Miscues stifle independent film scene
Joko Anwar, Contributor, Jakarta
It sometimes seems that every 20-something with filmmaking ambitions thinks all they need to do is get their hands on a video camera. Forget about learning about skills and the art of filmmaking.
They cannot be blamed, however, because senior filmmakers have a similarly narrow attitude: Let's churn 'em out for a quick buck and to hell with giving the audience quality entertainment.
While good filmmakers make decisions about which medium they want to use based on what kind of look and feel they want, most local filmmakers choose digital video simply because it is much cheaper.
Most local movies are produced on a shoestring budget in the ugly medium, then transferred to film.
"Indonesia is the most loyal country among digital video users," renowned filmmaker Garin Nugroho told The Jakarta Post.
While filmmakers can argue that the medium seems to be the best option to continue making movies during this time of economic hardship, the decision may also be among those holding back its progress.
Local filmmakers have been unable to keep up with the progress of their counterparts from neighboring Asian countries.
Thailand's well-made historical epic Suriyothai, for example, will soon be released in the U.S. by Francis Ford Coppola.
In the meantime, Indonesian filmmakers are still struggling with the basic technicalities of their craft.
Reflecting the problems affecting the industry was the recently held second annual Indonesia Independent Film Festival (FFII). It is intended to nurture local talent and encourage filmmaking but so far has failed to succeed in either goal.
The competition is open to members of the public from any age group and background. Perhaps only in this country could you find people with such a wide range of ages and skills competing in the same film festival.
The categories are limited to beginners and professionals. The organizer defines professionals as those who have made more than two "independent" films, which would mean that director Quentin Tarantino, after he made Reservoir Dogs, would thus have been eligible to enter the "beginners" category under such criteria!.
Those who happened to attend the awards night probably could not decide whether to feel enthusiastic or concerned about the event, especially after the winners were announced.
While the winners were naturally pleased with themselves, the also-rans, many of whom had traveled long distances from their homes in other parts of the country, could not hide their disappointment as the show was beamed live by organizer SCTV private TV station.
Those who entered the competition as "professionals" were even more disappointed: The ceremony hosts announced that there was no winner in this category.
Despite pathetic attempts from the hosts to keep the atmosphere up, boos were heard from the disgruntled participants.
"There wasn't a single entry which met professional standards," one of the jury members, artist Paquita Wijaya, told the Post later.
The next day, FFII's website was full of hate postings from the participants. They condemned the competition as unfair and charged that the jury did not have a clear standard to judge the entries.
Perhaps, they have a valid complaint but the jury was right, too. Hopefully, their decision, painful as it was, will spur budding filmmakers to think hard about doing a better job.
Last year, SCTV aired the films of the winners and nominees, which was an embarrassing decision because most were poorly made.
The only exception, perhaps, was Nanang Istiabudi's D.A.R.K. which was well made on a 16mm format.
Local film producers are not won over by the festival's efforts.
"I saw movies which won the FFII last year but artistically they did not impress me," highly regarded film producer/director Riri Riza told the Post.
So, the independent film scene stumbles on, with anybody and everybody able to call themselves a filmmaker. But for the few young, independent filmmakers with talent, it's still a case of going it alone in getting their films made.