be independently financially.

I'm a little bit confused. Ok, I don't do business myself but I did take management course which include how to set up business and one method is to borrow from bank which I don't get what's the fuss about since this is usually the norm for people who have little money to jump start business. And to answer the previous post question on how Walt Disney got his funding to make Snow White, he borrow from the Bank of America. However, that's just one method. There are many other ways of getting funds aside from loan shark and government like getting partners and so forth.

And like I mention before, getting funds from government tend to end up bad or low quality because there are always almost no consequences especially in Malaysia. As long you show something they deemed "ok", you will get the cut regardless how badly it is done. And government do not worry about money or profit, because the money came from taxpayers. Did you not see how the government always fund/bail proton whenever they are having trouble? And look at the quality of their car. Mine have creaking sound a week later. To make matter worse, mindset of animators funded by government tends to get too comfortable and ends up doing a horrible job because by the end of the day they still get paid. Step by step? Dude, I wish that was true but do I need to wait another 50 years to see us up to par to at least China animation level? I find China's Astro Plan more entertaining, mind you. IMO opinion anyway, correct me if I'm wrong.

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Added on September 14, 2010, 10:43 pmDoes it have to "Malaysian" theme to sell? One can do fantasy/sci-fi with no affiliation to any countries, race or religion. Is Spiderman concept based on "American" theme? I believe the creator just came across a spider and have a light bulb on top of his head. Hang Tua......ok, scrap that. You can come up with a fictitious character from old era of Hang Tuah and make a warrior cartoon out of that. Perhaps how they fight of British and whatnot mythical monster. Even American have to borrow stories from other countries/culture like the Greeks. I don't really see what so shameful about that.


This post has been edited by LeechFever: Sep 14 2010, 10:43 PM

Not arguing. There are some locals who really are stepping up but their work mostly only recognized overseas and little was known that it came from Malaysia. And I'm not expecting Malaysia to be a leading animator at all (in fact quite impossible in regards to how Malaysian society view animation and associate it with morals and culture). Unlike America or Japan, I believe Malaysian have less freedom in venturing adult theme animation. Basically we are stuck at kiddy level.

You do know that Japan outsourced most animation to Korea right? If you look at the end credit, most will find Korean names instead of Japanese. Don't forget "Avatar the air bender" is technically not made by Japan at all. Then again the terms "Anime" refer specifically to "animation made by Japan" so you can't really say "anime made by Malaysia".

The animation of course. The direction and dubbing could be by Japan. Claymore is good example. Besides, not only Japan outsource to Korea but American (The Simpsons) as well.

Avatar is not drawn by white American per se, possibly by Korean origin based in America according to the ending credit. In fact looks more like directed by a Mexican if not mistaken. Check wiki.

"Anime" is a pronounciation or word in Japanese for "animation". Kinda like "Kamikaze" to "Suicide". Somehow it came to the point people start differentiating between anime and ordinary animation based on drawing style and where it came from.

However that's just what I know and may be wrong.

No point high budget and quality if the plot is horrible. Upin and Lupin is decent and near average but I won't called it epic. Seems like we are celebrating something someone in other countries have accomplished decades ago. Jimmy Neutron is more entertaining IMO and don't get me started with cicakman...<sigh>. I always thought one must try master 2D first before venturing 3D. Apparently we did it backward lol.

Though there is one animation (2D and 3D combined) I wish to see that is "War of the worlds: Goliath". Heard sometime ago that the concept art and funding are from Malaysia. Supposedly dvd release on Feb 2010 yet nothing. Even googling produce scarce info. Someones been lazy and cheap in marketing, lol.

This post has been edited by LeechFever: Sep 19 2010, 05:15 PM

Sallahdin looks quite good from the trailer (though why only target ten to twelve years old according to site? With lots of drowning people dying somemore in the trailer).

Only concern I have is that it somehow involves religions..u know..the cross vs crescent thing though I have to see the whole thing first. And some of the character cast also looks...odd. especially the dude with goatee and braid hair.

Not expecting >quality than Pixar lah . Malaysia 3D like "upin and lupin" is quite ok but the problem lies at the plot. Too often they use kampung theme and jokes that are either lame or I don't really get. and empty plot in between that seems to just wanna drag on to fill time like Naruto infamous 2 years filler except this one in 30 minutes interval. For now, I really think Malaysia animation should concentrate on plot as it is the main part that drives viewer than how beautiful it is. That's why I say 2D first before 3D because it seems like we are given a race car without proper training to even drive a normal car.

Precisely why I say funding from government is always not good thing. Besides, it's tax payer money we are talking about, and people will start scrutinizing why on earth are they used to fund "anime"? At the end of it all, they will be expecting something in return either for their election campaign or just to please general masses and you be sacrificing quite a lot in terms of promoting Malaysia animation vs pleasing political master. These government ain't gonna help you unless the return is significant. Look at GLC companies, you know what I mean. Either get a loan, other sponsor or try ur luck overseas then come back once you have enough resource. Even if you have to make another "Paddlepop Adventure", "Koko crunch" or "Cheezydale" is better than getting bog down by Malaysia own government and stuck with another kampung boy plot for the rest of your life.

However that's just my thought on the matter and not personal experience. More on what I observed, hear and other people's opinion (even from a professor overseas on NOT to get funds from government when doing business. Most Malaysia business are guilty of that but because of policy and you know what, most businessmen don't have a choice but to band with government to earn quick bucks). If you are steadfast on getting funding from government, just be prepare that nothing is that simple.

This post has been edited by LeechFever: Oct 5 2010, 07:34 PM

When I mean businessman do not have choice but to bond with government to earn quick bucks, I do not mean they cannot get funding elsewhere. Malaysian government can own business. And they can make policy. What does that equate to? Policy to make ur business rich which is what we are currently facing now. Like Proton, you can set a policy in a way to make competition almost non-existence by increase import duty and forced merger. Thus earning quick bucks because if you ally with government, they misuse that power to make profit. If you are not with them, you are exposed to market vulnerability due to monopoly and against government owned/or having shares in that company. This lead to a halt in progress. It does not seem much now as the government has yet the brain to understand anything about "Anime", but it will eventually happen. It's what happening in China as well. Get a shady company to sponsor an animation, you get ciplak quality like "Astro Plan". And government now is as shady as it is.

Businessmen actually DO have choice of getting loan from somewhere else. They are just too greedy and impatient to get it (no offense). Most I know only follow the same formula in Malaysia: Get Dato/Minister/Politician involved, you are set for life, of course that also mean support them or you lose your source. Most personal business failed because some politician hick decide to award contract to his relative's company. Once you are in, it's hard to get out.

But enough about business and politics. It's admirable to have big ambition, but start small first, perhaps like 5 min animation and screen it on Nickolodean, advertisement or something, then slowly gather money and start big. Or start a manga industry to encourage malaysian fanbase. Thus far only one company I know have started it. However, I do not know that Dato enough. Perhaps he has interest in anime as well to make it work.....maybe.

Well, good luck . If your story concept is good, I will support.

This post has been edited by LeechFever: Oct 5 2010, 09:26 PM

From your blog....are you planning a K-ON style anime?

Lol. I'm referring to the Aya character lah since you mention concept. It's more on the uniform that I'm worry about than "voice". You know how Malaysian school uniform are just .....that and to make it different and claim it to be malaysian culture just kinda stretching it (or worse, sued by education minister/extremist for having skirt above knee).

This post has been edited by LeechFever: Oct 5 2010, 11:46 PM

Lol, when you mention learning curve, in Malaysia, this learning curve probably will take many decades. No offenselah. Like Proton (yes, it's a good example), so many support, until now still depends on government like drug. And what do they actually learn? Buy cheap parts from China, charge high, worry later, lol.

Looking at the animation advertisement by the government, you can clearly tell they are much worse than Koko crunch and Paddlepop Icecream, lol. In fact, I would have prefer them using real life people to do the advert with less cost and hassle.

When foreigners are amazed at government support, I have a feeling no one in their country ever think of going to government for help not because government don't want to support them and I think they are just being sacarstic in a polite way. Ever wonder why those countries with very good animation have almost nonexistent government support?

But that said, I say let TS have his chance if he is sincere and ambitious. Maybe he will succeed who knows. But be advice, we have warned you.