NEW STRAITS TIMES : 9/10/2006 M/S : 62
MOHD Mahyidin's aim is to make Finas accessible to all.
IN just two months or so, the newly appointed director-general of Finas (National Film Development Corporation) Mohd Mahyidin Mustakim, 50, has turned the organisation into a reliable one-stop centre, the kind it has always meant to be. He got rid of red tape to facilitate the decision-making process and introduced his staff to a new work culture akin to that of a private company. As for Finas' weary website, "it will move into a portal in a few months' time, where it will be moderated and updated regularly with interesting new features".
Millions will also be spent on a new sound stage called Studio Digital Mixstage. New post-production facilities will be available at Finas Post, all under the new leadership of this former executive producer of Pesona Pictures and chief secretary of Malaysian Film Producers Association.
Question: This year marks Finas' 25th anniversary and, more recently, the introduction of the National Film Policy. Obviously you have a big role to play.
Mohd Mahyidin: There was a bit of turbulence in the last year or so when Finas was left without a captain, so to speak. With the fast changes in the industry - new ways of capturing images, marketing and the advent of digital technology - the Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Utama Dr Rais Yatim wanted someone from within the industry so that Finas could be more aggressive and innovative.
Q: How has the journey been this far?
MM: It has been very good, thanks to the support of the minister, the ministry, as well as industry players, including the associations and the media. The message that I send out is that we cannot change the past, let bygones be bygones. What we can do is learn from it and move on. My aim is to make Finas accessible to all. We will be as open as we can. I have also met Finas staff and they have been very receptive to the new work culture that I have brought in, which is to work like a private company rather than a Government department. Over the last two months, the programmes I put in - the training, team-building and so on - have received good response from my staff. They are now more aware of the direction Finas is taking.
Q: Does this mean less bureaucracy?
MM: I have identified certain areas which can be improved, where we can do away with red tape to expedite decision-making. Recently, we initiated a more efficient way for local movies to have their release dates under the compulsory Syarat Wajib Tayang (which required cinema operators to screen local movies for a minimum of two weeks). We got rid of things that slowed down the process, such as the meetings and the film screenings. With the new system, we now have four films with release dates for December. The mandate given by the Ministry to the director-general will now he fully exercised. If a decision can be made at Finas level, there is no reason why one should go to the Ministry, unless it involves policy.
Q: Finas seems to be more transparent now.
MM: We aim to be more transparent with regards to the services and programmes we offer. For example, guidelines on the application of film licences, Syarat Wajib Tayang, or the revolving RM50 million loan (feature film loan), will be made clear to all interested parties. In other words, we are making the "hardware" transparent. By doing so, we are increasing the levels of professionalism - both on the industry players' side and that of Finas, therefore improving the quality of the "software". We don't want people who apply for the loan, for example, to do things unprofessionally.
Q: Non-conventional fIlmmakers, better known as the "independent" fraternity, have felt sidelined by Finas although they continue to win awards at fIlm festivals abroad. Do you think it's time to give them recognition?
MM: Finas treats everybody equally. I keep telling the indie film-makers to come to me if they need any support, just like what I have told those from the mainstream film associations. All they need to do is come up with the proposals for the projects they are interested in. As long as these are beneficial to the industry, we would be happy to help. At the moment, we are working with young filmmakers from local colleges to organise a short film competition.
Q: What will happen to the international film screenings previously held every Wednesdl at Finas? (organised by film consultancy Kaki Kino and the Institute of Malay World and Civilisation or Atma) The programme was stopped when one of the films screened had explicit scenes.
MM: We are working on it so that it can be revived. I think this is a good programme, but it needs better supervision. Finas should have been allowed a preview of the films before they were screened to the public. If there's nudity or explicit scenes, we could easily block it out (from the projector). I have not been in contact with Atma and Kaki Kino, but apart from the two organisations, I welcome other parties who are interested in our screening facility. I have an open policy.
Q: Gubra's win at the recent 19th Malaysian Film Festival was met with controversy. Now there are reports that there will be new guidelines for films competing in the categories at future award competitions.
MM: From a bigger perspective, the Government is the main proponent of the festival. Therefore, we would like the films to be nominated in the Best Film category, which are likely to represent our country (for the annual Asia Pacific Film Festival) to represent our culture and value systems. It can be Gubra, it can be other films. Essentially, judging guidelines for the categories will be made more transparent, so that winners can be better determined.
Q: Those who are participating in film festivals abroad have voiced their dissatisfaction at the lack of support received. Can Finas play a more active role?
MM: I am proposing a fund scheme to the Ministry to allow fIlmmakers, who are participating in international festivals recognised by Finas, to receive aid for expenses, accommodation and flight tickets. In the past, such assistance was made available on an irregular basis.
Q: The future is digital. When can we have a proper digital cinema?
MM: We are looking into this. Many countries in the region already have digital cinemas, so it is only natural that we have one too, which support digital films without compromising on audio and video quality. Let's just say that it is on its way.