'Trashy' local miniseries still the viewers' favorite

JAKARTA (JP): Some top rating Indonesian sinetron (miniseries) are of basic quality with simple plots and unrealistic themes.

High rating miniseries, including those screened during prime time (between 7.30 p.m. and 9 p.m.), usually feature top stars, good looking actors and have a range of themes, from comedy to the occult, according to a director of private TV station RCTI, R. Hardiyanto.

Some miniseries are produced just to win high ratings, without a thought for artistic elements and mission, he told a discussion on miniseries during the monetary crisis. The discussion was held on Thursday to commemorate RCTI's ninth anniversary,

Like Hardiyanto, veteran filmmaker Slamet Rahardjo says some miniseries have low quality scenarios. Regardless of quality, miniseries have won a strong following here.

Lamenting the poor quality, Slamet says producers should create and maintain quality standards.

"Now people just watch something beautiful, without realizing the other side of human life," he said.

He has urged producers, directors and stars to improve their professionalism. "I understand that some directors seldom make preparations even when shooting is three days away. You can imagine the quality then."

Raam Punjabi, owner of PT Tripar Multivision Plus, which controls airtime allotted for miniseries, has a different opinion.

"We are not that bad. Some 30 million people watch local miniseries. What would they think if the media criticized what they watch?" he said.

He is optimist about the prospects of miniseries during the crisis, saying the public needs them.

"Previously, people just watched miniseries to kill time, but now they do not have any other choice. People are no longer enthusiastic about political issues."

He admits that to win popularity, miniseries have be entertaining. "This is very common."

In fact, making a good sinetron is not easy.

Hardiyanto says "A good sinetron should be creative, innovative or at least have acceptable concepts. It should make sense. Originality is also important, as well as artistic merit and good editing."

From the point of directing, artistic merit and editing, miniseries are expected to have commercial value as well as audience acceptability, he says. "A miniseries should also have good photography, lighting, angle, cinematography, sound effects and background music."

Asaf Antariksawan of Indosiar says the number of miniseries has grown significantly since the first private TV station was set up nine years ago.

There was an average of 3,781 miniseries hours played in 1997, up from 2,420 hours in 1995.

As of the third week in August, nine out of top-10 programs were local miniseries, he said.

The nine miniseries include Jin dan Jun (RCTI) and Tuyul & Mbak Yul (RCTI), both being low-quality comedies with a touch of mysticism. (icn)