'Art industry is not a threat to creativity'<\/p>\n
The need to develop a culture industry to professionally foster
\nthe creation of art and cultural products was highlighted during
\nthe Fifth National Congress on Culture held recently in
\nBukittinggi, West Sumatra. Yet years of experience in making
\nmovies, creating art, composing songs, and producing TV dramas
\nare not enough to create a working industry. The Jakarta Post's
\nTantri Yuliandini talked to playwright Putu Wijaya, who sat on
\nthe congress's steering committee, about the issue. The following
\nare some excerpts from the interview:<\/p>\n
Question: Seeing the amount of works of art and culture that
\nthe country produces each year, can't we say that we already have
\na culture industry, albeit not as comprehensive and centralized
\nas Hollywood?<\/p>\n
Answer: It's true that a culture industry does not have to be
\ncentralized, but we can only call something an industry when
\nthere is a guarantee that the products will be continually
\navailable, of a certain standard, over a certain period of time.
\nSo it's not just a question of whether the products are already
\nthere.<\/p>\n
An industry has its own work ethic; the sinetron (TV drama)
\nbusiness, for example, is beginning to develop as an industry as
\nit no longer depends on inspiration but on deadlines. On the
\nother hand, although people are already making movies, this has
\nnot grown into an industry.<\/p>\n
So the term industry here indicates that there's a certain
\n(amount of) productivity, over a certain period of time, with a
\ncertain standard, and with a definite distribution network.<\/p>\n
Are you not afraid that a full-blown industry would eventually
\nkill creativity?<\/p>\n
What we mean by industry would of course also incorporate
\nquality control. The fact that out of the thousand films
\nHollywood produces every year, only a hundred or so are good,
\nthat's the risk of the industry, but the standard is there
\nbecause of the market mechanism. An industry does not mean a
\nlowering of quality -- that (an industry) abides by deadlines
\ndoes not mean it is compromising on quality.<\/p>\n
Don't accuse someone of not being earnest (in his work) just
\nbecause he can roll out 10 movies a year, or someone else of
\nbeing earnest for only making one. It all comes back to the work
\nethic.<\/p>\n
Look at Garin (Nugroho), he now works very fast, because his
\nwork ethic is already like (that of) an industry, and his people
\nare ready. His work ethic is different, the speed (of his
\nproduction) has increased but the quality is maintained. That's
\nall part of what an industry is about.<\/p>\n
So if there are fears that creativity is compromised (in an
\nindustry) then that person does not know the work ethic of an
\nindustry.<\/p>\n
It's the same with the media industry. The work ethics of a
\nnewspaper and a magazine are different. Just because a daily can
\nchurn out many stories a day does not mean the quality of writing
\nis worse than in a monthly or weekly magazine. It's all a matter
\nof habit.<\/p>\n
We should look at an industry not as a threat to creativity
\nbut as an opportunity for creativity.<\/p>\n
Looking at the choices of entertainment now available in
\nIndonesia, there is a perception that the public is coerced into
\naccepting whatever the producers bring out. Your comments?<\/p>\n
It's true that a product should be created to fulfill the
\nwishes of the consumers, but in reality in the entertainment
\nindustry, the consumer is treated as an object by producers. The
\nproducers' wishes are forced onto consumers who have no other
\nchoice but to accept.<\/p>\n
The deluge of foreign culture coming into the country -- which
\nis unavoidable and cannot be denied -- affects everything in the
\ncountry, especially the character of the country, which is why
\nthis is also a matter of our national resilience. Seeing this
\n(the congress) agreed that we must balance it by encouraging the
\nemergence of local industry.<\/p>\n
But encouraging local industry needs the serious attention of
\nthe government. The industry of culture needs proper management
\nand experienced marketing.<\/p>\n
(Philosopher from the University of Indonesia Alwi) Agus
\n(Nugroho) saw cultural products not only as objects but also
\nservices. As a service, the emotional experience of those who
\nenjoy the products is also very important. Therefore their
\nappreciation is also important.<\/p>\n
That's where edification comes in, increasing awareness for
\ncultural products. For (a cultural product) to be enjoyed, the
\nconsumer must understand what it is. If not, without any
\nexplanation, there will be no appreciation, they will not enjoy
\nit.<\/p>\n
But choice exists. What about the alternative choices
\navailable through the Jakarta International Film Festival
\n(Jiffest), for example?<\/p>\n
I do not say that our consumers have no choice at all, but
\nthey are not empowered. The choices exist, but those choices are
\nperhaps too expensive, unfamiliar, and so on. For example, the
\nfilms in Jiffest, only certain people watch them ...<\/p>\n
Furthermore the films chosen (to be screened at Jiffest) are
\nall high quality films, which need a certain degree of
\nunderstanding to be enjoyed, therefore edification is also
\nneeded.<\/p>\n
Edification can be achieved through criticism, with the help
\nof teachers (at school), reviews. But there is still no quality
\ncontrol here.<\/p>\n
Quality control, such as a consumer protection body, could
\nprevent the poisoning of people's preferences. A body that
\ninforms people about the quality of a product. There used to be
\nsuch a body, but it was viewed negatively and even deemed as an
\nobstruction, when it was, in fact, very important.<\/p>\n
The choices are there but people cannot choose, are powerless
\nto choose, and no one bothers to encourage them to choose.
\nThey'll eat whatever is put in front of them.<\/p>\n
How can you foster the desire to choose?<\/p>\n
Through edification, raising the level of appreciation, give
\nthem empowerment, that they have the right to choose and not only
\nto receive.<\/p>\n
It is important that teachers be educated (in the appreciation
\nof culture), there should be cultural critics, and more
\nimportantly cultural actors themselves should take responsibility
\nfor participating in communicating this understanding.<\/p>\n
This is not a small problem, raising empowerment, empowering
\nlocal industry.<\/p>\n
And the problem is not only in film. The music industry is
\nfacing the same (problems). People's appreciation of our music is
\nextremely high, Indonesians love Indonesian music, but the
\nindustry is hampered by piracy.<\/p>\n
These things need attention from the government, to put in
\norder the laws and regulations, to regulate the inflow of
\nimported cultural products.<\/p>\n
It's not impossible, I see great potential for our people to
\nlove their own culture industry, popular culture in particular.<\/p>",
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