Yasmin Ahmad a.k.a The Storyteller // July 1, 1958 – July 25, 2009
I remember long back, before entering the AD world and when my ambition was to be an astronomer , watching these commercials that aired during Diwali for Petronas on TV2 ( Malaysian channel). My family would be in that Diwali mood making murrukku and me watching the marathon of Tamil movies and these ads will air. They were very different from the ones I was used to seeing on Singapore’s TV. The colors, the mood, the people and the storytelling. Theses ads pulled hearts and tears like no other. Racial harmony, unity and family values were portrayed like no Asian TVC had. Watching the ads made me appreciate what I had.
Fast forward 15 years and as an aspiring AD Man, I discovered the genius behind these ads. Yasmin Ahmad. Watching her ads, dissecting them and wondering how she made the Ads was welcomed stress. In the second year of college we had to conceptualise a TVC for a local product. Yasmin’s style was the way to go. Or so I thought. I did a good job classmates say. But it was clearly a Yasmin copy.
Her story telling capabilities were unbelievable. I am not an emotional person and rarely shed a tear for on screen drama. But Yasmin manages to make me feel and swell up with some of her ads. The art direction and choice of music made everything so flawless. And her recent AD ” Tan Hong Ming in Love” was one of her best. This piece shows her prowess as a storyteller. No fancy setting nor music. Just the Ideas. The Big Idea. It won her a Cannes.
Discovering that she was hospitalized and was in ICU for heart and brain surgery was a really emotional moment for a lot of people. Her Facebook page was filled with well wishes and prayers. And then news of her passing made its way around Facebook and Twitter. Her page now was flooded with condolence messages. Some said prayers. Some talked about her impact on them. I posted my attempt at copying her style for my TVC . But no matter what was posted, she was loved and respected as a director and a human being who attempted to unite people. With her passing, the world has lost a General in the army against racism. Rest in Peace.
