In this other one, Yasmin talks to some bloggers a year ago. There’s some great anecdotes from the Tan Hong Ming ad. She also touched on several things that I really relate to when talking about filmmaking. One is the idea of control, or the lack of it as the director; and secondly – art as collaboration. I really could listen to her talk all day about film making, love, and on being Malaysian.

See everything after the jump.

For Hari Merdeka:

One for this year’s Raya:

and one for Deepavali:

As if I could ever tire of seeing real good work by a real Malaysian getting real recognition.

Previously:
feel-good story of the day

The commercial was one of a three-part TV campaign in conjunction with Merdeka 2007 for Petronas, produced by Leo Burnett Advertising Sdn Bhd. It was Leo Burnett’s headquarters in Chicago that entered the commercial for the ANDYs.

“I had no idea they had entered it. I was surprised when I received a phone call from a Japanese director friend telling me that I had won three awards at the ANDY awards,” she said yesterday.

Remember the Tan Hong Ming ad? Yea… that one. Go Yasmin Ahmad!

Petronas ought to pay me.

But since nobody has, you have to go to Petronas Greeting website to watch this year’s chinese new year offering.

It’s a good effort but the tempo is a little off at the end. I’m being nitpicky – and since the standard is set pretty high from commercials of yesteryears, it’s justifiable. And since I complained last year that the message in the ads have been pretty heavy handed I should give them props for attempting something different. Buuuttttt.. lacking awesome song like from last year’s ad. Nevertheless, cried my requisite bucket full.

The ad doesn’t have a title far as I can tell but I’ma gonna call it tuan yuan fan (mirite? mirite?… one of you must know how to write this in chinese rite? let me know, mkay?)

Previously:
- Petronas ad people, those bastards
- this Raya’s ad and my obsession with those Petronas ads
- my shoes were not from Gombak

Found it while I was searching for something interesting to feature for our 50th independence day.

Search yielded an newsreel type video about Tunku’s work… sort of. And it’s not something you can find on youtube. Not yet anyways.

But what you *can* find on youtube is the obligatory Petronas ad:

Oh, I also stumbled onto a really neat newsreel – Malayan Patrol – about the Worchestershire Regiment during the communists period.

And lastly:

*sniffles*

Anyways theeese eees de 2007 Petronas CNY ad:

I think the plotlines are getting a little stale and predictable – three years in a row we get the story about our old folks. For some, the beat-you-over-the-head with a gigantic filial piety mallet can definitely become annoying.

But not for me, apparently. So please, Petronas, keep feeding me hackneyed messages about family, country and identity. I just can’t get enough of it!

Oh, also – I like the song. If anybody know who that is, lemme know, mkay??
Previously:
- this Raya’s ad and my obsession with those Petronas ads
- my shoes were not from Gombak

So the Raya, CNY and Deepavali ads all have filial piety themes while the Merdeka ads are about our muhibbah-ness. The last couple year’s CNY ads – Poh Poh and Me and The Old Folks – were absolute home runs. So I’ll be expecting more of the same in a few months time.

If these things came out in a DVD compilation, would I buy them? Betyourass…

Happy 31st, Everybody.

Eventhough we are almost ready to send a man out into space (by way of Russia) it’s the smaller stuff that I’m more proud of.

It’s nice to have real filmmakers like Yasmin Ahmad who’s keepin’ it real. Her Petronas ads are still the best. This year’s ad, don’t think it’s hers, is ok only…

Anyone remember the sunat ad? “..itu die potong kasi balik ke?” hahahahahaha!!!
I’m proud of the mamak stalls and its unbeatable quality of food; sometimes its unbeatable health code violations are staggering, too.

Oh yea, since I’m on my youtube frenzy – here’s my favourite world cup ad and it’s from Digi.