While Malaysia’s box office has long been dominated by movies from Hollywood, local films are starting to make waves with recent movies such as Mat Kilau Kebangkitan Pahlawan raking in over 20 million Ringgit in just a week. The movie managed to stay at the top of the box office chart, surpassing movies like Minions, Jurassic World Dominion, Elvis, and Top Gun: Maverick which clearly indicated an increased support for local productions.
(From left to right, front row) Mr. Seng Yeang, Assistant Manager of Career Services at INTI International University, Malaysian actor Pablo Amirul, Singaporean actor and producer Edmund Tay, veteran actor Datuk Rosyam Nor, Ms. Joana Jaya, Head of Programme for the Faculty Business and Communications at INTI International University, and student ambassador Chang Ding Heng, posing for a group photo after the workshop.
In a recent behind-the-scenes workshop hosted by INTI International University on 15 September, students from the Mass Communication programme got to mingle and ask questions directly to some of the cast of Deleted, a Singapore-Malaysia movie filmed by an acclaimed Singaporean actor. The film highlights human and organ trafficking which currently lacks public awareness. A total of 136 students who attended the workshop were also exposed to the challenges of making the film and other industry knowledge.
Dr. Lai Ying Ling, Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic Operations) of INTI International University, said in her opening remarks that the workshop allowed students to gain first-hand knowledge from industry experts.
Dr. Lai Ying Ling, Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic Operations) of INTI International University, delivering her opening remarks during the workshop.
“INTI is proud to welcome speakers to talk about the real challenges of the film industry. Our priority is to ensure that our students are exposed to the realities of the working world and we hope this workshop will allow students to become more confident when they start their career,” said Dr. Lai.
Edmund Tay, who is also known as Zheng Geping, plays the male lead and is producer of the film. The Singaporean actor shared with the audience his experience of completing the film within 33 days.
“Despite challenges during the pandemic, we gained countless experiences and memories. The tireless effort of the production team demonstrated an impressive collaboration between Singapore and Malaysia,” he added.
(From right to left) Mass Communication student Joanne Kumar asking questions during the workshop.
The workshop was also attended by another cast member, Pablo Amirul, who played an antagonist role in the movie. He shared how he enjoyed acting in the movie and emphasised that having passion is important in pursuing any endeavour.
“When you have passion, it acts as a powerful force to keep you doing your best. As an actor, I was determined to make sure that we could finish the movie on time,” said Pablo.
Meanwhile, Sophieja Nurhizam Safie, a student pursuing the Bachelor of Mass Communication (Hons) programme at INTI International University, said the workshop was a rewarding experience.
“When I first heard about this workshop, I was excited. I can finally learn the ins and outs of the local film industry,” said Sophieja.
Impressed by the improving quality of local films, she said the public should stop stereotyping local productions as not all are bad. Sophieja, who dabbles in acting while studying, has always dreamt of opening her own media agency after graduation.
INTI International University Bachelor of Business (Hons) in Logistics and Supply Chain Management student Cheng Chui Yi proudly shares an interest in filmmaking.
“I know how hard it is to commit to film production, but the sharing session really inspired me to keep going for my dreams,” she explained.
Students with an interest in film production are typically from media or mass communication backgrounds, but Cheng Chui Yi, who is also known as Joey, is pursuing the Bachelor of Business (Hons) in Logistics and Supply Chain Management programme at INTI International University. She said she decided to come for the workshop after she attended the movie’s premiere.
“It excites me to be part of the workshop hosted by INTI. I can finally see the development of the current film industry and it is something we should be extremely proud of,” Joey said.
According to Joey, she was impressed by the message portrayed in the film and felt that it was a topic not to be taken lightly. The movie really opened her eyes about human trafficking and how society could play a role in preventing it.
“I must help to spread awareness about the good values depicted by the movie. It is the least I can do to help combat human trafficking,” she added.
Joanne Kumar, another Mass Communication student, said she was still in awe of knowledge from the workshop and hoped to apply it in real-life someday.
Sophieja Nurhizam Safie, 21, says taking on some small acting roles allowed her to make extra money while studying at INTI International University.
“In the past, we went through supplementary reading material. This workshop made things clearer and gave me an overview of the skills required to be successful in film production. We got to hear the untold stories behind the cameras, and I feel more ambitious now for a career in the film industry,” she said.
Roshini Segaran, who is also pursuing Mass Communication at INTI, said the workshop motivated her journey to become a screenwriter one day.
“The sharing session was top-notch. I feel motivated to come up with scripts that are as good as the ones by famous screenwriters. I can’t wait to go through the same experience as them,” Roshini said with a smile.
Halfway through the event, veteran actor Datuk Rosyam Nor made a special appearance, while some members of the audience got to take home promotional t-shirts which were also donned by the actors during their visit to the university.