How did Horologist get selected for Cannes' Short Film Corner?

Once I’ve completed a short film, I submit it to a few festivals that I hope to get into. For most festivals, the requirement is that it cannot be public. Let’s say I finish shooting a short film in 2020 and for the whole of 2021, it's just doing festival run. While that’s happening, we can’t screen the short film. That’s what we’ve been doing for the past few years and why it seems we’ve been quiet. It’s hard because even after the film that we did in 2020 premiered at Tokyo Short Shorts, we still couldn’t publicise it.

For Horologist, it's in the early stage of the festival run and it just so happens that Cannes is one of the earlier festivals. Up until earlier this week, the news was still trickling in. Aside from Cannes' Short Film Corner, it has also won Best Animation at USA Film Festival, it's in the Atlantic Bridge Film Festival, it's a finalist for Poland's Film Festival called Animator where it's in the running for Best Animation and Audience Choice Award.

How does this change the things that you'll be doing moving forward?

The sure thing is we're aiming for our debut feature and we're already in talks with several parties. The years of trying to chase after storytelling and the narrative format, in long form, especially, is hard, but it's way harder here in our country. Yet, there are so many passionate people who don't mind not earning money or losing some money and I mean... we're a part of that, right? We're losing money just to satisfy that part of ourselves. Hopefully, our sacrifices will open new doors for us.

Given the Cannes experience and the Annecy Animation Festival that I'll be going to next month, I hope we meet the right people and not rely on just gunning for narrative projects locally. As a creator, keeping your intellectual property (IP) helps because if an over-the-top (OTT) platform picks it up, you get to prolong your journey in chasing after narrative projects, rather than having to shoot a toothpaste commercial or a wedding video, or cover an event. There's nothing wrong if you're passionate about those but there are so many who aren't—they're just doing it for their bread and butter.

Horologist the comic book debuted in December 2022 and sold out within a month. You've always loved drawing as a hobby. Will you continue to experiment with this creative outlet for business?

There was a lot of self-reflection during the lockdowns and those of us who never dared to sit down and face ourselves went through trauma and whatnot. Mental health was suddenly thrust to the forefront, which was a good thing. So I think realising that deep down inside, while my journey was wanting to make films and put them on screens, ultimately for me, as long as I can tell my stories, it doesn't matter the medium. It can be a book, it can be a comic, it can be animation, it can be live-action. It just happens that I get to wear different hats and I'm thankful for that.

For someone who's a self-confessed introvert with no prior experience in filmmaking, where do you find the inspiration and the motivation?

I ask myself sometimes having gone to therapy during the pandemic. Most of what we are today and the problems we carry stem from childhood. I was thinking and self-reflecting. Maybe... growing up with a single mum who was very busy in a hair salon, I had to play in a room behind the salon without any friends or toys. Going through hardship, especially as a kid, I think we dive into fantasy so we start making up stories in our minds. But because I was young, I would pick and steal from famous shows so I've got Doraemon, Goku from Dragon Ball, Indiana Jones... making stuff up became a habit and every night before I sleep, my "series" would continue. Maybe that's what started it.

Also, back in the day, when book rental was still a thing, I read a lot of fiction because it was cheap enough to rent. When Doraemon was made available, I think it was the first Japanese comic that was translated into Malay and it helped my Malay a lot because I was failing the language quite badly. So thank you very much, Doraemon!

Happy anniversary to Grim Film! In its 11 years, which of your works are you been the proudest of?

YouTube was my film school. Aside from the tutorial videos, this is an industry where it's a "do and learn" kind of situation. I had takeaways from each video I uploaded including the vlogs.

There were techniques that people don't see, for example. I would feel like, "Maybe the character is talking too slowly" or "Maybe this part is too boring... how do we cut this?" Through these, I learned comedy timing, transitions, and even basic story structure. There was a lot of thought process involved even before the Gor Gor character (Lee's comical vlog alter ego) goes out and starts rambling. That one was a tough jump because, for an introvert to do that, I had to lie to myself that I was acting so I wasn't myself. But at the same time, there was a piece of me in there.

What were some of the biggest lessons your journey has taught you?

You can't do things alone. In this industry, if not for having the right people in place, whatever you imagine will never become a reality.

While pitching for a grant in a Disney boot camp in Singapore, one of the jury, who was from YouTube Red UK, asked me, "So Jared, what are you trying to say with your film? I mean, I get the concept, the hook, and the flow but, what's the point?" At the time, as a young filmmaker, I was like... isn't it all about the explosions, the cool concept, and the plot twists? And she was like, "I'm not asking you to answer me now but just keep in mind that it's important to have a why." It was a very important lesson.

I started rewatching the films I love and tried to see the why and understood that art was not just for entertainment but for people to question current issues as well. From that point onwards, I made sure that I had a why in my films no matter how low budget it was or if it was just a simple comedy film. I also made sure to include a social issue which I gravitated towards. It's not fun when a film is preachy about certain issues so the best films are the ones that let people leave the show questioning the issue.

Did you ever feel like giving up and if you did, what kept you going?

During the pandemic, I sat the team down after counting my finances and told them, "Guys, we have maybe three months left of your salary and I want to give you all a heads up to find other jobs first because in three months, whether I want to or not, I will have to let you all go."

I've been blessed with really good people after years of searching. They stuck around and even my longtime producer who has been with me for seven years now actually went out and tried to find jobs for us. Some of them even called me and said, "Boss, it's okay. Let's try." I'm really thankful for those who stayed and believed in me. The MDEC grant for Horologist helped us to stay afloat and some clients were kind enough to let me direct through a monitor at home. Somehow, we managed to pull through.

That was the lowest point at Grim Film but personally and creatively speaking, as hard as it was, I couldn't see myself doing anything else. Every time I get burnt out, I'd sit down and start writing. There's still a sense of satisfaction so it's good to know that the fire is still there. I know there are many in the industry who are jaded—it's not easy, for sure. That's why making a passion project every year helps remind us why we do what we do. We can go without sleep for three days making a passion project and still feel satisfied at the end of the day.

Soon after Tatler's chat with Lee, Horologist achieved another milestone when it premiered at the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) Film Festival on July 23, 2023. This year, the SDCC Film Festival featured 56 films from participating filmmakers from all over the world, including Canada, China, Egypt, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, UK, and US.

Not only was Horologist the first Malaysian animated short film to have shared screen time at the SDCC Film Festival 2023, but it would also go on to bag Best Animation at the festival, adding to its burgeoning list of achievements and putting Malaysia on the map.

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