KUCHING: “I’d like to think of myself as a loud filmmaker, yet a very introvert person in real life,” said 26-year-old film director Abang Muhammad Danish Muhammad Busmah.
Born on April 13, 1997 Danish was 24 when he opened his production film company called 21 Ways Film in July 2021.
His love for film started way back in secondary school, he revealed, adding that he was exposed to filmmaking, creating various short films and joining workshops and competitions.
What started out as a hobby for him turned out to be a professional career from the moment he saw the opportunities held out by the media/film industry.
His parents were not supportive of his interest at first, given that he has a bachelor’s degree in construction and project management, but, eventually they came around when he showed them the product of his passion, with his dad becoming the main shareholder in his production company.
He aspires to introduce Sarawak’s unique cultural elements to the world through his films.
New Sarawak Tribune sat down with him to find out how the late Datuk Yasmin Ahmad became the main inspiration for him as a filmmaker, his 21 Ways Film production company, personal life and his future plans.
YASMIN HIS MAIN INSPIRATION
Danish revealed that among the reasons Yasmin is his main inspiration was because of the way she narrated stories.
“She is to me one of the pioneers of the heartwarming drama that touches people’s heart.
“And that is where I realise that in filmmaking, it is not just about doing something bombastic and spectacular. It is the words or the dialogue in the film that would touch the hearts of those watching it.
“That is why I feel Yasmin’s work is one of the prime examples of what a film should be. It does not to be visually fantastic. It can be simple yet wonderful, it’s about how you portray the story in the film,” he said.
Another director that he looks up to is Indonesian film director Joko Anwar.
“Joko is one of my idols, and I really look up to him because just like Yasmin, the way he presents the narrative is truly fantastic.
“The other film director is Martin Scorsese, and like Yasmin, the way he presents the dialogue is truly outstanding,” he added.
Describing his filmmaking style, Danish said though at the moment he likes to present stories that are uplifting, he is still exploring his visual styles and form.
“I am still very new despite being in the industry for seven years but at the moment my lane is more towards drama and documentary,” he said.
HIS FAVOURITE FILMS
There is no denying that there are several films he truly loves, among them,
La La Land which was released in 2016.
“I am not a fan of musicals but when I watched La La Land, I just could not stop and I cannot remember how many times I have watched it. Probably every year, I would watch it at least once.
The other film that became an instant favourite is tImaginur which was released in 2023.
“Imaginur is a uniquely entertaining and at the same time, heartbreaking love story. Like La La Land, but in a more dramatic and realistic way possible,” he added.
21 WAYS FILM AND HARDSHIPS
When he opened his production company during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic (July 2021), Danish revealed that it was difficult to secure projects.
“Between July 2021 and November 2022 my partner and I could not secure any projects for my production company.
Danish revealed that during the early months of his operation, he only had two staff.
“We barely stayed afloat, to be honest, it was a depressing time for me, looking back.
“Because no matter how hard you try and you are indeed good at it, it is just that when it comes to business, it is totally different game.
“One of the rookie mistakes I made is that I set up a business not to conduct a business. I opened it because of my love and interest in doing films, with no background in business, it was difficult for me,” he said.
But even though Danish could not land any projects for a year and a half, his resilience and perseverance served him well.
“I am very thankful that my dad was able to help me stay afloat even when we were this close to shut the production company,” he said.
ACHIEVEMENT AND FUTURE PLANS
Danish said he has since directed several commercial videos for major product brands such as Vida C (beverage company from Japan) and international brands such as FTS Trader.
“You may have heard, FTS Trader is a mobile trading application and it used to be a main sponsor for one of the major football clubs in Europe.
“Vida C is our main collaborator especially when we do projects such as music videos, they like to sponsor us most of the time.
“We are collaborating with prominent entertainment players in Peninsular Malaysia, particularly Xeno Entertainment,” he added.
He said another achievement would be none other than the commercial video for Malaysia Day titled “Istimewa”.
“Currently with TVS, there are five projects, Istimewa being the first while the other four are to be released soon.
“One of them is gameshow called “Make It Happen”, currently in the post production phase.
“We also have a telemovie called “Kahwin Kontrak” based on a wedding that centres around Filipino cultures slated to be released sometime next year,” he said.
On future plans, Danish said he wants to continue building his professional career and also make gains financially.
“Being a filmmaker, as much as I want to do more television projects, I hope one day I would get an opportunity to direct a feature film.
“Maybe not today, but perhaps in five to 10 years, who knows right. We never know what future holds for us,” he said.
