Astro appears to be cutting cost these days. at least i think that's what they're trying do. otherwise what else would explain this bizarre act by a broadcasting company. allow me to enlighten you on the most recent act that has incurred my annoyance and generally managed to piss me off.i was watching akademi fantasia's weekly concert earlier (don't ask me why) and AC DISINI after that (again don't ask me why) and at the end of the programme, during the end credits, i noticed that they cut down on the crew list. all that appeared were the producers name, the director and the stage manager or location manager. what the hell happened to the rest? the production assistants, the cameramen, the audio dudes, the editing dudes, the lighting guys, etc etc. do they have any idea the insane hard work those people go through in order to get the show to run smoothly? one of the rewards that comes with working behind the scene is when you see your name in the credit roll. the satisfaction of knowing that you contributed something and that your contribution has been recognized and appreciated. that's the least the executive producers could do. i remember the first time i saw my name on the credit roll. i felt like i was on cloud nine million!
come on astro, bring back the crew list! you know they deserve it.
once upon a time, i used to ignore the end credits. but after i got a job as a production assistant and knowing first hand how terribly demanding and difficult the job is, i now make it a point to pay attention to the credit roll. i may not know half of the names listed, but i want to do my part in making them feel appreciated and recognized. as hard as this is to believe, the actors aren't the only thing that makes a production. it's the hard work of the crew that allows you to be entertained day in and day out. so ladies and gentlemen, i suggest that from now on, pay a little attention to the end credits. it's not just something they add in to fulfill the time slot requirement. it's the effort of so many individuals who do everything in their power to bring you entertainment. even if the show is inane and stupid. that's usually not the crew's fault but the executive producer's or the director's. more often than not, it's the fault of some rich businessmen who think that money is all you need to get into the entertainment industry. they want the glitz and glam, but they fail to realize the one crucial thing required in this industry: CREATIVITY! Contrary to popular belief, money can't buy everything.
now this puts me in the mood to discuss akademi fantasia. who else thinks that this show should be axed? i know it's making money, but at what cost? the main goal is to cash in as much as they can from the sms votes. but what about the fact that it's promoting lies? perhaps i'm being a little too brash, but hear me out. can anyone genuinely look me in the eye and tell me that last year's winner can hold a note? can someone look me in the eye and tell me that he won solely based on the fact that he has a beautiful voice? if the goal and purpose of akademi fantasia is to bring to light the hidden talents in our country, then i do believe that they are doing a horrible job. this show does not care one bit about finding talents. if they truly do care about that, and they believe that malaysians can vote justly, why not start the voting only after the last singer finishes his performance for the weekly concert. like american idol. that way we know that people will truly vote based on talent and not on who's the cutest or who is able to tell the funniest joke or who looks good in a small t-shirt. akademi fantasia is a business, and it is using art as a front. this may sound like a heavy accusation, but that is exactly what i think they're doing. they use heavy drama to gain the viewers' attention, they focus a lot on the daily activities of the students and how they interact with each other and how they live together...bla bla bla. if that's what they want to do, don't use singing as a front. put twelve people in a house and call the show Big Brother! singing is a beautiful art, and we are tarnishing it. isn't it enought that the beauty of malaysian cinema is being destroyed by the likes of Dato' Yusof Haslam and Professor Razak Mohaideen? Don't even let me get started on these two and those who are following in their footsteps. You would think that with the title Dato' and Professor, they would feel compelled to churn out quality instead of garbage. but i guess money's conquers all and proves to be a very good motivation. what would P. Ramlee think if he was still alive today? But perhaps if he were, the entertainment industry would not be what it has turned out to be today. these directors don't seem to understand that without P.Ramlee, we probably wouldn't even have a film industry. by churning out crap, they are directly insulting the efforts, talent and creativity of P.Ramlee. why would anyone do that? the least they could do is try to be creative. but judging by what they're screening nowadays, it seems like they did not try at all.
don't tell me yusof haslam tried very best to produce quality when he did sembilu, or gerak khas or whatever other projects of his. have you ever sat through one yusof haslam flick? well i have sat through a few and it was so mind-numbing i felt like throwing up. the same goes for razak mohaideen. i may not be a penangite but i think i can safely say that his anak mami series has been more of an insult rather than compliments to the actual anak mamis out there. and like that's not enough, he had to dabble in horror flicks.
oh well, what can i say... i guess art for art's sake is fast becoming a thing of the past. it is a path one follows to reach the place where art is a thing of beauty regardless of the physical value. it is what's underneath that matters. the value of a masterpiece lies not in what the naked eye perceives, but rather in what the heart understands. and the heart will never be able to comprehend trash even if it is being spoken by a beauty queen or a dashing prince. art is precious and cares not for monetary gains. satisfaction lies in being understood, by the heart of a kind soul.
oh before i forget, i have a bone to pick with ahmad fauzee, the actor/director. he was one of the judges on akademi fantasia earlier and he said something that really pissed me off. he was commenting on one of the students. this student is the funny one in the group and he has a way of making people laugh. ahmad fauzee said this to him,"rasanya kita sudah bertemu dengan pengganti
aziz satar." what the hell gives this ding dong the right to decide that we have found a pengganti for aziz satar? aziz satar is a wonderful actor and comedian and there is no way he can be replaced. aznil was quick to save the day when he added,"bukan pengganti, tapi penyambung." perhaps ahmad fauzee has never been introduced to this little verse from a sheila majid song...
"patah tak tumbuh lagi, hilang belum berganti, kerana kau TERSENDIRI..."
yes this song was written for P.Ramlee, but this verse applies to all the real talents out there...
talent and individuality...things that our entertainment industry are seriously lacking. think about this ladies and gentlemen, the next type you type AFUNDI on your handphones or IDOL or whatever it is. art is not that difficult to comprehend. all you have to do is open your ears, close your eyes, and listen with your heart...
"A long, long time ago... I can still remember how
That music used to make me smile.
And I knew if I had my chance,
That I could make those people dance,
And maybe they'd be happy for a while.
But February made me shiver,
With every paper I'd deliver,
Bad news on the doorstep...
I couldn't take one more step.
I can't remember if I cried
When I read about his widowed bride
But something touched me deep inside,
The day the music died......"
*Don McLean's American Pie.
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