Edgy Show for Teens (Sunday People)

First published in New Straits Times, Sunday People
8 September 2007

TV: Edgy show for teens

It's all about friendship, writes MAX KOH about 8tv’s new show, Kami — The Series.



A SNAPSHOT of four teenagers walking, and one riding piggyback, down a lonely KL street. Smiles beam from their faces. Their camaraderie is so close that you can’t tell where one ends and another begins. Smells like teen spirit?

Well, yes. It is a photo like this that inspired two writers-directors to come up with Kami — The Series, an eight-part series about the five teenagers and the events that leads them to one another.

Set against the backdrop of the local independent music scene, we follow Lynn, Ali, Abu, Sofie, and Adii through their coming-of-age phase, but it’s a musical journey.

While some of us would give anything to forget those tumultuous years, Fariza Azlina Ishak (Fizzi) and Effendee Mazlan (Fendi) have set out to capture the exuberance of youth on film.



They explain: “All of us remember what it is to be young. We’ve all been through that although our experiences vary. Kami was something we wanted to do through our own perspectives.”

Part of a multi-platform project, Kami the TV series will be followed by a feature-length film to be released next year, produced with the help of Lina Tan and her team at Red Films.

At the same time, a series of gigs featuring local indie bands have been held nationwide with bands like One Buck Short, Bittersweet, and Gerhana Ska Cinta performing.

With so many facets, Fizzi and Fendi are adamant about the crux of the story. It’s all about friendship.

“Kami brings to light some of the perils and issues that plague today’s teens. The five teenagers in the TV series have their own dreams to pursue while wrestling with their ‘demons’ at home or school.

“While the story is set against an indie music backdrop, it’s not about the underground scene per se. It’s really about the friendships we made in our youth.”

But haven’t stories like this been told in countless TV series like One Tree Hill and Dawson’s Creek?

No worries, brother. The two are banking on a non-linear style.

“In the first five episodes, each episode will only focus on a character’s background. It is only on the sixth episode that these five finally meet in KL for the first time.

“Stories like these are sememangnya (usually) cliché. But it is how we capture the emotions and the storytelling that is different,” they say.

While indie bands like Meet Uncle Hussein and Reza Salleh appear in the series, the soundtrack also features rocking contributions from One Buck Short, The Times, Pop Shuvit, Gerhana Ska Cinta, OAG and Couple.

Opening the show is Lagu Untukmu by newbies Meet Uncle Hussein. The music is energetic and emotional which fits the edgy vibe of the show.

“Music is the unifying factor that brings these five together,” Fizzi explains. “At the same time, we also want to introduce these new bands and their music.”

So, why these bands? “Well, we specifically asked for some bands like Bittersweet. By the way, they make really good music. Some were introduced to us. Ultimately, it just depends whether if the music fits the scene or not.”

Great bands. Edgy storytelling. Converging media. Sounds cool. But what about the main cast?

Liyana Jasmay, 19, from Pahang plays Lynn who is an aspiring journalist. She is independent, streetwise and runs her own fanzine called Kami under the pseudonym Teka-Teki.

Syarul Ezani, 18, plays Ali and some say, he’s the “good-looking one” in the bunch. Ali is a struggling musician trying to cope with his parents’ crumbling marriage.

Playing the airhead, Sofie, is Juliana Sophie. The 18-year-old is no stranger as she has hosted several TV shows including Remaja and Ezone.

Then we have Nas-T, the true musician of the group who plays Abu. Nas-T is a DJ with the local rock-rap band Dragon Red. He acted in Bernard Chauly’s Goodbye Boys.

Rounding up the group is newbie Ani Zayanah, 21, who plays Adii, the rock that holds the group together.

As Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain once sang, “Our little group has always been, and always will until the end.”

Friendship forged in the days of our youth is forever.

Kami — The Series is aired on 8tv on Wednesdays at 10pm.

A Fiesta of Music (Sunday People)

First published in New Straits Times, Sunday People on
29 September 2007

A Fiesta of Music

by Max Koh

Torres wooing the Kuala Lumpur crowd.


THE audience at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas in KLCC felt the heat when flautist Nestor Torres performed with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra recently.

From Latin jazz standards such as Besame Mucho and El Cumbanchero to original compositions from his album, Dances, Prayers And Meditation For Peace, Torres impressed everyone with his virtuosity.

He was accompanied by an ensemble of percussionists, armed with congas, bongos, timbales, and cowbells.

The MPO musicians were also togged for the occasion, ditching the usual black outfits for Latin garb. The male musicians boasted shirts with Hawaiian prints and sunglasses while the female players came in beautiful dresses and wore stilettos.

Portuguese-American Jacomo Bairos was the guest conductor that night billed, Latin Jazz Fiesta. With his flowery hand gestures and jerky body movements, he was fun to watch as well.

But the star was undoubtedly Torres who drew standing ovations for his solos including for Let There Be Light, an uplifting song that offered a glimpse of hope that “when we battle our own demons, like those who bring light after the storm, we shall prevail.”

It began with a marching beat before erupting into a symphony of Latin beats, lush strings and an impressive flute solo.

In 2001, Torres won the Latin Grammy in Pop Instrumental for his album, This Side Of Paradise. While this is usually a milestone in one’s music career, the win proved to be bittersweet as the award night fell on Sept 11.

“I remember the awards show in Los Angeles was cancelled due to the bombing of the World Trade Centre,” said Torres in an interview that afternoon at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

“Even though I had won the Grammy, it did not feel good in light of the evil that day.

“That’s when I decided to go to New York to meditate and play my flute in various houses of worship.

“I wanted to be a conduit for whatever energy that was present in New York that time, and channel it into music that will inspire, empower, and revitalise the people.”

Torres played in St Peter’s Church, which is just around the corner of Ground Zero, the Congregational Darech Amuno Synagogue, the Community City Church of New York, and the Soka Gakkai International-USA Buddhist Culture Centre.

Out of the ashes of the 9/11 tragedy came the songs for his 2006 album, Dances, Prayers And Meditation For Peace.

Befittingly then, when Torres played the songs from his recent album, the mood was meditative.

The night turned really sentimental when Torres performed Over The Rainbow. “I am really impressed by Malaysia, a nation which is relatively young but is yet rich with so much experience,” Torres said before he took up his flute.

“It is this marriage of experience and vigour that will surely bless this nation for years to come. I am honoured to be here with you during this season of celebration.”

We left DFP with smiles.

Woman in Love (Sunday People)

First published in New Straits Times, Sunday People
20 January 2008

Woman in Love 

MAX KOH

IT’S a dark night as I walk down a quiet street in Brickfields, my path illuminated only by the headlights of passing vehicles.

But as soon as I enter The Temple Of Fine Arts, I am greeted by a flurry of activity: Indian ragas emanating from portable cassette decks, children stamping their feet to the tala (rhythm) being played, and students swirling in dance as their parents look on proudly.

I was there to speak to an emerging artiste — Hemavathi Sivanesan or Hema — who has just performed her arangetram (graduation performance) last September.

Among those in the audience that day was acclaimed international dancer Mavin Khoo.

“With Hema, I saw the potential of a dancer who has a destiny with dance,” said Khoo who then proposed a project to further hone her skills.

“All I do is to provide a platform for her to further develop herself as a dancer and an artiste.”

Khoo feels that after a dancer’s solo debut, the performer usually takes a step backwards — a psychological reversal — instead of developing herself as a solo dancer.

“I wanted to tap into the physical and emotional energy that was still present. The next step was necessary in the tradition of Indian classical dance — a two-hour solo repertoire.”

Which brings us to Hema’s maiden solo performance called Mardhuya: The Sacred Feminine On A Journey of Love. The dance is choreographed by Khoo, who once trained under Hema’s mother, TFA’s senior dance teacher Vasuki Sivanesan — a “perfect cycle”, he adds.

Says the 20-year-old Hema: “Mardhuya is essentially about love. It is about the different types of experiences that a woman goes through in her life.”

To explore the nuances of the female spirit, Hema had to tap into her own emotions and explore the many different expressions of feminine love.

Says Khoo: “Classical Indian dance has always been imbued with so much spirituality. However with Mardhuya, I choose instead to focus on the theme of love that is so universal and accessible to everyone.

“In the classical Indian form, there are specifics ideas about who you are. What I try to do with Hema is to develop a relationship between the dancer and form, and eventually enable the dancer to find herself as a modern person living within the art form.”

Hema began studying ballet at the age of four. She took to bharatanatyam when she was six years old, under the guidance of her mother, Vasuki.

But it was only in Form Four that Hema says she realised her true calling.

“It’s funny but I always wanted to be a doctor. But it was at that time when I realised I kept thinking about dancing and how I love to be in that world.”

But the dancing world is no bed of roses as Khoo describes it: “A career which you must constantly improve yourself because the next day, a new face will always emerge.”

“That is why I’m actually envious of Hema. She is still in that mental stage when it is all about the art,” says Khoo.

“And she will be fascinating to watch. She’s now at the foetal point as an artiste. In 10 years, when you see her perform again, you’ll appreciate it even more as you’ll see how she has developed as an artiste.”

“Khoo is not only a teacher but also a good friend to me,” says Hema. “I think my understanding of the art form has deepened from my time with him. And it really helps a lot as I will be going to Perth to do my degree in performing arts.”


Hema performs Mardhuya: The Sacred Feminine On A Journey of Love, with nattuvagam (chanting to the exact beat) by Mavin Khoo, on Jan 25 at 8pm. Venue: Actors’ Studio, Bangsar Shopping Centre. Admission by a minimum donation of RM30. Invitations available at the Temple of Fine Arts, Brickfields, KL. Call 03-2743709.

Secured Commitment (Sunday People)

Originally published in New Strait Times, Sunday People
20 December 2007

Secured Commitment

MAX KOH

BRIAN has borrowed money from a friend who is a tai ee lung (loan shark). He thinks he will be treated differently as he’s a friend.

The poor chap finds out otherwise.





This is the premise behind the short film, Unsecured Loan, by independent film maker Julianne Block, shown recently at the IndiCine Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre in Sentul.


The audience is kept at the edge of their seats with all that action as Brian tries to get the money to settle the debt.

The 11-minute film offers flashbacks, scenes playing in reverse, split screens and curious camera angles.

The intimate gathering applauded the effort by Block who directed, wrote and produced the film.

“Believe it or not,” says Block, “I did not study filmmaking. In high school, I excelled in Maths and Physics.”

The tall, lanky Block with a distinct German accent is an architect and that earned her a living but it was meeting aspiring filmmaker Marc Fehse at a German university which eventually led her to her calling.

Fehse was making an independent horror film called Mutation. He needed someone to do special effects make-up and I was roped in. “It was a trash film, but I had lots of fun doing it,” she says with a laugh.

Block says she soon realised that she needed experience outside of Germany.

Fascinated by Asian culture, she sold everything and moved to Hong Kong two years ago.

“I chose Hong Kong because it was the hub of film-making in Asia and I hoped that it would lead me to the US. But Hong Kong was difficult to break into,” says Block who then moved to Malaysia.

She began working on her brother’s short story called Geschäft ist Geschäft, which became Unsecured Loan.

The film was shot on a very short budget and all the actors and crew members agreed to work pro bono, spurred on by a common interest in filmmaking.

Sean Yap, whom Block met during Joe Hisham’s “Acting for Beginners” classes, was roped in to play the role of Brian. She thought that he fitted the character like a glove as he projected a very fierce demeanour during class.

Yap Yen Sam stumbled into the project through his son who heard about the auditions.

Says Yap: “I guessed they picked me (to play the loan shark) because I was the only fellow who fitted the description.”

Block is now working on her first 90-minute feature film, Free Ashes, a character driven piece. A bigger project which will need more funds, an unfazed Block says: “I will continue making films because it is what I love to do”.