Fresh funds needed to help ailing local film industry

By Marselli Sumarno

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian film industry is in trouble, and problems began long before the onset of the monetary crisis.

Competition with imported films, especially from Hollywood, which directly distributes its films in Indonesia, and with the TV industry, has caused a sharp drop in the quantity of domestically produced wide-screen films. The level of annual film production, previously totaling 70 to 80 titles, is now only some 30 titles.

The number of cinemas has also dropped from over 3,000 to only 1,000. Another feature of present-day Indonesian films is that the films, produced at the lowest cost possible, are very commercially oriented and filled with sex exploitation.

So with the onslaught of the economic crisis, which has caused production costs to soar, the national film industry has been dealt a virtually fatal blow.

Up to mid-1997, a film produced at low cost would need about Rp 250 million to Rp 300 million. At this cost the shooting days were limited to two to three weeks, the storyline had to be simple, the cast would be satisfied with low pay and the film (raw material) used would not be more than 60 cans (four minutes a can).

The cost also included 20 copies of the film, a copy costing Rp 3 million then, to be distributed to cinemas.

The much-talked-about Misteri Kebun Tebu (Mystery in a Sugarcane Plantation) is a film in this category. It dwells on the murders in North Sumatra of a number of women allegedly by Achmad Suraji alias Datuk, a shaman.

The film has triggered a big fuss, charging that the defendant has undergone trial by the film because it has been distributed while Datuk is still on trial.

However, at the time of distribution, prices skyrocketed. The printing of one copy is now Rp 10 million. So, although the film on the shaman is a potential money-maker, the producer made only 11 copies. In fact, the number of copies available will help determine how soon the producer can get back his capital and reap a profit.

In the United States, an average of 200 copies are made for one film title. In Indonesia, over 60 copies were made for each film featuring the Warkop DKI comedy group, during the heyday of the group of comedians in the 1980s.

Copy printing is not the only aspect of film-making that has undergone a sharp cost increase. A can of Kodak film, for example, has gone up in price from Rp 400,000 to Rp 1.5 million. It is estimated, therefore, that a low-cost film will need between Rp 500,000 and Rp 600 million. It could be slightly lower if the rupiah's exchange rate was realistic. One thing is obvious: a low-cost film will never be as cheap as it was before.

Another downfall for low-cost films is that the national film industry is no longer very promising for "low-cost films at the new prices".

Many cinemas have gone bankrupt. The price of entrance tickets cannot be doubled owing to the weakening purchasing power of the community. Forcing a rise in this respect would be the same as driving would-be moviegoers away.

It is true that some countries do not seem to have the urge to produce films. However, Indonesia always feels the need to ensure its film industry is in a sound condition because the country has a long history of film production.

The commercial success of Misteri Kebun Tebu shows that films with themes familiar to the community are potential box-office hits.

This means there is hope that there will also be reforms in the national film world so that film censorship will lean toward greater leniency and tolerance. On the other hand, there is a greater challenge for filmmakers to produce films which can communicate with film viewers.

At this juncture, the production system must also be improved. So, over 1,000 film workers in Indonesia, associated in the Film and Television Workers Association, do not need to imitate Hollywood's production system.

Production system

They must formulate a production system more suitable to Indonesia's conditions. Film crews, for example, could be just enough to make a film and the equipment used could be any available equipment.

So, the work orientation would not be "how" to make a film, but rather "why" make a film at all. The outcome would be authentic films with their own selling value.

It is now very difficult to find a film producer interested in making wide-screen films. Some producers have shifted to TV production, while others have changed careers.

To cope with financial difficulty in film production, the National Film Advisory Agency (BP2N) once stated an intention to collect a revolving fund of some Rp 30 billion from business tycoons. The funds were to be deposited in a bank and the interest used to subsidize annual film production.

Until now this has remained a mere plan. However, BP2N has in several cases provided limited subsidies to national film production activities.

This year, limited subsidies were extended to the production of four films, namely Daun Di Atas Bantal (A Leaf on a Pillow), produced by Christine Hakim, Telegram, produced by Slamet Rahardjo, Sri, produced by Kemala Atmojo, and Nyanyian Laut (Song of the Sea), produced by Budiati Abiyoga.

Other promising financial sources are international funds. Telegram is reportedly coproduced with a French side with a capital ratio of 70:30.

International subsidies -- albeit relatively small -- are available from different sources. Hubert Bals Fund, a Dutch foundation affiliated with Rotterdam Film Festival, for example, has extended subsidies to the production of Daun Di Atas Bantal and Telegram.

Closely linked with capital is marketing, particularly international marketing. In view of the sluggish condition of the domestic market, Daun Di Atas Bantal and Telegram, each being produced at a cost of over Rp 1 billion, or Sri, produced at the "old" cost and so costing Rp 400 million, will later be distributed on the international market.

The national TV industry, which has also been hit by the economic crisis, is not an alternative market for national films. Garin Nugroho's Bulan Tertusuk Ilalang (And the Moon Dances) and N. Riantiarno's Cemeng 2005 were sold to private television Indosiar on an income-sharing basis regarding the proceeds from commercials.

The two films, produced at a cost of some Rp 600 million each, were aired last January but did not generate enormous proceeds from commercials.

To survive, the national film industry urgently needs an injection of international funds, which may be channeled in the form of coproduction or subsidies.

According to records, coproduction with foreign investors is not new to Indonesian producers. Unfortunately, this activity is not sustainable and has involved only a small number of films. Max Havellar and Oeroeg are two titles of the few films coproduced with foreign producers. Unfortunately, fewer still are experts in international film marketing.

The writer is a lecturer at the School of Film and Television, Jakarta Art Institute, and director of Sri.