The world was never the same when the Lumière Brothers presented to the public their invention, the cinématograph, the machine that casts animated images onto a screen. This act of projection was seen as a novelty; a mystery of the alchemy of chemical and light. The older of the two brothers, Louis, was reportedly dismissive of the camera, saying that “cinema is an invention without a future”.
He was wrong, of course. Cinema thrives today. It still retains that mystique of the filmmaking process but now, anyone can become a filmmaker thanks to the accessibility of smartphones and cameras but not many can be a filmmaker of renown.
While there are scads of filmmaking how-tos out there, it can be tough to navigate through the noise. That is why you need the input of someone in the field. We converse with Joko Anwar, Indonesian filmmaker of movies like The Forbidden Door (2009); Satan’s Slaves (2017), and the latest superhero film, Gundala (2019), what his advice is for the next generation of filmmakers.
(The following has been edited for length and clarity.)
The convention is that someone would go to film school to become a filmmaker. But you started out as a journalist and then switched to filmmaking. How does that happen?
JOKO ANWAR: I’ve always been a film buff since I was five. I’d usually patronise a cinema in Medan about three times a week, watching mostly horror and kung-fu flicks. I’d saved up money to watch them and when I didn’t have enough, I’d peek through the ventilation window for a glimpse.
I wanted to go to film school but my parents couldn’t afford it so I enrolled at Bandung Institute of Technology. The reason I wanted to go there was because it has a student club that taught you how to make short films.
But I couldn’t get into the club. When I graduated, I applied to production companies in Jakarta. I wasn’t accepted, of course, because I didn’t have a film background or degree.
So, I became a journalist, hoping to meet people who were already working in the industry. In 2002, I interviewed Nia Dinata for Ca-bau-kan (2002) and we ended up talking about screenplays. Later, she asked if I’ve written a script so I sent her something that I wrote in college. She really took to it and asked me to co-write her second feature, Arisan! (2003).
She would later produce my first film, Janji Joni (2005), which was based on the screenplay that I sent her. That’s how I got my start as a director.
So, is there a need for film school then?
JOKO: Anyone who wants to be a filmmaker, needs to have enough knowledge either in the technicality or the aesthetics of filmmaking. If they can pick it up outside a school environment, that’s okay too.
You can learn filmmaking without going to film school but if you need the discipline to learn, then that’s when film school is important.
What are the challenges Indonesian filmmakers face?
JOKO: In Indonesia, we don’t have enough screens for 268 million people. Currently, we have about 2,000 screens all across the country and most are concentrated in the big cities and in Java.
The biggest issue is the lack of human resources. There aren’t enough film schools to produce people to work in the film industry.
Which is easier for you, the writing or directing?
JOKO: Writing is harder because you’re creating something out of nothing. At least, with directing, you have the script to work off from. But I love the writing process. If I could find a script that I love, I think I’ll film it but I haven’t found a good scriptwriter in Indonesia, let alone one who is on a similar wavelength as I am.
Is screenwriting the most important element then?
JOKO: I wouldn’t say that. There are many elements in filmmaking that are equally important. It’s hard to make a good film without a good script but if you have a good script and no production, there won’t be a movie.
Do you suffer from writer’s block?
JOKO: My biggest enemy in writing isn’t writer’s block but laziness. [laughs] When people say they get writer’s block, they are just being lazy. If you really want to work things out, there are books and tips on overcoming writer’s block.
Usually, I’d live with the story and characters in my head before typing them on my laptop later.
What keeps you inspired?
JOKO: My films usually come from my reaction to the world. It’s a small environment I live in — my circle of friends, my family — but it’s also how I feel about my country. My films have to question and answer what’s happening around me.
For Satan’s Slaves, it was actually my way of asking, do we really need to trust religious leaders that much? Can we rely on them? And the topic for A Copy of My Mind (2015) I was questioning the reliance of negative campaigns used in the presidential election.
Are there any directors that inspire you to be better at your craft?
JOKO: None. [laughs] Don’t get me wrong. I love movies but I’m not into the people behind them. It’s the same way that I am with music. I’m into Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds; Elvis Costello; Lou Reed… but I never want to know about their personal lives. If you get to know your heroes, they will do something that will disappoint you.
You can love Woody Allen’s films without knowing his past. They are still good films. You can separate the makers from their works if you don’t know their private lives.
As a mentor, what do you bring to the HP Mentorship Project?
JOKO: As I’ve said previously, our film industry suffers from a lack of human resources. I’m talent-scouting because, in Indonesia, we don’t have an agency system like the US. Talented people don’t have a clue as to how to break into the industry.
I’ve conducted workshops for many aspiring filmmakers and I’m keeping an eye out to see whom I can recommend to my producer friends or rope them into working at my production company. Not only did we discover people to work on our projects, but some of them are already working in the industry.
Lastly, any advice for aspiring filmmakers?
JOKO: Many people are trying to get into the industry. So, you have to be unique to stand out and the only way to be unique is to find your own voice. Don’t film something that you think a producer would want you to make because it would be the same thing that everyone is doing. Make something that requires you to ask questions; find subjects that bother you.
If you feel like you have what it takes to be the next legend of cinema, Anwar is among the experts in HP’s Mentorship Program, offering masterclasses for any up-and-coming movie-makers looking to perfect their craft. Check out an example masterclass video below and find out more about HP’s Mentorship Program here!