By TAN CHOON SAM
One word to describe Nick Seah Tze Chyuan is passionate. The Kuala Lumpur-born lad describes himself as a passionate person, especially when it comes to filmmaking.
It was that passion which drove him to win the grand prize in the inaugural Berjaya Youth Short Film Competition recently.
Nick, 24, is a graduate from UCSI University where he majored in film and television. His winning entry is called Dream House, a film about how one should place happiness in the home above materialistic values.
Seah (right) with the Director of Photography of his short film Dream House, Kenneth.
Nick believes that while each of the shortlisted finalists were equally as talented, what set his entry apart was the way he filmed it.
“It was more movie-styled, where there was more acting and more drama,” said Nick in an interview.
“But I really liked the other entries as well, they have also inspired me.”
Nick is staying grounded even after winning the competiton that saw the participation of about 150 people. He gave the crew members who were involved in making the short film some money from his winnings (Nick won RM40,000 in cash as well as a Canon 5D MKII camera worth more than RM8,000), instead of spending everything on himself.
At the same time, he also attributes his success to the dedication of his crew, and to the unwavering support of his parents.
“They were the ones who got me my first camera, with which I shot my first video,” said Nick.
His persistence is also one of the contributing factors to his success. The Berjaya Youth Short Film Competition is not the first time he has joined a fimmaking contest, as he has entered numerous others with mixed results. While others his age might be tempted to give up, Nick kept on going, and it has finally paid off.
He started dabbling in filmmaking while studying in university, where he was asked to make a short promotional video for a talent contest. He took up the challenge, happy to take any opportunity to sharpen his filmmaking skills.
His video was aired on campus constantly. Nick said that he was really flattered that his video was deemed good enough to be shown on campus.
After that, he started making more films and joining competitions, winning quite a few sum of money along the way for his work.
With his winnings, Nick was able to buy more equipment, which then improves his skill in making films.
“I have gotten better equipment so that I am always prepared for any situation,” Nick explained.
That mentality will certainly put him in good stead for the future as Nick hopes to one day work with his idol, American filmmaker Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous, We Bought A Zoo).
“He might not be as glamarous or famous as some of the other directors, but I love his movies. His style is something I admire and I hope to learn from him one day,” said Nick of Crowe.
The young filmmaker also hopes to one day be able to direct and produce a full-length movie like his idol. For now, however, Nick just wants to continue making short films and sharpening his skills.
He also wishes to try his hand at making music videos, commercials and documentaries, and he thinks that Malaysia is the perfect place to do them.
“Malaysia has numerous scenic places that are perfect for every type of video. For example, if I want to do something cultural, I can go to Petaling Street (in Kuala Lumpur),” he said.
As part of a new generation of filmmakers, Nick recognises the fact that there will be more young filmmakers in the industry down the road. Besides Malaysia providing the perfect background, Nick strongly believes that it is easy for anyone to produce quality films.
“Cameras these days can produce good, quality videos. For just a few thousand ringgit, anyone can get a decent camera.
“It’s like composing music, anyone who can afford a guitar can easily compose their own music,” he retorted.
You can watch Dream House at http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150322402352685
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