Films finding home on TV stations

Films finding home on TV stations

By Antariksawan Jusuf

JAKARTA (JP): Hopes ran high among supporters of Indonesian
movies and viewers of regular TV serials when SCTV launched a
program called FTV (Film Television) in October 2000. It is a
feature-length two hour drama, filmed in cinemascope with a
camera angle that bears close resemblance to theatrical movies.

Each FTV program features leading luminaries among
Indonesia's entertainment industry such as Mathias Muchus, Maudy
Koesnaedy, Dede Yusuf, Hendri Hendarto, Marcellino, Hanny Hasyim,
Devy Permatasari, Torro Margens, and Lydia Kandou.

Broadcast at prime time (initially at 8.30 pm and now at 9
p.m.), the program has proved to be very successful. In terms of
ratings, it regularly attracts between 7 percent and 13 percent
of the total TV audience. Under current stiff prime time
programming competition among commercial stations, two digit-
rated programs are considered high.

"For the time being, FTV is our locomotive in terms of
production," said Utojo Sutjiutomo, the executive producer of
Prima Entertainment, the production house commissioned by SCTV to
make the program.

Prima Entertainment also produces regular TV serials such as
Harga Diri, (Pride), and Dilarang Jatuh Cinta (Don't Fall In
Love) (RCTI), Ketabahan (Determination) and Misteri Nini Pelet,
(Mystery of Nini Pelet), (SCTV).

"We don't bank totally on the stars, but on every single
dimension of the television programs such as the story line of
each title," Utojo said.

The station is now extending the program toward a slightly
different genre called FTV Mystery (its maiden broadcast is on
Friday, April 6, 2001).

SCTV manager for local program acquisition Mawardie said the
decision was made after considering FTV Drama viewers' favorable
response to mystery programs.

Local theatrical titles starring Susanna such as Petualangan
Cinta Nyi Blorong (The Love Saga of Nyi Blorong), Ajian Ratu Laut
Kidul (The Charm of The Queen of the South Sea), Nyi Ageng Ratu
Pemikat (The Charm Queen) always capture extremely high ratings,
he said.

Actually, SCTV is not the first station airing this kind of
program. Earlier, Anteve, RCTI and Indosiar launched such a
program under the banner of Telesinema, but without achieving
much interest from viewers. Indosiar, which also launched the
program, had by the end of last year, suspended the slot.

Indosiar spokesman Gufroni Sakaril said the station's in-house
production team is now concentrating on the production of serials
(sinetron) which gain higher ratings than one-off telemovies.

"Telesinema requires longer preparation and is more
complicated than serials," he said.

Still it is less complicated and less expensive than
theatrical movies. That's one of the reasons FTV works better
than wide-screen movies. After three months screening FTV, SCTV
has broadcast more titles than wide-screen movies.

In the United States, some refer to this program as Made-for-
TV movies and sometimes Movies of the Week.

Many expect this kind of program will help lift the condition
of the Indonesian wide-screen film industry which has been in
limbo since the early 1990s. They are also expected to provide
viewers with alternative prime time programs other than plot-
spinning serials.

But it may be too much. Viewers found out later that several
story lines are the same as certain imported movies. Buku Harian
Suami (A Husband's Diary) from Diabolique, Jakarta Love Story
(Love Story, a Taiwanese movie), Sang Bintang, The Star, from
Number One Fan, Permintaan (Demand) from What Dreams May Come,
Sang Aktor (The Actor) from Looking For Richard, Di Balik Asrama
(Behind the Boarding House) from Scream.

Viewers can only hope that when good films are successful,
more good films will be made to revive the domestic film
industry.