The Truth Is...

At the end of the day, the arts industry will always be moved by those who want to do the right thing. It's a cliche, but you need passion to plug away year after year, heartbreak after heartbreak.

The truth is, you need money to run things. And money is usually with the big players. So it's important for everyone within sight of the money to do the right thing. Produce great content, pay people well (yes, PAY people), respect intellectual property, stay clean, learn and relearn the craft along the way, repeat.

And if you work for people down the chain like production houses, do your jobs honestly. Jaga discipline, so schedules tak lari. If you're in charge of budget, don't take cuts from caterers or other suppliers. (Last2, crew and artistes suffer kena makan crappy food, for eg). Be honest.

True, there have been good government initiatives to support the industry (like animation), so thanks to everyone who made things happen. But really, the powers that be will continue to disappoint with dodgy appointments to important posts, condoning sycophants, and by their severe lack of understanding and empathy for the industry. (Till today, there's still no one single overseeing body - having multiple agencies simply means more bureaucracy.)

And yes, be ready to also be disappointed by industry people who can never unite for a single day or work for other than their own ego and interests. In the end, it's about jawatan and what projects they can get.

So if you're in the industry, do the right thing with the right intention. You could be an actor, a painter, a writer, a producer, a publisher, a brand exec, a cameraman, whatever. Just don't let your selves down, and get things done.

If you're successful, build brands and businesses and help others with the same passion. Give back.

So, cherish the small victories. Take pride in your unrelenting commitment. Cos everything else will just disappoint you. And that's a guarantee.