I will be on radio (RADIO24 – 93.9FM) tonight (15th November 2007) from 12am to 1:30am talking about my film ‘The Look-East Project’ which will air on NTV7 this weekend. Joining me will be my film’s music composer Arif Rafhan (Apan) and my girlfriend Nik Khairun Nisa, who is also a character in my film. Do tune in!

Finally!!!

THE LOOK-EAST PROJECT (aka PANDANG KE TIMUR) will be on air!
Sunday, 18th November 2007, 10:45pm.
On ntv7… your feel good channel!

Please spread the word people!

A review of The Look-East Project AKA Pandang Ke Timur in the recent Weekend Mail. Read it here.
(It’s pathetic how a small write-up like this can get me all excited! Gila glam betul!)

Kelab Seni Filem Malaysia will be previewing The Look-East Project AKA Pandang Ke Timur to the public on Tuesday, 27th March, 8pm, at HELP University-College, Pusat Bandar Damansara. I’ll be showing a couple of my video blogs too, and this includes the short videos of the Jeff Ooi & Rocky court cases (which is part of my next film project called ‘I May Be Malaysian, But I Carry A Big Stick’).

ntv7′s 7 Patrol will be around to hand out freebies and talk about FESTIVAL… Jeff Ooi will be there… I will be there… and if that doesn’t give you a tingly sensation… there will also be hot babes in skimpy baju kurungs pole dancing on stage!

Admission is free… seats are limited… so keep Tuesday evening free and come over or you will have to just wait for the film to air on ntv7 on Merdeka eve to finally see it (yup… that’s the confirmed broadcast date)!

I received word today that my film The Look-East Project AKA Pandang Ke Timur has been given an 18PL rating by the uncles and aunties at the Censorship Board. Apparently the film is too political. I’m dumbfounded as to how a simple love story between my cute, sweet girlfriend and I can be considered too political. Read the synopsis and view the video blogs here and judge for yourself.

The 18PL rating means that the film can only be aired on TV after 10:30pm. That means it can’t be shown on the scheduled 3rd March, 8:30pm FESTIVAL slot. But the wonderful and supportive producers at ntv7 have agreed to reschedule my film to another more appropriate time (non-prime time goddammit!). I will keep you guys updated.

Reactions from filmmaker friends when I told them the news:

“Haiya! Post on Malaysian Cinema. Some NGO chick will get turned on!” -Amir Muhammad (The Last Communist, Apa Khabar Orang Kampung)

“Unta!” -Azharr Rudin (The Amber Sexalogy, Benda Aneh Bernama Cinta)

“You are one step closer to your dream of being Amir!” -James Lee (The Beautiful Washing Machine, Before We Fall In Love Again)

“Shit! If your stupid film gets an 18PL rating, what’s going to happen to my upcoming film??” – Liew Seng Tat (3-time MVA Best Short Film Award winner)

The Look East Project AKA Pandang Ke Timur, my first attempt at a feature length documentary film, will be airing on ntv7′s FESTIVAL slot this Saturday, 3rd March 2007, at 8:30pm. FESTIVAL is a programme that commissions local independent filmmakers to develop feature length works. It has always only given attention to fiction films and for the first time, a feature documentary has been selected! Let’s hope this opens up more doors and creates more opportunities for documentary films in Malaysia

MALAYSIA BOLEH!! TAPI LAMBAT SIKIT…

(Check out the trailer/teaser. Doesn’t that just make you want to stay home and sit your butt in front of the idiot box and watch a documentary on a Saturday night? Muahaha!!)

You may think I’ve neglected ‘The Look-East Project’, but I have not! Editing is done my friends and that means the final film has been completed. Let me introduce to you the final character of the film here.

I have managed to sell the film to a local broadcaster!! Woohoo!! I’m rolling in dough!!! Swimming in cash!!! Drowning in dollars!!! Suffocating in syillings!!!

It’ll be on air… as soon as it is cleared by the (jeng jeng jeng!!) Censorship Board. Stay tuned for more info!

Back to ‘The Look-East Project’! I’ve been kicking myself in the beehind to get a move on the editing. Today was the biggest kick of them all and it didn’t come from myself. It seems a local broadcaster is showing interest in purchasing the film. I foresee no more dry toast and tap water for lunch!