SEN's Satay Satay

Why so RACIST?

2011-07-12T19:45:00.000-07:00

Just posted my film online recently and received some messages from a guy who intimidates me by saying if I don't delete my video on Youtube, he'll come and kill me. He keeps sending me messages and calling me asshole. Why is it so hard to be racial harmony!

最近刚刚才把我的“SATAY SATAY" 放上网，就收到一些恐吓的messages. 种族和谐真的这么难吗？

Satay Satay (2009) FULL MOVIE ONLINE!

2011-07-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

The Bersih 2.0 rally (also called the Walk for Democracy) was held in Kuala Lumpur yesterday as a follow-up to the 2007 Bersih rally. The peaceful rally protesting government corruption and calling for a reform of the electoral system was deemed illegal by the current government and met with intimidation and violence by the police who prevented the huge crowd from walking up to the rally venue.

Brisbane based and Malaysian born Animator/Filmmaker Sen Wong decided to release his latest short film, Satay Satay a few days ago to mark the day of the rally and to give a voice to and promote ALL Malaysian filmmakers who also face tough restrictions under the current government. Sen’s film contains subtle messages promoting a more multicultural Malaysia and is purposely made accessible to all local ethnic groups with subtitles in English and Chinese. (Referenced from OZanimate.com)

Enjoy Satay Satay (2009) Full Movie online now.

Canada International Film Festival 2011

2011-03-01T13:38:00.000-08:00

"Satay Satay" has been selected in Canada International Film Festival in the category of 2011 Award of Excellence Winners Animation Competition.

The Festival will take place April 2nd - 3rd, 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Thank you! :P

Shorts!

2011-02-22T21:59:00.000-08:00

‘Satay Satay’ has been selected to be screened at the 2011 Shorts Film Festival in Adelaide.

It will be screened on:
· Tuesday 12 April 2011 – Satay Satay

Shorts Film Festival, 9 – 16 April 2011 @ The Norwood Concert Hall.

Thank you! :D

6TH SINGAPORE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

2010-09-21T22:03:00.000-07:00

Satay Satay was successfully screened at the 6th Singapore short film festival in Singapore last month. Thank you everyone who was attending the screening. :)

AEAF (Awards Screening)

2010-08-11T01:35:00.000-07:00

Australian Effects and Animation Festival

Satay Satay is in the Category of Flash animation. See Awards Page

It will also be screened at the 2010 AEAF Awards screening on 11 August at 7pm. Location, please see the address below,

Please enjoy my film! :P

The 4th Janison Short Sharp Film Festival

2010-06-29T07:32:00.000-07:00

Satay Satay is showing in

The 4th Janison Short Sharp Film Festival (2010)

SCREENING DATE:

Saturday 3 July 2010 – “THE SHARPIES” 18+

Session 1 – The Best of the Rest/Animation section (1 to 4pm)

Session 2 – The Finalists, Animation section and Awards (6:30 to 9:30 pm)

Sunday 4 July 2010 – “THE YOUNG GUNS” UNDER 18

Session -The Finalists, Animation section and Awards (1 to 4pm)

LOCATION:

The Jetty Memorial Theatre

Harbour Drive, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia.

Enjoy my film!

10th InTheBin Short Film Festival (2010)

2010-04-21T01:36:00.000-07:00

Hello to all Satay fans!

"Satay Satay" has been selected for screening in the 10th In The Bin Short Film Festival this year. The screening will be held at Gold Coast on the 10th of May in Parklands Currumbin and 14th of May in Neal Shannon Park Surfers Paradise.

Cheers! :)

"Satay Satay" goes oversea!

2010-01-17T03:36:00.000-08:00

Satay Satay is selected and will be screened at the next Victoria Film Festival in Canada on the 6th Febuary 2010. This will be the first oversea premiere for Satay Satay. It also gives my film a chance to deliver a rich Malaysian culture to oversea viewers.

Malaysia Boleh!

Satay Satay the film trailer is out!

2009-10-09T01:36:00.000-07:00

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Satay Satay (2009) Official Trailer

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Satay Satay (2009) is infused with the Malaysian spirit, reflecting it's diverse culture. This film is basically a one man team production by the creator Sen Wong who started from story developing, producing, directing till post-production and even voice acting in many roles through the film.

Satay Satay (2009) is a nostalgic look at childhood which portrays the greediness of human beings and their personal anxieties about love, family, expectations and the special gifts we are all given but do not always appreciate.

Satay Satay (2009)

2009-08-07T17:44:00.000-07:00

Synopsis: It is school holidays and the children are out playing in the Malaysian kampung. The bad tempered boy Ah Sen is spending the day with his elderly Ah Gong who is cutting down coconuts to try and please his grandson. Ah Sen is sick of coconuts, however, and things take a turn for the worst when his nagging for satay leads Ah Gong to walk into an accident. Ah Sen’s world is turned upside down, forcing him to consider losing a loved one he never appreciated.

Film Duration: 5min 39sec

Type: 2D Flash + Traditional Animation

Softwares: Flash and After Effects

Format: Stereo, PAL 25fps, 16:9,
Available in (1024x576) SD and (1920x1080) HD

Directed, Written, Produced, Designed, Animated, Compositing and Edited by
Sen Wong (Xue Sen Wong)

Sound Design by
David Williams

Original Music by
Jimmy Ho (Jing Ming Ho)

Clarinet - Lloyd Van't Hoff
Tenor Saxophone - Ben Byrne
Percussion - Brent Miller
Er-hu - Jimmy Ho

Cast (Voices)
SEN Wong as
Ah Gong (Grandpa)
Ah Sen (Grandson)
Satay Guy

Benjamin Drake as
Indian Boy

Forewords from my comrades

2009-07-28T07:06:00.000-07:00

I have known Sen for about 5 years now. During that time we have finished our studies, made our first film and worked side by side on many projects, both commercial and personal.

After all this time I still remain amazed by Sen’s dedication, sacrifices and his love for the art. I have witnessed Sen growing a lot as a person and animator. A sign to this growth is his latest film ‘Satay-Satay’, which shows Sen embracing his roots with a personal yet entertaining story that delivers a strong message to the viewer.

This book is only but a small insight into Sen’s vivid imagination and you’ll need to add the time factor of animation to truly appreciate his talent.

I’d like to thank Sen for his inspiration, support and friendship.

Enjoy the Senimation!

By Paul Lalo

_____

It was about one year ago that I was working with Sen on a pilot episode for a children’s TV series. We were part of a team of 4 artists, whose role it was to begin fleshing out the series, and to make it appealing to kids.

A few days into the project we still had no concrete theme to base the series around. The group of us were at the food court in our lunch break, going back and forth between ideas, making small progress but hadn’t yet reached a solid concept to run with. The conversation that took place over the meal is quite hazy in my memory. One minute we were eating, then we were talking about cartoons, then for some reason we were talking about food - then Sen said something along the lines of “One thing that grabs kid’s attention, is having cartoons filled with FOOD!”

That was the turning point for the whole project. A wave of clarity washed over the group as we all sat quietly for a brief moment, nodding while we pondered how such a simple idea seemed so appealing. Food became the central focus of the series from this moment on.

Sen’s film Satay Satay is his newest work, also featuring food. It follows the story of a bratty young boy, who’s lust for Satay drives him to do bad deeds to get what he wants. I believe the film’s main strength is its ability to relate to kids. Every kid knows the pain of being denied that piece of junk food that they yearn for so badly.

A lot of great art was made during the production of Satay Satay, and this book contains all the ingredients that went into creating such an enjoyable film.

By James Lee

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Somehow I think Sen believes there’s 48 hours in a day, and every second of every minute has to be spent either animating or thinking about animation. This is the only valid explanation I can come up with, his work ethic and passion is limitless.

Sen has unknowingly been a great teacher to me and many others, and most importantly over the last year, I believe Sen’s understanding of the medium, in terms of draughtsman ship, story telling, ideas and concepts have become much clearer to him.

Good stories are those which tell the truth, a human truth, evoking in us images which we all can relate though aren’t necessarily proud to admit. It appears Sen has made ‘Satay Satay” with this in mind. The narrative touches on emotions which are quite personal to Sen, while being presented in an aesthetic style which perfectly reflect Sen’s personality.

By Steven Smith

Satay Satay Funny Faces

2009-05-22T04:05:00.000-07:00

Some funny Faces from my film "Satay Satay".

Tex Avery Influences and Comparison

2009-05-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

Lust and Greed

While doing my research on Tex Avery, I discovered the meanings and metaphors behind many of Avery’s characters. The use of the wolf, for example, is a synonym of the animal instinct and basic sexual desire of men - especially soldiers during the WWII period. Ah Sen, in ‘Satay Satay’, has a similar base instinct for food which borders on lust. His primal animal reactionto food is exaggerated to the point his tongue flips out and his eyes widen, like Avery’s Wolf.

Tex Avery, "Red Hot Riding Hood" (1943)
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Ah Sen looks at the coconut like the Wolf looks at Red.
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Ah Sen's tongue lashes out similarly.
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Old People Humour

In this shot Ah Gong is climbing a coconut tree to get a treat for his grandson, this is an unexpected act for a person of his old age. This incongruous act result in humour with the audience laughing at the unexpected behaviour of Ah Gong. A similar device is used in many of Avery’s films where old people suddenly display uncharacteristic abilities.

Tex Avery, "Red Hot Riding Hood" (1943)
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Tex Avery, "Swing Shift Cinderella" (1945)
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Crazy old Ah Gong climbs up coconut tree.
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Sexual Innuendos and Gags

Tex Avery often surprised the audience with his use of sexual innuendos. Avery would put adult preoccupations (such as sex, paranoia and lust) into a childrens cartoon, shocking the audience whose expectations were of a reassuring moral and familiar structure.

Tex Avery, "Blitz Wolf" (1942)
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Ah Gong’s bottom and the tree trunk create a phallic symbol.
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The Indian boy’s hand is a phallus in combination with the man behind.
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Slapstick

With the rapid pace of Avery’s film, the audience is exposed to an incredible amount of gags, most of these are simple but hilarious slapstick gags. This informed and influenced my personal practice.

Tex Avery, "Little Rural Riding Hood" (1949)
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School girl gets hit by coconut.
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Elastic Movement

Another influence of Tex avery, is the elasticity in which his characters are able to perform and move. This is ability to distort movement and characters is very specific to animation and Avery was one of those who understood the limitless possibilities this could offer.

Tex Avery, "Little Rural Riding Hood" (1949)
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Ah Sen elastical moves.
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Hungry Animals

In Tex Avery’s vocabulary, animals are often used as one dimensional characters with a simple goal mind troughout the story. Satay Satay also features an animal with a similar objective which eventualy causes the crash.

Tex Avery, "King-Size Canary" (1947),Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
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Hungry buffalo.

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Sudden Juxtaposition

Sudden juxtaposition or replacement of elements can cause humour as seen in many Avery’s gags. In the climax I decided to use a similar technique not only to create humour but to lead the main character to believe, that the cow is his grandfather. Therefore triggering the necessary emotional shock needed for AhSen to make an internal change.

Tex Avery, "Little Rural Riding Hood" (1949),Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
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Ah Sen: What the...?
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Conclusion

As a creator and animator, I have always admired Tex Avery for creating the wacky, eye-popping, exaggerated style that has made him so famous.

He has influenced me in many different ways from style to storytelling and even with his use of sexual gags. Avery was renowned for having a general audience appeal, with mature gags appealing to adults and a slapstick humour enjoyed by the younger generation. This is something that I would also like to achieve with my films relating to a wider audience; especially since our contemporary society is currently experiencing an age where animated content is being targeted towards specific audiences and age groups. I believe there is still a lot of space for films appealing to both end of the spectrum.

Having done my thesis research on Tex Avery really influenced the way I approached humour and animation and I think this impact will show in many of my films to come.

More VFX Test

2009-05-06T06:39:00.000-07:00

Lightning

Light Boom
_

Star Explossion

Motor Smoke

Coconut Smoke

Speed Line

Cartoony Explossion

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More VFX Final Look

VFX Test in After Effects

2009-05-05T03:57:00.000-07:00

I rendered it as pure white PNG then imported into After Effects.

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Added a little bit glow of blue
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Added more glow and turned the opacity down to 35%
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Added a bit light blue on the background in order to give more depth and atmosphere
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VFX Test Final Look

VFX Test for Satay Satay

2009-05-05T02:47:00.000-07:00

There is a crashing scene in this film which required some 2D visual effects. I first asked for advice from James Lee, the creator of Tarboy (2007). He showed me how he created those amazingly vivid effects in Tarboy. I’ve learnt a lot from him but I’m still not close to what I’m after. I have been experimenting in a variety of 2D visual effects in order to make the best for the visual style of my film.

Below is an illustration of the process involved in animating a visual effect for Satay Satay:

First, I drew it all out, animated the timing and speed in which the effect will happen.

I then roughed out the shape and volume of the smoke bursts and mapped out the timing in which the smoke dissipates .I then began to trace off the rough animation with final clean brush strokes.

Finally, I filled in the color and shadow where needed.

VFX Test Final Look

Satay Satay in Compositing Example 02

2009-03-18T00:38:00.000-07:00

From rough storyboard to different layers...

go to next step...

Compositing progress step by step...

go to next step...

The final look of the film...

Satay Satay in Compositing Example 01

2009-03-18T00:26:00.000-07:00

From rough storyboard to different layers...

go to next step...

Compositing progress step by step...

go to next step...

The final look of the film...

More Backgrounds

2009-02-09T04:30:00.001-08:00

ENJOY!

Main Background

2009-01-10T07:59:00.000-08:00

A lot of time and research was spent in creating a stylized Malaysian kampung. Designing the main background and finalizing the colour is really important for making a believable environment. Green grasses, blue sky and rice field in the background are the basic elements of a tropical country like Malaysia. The kampung environment reminds me of my childhood in Malaysia, therefore I thought it was an appropriate setting for my film.

Closer Look

Some Props for "Satay Satay"

2009-01-10T07:39:00.000-08:00

Satay Motorbike

Street vendors in Malaysia often ride scooters or bicycles and sell their food as they go. This design took me quite a long time because I needed to separate every single part in order to animate in it Flash and I had to make sure that the color of the bike did not clash with the character. In order to have a clear silhouette I made the satays stick out so the audiences can easily recognize easily it as a satay scooter. Here is the Satay bike before and after. ;p

Food

Follow the colour...

1.“Satay” – known as “Sate” in Malay, a dish consisting of diced or sliced chicken, beef or mutton, grilled or barbecued over a wood or charcoal fire, then served with various spicy seasonings.

2.“Kelapa” – Known as “Coconut” in English.
3.“Zongzi” – Known as “Rice Dumpling” in English, “Zongzi” is a traditional Chinese food, made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves.
4.“Ketupat” – Similar to “Zongzi” and “Rice Dumpling” with a Malaysian flavour. It is normally served with “Satay” as a side dish.

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More Props

Just some props for the film. ;p

People and Animals

2009-01-10T07:12:00.001-08:00

The People

Malay - Men - Women

Chinese - Men - Women

Indian - Men - Women

Kumpung Malay people
The Malay ethnic group is the majority in Malaysia. Most Malay people are Muslims. Men often wear a songkok, which is a cap in the shape of a truncated cone, and sarong, a skirt adornment. Females wear loose clothing (Baju kurung) with plain colours and a scarf to represent the religion of Islam.

Kumpung Chinese people
Malaysian Chinese are the descendants of Chinese who arrived in the fifteenth and the mid-twentieth centuries. Chinese people in Malaysia are the second biggest population and they maintain Chinese traditions like celebrating Chinese New Year and other Chinese festivals.

Kumpung Indian people
Malaysian Indians are a large group of migrants from south India. Large numbers of Sikhs in the British Indian army were sent to Malaysia during the British colonization. Some Sikh men still wear turbans and women wear saris, a strip of unstitched cloth ranging from four to nine meters length which is draped over the body in various styles.

The Animals

Animals - Pets

Run Pola Run

2008-11-07T15:00:00.000-08:00

Run Pola Run, don't let the kitty catch ya!

A design based on Paul Lalo, one of my best friends at uni.

I named this character Pola, which is a contraction of Paul Lalo. “Run Pola Run” is a friendship gift to Mr. Lalo. I find it funny that Paul is sometimes worried by little things, even though he’s such a tall guy. Often he’ll say ‘No SEN no!’ and ‘don’t do this!’ when there’s nothing to worry about.

A tall man being chased by a little cat has become a theme gag in a lot of my creations. “Run Pola Run” was started as a second year assignment but developed it further in my experiments for Poles Apart. It was so much fun I decided to put him in other films as an extra character and running gag.

Check out the series here:

*(Run through the Park)
Run Pola Run

*(Run through the Swamp)
Run Pola Run 2

*(Run through the Poles Apart)
Run Pola Run 3

*(Run through the Corner Store)
Run Pola Run 4

and more...

The Book Eating Buffalo

2008-11-07T14:52:00.000-08:00

The buffalo - is a clumsy and stupid animal which is often used for farming in the Malaysian kampung. The cute fat buffalo I have in my film is a book lover and he is always hungry. He thinks that by eating books he can increase his brainpower.

Malay Dude

2008-11-07T14:43:00.001-08:00

Malay Teacher - I knew a teacher like this when I was in school, a man who ate more than he taught.

Malay School Girl

2008-11-07T14:36:00.000-08:00

A Malay School Girl - Impatiently waiting for the bus. In Fact, the buses are never on time in Malaysia!

Kids Playing Gasing

2008-11-07T14:07:00.001-08:00

Some kids playing "Gasing".

"Gasing", a traditional game popular among Malays in the old days, known in English as spinning top. In rural areas, gasing contests were held during the rice-ripening season. Kampung villagers believed that the spinning tops would help bring them a prosperous harvest season.

The Indian Boy, a cliché of a fat bully, a character in all children’s life.

*NOTE*
Just for the film only ok, there's no racism issues here. ;p

*Staring by Benjamin Drake*

The Sikh Boy, a Sikh boy with an under turban.

The Crying Boy, a kid that has been bullied by others.

The Satay Guy

2008-11-07T13:51:00.001-08:00

Satay Guy

A kampung Satay vendor normally comes with a box of satays on the back of his scooter. His costume is a reference to Bruce Lee, my hero when I was a kid. His helmet is jumping around when animated, it is loose and untied. It is a fact, however, that people in the kampung never wear helmets when riding anyway.

Age: 20 to 30-ish.
Job: Satay vendor.
Personality: Happy-go-Lucky.
Famous quote: “Satay Satayyy!!!”

*Staring by SEN too*

Satay Guy Final_Look

Ah Gong (the grandfather)

2008-11-07T12:53:00.001-08:00

Ah Gong

Ah Gong is a healthy old man who often pampers his grandchild. His kindness to his grandson finally pays off in the end of the story. The design of Ah Gong was inspired by another short film that I created back in 2006, the Grandfather’s Clock. I redesigned this grandfather and added a mustache to him, like my dad’s.

Age: 70-ish
Job: Retired.
Personality: Kind and patient.

Famous quote: “OK ok!”

*Staring by SEN too*

Ah Gong Final_Look

Ah SEN (the grandson)

2008-11-07T11:18:00.000-08:00

Ah SEN

The name I have given this character is, simply put, my name. He is a boy based on my boyhood self. I used to be the spoiled kid in my family. Ah Sen dislikes the kampung life and is always asking for more and more. His life turns upside down when he feels he almost lost his grandfather. He finally learns a valuable lesson through the development of the story.

Age: 10-ish.
Interests: Ah Sen likes to eat, eat and eat.
Personality: Bratty, self-centered, demanding, inconsiderate and greedy.
Famous Quote: “Ah Gong Ah Gong!”

*Staring by SEN himself*

Ah SEN Final_Look

SENimation Satay Satay

2008-11-07T09:55:00.001-08:00

SENimation

presents

"Satay Satay"

Director: Xue SEN Wong

Synopsis: It is school holidays and the children are out playing in the Malaysian kampung. The bad tempered boy Ah Sen is spending the day with his elderly Ah Gong who is cutting down coconuts to try and please his grandson. Ah Sen is sick of coconuts, however, and things take a turn for the worst when his nagging for satay leads Ah Gong to walk into an accident. Ah Sen’s world is turned upside down, forcing him to consider losing a loved one he never appreciated.

Statement from SEN:

Hi, I’m SEN!

I arrived in Australia almost 5 years ago, since then I’ve graduated with a Bachelor of Animation and continued my studies with the Honours program at the Griffith University Queensland College of Art (QCA). Being a Malaysian born Chinese boy, I have faced many challenges in my life as an “overseas traveler”. I’ve learned that determination and dedication pays off.

My graduate film Poles Apart (2007) told a great story of a panda caught in a world of polar bears. Poles Apart was a universal story that everyone could relate to. In the increasing phenomenon of a worldwide multiculturalism, the importance of tolerance and acceptance of other genders, races and cultures has become a central issue. Poles Apart raised important questions while providing an entertaining "slice of life" like storyline and an upbeat resolution of a very modern and recently growing issue. I learned many valuable lessons in film production while working on that piece, and even went to Beijing to showcase it. That was also my first time to China and I felt like the panda himself, finally going home.

Ever since I was a kid I’ve loved to tell stories. After the success of Poles Apart I realized what kind of stories I liked. I’ve come to think that stories should be fun. Fun to look at, fun to read, and fun to experience and not only that, they should also be of good quality and direction in order to connect with people emotionally.

I strongly believe that filmmaking is more than just entertaining audiences. A film is a message that should be understood by everyone no matter how young or old. It is for people to learn, to study and to become acquainted with truth and knowledge.

Now I am proud to present to you the art of my next film, Satay Satay! This is a more personal story for me as it is set in the countryside, or kampung, of my home country Malaysia. This story is actually based on my personal experience of childhood and is dedicated to my grandmother, a person I haven’t acknowledged as much as I should have. Satay Satay is a nostalgic look at childhood which portrays the greediness of human beings and their personal anxieties about love, family, expectations and the special gifts we are all given but do not always appreciate. My main aim in this film is to tell a good story using animation as a medium. What I love about animation is its power to make audiences care about the characters and become immersed in their world. It is my hope that you will enjoy the art in this book, become immersed in Ah Sen’s world and learn from his story.