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Local producer and director, Julian Cheah, dreams of being able to break it into the Hollywood scene someday. Picture by K.E. Ooi

Malaysia

10 things about: Julian Cheah, the indie lm-makereveryone loves to hateOPALYN MOKAUGUST 03, 2014

GEORGE TOWN, Aug 3 Julia

has a dream. A Hollywood dre

The 52-year-old Penangite wan

someday produce, direct, act

(preferably all three) in a big

Hollywood blockbuster.

In the last 26 years, he has pro

directed or acted in over 30 mtelemovies and television sho

He remained relatively unkno

though until Killer Clown was r

in 2010. The slasher flick gaine

exposure but for all the wrong

reasons.

Killer Clown, released nationwi

not the hit Cheah had hoped b

gained him a following of anti-fans. That did not deter him from continuing with his film-making pursuits though.

A Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate from the New York University, Cheah had dabbled in journalism writing mainly about the entertaindustry, acted in local TV shows and worked as an executive producer in

Astro while continuing to produce, direct or act in his own mostly action-based independent films.

Recently, a movie he directed and acted in, Infected Paradise a Rodman Pictures production was nominated the Best Feature Fi

Long Form under the 26th Annual West Australian Screen Awards.

Here, Cheah shares his surprise over the nomination, his ups and downs in the movie industry and how hes trying to hit the big tim

silver screen.

In his own words:

The other three nominated movies are multimillion big star movies, like international big name movies, Aussie movies that made it to Hollywood and all of a sudden, t

are up against them, all these giants. Our movie is the only independent movie over there.So its a bit frightening, no, not frightening, but surprising. But then that

when you dont expect it, it comes. And then when you think you have a movie thats going to be a hit, then it just(broke off into laughter).

I wish this could be a more predictable business, like the hotel business. The hotels they have their seasons, such as June, July, August, not so good or September, Oc

will be good, theyve been in this for years they know. But in the movie business, you never know.

Thats why most businessmen in Malaysia and Singapore, they dont want to talk about movies.They want to do something else where they can gauge the results b

Thats always why theres a problem in funding. And for good reasons, they are right to feel that way about it.

But TV is safe. If you do a TV series for TV1, its safe because theyve already approved your script for 26 episodes.They already tell you, ok we are going to pay you s

for each episode so you already know,TV1 is paying me so much so I can budget. I already know my net profit. But its not easy to get into TV or Astro.

I used to work in Astro as executive producer for one year. At that time I was in the TV company, I was on the other side of the fence.I saw independent producers

production companies, veterans, all pitching us ideas of their films. Youll be surprised that even veterans dont get the deals. Astro gives it to specific companies w

like and thats it. Thats how tough it is. Its not an easy game. But the good thing about TV is that once you get in, youre set. But cinemas, its a wild game.

I do it because I still believe that I still have the touch. I think every film-maker has to believe that.. that you still have that touch. I believe I am not at my peak.Defin

where I am now, Im not at my peak. There is so much more I can be.Even though Ive been an executive producer at Astro. Even though Ive made films and cinem

and some of my films have been distributed worldwide in US, Canada, Germany, Japan and Russia. So, Ive had international exposure for my movies but those are

independent movies.

Im 52. Ive got fans on my Facebook teasing me, asking me Mr Cheah, do you use Botox. Another one saying I should do Phantom of the Opera and wear a mask. An

one answered, He doesnt need to wear a mask, he is the mask meaning my youth, my face is a mask for my real age. But then, its fun. I enjoy it. They start knocking

Telling me how s*** my movie is. Calling me a s*** film-maker. And a s*** wannabe. One of them even said, In the name of all good things, good and holy, chan

occupation.For Killer Clown. Even for Prince of The City. I get knocked for every film.Even in Australia too. I call them my anti-fans.Fans who dont like me. They stil

me because they dont like me.One of them told me, I want to make sure I see your next movie because I want to insult you more. They are a funny crowd.

We have what it takes to make it big.We have the ability to make good visual effects but even local film-makers, when I tell them about this American superhero c

that we can shoot in America, then do the visuals here, they would not go for it. They will continue with the local Chinese Mandarin movies. Whether it is the busine

who are not in the industry or those in the industry, they will not do something new.Im the only one who wants to do it.I find that its a lone ambition to do somet

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different.But that is what I think will take us there.

I am glad Rod Manickam of Rodman Pictures is now doing things that a normal Malaysian film-maker will not do. Hes doing Australian movies with Australian acto

adventurous. Like me.I dont know why we dont get more people in Malaysia thinking like Rod and me. We dream and we can do it. I guess its a money game in t

lot of people may want to do it but dont have the guts to actually do it.

My strategy now is very simple. You know the movies making it now are visual effects movies, like Man of Steel, Transformersits just visual effects, big animation visu

people want to see. So a way in is thisI have an animation team in Malaysia that comes fairly cheapand they themselves dont do movies like that. They do normal

for their corporate clients but they have the ability to do something like Transformers.

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