Filmmakers find cheap ways to produce films

Filmmakers find cheap ways to produce films

JAKARTA (JP): In this time of crisis when prices are
skyrocketing, filmmakers are finding economical ways to reduce
costs without sacrificing quality that can attract more sponsors
and advertisers.

There is no point in insisting on using expensive celluloid
film if filmmakers cannot afford to buy it, according to director
Marselli Sumarno.

"To be practical, a filmmaker should use an ordinary video
camera," Marselli says.

The video can later be sent for post-production abroad where
it will be transferred to 35mm celluloid film. A minute of
transfer costs about Rp 15 million (US$1,250), he says.

A 90 to a 100-minute movie would therefore cost around Rp 1.25
billion, cheaper than the normal Rp 2 billion to Rp 3 billion
cost of a comparable movie using celluloid film.

"Companies in Australia, Los Angeles or Singapore have been
doing this all the time with commercial advertisements," Marselli
says.

The head of the Film School at the Jakarta Arts Institute
added that companies normally took takes for advertisements with
a video camera.

Via computerized editing, they do away with bad shots and
final editing would see the remainder transferred onto celluloid
film.

Noted director Garin Nugroho says that the soaring costs of
film cans and post-production -- that include voice mixing and
film printing -- could be lowered.

"Explore the possibility of finding sponsors that you have
never thought of before," he says.

This trick has led him to starlet Christine Hakim's business
partners who referred him to the Hubert Bals Foundation in
Rotterdam which helped finance his Daun Di Atas Bantal (A Leaf On
A Pillow) in which Christine stars.

The film also received two million yen (Rp 169 million),
compliments of the executive committee of Japan's Kobe Film
Festival which provides grants to filmmakers from developing
countries.

In addition to foreign sponsors, Garin has also been
successful in alluring local sponsors, including the government.

He secured government subsidies of Rp 680 million (US$56,000)
for his third production, Bulan Tertusuk Ilalang (When The Moon
Dances).

Johan Tjasmadi, former chairman of the National Film
Assessment Board (BP2N) which distributes government subsidies
for local film production, says he asked the then minister of
information Harmoko to support the movies to help boost them into
the international limelight.

The government, through BP2N, also helped Slamet Rahardjo
produce Telegram, with a loan of Rp 250 million and a subsidy of
the same amount.

Telegram is a joint production of the Indonesian film company
PT Ekapraya Tata Cipta Film and France's Artcam International. It
cost three million francs, of which Indonesia will shoulder 70
percent.

Slamet says having a French partner will especially be helpful
in promoting the movie in international fora.

He says screening movies in international film festivals helps
a lot with the movie's publicity and could lead to attracting
sponsorship.

"Telegram will be taken to the Cannes Festival in May, and
might garner some attention. This will help its screening here,"
he says.

Other ways that filmmakers have tried to promote a film is
seminars, workshop, discussions and other gatherings which
attract wide publicity.

Daun di Atas Bantal is one example. No single media company,
print or electronic, has missed reporting on this film, since
long before it debuted.