#SHOWBIZ: Animated films need more emphasis on story and character

New Straits Times

16 hours ago

REGARDED as Malaysia's Father of Animation, film historian and animation legend Hassan A Muthalib describes Malaysian films as "not cinematic in terms of narrative and stylistics".
While he remains an optimist, he hopes that today's animation gurus focus more on training new animated filmmakers in order for the animation industry to rise.
"The animation filmmaker has control over every single frame, unlike the live-action filmmaker. How the director plans everything he sees is dependent on the director's point of view about issues of the day," he said in a recent interview.
DYNAMICS
Asked where he sees the animation industry 10 years down the road, Hassan said that things would not change much, unless the right film dynamics and the language of cinema are better understood and applied.
"Our animated films should be less video-game-like with more stress on story and characters.
"The award-winning Latvian film 'Flow' is a good example of how it should be done without fast cuts and incredible camera moves," he said.
Hassan admitted that there were always some areas in animation which Malaysians could hardly touch as a result of society's sensitivities.
To get around this, he said: "Animation provides an element of fantasy, especially with the use of non-human characters.
"Walt Disney has proven it with his animation features from the 1930s to the 1990s.
"His philosophy was to create great characters with distinct personalities.
"Give them great stories to be acted out."
ORANG ASLI
One suggestion Hassan has on interesting topics for animated movies is classical Malay literature and Orang Asli folktales.
"It's great to explore these, and fantastic stories can be made with the cutting-edge technology we have today.
"As far back as 1940 with Disney's 'Fantasia', the ground has already been prepared.
"Malaysian-based Japanese filmmaker Yasu Tanaka was the first to do so with his feature film 'Magik'."
While censorship is seen as a hindrance to the future development of animated films, Hassan believes that there is a need for it to minimise violence especially in cartoons.
"The Censorship Board helps in showing how some things can be overcome.
"For example, in 'Pulau' and 'Spilt Gravy On Rice', the films were passed because in the end, it all seemed to be a dream experienced by the protagonist.
"However, I was surprised how 'Dongeng Sang Kancil' managed to get through with so much graphic violence, especially since it was aimed at children."
Recalling his journey into the industry, Hassan said that he first came to work in Filem Negara Malaysia (FNM) in 1968, and was guided by Anandam Xavier who made Malaysia's first animated short, 'Hikayat Sang Kancil'.
"I thought to myself I am never ever going to understand how to do this, but 10 years later, I was making even more complicated camera charts.
"I was drawn to his background paintings and it was only when I started making my feature film, 'Silat Legenda' in 1995 that I realised background paintings gave the look of a film."
SANG KANCIL
Unconsciously, Hassan understood the importance of production design and it played an important role in his next short film, 'Sang Kancil Dan Monyet', in the mid-1980s.
"In November 1972, I was assigned to do a Happy Christmas trailer. I discovered that it was not about requiring 24 frames for a second of animation, it was about how fast the animation was and about creating the correct space between drawings."
Hassan said that two years later, he came up with his first public service announcement (PSA) about Anti-Hoarding, and in 1979, his controversial 'Nyamuk Aedes PSA' ruffled politicians' feathers.
"The talking mosquitoes were very popular with their catchy dialogue, but it was promptly taken off the air because a member of parliament felt that the mosquitoes' leader seemed to parody him."
Hassan is the man behind the first anti-dadah trailer in 1979.
"Many people were scared stiff by the story of a drug addict who climbs a flight of stairs right into a huge skull's mouth, and turns into a skeleton," he said.
JAMALI SHADAT
Hassan also collaborated with veteran comedian Datuk Jamali Shadat in a PSA about gas cylinders in 1981.
"Esso asked us to make an animated trailer on the do's and don't's of using a gas cylinder. Here's where I roped in Jamali, and he did a fantastic job educating the public with his spontaneous, humorous lecture," he said.
Hassan made his first live action PSA in 1983 with 'Keluarga' (Family), and it was shot at University Malaya Medical Centre.
"It was the story of a drug addict's parents who awaited the doctor's annoucement following their son's admission to hospital," he said, adding that the PSA won Best Idea at Anugerah Seri Angkasa.
IMUDA
Hassan's first win for an animated feature film was 'Mat Gelap' in 1990. It was about the adventures of a zany detective played by Datuk Imuda.
When asked about his favourite animated shorts by Malaysian filmmakers, Hassan listed Liew Seng Tatt's 'Don't Play Play', Eugene Foo's 'Grey Avenue', Hajar Aznam's 'Ulek Mayang: Spirits Of The Sea' and Ah Loong's 'The 7th Night: Maomao Revisits'.
"All four have simple but well-developed stories and are well put across through animation," he said.