Red Lantern's first "Public Service Announcement"

Finally, Red Lantern Production was able to produce its first Public Service Announcement. My heart was filled with joy. Within only few months old, Red Lantern Production was able to achieve this far. I couldn't be more proud with this achievement. After a long over due pre-production, early this November, we were starting to shoot this project.

Due to limitation of budget, we couldn't have the proper concept for this PSA. Therefore, we had to go around the city to meet all of these amazing women who have their own business. They are all housewives, with household responsibilities, husband and kids to look after. Regardless all that, they still have the passion to work on their own business from zero.

Talking with them, sharing their stories about family and life, had made me admire their effort and preserverence with the work that they do. This "Mbok Jamu", had to wake up early in the morning just to prepare all ingredients for making the juice. Around 8 o'clock, she went to the market and stayed there until noon. Afterthat, she took her bicycle and sold the herb juice from door to door. She just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl months ago but this didn't stop her from selling herb juice everyday.
This is just one story out of so many interesting stories I've heard from doing this project. And they inspire me to work harder to make Red Lantern fly so high in the sky...

Project : PSA women entrepreneurs with cooperative and small scale enterprise
Duration : 30'
Director : Etienne Caesar
DOP : Deska Binarso
Art Dir : Windu Arifin
Editor : Ahsan Adrian
ProdMgr : Devita Handini

One Day in a Tea Plantation

The tea plants grow like a green carpet.



From these leaves, I enjoy my cup of tea everyday









Through their hands, the leaves are finally served as a good drink to warm the heart








Still a long way to go before it ends in my cup









And the machine will make those leaves perfect











A cup of tea surely can warm me and make my day better....

A Day in My Dad's Life

It's raining again. For more than a week now the rain pour down on earth without mercy. There's nothing wrong with that. We should be grateful that we still can enjoy the rain. But when you live in Jakarta, rain is another story that can ruin your plan, schedule even your life. I might change all my schedule for the day if it starts raining. In this so called the capital city of unbelievable country, rain means flood and then major traffic jam everywhere. From the highway, alternate way even some unknown streets, are stuck full with cars, motorcycle, angkot, buses and any other transportation you can name it. In the fast pace of modernity, this city is more than unpleasent to live in.

When so many people still try to make their luck by coming to Jakarta, my Dad had decided to leave this maddness behind since 2002. He chose to come back to his home town, Jogjakarta and has built his activities in rural area far north from the down town of Jogja, called Bayan.
Look out the view!!

Secluded behind this green scenery, my Dad has found his passion. Working for more than 30 years in an oil company was just a job for him to feed the family. Here, in this remote area, he spends his retired days getting close with the nature, the one thing he loves the most beside his family.

My Dad breeds chicken. Well actually he breeds everything that moves. He has several goats, many ponds of fish, dogs that always produce more puppies in a year, and of course birds.
You must be thinking, it must be a big business to own such things. If you ask my Dad, he absolutely will say that all these are just hobbies. Of course he sells the chicken or fish and sometimes the goats, but to him the money will go for the operation of this place.

Is he happy living his retired days? I believe so. Even my mom will never understand his fondness toward animals and nature, I guess 35 years of marriages eventually open up her heart to accept the heart of a man she chose to be her husband years ago.
Yearly visit to Jogja is always something that I've been waiting for. It's always a good thing also to change the atmosphere from crowded city to this peacefull place. It's such a bliss that you won't change with anything. My Mom usually will cook us all the food from this place. The chicken, fish and some vegetables come from my Dad's land. How wonderful it is to have that kind of luxury.

Being close to nature also make him a very down to earth person. As a man comes from this small village far away from the city, he has a very open mind and heart. I guess when you decide to get close with nature, you will have the understanding about the greater power that moves universe. That creates the whole land beautifully. And in the mist of all, it opens up our heart to accept our lives truthfully. My Dad might look scary on the outside. But once you get to know him, he's such a wonderful person with a big heart who listens and respects others.


My Dad is just a simple man who try his best to live life to the fullest.

Ghaury Oh Ghaury....

Ghaury means sunlight... and as fast as the light goes, this production was also fast in term of preparation. My God, this might be a very challenging production ever. Within two days we had to prepare everything from location, crews, talents and the band itself. With only limited time that we had, finally we'd decided to go on camera on the 21st of May 2010. And the story continued.

Using the lyrics as the main concept for this music video, it told a story of a young worker who got an acceptance to work abroad. He was very happy yet also sad because in the end he had to tell his girl that he's leaving.The main talent are a very talented actor and actress, Udji Tongky and Yasmine Wildblood.
Here are some details about the crew for this music video:

• Director Etienne Caesar
• DOP Reza
• Art Dir Windu Arifin
• Editor Bima Girindra

With island of Untung Jawa as the location for shooting, we had a long way to get there. First we had to drive until the very end of Soekarno-Hatta Airport. From this area of Tangerang, we had to drive about 10 km to the place called Teluk Naga. And the journey continued. We still had to cross the sea by not so big boat made from wood for about 45 minutes. My God, if this was not an "idol project" (my own admiration to one of the greatest guitarist in Indonesia), I will not put my life for 45 minutes in a wooden boat, hoping that this misery will end.

Unbelievable view indeed. Only two hours from crowded and hectic Jakarta, we found our own sanctuary. I wished that our production also run smoothly. After all the major troubles that we had to go through, we wrapped the shot just before midnight. And oh my GOD... I had to go all that feeling again, crossing the sea in wooden boat at midnight. What a good closing to end the day....

"Diary Depresiku" by Last Child

Second project being produced by Red Lantern was music video "Diary Depresiku" by Last Child. This so-called emo band sang their heart out about their lives struggle as a result of a broken home condition. Very rough, yet honest and without any judgment, their song already won many youngster heart. If they can say it out loud, there's always hope even tough life is hard. And they prove it that they can survive from the street with music.

Still directed by Etienne Caesar, this music video was shot on the 6th of May 2010. Here are some details about the production:

Location : Harmoni, opposite Gajah Mada Plaza
Camera : Canon ID
DOP : Deska
Art Dir : Windu Arifin
Wardrobe : Poeti Fatima
For this project my director, EC and I tried to work with another editor, Bima. With ginger as his favorite snack, he can finish all offline and online editing within 5 days. Really a high speed of editing we had! But everybody is happy with the result. I'm so happy :)
For the dr.m label, Morin Chandra, Ernest Prakasa and Harry Akid, thank you for the opportunity! And it's been a blast working with you all.... see you on the next project!

Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z1wrx-G0-0

Production Notes Cosmic Band "Lirih"

As weird as it is, I am producing another music video for E-motion with their promising artist Cosmic. For their up coming single "Lirih", I'm still collaborating with Etienne Caesar as the director. This is my second time I become his producer and actually I'm happy working him.
After so many concepts we tried to offer to the label, finally we got the chance to give our shot with Cosmic. I felt great...
So, with so limited time that we had, we had to do our shot on friday the 16th 2010. Here are some details about our production:

• Camera D1
• Location Galeri Oktagon, Gunung Sahari
• Models by Terry, Nadya and Georgyna
• Editor by Ahsan Adrian

Now, the music video is still on editing. Can't wait to see in on TV actually... But we have to wait for the feedback from the 3rd offline editing. I can only wish that this music video turns out good and be a start point for me as producer.
Just wait and see....

Audy's come back!

This is the look of a very talented female singer, who just came back recently to the music Industry in Indonesi a. With her new single "Lama-Lama Aku Bosan" (I'm getting bored), Audy has made her comeb ack after four years o f absence. And I had the privilege to produce her latest music video, directed by promising director, Etienne Caesar.

No one said it' going to be easy, because many people have waited long enough to see her perform again, including Sony Music, the label that she has been with all these years. Therefore, me and my director felt huge pressure over this project. If we usually said that making a music video is a happy shooting, but this one is different. I felt unease for couple of days and my director also felt the same thing. Really funny though, when I particularly, used to do so many feature films s hooting in the past and still felt the uneasiness.
But, I guess we did a good job with this project. The work is done and Audy is pleased with the result.
So, next project please!!!!

Production Notes H-1 Audy's comeback music video

Finally, it's H-1. It's been a while and to my surprise, I kinda forget the feeling of it. Despite the difficulty for the past couple of days, Thank God, His magic hands worked miraculously for this project. I couldn't thank more.
Final check was on, and I think my director is starting to get nervous. And I can understand why. Audy, for sometime has been vanishing from the music world. With this single "Lama-lama Aku Bosan", she wants to gain her position again as one of the promising and very talented female singer in Indonesia. Therefore, this is her comeback after all these years. Her fans, media, fellow musicians, and people in music business are waiting for this new single and music video. That means, this video has to be good. Has to represent her new image and new music. Hmm... no wonder my director's face looks so awful :)
At some point Audy is more like me. Been away for some time from this crazy world that we call "shooting", this project will be my starting point, my come back to the world that I love so much but give me a huge broken heart. I think, those time that went by, it's a time for me to be cured, to take a rest from all madness, so I can start something new with a fresh mind. I need to arrange my heart and my head so I can think clearly. And I believe, when I'm ready, the door of opportunity will be open for me.
I'm ready now, at least for tomorrow. I feel butterflies, the feeling that I miss so much. But with God blessing, I know we can pull it together and make this music video is a good come back...