The first guideline of forming a collective group is to avoid discussing creativity, competence, or anything else related to it. “You don’t teach Ronaldo or Messi how to kick the ball; they already know,” Jose Maurinho famously stated, “but you teach them how to play in a team.”
The hardest part is usually the beginning. The two founders of Johor Street Film School, Haziqah Azemi and Cech Adrea, discovered that they must connect with people who, for the most part, are unfamiliar with each other in the team and have no experience in filming, but have the right skills.
This is when the idea for ‘Another Johor Story’, an immersive cinema project, struck. The name Johor was chosen on purpose to signify the symbol of self-belonging.
Cech comes up with the storyline, writes the script, draws the storyboard, and breaks down the characters, while Haziqah handles the scheduling and production with the support of three early members, Hafizah Wahab, Atiq and Belle. To begin production, they gathered their close friends from the creative and ‘non-creative’ communities — Aswara’s Pontian graduates, a site contracter, a music teacher, a foreman, and even a modern farmer. Everyone got to know one another by participating in the sharing sessions and practise.
They successfully shot the first instalment of Another Johor Story, and the performers performed admirably and eagerly anticipated to contribute more.
Everyone contributes great energy during practise and shooting, and even reveals a lot of their personal matters during the sharing session, which is held every Tuesday and Thursday at ThinkCity in Jalan Dhoby.
The actual collective work has now begun.
They are writing the script based on Hafizah’s true story, and she will also be in the cast. Every department is eager to continue the production and have exceeded the first shoot. The bond between the team members and the project has grown stronger.
Unlike any other film efforts, this was left unfinished on purpose because the task is in the problem-solving, and successful problem-solving establishes the connection. A creative community thrives on connections.
