Starring Chew Jetty
By JEREMY TAN , This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Wednesday October 6, 2010; The Star Publications
Lights, camera, action: TeamWorx crew preparing for filming at Chew Jetty.
ALTHOUGH movies are an integral part of modern life, not many appreciate the sheer magnitude of effort that goes into making one.
From location scouting to hiring of extras and dressing things up to recreate a particular era, every little facet is meticulously scrutinised, ensuring that when audiences watch it on the screen, they’re seemingly transported to the world portrayed.
While the main stars are undoubtedly the focal point, the real unsung heroes are the production crew — be it the props manager, art director, set decorator, make up artist or costume designer — who work tirelessly behind the scenes and make it all happen.
Some Penangites got to experience first hand what shooting a film entailed, when cast and crew of the multi-million ringgit period drama Love and Death on Java shot scenes at various locations, including the E&O Hotel, and elsewhere around the island.
Set between 1939 and 1949, the two-part TV movie charts the fortunes of a German family in the Javanese city, Batavia (present day Jakarta) during those war-ravaged years.
Produced by German television and film company TeamWorx, with the collaboration of local production house Biscuit Films, it is set to be released in German-speaking countries sometime next year.
According to Biscuit Films co-owner Bill Donovan, who also had a cameo role in the film, the Penang economy would benefit to the tune of an estimated RM1million as a result of the three-week shoot.
He said it was an easy decision choosing Penang, which has an abundance of heritage structures, to stand in for locations of that bygone era.
Scenes involving stars Muriel Baumeister and Julia Thurnau were shot in front of a temple, and in one of the stilt houses along the jetty.
“Finding old buildings is easy, but finding old buildings that look new, like it would have back in 1939, is the hard part. Luckily, Penang has many old structures which are still in great shape,” he reasoned.
Nonetheless, the challenging part of a period piece, he said, was disguising modern day elements on location, such as TV antennas, air conditioning units, road markings or even high-rise buildings in the background.
As such, the crew laboured for hours on end to “erase” all present day elements, before dismantling everything at the end of the shoot.
“The modern world has crept up. Film captures everything, so no detail is overlooked. But it is also important that when we leave, the place looks better than it was when we started,” Donovan said.
Malaysia represents great value for them, with excellent locations not found anywhere else.
“Highly skilled local film crewmembers, who are conversant in English, is another plus factor,” Donovan added.
Chew Jetty resident Lee Eng Pheng, whose house would play the role of an opium den, said her family had no hesitation allowing the use of their premises when approached by the film crew.
“The area has the feel of the olden days, and we’ve had many film crews here before. It’s a great experience and I’m proud that my home will feature in a movie,” said Lee, who is in the marketing line.
Two local extras, supervisor Aniejuana Jaafar and entrepreneur Eyna Ahmad, were similarly enthusiastic, revealing that they immediately signed up on hearing a casting call for extras to play the roles of Batavian women.
“I’ve had relatives who appeared in commercials before, and I’ve always wondered what’s it like. Now I get to experience it first hand,” Eyna said.
“We’re quite lucky, because it’s not easy to get an opportunity like this. Even some Malaysian film stars have never had the privilege of being involved with an international production,” Aniejuana chipped in.
The production will wrap up its shoot in Penang by mid-October, and proceed to Ipoh, Baling, Hulu Langat and Kuala Lumpur for further filming, and then return to Germany for post-production at the end of November.
Donovan revealed that some of the crew would be extending their stay on the island for a vacation.
“Everyone is going crazy about the food here. Every evening, one of the food courts near our hotel is packed with our people,” he said.
Source: Starring Chew Jetty
