Film Scoring 101

Mamat Khalid writes his own music in his films. He is a musician alright and plays very good piano. Although he divulges his passion for Dylan, Zappa, Pink Floyd and Tom Waitts – we share our leaning towards The Blues. We are also very receptive to all genres, too. Cool.

He urged me to be involved in writing soundtrack for movies (his movies particularly) since day one. Told him, 'I know nuts!'. He retorted, 'I'll show you how'. That was eons ago. Me, still working with MAS then, just could not afford the time. I just thought that it would not be fair to both parties, MAS and him, that’s all. But I did contribute film music in piecemeal though. Those acoustic sojourn in ‘Rock’ and that melancholic guitar in ‘Man Laksa’, e.g.

Funny thing is, I studied Music Composition (Classical) at MIA 1979-1982 but never did music full time. All the while I worked as an Advertising Exec, Drug and Substance Abuse Counselor and a PR guy for MAS – yup, three different jobs (but the transitions were uncannily smooth) and played clubs at night.

My film scoring debut started with ‘Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang’. Since, I was no longer attached to MAS.- there I was, full of gusto – gave my best. The music was ‘50s sleazy cabaret jazz. We roped in the best musicians around and everything was recorded ‘live’. Got patted in the back from my peers and the film was voted Film of the Year 2007.The soundtrack and the theme song got nominated, too. Not bad for a newbie.

‘Hantu Kak Limah Balik Rumah’ was a different ball game altogether. Neo-Classical. String quartet stuffs with a couple of Overtures thrown in. A staple dose of Rock is a must, as usual, in that kind of movie. We also ‘re-introduced’ saw music. Which was a novel idea from Mamat and I liked it very much. My left hand got numbed for a month from learning, practising and recording saw music. Annoyed abit when some friends thought that those sounds were synthesizers. Geez.

‘Kak Limah’ hit the box office with some 8 million Ringgit collected. So, without second thought, Tayangan Unggul offered me to write the music for the sequel – ‘Husin, Mon & Jin Pakai Toncit’. We are at the last stretch and the music is Hungarian Gypsy-ish.

In tandem, the music for the Crow Zero type ‘Apokalips X’ – which is Arabesque in form and nature is about complete and need only some fine tuning and tweakings here and there.

See? It will never be a dull moment making music with Mamat. We churn Hollywood music on skimpy Malaysian budget. We keep challenging each other and my best will never be good enough. We will push and strive toward excellence every time. A ‘No’ will never be a valid answer. As Mamat once put to me –‘if you are really THAT good, that ordinary farm goat can be transformed into a handsome Mountain Goat, you know’. Simply put, am lucky enough having him to learn the ropes from.

The drawback, or otherwise, is that we took a much longer time than anybody in the business to finish our products. My answer (aka one seemingly lame excuse) – we are producing Lions here guys, not Vixens. Or to be brash like Senor Director himself: 'We are geniuses, not professionals. Pros do when they are told to do, we do when we feel like doing’.  Err ...

So, hoping that Ahmad Kamal-Mamat Khalid music will be appreciated and enjoyed by all till kingdom come as do Lennon-McCartney’s, Rogers & Hammerstein’s, and certainly, Shanker-Jaikishan’s. Tschus!