A night at the movies ... at home

Matheos Viktor Messakh , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 06/20/2009 12:12 PM | Lifestyle

Going to the movies is one of the most popular forms of entertainment around, whether for families, dating couples or young professionals seeking escape from workplace stress.

But the cinema has its limitations - the hassle getting there, the rigid schedules, the limited choice. And now, with technological leaps for home entertainment units, it also has a serious competitor: The living room.
Sandy, who runs and owns a shop in Mangga Dua Mall in Central Jakarta, has embraced the growing trend for Jakartans to dedicate a room in their house to movie watching.
About 18 months ago, the 29-year-old single guy had a home cinema installed in his apartment.
"I don't have to queue for a ticket, look for a parking spot, and I can watch my favorite movie any time I want," Sandy says.
Sandy and his friends can sit back and relax in their choice of four big seats and watch movies projected by a Blu-ray player onto a 101-inch screen.
"I know that a home theater can never really replace a real theater but at least a home theater set gives you a kind of ease. It's much better for me than going to the movies," says Sandy, who splashed out with more than Rp 50 million (US$4,800) on equipment for the room.
While not all movie lovers are taking their recreation to the same extreme, retailers and analysts agree that the home entertainment market is booming. Hollywood-style screening rooms are becoming increasingly common.
According to Electronic Marketer Club (EMC), which tracks retail electronics sales, the number of home theater packages sold in Indonesia rose from about 31,379 units in 2006 to 84,405 units in 2008; already by April this year 29,716 units had been sold.
"People want to bring the sight and sound of movie theaters to their home," says EMC chairman Iffan Suryanto.
Although there are a variety of home cinema theater systems designed to please the most demanding viewers offering many extra digital devices, the basic home theater components will include video displays, a digital surround sound system and DVD player or video source.
In the past, a home system was well out of reach for the ordinary family on a tight budget. While prices for top-of-the-range systems might still have some jaws dropping, new products coming out all the time mean movie lovers can now find something to suit their taste and budget.
In general, there are two kinds of home theater system: a high-quality home theater and home theater in a box (HTiB).
High-quality home cinemas are assembled from components purchased separately to provide the best combination of equipment for the price. An HTiB is a basic all-in-one unit that includes a DVD player, audio amplifier and surround sound speakers with a powered subwoofer to pick up the bass.
"Those who really want to bring the feel of the theater into their home usually choose their components separately and have them fitted together," says deputy editor of Audio Video magazine Budi Santoso. "This brings out more detail in terms of sound and visuals."
Those who find the task of putting together a home theater system from separate components too arduous can get HTiB - a whole package at once - and be confident that it works.
Packages include an audio/video receiver along with enough speakers so viewers can properly enjoy the surround sound that is part of most DVD and HDTV broadcasts. A home theater system can also include a DVD player, either integrated with the AV receiver or as a separate component. A few also include high-definition Blu-ray players.
Basic HTiB units are available for anywhere from Rp 1 to 3 million, and the more elaborate the system the higher the price tag. A high-quality HTiB can cost more than Rp 10 million.
Sales of HTiB units have boomed over the past four years, according to Iffan Suryanto, who is also general manager of PT. Sharp Electronic Indonesia. "The most wanted segments are the units in the price range of one to one and a half million rupiah," he said.
High-end packages - which are made up of at least a 5.1 speaker, AV receiver and DVD player or Blu-ray player - started about Rp 50 million.
As it is important for the dedicated room to be of a decent size and soundproof, some customers choose to hire an acoustic designer to ensure they get the ultimate home entertainment experience, Budi says.
According to estimates by researcher Dini Wirastri, the average Indonesian family spends nearly Rp 3 million on a television, DVD player and sound system.
But there are plenty of big spenders around too, buying front, center and surround speakers with prices heading toward the Rp 80 million mark, or rear projectors that range from Rp 8 million to Rp 40 million, or large plasma televisions, which can sell for more than Rp 15 million.
"High-end shoppers prefer LCD to plasma screen TVs," says Wirastri, adding that Blu-ray players, which are currently all the rage, can be bought for Rp 12 million.
Wirastri said the demand for home cinemas was "going crazy" and fit-outs worth Rp 1 to 2 billion were not uncommon.
Mee Kim, a company director from Pondok Indah, South Jakarta, had a Rp 500 million home theater built into her home three years ago.
"You have a limited choice of movies with the movie theaters here in Jakarta," she says. "With a home theater I can watch my favorite movie anytime, invite our close friends, or even my colleagues at my company to have karaoke."
Doharto Simatupang, a multimedia observer, says he believes the move toward home theater systems reflects a wider social trend of people wanting to spend more time in the comfort of their homes.
"People aren't running away from the outside world, but they're saying home is the nicest place to be," he said.
Some might view purchasing a home theater system as an extravagance, but others would argue that with all their hard work, they deserve something that will enhance their home and the time spent in it - especially those who love the movies.
"It's really a kind of hobby," says Sandy. "If it isn't a hobby, people won't spend millions or even billions just to get the movie theater experience at home."

How real is reality TV?

Matheos Viktor Messakh , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 04/25/2009 1:34 PM | Entertainment

Waiting for the drama: Reality show hosts Panda (left) and Mandala on the set of TransTV top rated program Termehek-mehek. Courtesy of TransTV

When life becomes boring, people turn to the drama of movies and soap operas. When these dramas become soaked in pathos, we stoop to the last resort:The reality show.

A huge number of reality TV programs have been flooding our screens recently, claiming to provide us with real footage of stories and events.

Covering a wide range of genres, from elimination game shows, dating competitions, makeover projects and talk shows, these programs have attracted millions of viewers.

With the lure of an hour of fame, reality TV shows coax an inexhaustible string of participants willing to do anything from revealing personal stories, to eating bizarre animals to walking on fire in the jungle.

Reality TV contestants are sometimes criticized as "B grade" celebrities who occupy an absurd form of fame.

Despite the name, perhaps "reality" TV still uses the age old recipe of entertainment: conflict and dramas.

Even with these old-school elements, reality shows surpass the ratings of prime time soap operas.

Take Termehek-mehek, a program on TransTV where hosts - Panda and Mandala - help participants find their missing loved-ones.

The latest AGB Nielsen rating for March 2009 put Termehek-mehek on the top of the list of 100 programs from all stations nationwide.

After success with Termehek-mehek, the station now produces other reality programs such as Orang Ketiga (The Third Person), Happy Family: Me vs Mom, Makin Gaya (Get Stylish), Realigi, First Love, and Jika Aku Menjadi (If I were).

The 2009 Panasonic Awards confirmed that TransTV is dominating the ratings war with its long list of reality programs.

Termehek-mehek, which started in May 2008, was awarded the most popular reality show, while the presenter of Happy Family: Me vs Mom, Ruben Onsu, was awarded the most popular reality show presenter.

But how real is TV reality show?

Termehek-mehek executive producer Herny Mulyani said the popularity of reality shows was a response to the fact that many TV programs had been accused of being overtly unrealistic.

"We are trying to create something the audience can relate to as well as be entertained by," she explained.

Reality TV shows plots were also more authentic and engaging than scripted dramas, said Herny.

"An affair would be much more interesting if it was real rather than scripted.

"People will feel the emotion if, for example, they watch people fighting for real or if they see our crews being beaten."

Despite the "real" aspect of on screen conflict, film crews often try to provoke emotional responses from their participants before the cameras start rolling.

"We talk to people about their problems. Sometimes we ask people related to the participants to work with us also," she explained.

Herny said crew members filmed real negotiations that usually involved conflict, but did not air the footage without the consent of the people involved.

"At the end of the filming, we will persuade them to allow us to use the footage.

"Sometimes we succeed, other times we have to abandon the shots altogether."

Some also give their consent conditionally, requesting the footage be shown only once or with blurred faces, street signs or license plate numbers.

The TransTV production department head, Roan Y. Anprira, said all stories were based on true events, but the production crews employed "certain measures to achieve their desired effect".

Anprira denied claims that some episodes were too good to be true, where for example, very complicated problems were solved in very short periods of time.

"People don't know how many failures we have been through during our production. We only air successful projects, but we also have lots of unresolved stories," he said.

However, he admitted that if crew members failed to locate certain people needed, relatives and friends would take their place.

Social psychologist from Yogyakarta's Gajah Mada University, Helly Soetjipto, doubted programs dubbed "reality" actually presented the facts.

"If these programs are real, it might help people improve their self esteem. But if these programs are fake, then TV stations have provided false knowledge about how to deal with life's problems," Soetjipto said. "The thing is, this kind of knowledge will be imitated in real life."

Andi Christianto, the executive producer of Shandiego Creative Media - a production house that produces reality shows for SCTV - said people misunderstood the term "reality show".

For him, nothing is real in any program titled "show", even when coupled with the term "reality".

"Reality shows exploit real stories that we get from the audience. They can't be as real. There are always some modifications. Even a documentary needs editing," said the man who produced Cinta Lama Bersemi Kembali (Old Love blooms), Pacar Pertama (First Love), Backstreet, Cinta Lokasi, Mak Comblang (Matchmaker), Cinta Monyet (Puppy Love), and (Hesitate).

Filming could even be repeated several times due to the poor acting skills of the cast.

"To be honest there is no filming that isn't directed or that is not noticed by the people who are filmed," he said.

Although the production cost of a reality program could be as low as half of the production cost of a scripted program, filming people without their permission, said Christianto, was risky and unethical.

"It's trapping people. Who would dare losing million of dollar being sued?"

A set-up reality is not only related to risk of losing money, but also to time.

Therefore, events on screen are manipulated through editing and other post-production techniques.

"If we follow the event in real time, we would never meet the deadline. The filming takes about two hours and the editing take at least three days."

In light of this, would you still watch reality TV?

Perhaps, as we are driven by our thirst for real drama, reality TV won't cut it anymore.

Or perhaps we will always thrive on the humiliation and conflict of others.

Either way, we seem to have turned a blind eye to "reality".

Why people like reality shows

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 04/25/2009 1:33 PM | Entertainment

Some cry. Others laugh out loud. The rest frown in shock. Welcome to reality TV.

Sinetron TV soap-operas are no longer the only high rating shows around, reality shows have stolen the limelight.

The latest survey by AGB Nielsen Media Research, found that the majority of Indonesian teenagers prefer watching reality TV shows above any other programs.

Lisa, an 18-year-old college student, said she watched reality shows almost every week.

"The first time I watched Termehek-Mehek (a reality show on Trans TV) I was hooked and wanted to watch it every week," Lisa said. "This is more than a soap-opera because it's real," she said.

The survey found that young people aged between 10 and 19 years preferred watching reality shows over more traditional programs such as music, comedy, or game shows.

Termehek-Mehek, the survey found, is the most popular reality show for teenagers in the country. The program helps people track down friends, relatives, and past lovers they have lost contact with over the years, and is renowned for its unpredictable outcomes.

But do people watch reality shows for precious insight?

According to Helly Soetjipto, a social psychologist from Yogyakarta's Gajah Mada University, people use reality shows to compare their own life situations against those in the programs.

Watching reality shows, he said, makes people feel better about their own un-filmed lives.

"As reality shows feature the lives of ordinary people instead of professional actors, they encourage the viewer to see that other people suffer the same problems as themselves," said Soetjipto.

"These scenes compliment the commonalities of our lives."

With the potential to turn participants into national celebrities, at least for a short period, TV stations have started to produce and buy more reality programs. Trans TV and SCTV currently produce a large range of these shows.

While SCTV relies on production houses for the supply of their reality programs, Trans TV is the only station that has in-house production.

SCTV's public relations manager, Budi Darmawan, said many TV stations are seeking alternatives to scripted programs such as news, music and soap-operas.

Budi denied the booming of reality shows was related to the ongoing economic crisis which has forced TV stations to reduce their production costs. "It's just the right trend at the right time," he said.

Andi Christianto, the executive producer of Shandiego Creative Media, admitted the production costs of reality shows were much lower than scripted programs.

"The production cost *of a reality show* is about half *of a scripted program*. As reality shows aim to portray real situations, we're not expected to produce high quality pictures and we don't need to rent expensive cameras or use expensive actors," he said.

Herny Mulyani, the executive producer of several reality shows on Trans TV including Termehek-mehek, said the rising popularity of reality shows is part of this trend.

These programs, she said, have evolved over the last decade.

"Back in 2002, the trend was gossip shows. Many stations had five to six gossip shows," she said. "Reality shows today are a progression of this trend. People are fed up with exaggerated soap-operas."

- Matheos Viktor Messakh

Swara Maharddhika is back with a new face

Matheos Viktor Messakh , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 03/21/2009 2:22 PM | Entertainment

After a break of more than 20 years, Swara Maharddhika is back - but with a new face and without their maestro and founder Guruh Soekarnoputra.

The members of the group, known for its spectacular musical, dance and dramatic performances during the 1980s, will perform a musical drama based on the East Java fable Jaka Tarub at the Graha Bhakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki, on March 27.

Swara Maharddhika gained a reputation for glamorous Broadway-style shows, but this time, said artistic director Tanti Horii, the group would present "more traditional Indonesian art flavored with some contemporary touches".

"There are so many high-quality contemporary art performances, but traditional art is our strength," she said. "If we are too contemporary, probably many out there are far better than us, but nobody will go to see it, especially younger people, if we present an excessively traditional performance."

As many of the original members of the group are too old to take part in the musical performance, said Tanti, only 10 percent of them would perform. The other dancers were selected through auditions.

The theater company members were provoked into a comeback by the fact that many performances brought from abroad receive a great response here in Indonesia.

"We want to prove that what we have here is as good as anything brought from abroad or even better," Ai Syarif, one of the performance directors and a member of Swara Maharddhika, told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

The performance will use traditional dances from around the country such as the Balinese legong, pendet and lasem, the piring dance from Melayu, the giring-giring dance of Kalimantan and the pakarena dance of Makassar, but with a modern twist.

"Eighty percent of the dances in the performance will be traditional dances but we combine them with new choreography and also a new combination of costumes so they will appear as contemporary as possible," said Syarif.

The choreographers are Frank Rorimpandey, Kris Suwardjo and Ai Syarif.

Frank, from the group's XII cohort, works for Liga Tari Krida Budaya at the University of Indonesia and is a member of Sumber Cipta ballet group. He performed as one of the emerging young choreographers during the 2008 Indonesian Dance Festival.

Kris Suwardjo, also from the XII cohort, is a dance lecturer at the Jakarta Art Institute and the Jakarta National University (UNJ). He took part in Robert Wilson's adaptation of the Bugis epic I La Galigo.

Ai Syarif has worked for Namarina Dance Company since 2002 and has been a fashion stylist for 16 years.

The music will be performed live by musicians from the Jakarta Art Institute, some former members of Swara Maharddhika and several freelancers.

Costume design will be supported by noted designers Adjie Notonegoro, Anne Avantie, Samuel Wattimena, Barli Kusuma and company member Jazz Pasay.

Swara Maharddhika, which Guruh founded on March 27, 1977, had it last performance in July 1987 with a colossal show titled Gempita Swara Maharddhika at the Jakarta Convention Center, which was then known as Balai Sidang Senayan Jakarta.

The group later became a foundation, Swara Maharddhika Foundation. Since the group halted its activities in 1987, many of its members went off to make their own paths, although most of them remained in the dramatic world.

Guruh, for example, continued his work with dance and musical performances through his company founded in 1989, Gencar Semarak Perkasa (GSP). His colleague Denny Malik formed Pentasindo Dancers, and Ati Ganda established her Studio 26.

"Fortunately we had time so we prepared well, and we have decided to keep going after this," said Syarif, who said the group had received several invitations to perform for Indonesian embassies abroad.

Although Guruh will not be at the event, his songs will be used, but with new musical arrangements by music director Anusirwan, who was also music director for Robert Wilson's I La Galigo.

The play's protagonist, Jaka Tarub, said to be the ancestor of the kings of the Mataram kingdom of Mataram, appeared in Babad Tanah Jawi, the traditional text on the history of the kingdom. Jaka Tarub is a son of Ki Ageng Kembanglampir, who was raped by Jaka Kudus.

Kembanglampir dies after giving birth to her baby. After being abandoned a number of times, the baby boy is finally found by a woman called Nyai Tarub, who names him Jaka Tarub.

One day, young Jaka Tarub goes hunting in a jungle and comes across seven angels bathing in a pond. He steals the selendang (clothes) of one of the angels so she cannot fly back to khayangan (heaven).

Jaka Tarub marries that angel, Dewi Nawangwulan, and they have a daughter Retno Nawangsih.

Later on, Nawangwulan discovers that her husband was the one who stole her selendang. Angry, she decides to return to khayangan, but plans to return occasionally to breast-feed her child.

Although the original tale has a sad ending, the Swara Maharddhika performance, said Ai Syarif, would be modified so that it has a happy ending. "Jaka Tarub will have to accept the fact that every encounter has its end," he said.

"We don't want people to be sad," said Tanti Horii. "We called it *artainment', which is a combination of art and entertainment. We don't want people to be serious as if they were watching an opera, but we also don't want it to be too light as a mere entertainment."

Rihanna pulls yet another no-show for RI fans

Matheos Viktor Messakh , THE JAKARTA POST , JAKARTA | Wed, 02/11/2009 9:08 AM | Headlines

Rihanna: AP/KEVORK DJANSEZIAN

After two days of speculation, fans in Indonesia had to swallow the bitter truth that pop superstar Rihanna had cancelled her concert here for the second time, following reports that she had accused longtime boyfriend Chris Brown of assault.

Promoter ShowMaster told a press conference late Tuesday that it had held a teleconference with Rihanna’s management to confirm the cancellation.

“We spoke to Tony Goldring of the William Morris Agency [WMA] on Monday at 11:50 p.m. [Jakarta time],” said promoter Troy Reza Warokka.

“The main cause of the cancellation was related to Sunday night’s incident.

“What happened to Rihanna could happen to anybody else. The incident was unexpected.”

Brown had been slated to perform at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday night, but was instead processed by the police on a charge connected to an alleged assault on a woman, reportedly identified as his girlfriend Rihanna, the 21-year-old pop princess.

Both Rihanna and Brown pulled out of the Grammys hours before Sunday’s telecast.
The Los Angeles Times, citing law enforcement officials close to the case and other sources it did not name, reported that Rihanna told police that Brown had hurt her the night before the Grammy Awards.

Rihanna, a Barbados-born singer, stormed the international music charts and radio playlists with her single “Umbrella”. Her other popular hits include “Take A Bow”, “S.O.S”, “Don’t Stop the Music” and “Disturbia”.

Troy said disappointed fans could reclaim their money at ticket boxes from Thursday.

“We are very disappointed [with the cancellation] but that’s a business consequence,” he said.
Troy said that Rihanna’s management, through WMA vice president of business affairs Ruth Estrada, had offered “to reschedule the performance for the future”.

“That’s their offer, but we must first evaluate it,” he said.

Cell phone operator AXIS, the main sponsor of the concert, said in a press statement, “Regretfully, AXIS has to announce that Rihanna Live in Concert, which was slated for Thursday, has to be postponed for the second time.”

Rihanna had been scheduled to perform in Jakarta on Nov. 14, 2008. But the Grammy-award winning singer called off the show over security fears after the Australian government issued a travel warning for Indonesia following the executions of the three Bali bombers.

Despite higher ticket prices, fans were still enthusiastic to grab them. The organizers had set the lowest ticket price, for Festival class, at Rp 1.25 million (US$ 112) each, higher than November’s Rp 750,000. The prices for the Tribune and VIP classes remained unchanged from last year’s Rp 2 million and Rp 2.5 million, respectively.

On Feb. 13, Rihanna also cancelled her concert in Kuala Lumpur.

Her planned concert there drew negative publicity after organizers said she would shun skimpy outfits to conform with the Muslim-majority country’s strict rules on performers’ dress.

Event business always thrives, says Adrie

Matheos V. Messakh , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 01/17/2009 12:36 PM | People

JAKARTA: Music promoter Adrie Subono has no concerns about sharing his experiences in event organizing, firmly believing that his is a business that thrives even during an economic crisis.

JP/Arief Suhardiman

“In the past three years, I’ve been invited to talk shows and other events around the country to share my experience, something you can’t do in a school or with a book,” the director of Java Musikindo music company told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

“Wedding organizers, for example, are needed anytime. People won’t cancel a wedding just because of a flood. A band won’t prepare their own stage or sell their own tickets,” said the promoter, who has been in the business for 15 years and has organized more than 100 concerts.
On Jan. 24, Adrie will hold a talk show titled “How to survive in the event organizer business” in Bandung, West Java, in collaboration with detik.com.

Last year, his company organized 10 concerts and brought in international singing sensations such as Bjork, James Blunt and 50 Cent and Akon.

The company also launched the Ussy Sulistiawaty’s first solo album and band Domino’s album.
Adrie said there would be more world-class concerts this year but refused to share the details.
“They’re on our program but we will announce them only after we are sure that the concerts will
happen because this year is the election year and they [foreign artists] might cancel their show anytime if they feel unsafe.”

Dora and Barbie charm children on holiday

Matheos Viktor Messakh, , The Jakarta Post, , Jakarta | Sat, 12/27/2008 10:55 AM | Lifestyle

Many kids might pass their holidays watching TV, but if they want, they can meet some of their favorite characters in person: Dora the Explorer and her friends as well as Barbies Liana and Alexa are bringing their musical stage shows to Jakarta.

The TV series of Dora the Explorer, whose popularity owes much to its groundbreaking interactivity with viewers, has arrived in Jakarta to perform shows at Senayan City in South Jakarta.

Kicking off Friday in the main atrium of Senayan City, the bilingual Dora and friends will perform twice a day, around 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., every Saturday and Sunday until Jan. 4.

The interactive musical performance is based on the Dora TV episode "Best Friend Day", which tells the story of Dora and her monkey friend Boots going on a picnic to Rainbow Rock to celebrate Happy Best Friends Day.

As in the TV version, Dora and Boots go exploring to find the rock on their own, but they keep stopping to ask the viewer to help find new ways to get to the place with the help of The Map.

Dora and Boots, played by actors from Australia, the Philippines and Singapore, also invite the viewers to dance, sing and help find solutions to problems that arise during the trip -- and learn a bit of Spanish on the way.

The children can also meet Dora, Boots and Dora's nephew Go Diego Go after the show.

Children and parents visiting Senayan City can take in the show from a distance but a minimum purchase of Rp 250,000 worth of Nickelodeon products gives VIP seating during the show, as well as the chance to be photographed with Dora, Boots and Diego afterward and to play in the big snow globe and the art and crafts area at the venue.

To meet Diego, visitors must buy at least Rp 150,000 worth of Nickelodeon products or pay Rp 35,000 to have their photograph taken with Dora, Boots and Diego.

The show is part of "Nickelodeon Merry Nick Holiday", sponsored by 27 companies that all provide products in the Nickelodeon family, said Farida Mualim, managing director of Tuesday Licensing Indonesia, the licensing agency of the Nickelodeon Viacom Consumer Product in Indonesia.

"All Nickelodeon characters are focused on education and Dora is one of the characters who has a special mission in education," Farida told The Jakarta Post.

"Everywhere she goes, she carries the mission of teaching kids a second language. In Indonesia, she teaches children English."

Senayan City's public relations manager Sri Ayu Ningsih said "Nickelodeon Merry Nick Holiday" also features Dora storybook reading, a Christmas choir, a Christmas operetta and a ballet performance.

Meanwhile, another live musical, "Musical Christmas with Barbie and the Diamond Castle", is on at the East Mall of Grand Indonesia, in Central Jakarta, from Dec. 13 to Dec. 28.

The 30-minute show is adapted from the 13th Barbie film, titled Barbie & The Diamond Castle, which was released in September.

It tells the story of two Barbies, Liana and Alexa, who live together in a small house. After finding a magic mirror, in which a girl is trapped, Liana and Alexa go on an adventure to find the Diamond Castle to save their new friend.

"We chose Barbie because it is a strong brand and still amuses many children and their families," Grand Indonesia's assistant advertising and promotion manager Kantoro Permadi told the Post.

The show, the first Barbie stage musical in Indonesia, is being held under the cooperation of Grand Indonesia, Mattel, BCA Bank and Seibu.

The show is on twice every Tuesday to Thursday at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. From Friday to Sunday, there is an additional show at 2 p.m.

At the end of every show, kids can meet all of the actors from the show, including the two Barbies.

For a minimum total purchase of Rp 350,000 at any shop in the mall or of merchandise from the Barbie exhibition, children and parents can enter the audience area to watch the show and be photographed with Barbie.

Those who want to be photographed in a Barbie costume can get one for Rp 60,000 at the photo booth near the exhibition area.

As most of the cast approved by Barbie brand-holder Mattel are from Australia, the show is held in English.

"We don't worry about the language because we know that most of the children who visit Grand Indonesia are bilingual," Permadi said.

Nicholas refuses to be called an icon

The Jakarta Post | Wed, 12/10/2008 8:17 AM | People

NICHOLAS SAPUTRA: (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)

JAKARTA: Nicholas Saputra has been chosen by the Commission for Disappearances and Victims of Violence (Kontras) as an icon for the organization’s campaign on human rights — but the actor and popular VJ doesn’t want to be referred to as one.

“The term (icon) is too heavy for me. Being an icon requires a big responsibility and I think I haven’t reach that level,” Nicholas was quoted as saying by Tempointeraktif on Monday.

The 24-year-old said the movement “Human Loves Human” was a social movement established by Kontras to call on people to respect human rights and love each other.

Nicholas, who won the Best Actor award at the 2005 Indonesian Film Festival for his role in Gie, said he preferred to be called a volunteer rather than an icon.

Together with other celebrities such as director Riri Riza and Mira Lesmana, Nicholas was selected by the human rights defender organization as one of the icons of the movement.

Kontras also collaborated with the JiFFest management team to screen a “Human Loves Human” selection of films during the festival, which was held from Dec. 5 to 9.

“We want to create a more humanist image. The image of Kontras and human rights movement in Indonesia has been too political. People perceived Kontras as a hard and political movement. This movement is more social and ethical. We want to spread the anti-violence movement through a social movement,” Kontras director Usman Hamid told The Jakarta Post. — JP/Matheos V. Messakh

Dedy Mizwar slams TV rating system

The Jakarta Post | Fri, 12/05/2008 11:41 AM | People

JP/J. Adiguna

Jakarta: Senior actor and director Dedy Mizwar says that in order to improve the quality of TV programs the country needs more than one rating institution.

"The AGB Nielsen (rating system) has become like a god to all TV stations. There is no democracy in the media industry because we only have one window to view TV programs," Dedy told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of the launch of a public rating survey on Wednesday.

The 53-year-old, who is also the chairman of the National Film Advisory Body, questioned why no local company was willing to invest in the business.

"Why doesn't (Indonesia) establish its own ratings company? Why should everything be supplied by foreign companies? There are many investors for the media industry in this country but maybe they just don't care (about TV rating)," said the man who has won five Indonesian Film Festival awards since 1986.

Dedy said the country needed more TV-watch organizations and more than one rating institution as the censorship system was ineffective.

"If an institution is the one and only source ... how can we know if they are manipulating (the system)," he said. -- JP/Matheos V. Messakh

Monica sings from her cultural roots

The Jakarta Post | Wed, 12/03/2008 7:51 AM | People

MONICA AKIHARY: (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)

JAKARTA: Lead singer of the Amsterdam-based group Boi Akih, Monica Akihary, said she sings almost exclusively in her father’s native language, Harukunese, because it is one of the most perfect languages to sing.

“This language is the perfect language for the singer because it has open vowels, which is good ... for melodies and also for improvisation. It’s a really beautiful language,” she told reporters on the sidelines of the JakJazz festival over the weekend.

In Harukunese, the language spoken on the Indonesian island of Haruku, in Maluku, Boi Akih means “Princess Akih”.

“Before we started Boi Akih, we listened to a lot of music from Africa. I didn’t understand the words but I really loved the African music. Then Niels (Niels Brouwer, Boi Akih’s guitarist) suggested I sing in my father’s language,” she said.

She added she often asked for her father’s help when writing song lyrics, because she barely understood the language.

“I grew up with Moluccan Malaysian and Bahasa Indonesia, not with Harukunese,” said the woman who studied sculpture at the Indonesian Arts Institute in Yogyakarta from 1989 to 1990.

“We perform a lot in Europe and also in Africa, and I have to say people don’t understand the words but they really love the atmosphere of our music,” said Monica. — JP/Matheos V. Messakh.

'It all started with the blues,' says Zue

Matheos Viktor Messakh , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sun, 11/30/2008 10:34 AM | Headlines

It often rains on jazz nights -- but that didn't stop fans from hearing world-class and local noted musicians on the second night of Jakjazz 2008 on Saturday.

Some 30 performances were staged around and inside the Bung Karno Sports Center in Central Jakarta.

Local Agam Hamzah Acoustic Connection featured British-born Zue Bonnington, who opened the show entertaining hundreds of spectators.

"I've got two missions here. First is the regeneration of jazz. It's good that so many people love jazz now but it's not going to be enough just to have your favorites from seniors. We also have to think about the new generations," Zue told the audience from the stage.

"We have to give them opportunities like JakJazz. My second mission is to bring blues to everybody in Indonesia."

"The blues is where everything began. Without blues there would be no rock 'n roll, there would be no jazz. It's not a mission impossible," Zue told The Jakarta Post after the show.

Both local band Iga Mawarni and Friends and Amsterdam-based Boi Akih band drew nearly 1,000 spectators to their respective shows.

Iga Mawarni and Friends, formed in 2005, opened their show with "From Now On"; and the audience sang along to top hits such as "Andai Saja" (If Only), "Masquenada" and "Dansa Yo Dansa" (Dance lets Dance).

"I sang this song because I know that even in a crowded city like Jakarta, many people are lonely," Mawarni said after singing "Alone", as her fans shouted in approval.

Amsterdam-based Boi Akih mostly performed in the Maluku Malayan and Harukunese dialect, a language spoken on Haruku Island in Maluku province.

Boi Akih also performed Indonesian folk songs such as "Nona Hitam Manis" (Sweet Dark Girl), "Ole Sio", as well as "When Evening Falls", a song written in a combination of English and Harukunese.

Boi Akih's vocalist Monica Akihary said they were so impressed by the response of the public to their songs, especially those in the local dialect -- even though the audience might not have understood the words. Many Indonesians have not heard of Haruku.

"It seems that this language is actually perfect for singers because it has open vowels especially for melodies and also for improvising. It's really a beautiful language," Monica said after the show.

"We have performed a lot in Europe and also in Africa ... people don't understand the words but they love the atmosphere of the music, they really feel it inside their body. As a musician, it is the best compliment you can get," she said.

Apart from enjoying the music, young and old visitors munched at the foodstalls and painted T-shirts to take home.

Among other international performers late Saturday were the Australian Michelle Nicolle Quartet, Dutch Daniel Sahuleka, Japanese DJ Shuya, Open Hands Project Abraham Laboriel of the United States, French Roland Tchakounte and Malaysian Bassgroove100.

World-renowned Mexican bassist Abraham Laboriel, who has over 4,000 recordings and soundtracks, became emotional when a reporter asked about the difference between jazz 30 years ago and today.

"We have teenagers and children coming to watch. Thirty years ago we were playing jazz and now we are able to play jazz with our children. The best way to inspire your people to fall in love with music is to explain to them that music is really alive. It is not an art form to put in a museum. It's a lifestyle," Laboriel said, who has been awarded a honorary doctorate degree in music by the Berklee College of Music in the United States.

Other local bands such as Indra Lesmana Reborn, Barry Likumahuwa Project, Ireng Maulana & Friends and young stars Afgan and Andien also powered up the night on each of their respective stages.

Rossa celebrates her music career with concert

Matheos Viktor Messakh , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 11/29/2008 11:33 AM | Entertainment

Rossa performs on stage during her “Persembahan Cinta” (Gift of Love) concert Wednesday night at the Plenary Hall of the Jakarta Convention Center in Senayan, South Jakarta. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)

Rossa's stage Wednesday night reflected her career -- it had its ups and downs.

Singing 18 songs, her concert, titled Persembahan Cinta (Gift of Love) and performed at the Jakarta Convention Center's Plenary Hall, was a lifetime achievement for Rossa.

Dressed in a turquoise flared skirt, the mother of one opened her show with "Nada-Nada Cinta" (Rhythm of Love), sung in a cappella, causing a hush to fall over the audience and giving the impression she owned the stage.

The Erwin Gutawa Orchestra and Erwin Gutawa Band appeared from behind large sliding screens on two separate moving stages and accompanied Rossa till the end of the show.

Her next song was, "Terlalu Cinta" (So in Love) from her seventh album Yang Terpilih (The Chosen One), which had won her a Malaysian Anugerah Industry Muzik award in 2006 for best foreign artist.

The next 90 minutes were filled with 15 chart-topping songs, combining fast- and slow-paced melodies.

With some new up-tempo arrangements of her songs by noted composer Erwin Gutawa, Rossa -- who is known for her slow and mellow songs -- at times joined in with the 24 dancers from United Dance Works.

The 2003 hit "Malam Pertama" (The First Night), which became the soundtrack for the soap opera of the same title, had been rearranged to a fast salsa beat, which had the audience moving and shaking.

Rossa had five dress changes, with noted designers Sebastian Gunawan and Sally Koeswanto in charge of her wardrobe.

The Erwin Gutawa Orchestra played a significant role in the pop-classic collaborative concert, not only by smoothly filling the transition of one fast dress-change to another, but also by leaving no doubt that this truly was a concert.

Art director Jay Subijakto also fulfilled his promise to bring his architectural talent to the stage, allowing Rossa and the dancers to move freely during some fast rhythms.

Rossa, accompanied by the Erwin Gutawa Band, dances on stage during her Nov. 26 concert, which was considered a lifetime achievement for the 30-year-old singer. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)

Jay, who has directed 14 concerts, also provided the Erwin Gutawa Orchestra and Erwin Gutawa Band with a separate stage one level above the quadrilateral moving stages.

Returning to the stage after her first dress change, Rossa performed hits from her fourth album Aku Bukan Untukmu (I am not for you). Almost in tears, she told her fans how her progression to the top of her career had also been filled with much frustration and pessimism.

"In 1999, after I finished my first adult album, I was very frustrated because I couldn't find a song that I thought would become a hit. Then my producer came along with one that make me strong and brave," Rossa said before singing "Tegar" (Brave).

Rossa, who was born in Sumedang, West Java, on Oct. 9, 1978, started her career young in 1988. Little Rossa, whose real name is Rossa Roslaina Sri Handayani, caught the attention of a record company when she attended a vocal test with her mother, a local singer from Cianjur.

The company gave her a contract and she began working with musicians such as Franky Sahilatua, James F. Sundah, Uce F. Tekol and Areng Widodo, who helped her prepare her first album Untuk Sahabatku (For my Best Friend), an album of children's songs.

However, the album failed to meet the selling target and Rossa took a long hiatus before returning to the music industry eight years later with her second album Nada-Nada Cinta (Rhythm of Love).

Although she started to gain popularity through her second album, it took three years before she hit her stride and began launching albums every two years.

"I started my career at a very early age, but I never imagined I would reach all these (achievements)," Rossa said from the stage.

Throughout the concert, Rossa thanked those who had helped her throughout her career, including her best friend Melly Goeslaw and her mother.

The song her mother used to sing for her as a bedtime serenade was the only piece performed that did not come from one of her albums. She asked her mother to stand up before the crowd before singing "Bubui Bulan", a traditional song from West Java.

Ungu Band, which collaborated with Rossa on the soundtrack album for the movie Ayat-ayat Cinta (Verses of Love), appeared on stage in soft purple lighting, as vocalist Pasha sang with her in the duet "Tercipta Untukku" (Created for Me).

"The music was great and Rossa's performance was perfect, but there were some annoying flaws, such as when the microphone cracked (midway through a song) and (one) big screen that didn't work properly," Agus Wisman, a member of the vocal group Elfa Singers, who was watching from the audience, told The Jakarta Post after the concert.

Rossa's best friend Melly Goeslaw stole the show for a while when she appeared on stage in Japanese makeup and a Samurai-style outfit to duet with Rossa in "Hati Yang Terpilih" (The Chosen Heart).

Near the end of the show, Rossa appeared in a black Arabian-style gown, hypnotizing the crowd with her latest hit "Ayat-Ayat Cinta" with an Arabian rhythm. She opened the song with a Koranic recital.

The 30-year-old mother closed the show with "Nada-Nada Cinta" (Rhythm of Love) in a fast jazz style.

"Nothing is perfect. Although we had a little (microphone) problem in the middle of the concert, it didn't disturb Pasha and I and we finished the song perfectly," she said after the concert.

JakJazz swings into life with Lica Cecato, Zarro

Matheos Viktor Messakh , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 11/29/2008 11:30 AM | Headlines

Hundreds of music lovers turned out at Istora Senayan Stadium in Central Jakarta on Friday for the opening of the 10th Jakarta International Jazz Festival, known as JakJazz.

Sultry Brazilian singer Lica Cecato and local band Zarro wowed the audience at the Amphitheatre stage with a sizzling combination of excellent music, vocals and dance.

The performers had rehearsed together for only a few hours, Cecato said, "but we could feel the connection during the performance. I found out that this country is a musical country ... The artists are catching up with music (trends) very fast," Cecato said after the show.

Eighteen-year-old student Vidi Aldiano stole the show with his performance of 10 songs, including five from his latest album, released two weeks ago.

The newcomer kicked off his set with "Masquenada", following it up with "Friday Night", "Tomorrow" and others from his new album.

The show just got hotter as Aldiano brought Keenan Nasution, J-Flow and Tohpati onto the stage.

"This was my first performance at JakJazz. I was a bit nervous at the beginning but when I was on stage I felt free," Aldiano said after the show.

"Jazz is difficult but good to listen to, with lots of variation."

Local band Kunokini hypnotized their crowd with their unique combinations of traditional and modern instruments. The audience laughed and sang along with the reggae version of the traditional Ambonese song "Rasa Sayange", a jazz version of a re-mixed Javanese traditional tune "Gundul Gundul Pancul" and Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up".

Little-known Abe Simpson Trio, featuring young singer Alexandro, had the honor of starting the action at the Jazz on Green stage, watched by a crowd of about 40 people.

Other international acts in the lineup were Ray Harris & The Fusion Experience, Kyoto Jazz Massive, Marina Xavier & Enrique Marcos and Kiboud Maulana & Friends.

Rain delayed the schedules of some shows and some performances overlapped but, as with most festivals, crowds roamed around before deciding where to stop for a listen.

Anti-cigarette protest mars Rossa concert

Sat, 11/29/2008 11:29 AM | Entertainment

Rossa's concert on Wednesday evening was marred by a protest involving around 40 demonstrators from the Indonesian Tobacco Control Network, the National Commission for Children Protection and the Total Ban Alliance.

They came to the Jakarta Convention Center's Plenary Hall to protest the tobacco industry's sponsorship of the concert.

Citing the example of Alicia Keys, who asked Philip Morris International to pull down billboards and posters promoting her concert in Jakarta in July, the protesters said by using such sponsorship the concert was indirectly encouraging children to smoke.

They also said that the National Commission for Child Protection had sent a letter on Nov. 22 to Rossa's management asking them to cancel it -- but it was to no avail.

"We understand that it might be impossible to cancel sponsorship just a few days before the concert. We just want them to not have any cigarette promotional materials during the concert. But if it's impossible, we just hope that it will be the last concert Rossa holds that uses them for sponsorship," protester Lisda Sundari told The Jakarta Post.

Responding to the protest, producer Erwin Gutawa said: "We are happy to have any sponsor. Please tell us if there are other companies who are willing to support us besides the ones that support us now." -- JP/Matheos Viktor Messakh

Sys NS blames govt for high ticket prices

The Jakarta Post | Sat, 11/29/2008 7:33 AM | People

SYS NS: (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)

JAKARTA: Actor and director Sys NS said he blames the government for not fully supporting the development of the music industry in the country, which has led to expensive ticket prices for concerts.

Sys, who is also the secretary general of the United Regions Party, said it wasn’t’ fair to put the blame solely on the tobacco industry, which usually provided the main sponsorship for music concerts.

“It’s kind of a dilemma. The music industry really needs support but nobody wants to support it, except the cigarette companies,” Sys told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of Rossa’s concert Wednesday night.

Sys lamented that Jakarta, as the country’s capital, had no decent concert hall. “We are supposed to have a concert building with a larger capacity than that of the Jakarta Convention Center, which can only hold about 3,000 people,” said the man who co-founded the Democrat Party in 2001 but withdrew from the party in 2007.

The 52-year-old, who turned to politics in 1999 and was appointed as a member the People Consultative Assembly from 1999 to 2004, said the government needed to provide a large concert hall as well as pose reasonable taxes on the music industry.

“The government should look at art as means to attract revenue. For example, the film industry in the U.S. is the second largest contributor to the country’s economy after the weapons industry,” said the man who was named Indonesia’s best disc jockey in 1975. — JP/Matheos V. Messakh

Jay incorporates his architectural skills

Matheos V. Messakh , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 11/22/2008 11:25 AM | People

JP/Ricky Yudhistira

JAKARTA: Although he has not made a career out of what he learned at university, choreographer and art director Jay Subijakto said he always tried to use his architectural skills in his work.

“In designing a stage, I used many architectural skills in order to accommodate the choreography, but also in order to come out with the best quality sound,” Jay said on the sidelines of a press conference at the JustSteak restaurant in South Jakarta on Wednesday.

The man who has been the art director for more than 12 musical concerts lamented the country’s arts and music facilities.

“We all know that we are a big country with lots of arts and music heritage, but there is no building feasible for a concert. That’s why we have to play in convention centers,” said Jay, who earned his degree in architectural engineering at the University of Indonesia.

Jay, who is also a film director, and composer Erwin Gutawa are busy preparing the first solo concert for singer Rossa, which will be held on Nov. 26 in the Plenary Hall at Jakarta Convention Center. — JP/Matheos V. Messakh

Nadine feels connection with sea

Matheos V. Messakh , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Fri, 11/21/2008 10:37 AM | People

JP/Matheos V. Messakh

JAKARTA: With her celebrity status, Miss Indonesia 2005 Nadine Chandrawinata could become a messenger or ambassador for any cause she wants.

But the 24-year-old actress and model said she wanted to be an ambassador for coral reefs because she is a ocean lover.

“I have some kind of connection with the sea. If I fall in love or if I’m feeling blue, I will go to the sea. The sea also gives me inspiration and ideas. So I think I have to do something for the sea,” Nadine told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of a national meeting on coral reefs in Jakarta on Wednesday evening.

Her concerns for sea conservation has seen the international environmental organization, the World Wildlife Fund, choose her as its ambassador for marine conservation. Wakatobi regency in Southeast Sulawesi province has also chosen Nadine, who is a certified diver, as its eco-tourism ambassador.

“The greatest users are human beings but the greatest destroyers are also human beings, so we need to educate people to preserve the abundance of colorful marine
life,” she said. “We can start form small things such as not littering.”—JP/Matheos V. Messakh

Widi finds yoga good for health

Tue, 11/25/2008 7:24 AM | People

WIDI: (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)

JAKARTA: A move by Malaysia to ban yoga has failed to deter singer-actress Widi AB Three.

The singer, who started practicing yoga before the birth of her baby boy in May this year, said she would continue to practice yoga because of its benefit to her health.

“I don’t want to get involved in religious issues but I have felt many advantages of practicing yoga for my health, so why shouldn’t I continue practicing it?” the singer said Monday.

She was responding to the possibility that yoga could be banned for Indonesian Muslims following the move by Malaysia’s National Fatwa Council to issue an edict banning Muslims from practicing yoga. The council argued the Indian physical exercise contained elements of Hinduism and could corrupt Muslims.

“I think our relationship with God is a personal matter. Every single person has their own space for God in their heart. I have seen no problem with practicing yoga.” —JP/Matheos V. Messakh

Hehanusa too busy for politics

Mon, 11/24/2008 11:33 AM | People

JAKARTA: While other celebrities are turning to politics, singer Andre Hehanusa said he still has lots of entertainment work to keep him busy.

"I have no interest in getting involved in politics, because I think I still have many things to do creatively rather than become a politician," he told The Jakarta Post over the weekend.

The singer, whose real name Andre Ronald Benito Hehanusa, said he was busy preparing his new album Living in Harmony, which would be launched in January 2009.

The album, he said, was themed on national harmony. He added he dedicated the album to the people in eastern Indonesia, which is where he was born and raised.

"We cannot just live for ourselves like nobody else matters in the world. The problem in our country is exclusivism ... many people talk big but actually they only live for themselves," said the artist who was born in Makassar on July 24, 1974.

Andre gained popularity during the 1990s through hits such as "Kuta Bali", "Bidadari" (Angel), and "Karena kutahu engkau begitu" (Because I know you're like that). -- JP/Matheos V. Messakh

Rossa, celebrating her singing career

Matheos Viktor Messakh , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 11/22/2008 12:56 PM | Arts & Design

It took 10 albums before pop singer Rossa had enough courage to perform her first ever solo concert.

The concert, titled Persembahan Cinta (Gift of Love), will be staged Nov. 26 in the Jakarta Convention Center's Plenary Hall. It has been six months in the making, assisted by noted music director Erwin Gutawa and concert director Jay Subijakto.

"The concert is the answer to my prayers," the 30-year-old singer said. "I have been dreaming that one day I would have my own concert which would be seriously and carefully prepared but also entertaining."

Erwin has rearranged her songs, especially some of her mellow songs, to give different nuances. Different songs have been given different treatments to produce, for example, Arabian or Latin nuances.

"This is my homework and the test will be Nov. 26," Rosa said, whose real name is Sri Rosa Roslaina Handiyani.

Erwin said it did not take much effort to improve Rossa's performance, just needed to "expand her musical atmosphere".

"Everyone knows that her genre is pop but we will combine all kinds of music to make her performance different...," he said.

The concert will also be supported by more than 60 members of the Erwin Gutawa Orchestra, comprised mostly of young musicians, including a 15-year-old female drummer.

During the two-hour concert, Rossa will sing 18 of her hits including Nada-nada Cinta (Rhythms of love), Tegar (Brave), Hati Yang Terpilih (The chosen heart), Wanita Yang Kau Pilih (The woman you choose), Atas Nama Cinta (In the name of love) and Ayat-ayat Cinta (Verses of Love).

To prepare for this event, Rossa also canceled all of her shows across the country these past two months.

The concert will also feature Melly Goeslow, one of Rossa's best friends who wrote some of her songs, including her latest hit Ayat-ayat Cinta, as well as the Ungu band who collaborated with her on her latest album.

Jay Subijakto said he agreed to support Rossa because she knows how to deal with the trivialities of the country's music industry.

"She has lots of hits and this is something we have to support. A singer must have his or her own value and character. Many singing competitions now only rely on quantity rather than quality.

"Rossa knows how to deal with herself and with the music industry. While everyone else only relies on SMSs (text message) to boost their popularity, Rossa tries many channels to express her talent," Jay said.

The stage will be designed to accommodate some fast paces in a few of the new arrangements, which will be performed by 24 dancers from the United Dance Work (UDW), he said.

"We want people to know that Rossa is able to sing more than just slow and mellow songs."

Erwin said music is a way of expression.

"So when we hold a concert, not just the singer owns the concert. Everyone involved in the concert also has their own responsibilities, including me and Jay.

"We will combine our ideas and efforts to present our best," said the composer and conductor who established the Erwin Gutawa Orchestra in 1993.

Erwin said Rossa deserves to have a solo concert because of her many achievements, adding that usually a singer or musician will hold a solo concert after they have enough hits.

"A concerto in Latin means the best performance of an artist or a singer. So in the context of the music industry its a present to the audience after having many hit songs .... It means they must show their best."

Rossa, who was born in the West Java town of Sumedang, released her first album Nada-Nada Cinta (Rhythms of love) in 1996 and since 2002, she has released an album every year.

More than 180,000 copies of her soundtrack album Ayat-ayat Cinta (Verses of love) -- for the popular film of the same title -- have been sold. The album went platinum in March 2008.

Rossa, MTV Indonesia's best female singer in 2000, also received Malaysia's AIM Award for best foreign singer in May 2008.

Rossa's manager Intan said that about 95 percent of the tickets had been sold, and about 5 percent had been sold to countries where Rossa's albums are also released, such as Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia.

They are expecting 27 fans from Brunei, 52 from Malaysia and 40 from Hong Kong, she said.

"For a long time she did not have the courage to hold her own concert, and even after Erwin and Jay gave their support, she still hesitated," Intan said. "I think this is the right time for Rossa to show her best."