Key Concepts
- Comfort with failure as a path to success
- Embracing one's journey, including mistakes
- The impact of YouTube on career development
- Overcoming societal and familial pressures
- The importance of passion and perseverance
- Cringe culture and its effect on creativity
- Breaking barriers in filmmaking, especially in Brunei
Early Life and Influences
Shafi Halim begins by recounting his early ambition to become a filmmaker. His father's advice instilled a strong work ethic, leading him to work weekends making cotton candy for six months to purchase his first camera, a Sony A58, costing around $950. He even traveled to MIRI to find a cheaper deal.
YouTube Beginnings and Initial Success
Shafi credits YouTube as the platform that launched his career. He gained attention for his humorous exploration of "Potlands" in Brunei, a fictional subspecies known for wearing neon green shirts and shuffling. This video and his channel garnered 8,500 subscribers, representing approximately 2% of Brunei's population. The "Potlands" video alone reached 49,000 views.
Navigating Criticism and Doubling Down
Despite his YouTube success, a film director advised Shafi to delete his videos to be taken seriously as a filmmaker. Instead, Shafi chose to embrace his past and openly discuss his failures on YouTube. He created videos about his flopped series, his insecurities, and his struggles with A-levels. A family member urged him to delete the A-levels video, fearing it would bring shame to the family. However, he also received support from others who had experienced failure, who saw his journey as an inspiration.
The Importance of Embracing One's Journey
Shafi emphasizes the importance of being proud of one's journey, regardless of its ups and downs. He argues that sharing failures is crucial because it makes success more relatable and attainable. He contrasts this with the perception that success is only achievable by those with privilege or connections. He highlights that he had no connections to the Hollywood or even the Bruneian film industry and overcame his academic setbacks.
National Geographic Project and Collaboration
Shafi credits his crew, particularly Joshua, a stateless Iban living in Brunei, for their support and collaboration. Together, they led a National Geographic-funded project called "Ecosystem Rasa." He recalls discussing their dreams in Joshua's small dorm room and achieving their goals four years later.
Passion as a Driving Force
Shafi attributes his perseverance to his lifelong passion for filmmaking. He shares childhood videos of making superhero films with his brothers, Adi Rifki and Whiffky, as his early attempts at filmmaking. These videos, such as "Catboy versus Ninjas," are still available online.
Filmography and Achievements
Shafi highlights his key film projects:
- Sympathy: His first short film, which won a local film award and addresses Chinese racism in Brunei.
- Kitani: Brunei's first zombie series, produced in collaboration with Progressive Media.
- Wu: A documentary about the Bruneian people, which won an international film award at the Southeast Academ International Film Festival in Manila.
- Kumbua: Brunei's first animated show, set to release in 2025.
Future Aspirations and Breaking Barriers
Shafi acknowledges the challenges of Bruneian filmmaking, noting that it lags behind other countries, even within Borneo. He questions whether a Bruneian will ever win an Oscar, admitting it is unlikely in his generation. However, he emphasizes the importance of trying to pave the way for future filmmakers. He cites Bong Junho (director of Parasite) and Tekkawiti as examples of individuals who broke barriers and transformed their countries' film industries.
The Dangers of "Cringe" Culture
Shafi addresses the concept of "cringe," acknowledging that some may find his aspirations of Brunei winning an Oscar to be "cringe." He admits to previously making videos cringing at others' content. However, he now believes that "cringe" is the "death to dreamers." He quotes Donald Glover: "No one on their deathbed is going to look back and say, 'Thank God I avoided being cringe.'" He encourages embracing the risk of looking stupid to achieve cool things.
The Value of Failure
Shafi concludes by emphasizing the importance of being comfortable with failure. He states that success in something one is truly passionate about feels "10,000 times better" than the relief of avoiding failure. He reiterates the cycle of trying, failing, and trying again until success is achieved.
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