Daring new production house breathes life into RI films<\/p>\n
By Sori Siregar<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Somewhere in Tokyo, a place called Graha
\nIndonesia exhibits and sells sculptures of Irian Jaya's Asmat
\ntribe.<\/p>\n
A new addition is a counter where visitors can watch videos of
\nIndonesian television dramas. This is how a production house, PT
\nSinema Sejati, is promoting its products overseas.<\/p>\n
Graha is organized and run by Seichi Okawa, the Tokyo
\ncorrespondent of an Indonesian weekly magazine. When he was in
\nIndonesia two months ago, he visited the office of Sinema Sejati
\nin Kebayoran, Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He watched the drama film Penari (Dancer) and a 13-episode
\nseries called Arjuna Mencari Cinta (Arjuna Seeking Love).<\/p>\n
He said he was prepared to promote and sell the two
\nproductions to NHK TV station or other local networks in Japan.<\/p>\n
The president director of Sinema Sejati, Kemala Atmojo,
\nwelcomed Okawa's enthusiasm.<\/p>\n
Sinema Sejati is a relatively new production house in Jakarta.
\nFounded on March 11, 1997, it has already produced four TV dramas
\nand one film.<\/p>\n
Arjuna Mencari Cinta, based on the novel by Yudhistira ANM
\nMassardi and directed by Sam Sarumpaet, has been purchased by
\nprivate television station ANteve and is scheduled to be screened
\nthis month.<\/p>\n
Three other TV films, Penari, which is based on a short story
\nby Seno Gumira Ajidarma, Sunyi Nirmala (Nirmala's Loneliness,
\nbased on the novel by Ashadi Siregar) and Dalam Bayangan Ibu (In
\nMother's Shadow, based on a short story by Najib Kertapati) are
\nnow being offered to TV studios.<\/p>\n
By normal standards completing films before knowing who is
\ngoing to buy them -- or whether anyone is even interested -- is a
\nfoolhardy approach. This is even more so when the products are
\nnot the usual commercial soap operas.<\/p>\n
For the 90-minute Penari, for instance, Sinema Sejati spent Rp
\n125 million.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the only theatrical film made by the production
\nhouse, Sri, written and directed by Marselli Sumarno, is now
\nbeing mixed and edited for release.<\/p>\n
Sinema Sejati has met with a mixed welcome. Some say the
\nproduction house is too daring.<\/p>\n
Customarily, a production house offers its scenario first to
\nTV studios for an agreement before it starts production. This
\nassures that the film will be bought by a TV station.<\/p>\n
Sinema Sejati says it has taken this risk to avoid a further
\nrisk -- having to compromise quality for viewers used to a diet
\nof low-quality soap operas.<\/p>\n
TV studios are interested only in productions certain to land
\nhefty ratings, however how deficient it may be in substance and
\nartistic values.<\/p>\n
Kemala, explaining his seemingly suicidal policy, \"Sinema
\nSejati was founded as a response to the death of the Indonesian
\ncinema movie\".<\/p>\n
Profit remains a target, but the most important thing is that
\nit should be earned by giving something valuable to the viewers,
\nKemala said.<\/p>\n
By watching the productions and educational messages in subtle
\npackaging, viewers, he added, \"would better know the meaning of
\nlife, of themselves and their environment\".<\/p>\n
Sinema Sejati's starting capital was Rp 1.5 billion and it has
\nspent about Rp 3 billion for productions.<\/p>\n
It is now trying hard to market its product domestically as
\nwell as overseas to seek more capital. It is now listed on the
\nInternet in the Movie Market Homepage and the New York-based
\nmagazine Variety Catalogues. It also cooperates with moviemaker
\nand distributor Miramax to sell its products.<\/p>\n
Another cooperation is with a foreign artist, playwright and
\ndirector Jason Moore, for filmmaking in Indonesia and the United
\nStates.<\/p>\n
By offering serious products depicting social problems, Kemala
\nis confident that viewers will tend to think rationally and not
\nbe gullible and easily satisfied as is the common assumption.<\/p>\n
Sinema is adamant about not producing films with storylines
\ncontaining mysticism and action, popular ingredients of today's
\nprograms on local TV stations.<\/p>\n
\"Let them (others) do it, don't ask me to do so,\" Kemala said.<\/p>\n
But he added that production houses need to play their role in
\nchanging viewers' taste to increase the quality of TV dramas.<\/p>\n
At least three series are in the pipeline for this idealistic
\ncompany: Di Antara Dua Wanita (Between Two Women) by Prasanti in
\n26 episodes),Midnight Cafe by Seno Gumira Ajidarma and Hati Yang
\nBerkabut (The Clouded Heart) by Najib Kertapati in 30 episodes.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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