So You Think You Can Act? Write? Direct a Film?

by: Kenneth Lam

They say every art director secretly aspires to be a film director and every writer harbour dreams to pen an award-winning screenplay one day. They also say life is short, so go explore these new dramatic horizons.

For aspiring film directors, actors and writers, FINAS (National Film Development Corporation Malaysia) offers many short courses on the craft of film-making. Courses are available on film production processes from screen-writing to short film to documentary workshops and technical workshops from camera techniques to set deco to makeup, sound design and film editing, etc. These intensive short courses mostly takes up 5-days (full-time) and reasonably costs RM600 each.

To find out what's hot in the local film industry, here's a decent web portal by FINAS called SinemaMalaysia launched sometime in 2007.

Check out the latest film industry news, discussion forums, search the comprehensive database of made-in-Malaysia films dating back to the 1930's!

There are also searchable directories of actors, new talents, film crews, producers, various creative companies providing professional services for the local film industry. Designers, get yourself listed-lah.