Reform 'sinetron' capture society's scenes<\/p>\n
By Yogita Tahil Ramani<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Local TV series which sell dreams win ratings
\nbut they are destructive, not only for the viewers but also for
\nthe industry.<\/p>\n
They are not educative and fail to socially stimulate the
\naudience, according to moviemaker Garin Nugroho, who added that
\nthe homogeneity of the stories merely further fueled the market's
\nalready all-pervasive passivity.<\/p>\n
"A passive market may win ratings but it destroys... it feeds
\nthe sinetron (local TV series) industry but the industry itself
\ndoes not gain any added value," he explained.<\/p>\n
Sinetron that make the ratings here are normally ghost stories
\nwrapped in comedy or lifestyle stories of the wealthy littered
\nwith pretty faces, bungalows and BMWs.<\/p>\n
To make one, according to Garin, does not take more than a few
\nphonecalls and loads of money. No research and fresh ideas are
\nrequired, he said. This helps build neither professional skills
\nnor sinetron infrastructure.<\/p>\n
"That is dangerous," he said.<\/p>\n
So, when are things going to change?<\/p>\n
They already are. The reform phenomenon started early last
\nyear when a fresh crop of directors began to make sinetron that
\ngave the audience more food for thought.<\/p>\n
They included Jakarta Arts Institute graduate Hanny R.
\nSaputra's nine-award winner about a deviant's madness, Sepanjang
\nJalan Kenangan (Down Memory Lane), and Yossie Enes' semi-
\ndocumentary on pedophile Robot Gedek, Menyusuri Bayangan Diri (In
\nPursuit of One's Own Shadow).<\/p>\n
They came with excellent storylines, technological
\nalternatives, creative camera angles and talent in various
\nsectors, including casting and scriptwriting.<\/p>\n
The fever of change prompted the judges to come up with
\nnumerous nominations for this year's 35 picks for the annual
\nawards; 17 for the drama series category, nine for the TV film
\ncategory and nine for the comedy series category.<\/p>\n
Next month the selections will be narrowed down to five for
\neach category and the winners will be announced at the Festival
\nSinetron Indonesia (FSI) awards show in early December.<\/p>\n
According to selection committee member, Marwan Alkatiry, this
\nyear's selections have progressed in all sectors, including
\ntechnical, casting, direction, production, storylines and
\nscriptwriting.<\/p>\n
"Progress in audiovisual works has made the adoption of social
\nthemes watchable enough to give TV viewers reason to look into
\nlives outside their own," he said.<\/p>\n
He gave the example of Mencari Pelangi (Finding The Rainbow),
\nwhich tells of street children and revolves around one who lives
\nby the Tanjung Priok railroad station in North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He added that scripts too have improved in the last two years.
\nThey are stronger and tell of both local and national problems.<\/p>\n
"The writers give color to sinetron scriptwriting and have
\neliminated those time-wasting dialogs like 'come let's eat' or 'I
\nam tired, I am going to sleep now,' from the scriptwriting
\nagenda," he said.
\n* According to Marwan, today's scriptwriters are drawing
\ninspiration from their surroundings, as in the case of Dalam
\nBayangan Ibu (In Mother's Shadow).<\/p>\n
"The idea of a mother selling cakes because she wants to keep
\nherself busy is something we are all seeing in our offices. So
\nmany people come to offices nowadays selling clothes or their own
\nbranded stuff at cheaper prices," he said.<\/p>\n
Marwan said that him giving examples did not mean that those
\nshows were guaranteed winning any category. "I am just giving
\ninstances of today's sinetron and their progress. That's all," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
On the issue of localized themes, the same applies for the
\ncomedy series category. The last two years' jury-member favorites
\nMat Angin, Fatima and Angkot Haji Imron II (Haji Imron's Public
\nVehicle II) have sustained their status as festival jury picks.
\nThey are high on social problems, local dialects and comedy.<\/p>\n
"It's called situational comedy. When people from the low
\nrungs of life's ladder watch the ordinary things that happens to
\nthem on a daily basis in sinetron, it touches them. The stories
\nare not so different from their own lives," Marwan said.<\/p>",
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