I AM STILL A 'MAT'.
HAPPY 2012…
And my hope that the Mayans were wrong….hahaha..
It has been a while since I last write anything on my blog. I was busy editing two major feature films in Malaysia - "Dari Kerana Mata", a debut film by Melissa Saila and "Spilt Gravy On Rice", also his debut film by Dato' Zahim Albakri, both are slated for release in 2012. It was a great journey with both films (of different genre) and can't wait to see it on the silver-screen soon.
Here I am now, back in Singapore with my family and continuing my training routine and also to be part of a "commissioning video project" for one of the museum here, slated to be completed by June 2012. More info on this soon..
I get to watch few great TV shows and also anticipating for the "revived" children's TV Show, "Mat Yoyo".
Here, I am providing my professional views about the new "Mat Yoyo" children's programme on Singapore SURIA channel and soon in 3 other languages locally.
I was very disappointed. First of all, I feel that it was not targeted for 4-12 years old. My 8 years old daughter was watching it and asked me, "Dad, why does the camera move so fast?" I think she meant the camera movement (that was MTVish style) and the pacing (editing) of the show and too fast (remember - 4yrs old?). My question is, does the producers and creators understand how much time does a child need to retain and process every information they watch, hear or see? Does the graphics used, readable for kids or adults?
I think what was lacking was "The Stickiness Factor". Please refer to the book by Malcolm Gladwell, "The Tipping Point" and understand HOW "Sesame Street" became a very successful show all around the world for more than 40 years! In the book, it shows the most logical and simple way, how they achieve that "Stickiness Factor" and injected a positive virus (literacy) to the children. It is just about trial and error. It is about concrete research and involving the right people.
The (Sesame Street) producers thoroughly tested their episodes on young children (or the focus age group) to make sure that the content holds their attention. The lesson to learn here is that focus groups and consultation from within your target demographic, are one of the powerful ways to learn how to influence those key members of society that will especially influence the masses.
According to Gladwell, there is a simple way to package information that, under the right circumstances, can make it irresistible. All you have to do is find it.
But I don't think, the makers did look for it in the first place. Well, I maybe wrong. This was my first impression of watching "Mat Yoyo" and it isn't fair to compare with "Sesame Street", which has more structural programme-style and a massive team of creative "child-doctors" (I so call the makers!)
I am also wandering, if this programme had the Ministry of Education involved, what was the ideology, education formula or study-system that was used to produced this show? Is it used in the schools system now, or just a make up?. It seems that this new show was the exact replica of the old show, just a little more colourful, no *Mat Sentul (the original host cum entertainer/magician - thats where the 'Mat' word came from!
(*Note: Also, the word 'Mat' - pronounced as 'mart' is commonly use to refer to someone of a brotherly figure, such as 'Mat Rock' (a male rocker), 'Mat Salleh' (an Englishman), 'Mat Pet' (druggie)..etc.. Mat Sentul was also a filmmaker himself and and made a few of the "Mat" series film in the 60s.)
The success of the former "Mat Yoyo" show wasn't about the show itself, but the weekend workshops the kids went through. The TV Station (formerly Singapore Broadcasting Corporations) started the "Children Television Workshop" for the kids between 5-16 years old, to train them in singing, dancing, acting and even the martial arts! It was this group of "graduated" kids that made the show alive and entertaining. These kids had a strong foundation on "performing" and not just being in front of the lights and camera and not knowing what to do, unless instructed.
And to reveal my longest kept secret, I was among those kids and till today, I am still involved in film and television industry because I was exposed, nurtured and groomed at that early age (it was just that I couldn't sing well or dance back then, or else i would have been the next "Singapore Idol"!) So, I ended up being the voices on popular children-radio storytelling shows in the early 80s.
I have also setup a "Mat Yoyo Generation" group on Facebook, a few years back, with almost 2,000 fans in it. The cool thing in this group, is that there are also the "ex-Mat Yoyo" kids from the old children shows. We shared old stories, photographs and never seen before VHS-video footages with the group.
Join us at http://www.matyoyo.com
Coming back to the present "Mat Yoyo". My first thought - it was really a BAD idea to revive "Mat Yoyo". It will not be the same without Pak Mat Sentul. They could have adapted, revamped and changed it to a new format children show for the 4 languages and used the internet as a comprehensive "supporting media" to continue form the show itself. A very good example is "Blues Clues", another "sticky" show after "Sesame Street".
Take a look at this (extracted from "Mat Yoyo" official show page)
The basic aim for the new "Mat Yoyo" is to:
1. Promote wholesome and educational entertainment for children
2. Create popular "local icons" which Singaporean kids of all races could associate with
3. Encourage children's inquisitiveness and imagination through creative learning
4. Discover and nurture budding child talents
5. Inculcate positive values and personal development
Just bear in mind that the "Generation Z" are the so-called 'internet generation'. The only "challenge" the makers has for this show, is to provide a much richer and bigger educational-entertainment, compare to the ones they can find online, just by the click of the mouse (which the "cats of Mat Yoyo" will definitely like to chase after!)
I was glad I was part of the older generation of "Mat Yoyo", cos it made me the person I am today, but I was not happy that people like myself (or any other in the group) was not given the opportunity to get involve in the focus group, if there was one in the first place.
But that's ok. No harm done.
And maybe I was wrong about all these...
Maybe the kids found it entertaining and learned something from it… argghh.. now I feel old, but no doubt.
I am still a 'Mat'!
