Lights, camera, show biz!

Panelist Ahmad Izham (centre) chatting with PopRadeeo's Hardesh Singh before the forum while moderator Shanon Shah waits to get on with the show. — Panelist Ahmad Izham (centre) chatting with PopRadeeo’s Hardesh Singh before the forum while moderator Shanon Shah waits to get on with the show.

Moderator Shanon Shah dispensing with introductions before the forum begins.

A small but cosy crowd. The personalities on the panel kept up the pace with humour and wit when sharing their views.

Ahmad Izham: Popular entertainment caters to the lowest common denominator, which consists of the largest group in the country.

Azmyl on music and artistic censorship: Some artistes are easy targets for censorship because their audience are mostly youths. Black metal is assumed satanic, but the authorities don't check the facts. — Azmyl on music and artistic censorship: Some artistes are easy targets for censorship because their audience are mostly youths. Black metal is assumed satanic, but the authorities don’t check the facts.

Azmyl and Ahmad Izham share their views as an independent artiste and corporate figure respectively, on what it takes to make indie music mainstream.

Bessey on censorship: Sometimes, all it takes is just one person to complain to the authorities for censorship to happen. The authorities rarely look at facts before banning.

Bessey recounts the controversy over the staging of 'The Vagina Monologues' in Kuala Lumpur. Another time, the only way she could get the authorities to allow the staging of Ibsen's 'Baltimore Waltz' was to tell them that the gay character with HIV/AIDS dies in the end. — Bessey recounts the controversy over the staging of ‘The Vagina Monologues’ in Kuala Lumpur. Another time, the only way she could get the authorities to allow the staging of Ibsen’s ‘Baltimore Waltz’ was to tell them that the gay character with HIV/AIDS dies in the end.

As artistes, all three panel members agree that it's tough to survive financially while pursuing their craft. Bessey says it's necessary to have several streams of income; Azmyl says finding different sources of income is part of being creative; and Ahmad Izham adds that one really needs a lucky break to make it. — As artistes, all three panel members agree that it’s tough to survive financially while pursuing their craft. Bessey says it’s necessary to have several streams of income; Azmyl says finding different sources of income is part of being creative; and Ahmad Izham adds that one really needs a lucky break to make it.

THE third installment of The Nut Graph‘s forum series Found in Conversation focused on Creativity and Innovation in Show Biz. It featured 8TV executive director and Media Prima chief executive officer of Alt Media Ahmad Izham Omar, independent singer-songwriter Azmyl Yunor, and actor-director Joanna Bessey.

The event was held at Leonardo’s Dining Room & Wine Loft on 8 Aug 2010. It was moderated by The Nut Graph‘s former columns and comments editor Shanon Shah, himself an award-winning singer-songwriter.

The panelists threw up interesting ideas worth pondering, not just for the arts and creative industries, but for society and politics as well. Among these issues were censorship, market segmentation and the “dumbing down” of local entertainment, and the relationship between innovation and infrastructure.

Found in Conversation aims to link personalities, ideas, and people. It tries to provide opportunities for the public to engage with notable personalities and industry experts through a one-and-a-half hour conversation.

The next forum, to be held in late September 2010, will be creativity and innovation in eco-friendly living. Look out for more information on The Nut Graph website, or follow us on Twitter and Facebook, or sign up for our e-newsletter.

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