Recently BoBoiBoy has been featured in Utusan Malaysia Hits where the voice actors for BoBoiBoy are being announced for the very first time. We'd like to thank Norliza for the great writeup. You can view the original online article here.

Oleh NORLIZA MOHAMAD ZAKARIA
liza.zakaria@utusan.com.my

WATAK-watak dalam siri animasi memainkan peranan yang cukup penting dalam menghidupkan jalan cerita sesebuah karya. Apa sahaja bentuk animasi yang dihasilkan dari dalam mahupun luar negara, ia cukup dekat dengan jiwa kanak-kanak.

Produk sulung empat anak muda dari Animonsta Studios yang memperjuangkan daya kreatif menghasilkan animasi BoBoiBoy iaitu Mohd Nizam Abd Razak, Mohd. Safwan Ab. Karim, Muhammad Anas Abdul Aziz dan Kee Yong Pin sesungguhnya dinantikan oleh peminat animasi tempatan.

Biarpun ini merupakan buah tangan pertama daripada Animonsta Studios, kebolehan mereka menterjemah daya kreativiti sebelum ini diakui ramai dengan terhasilnya Upin & Ipin sehingga mencipta fenomena tersendiri tidak lama dahulu.

Rantaian 26 episod itu bakal menemui penonton di layar kaca TV3 dengan durasi 11 minit setiap episod bermula Mac tahun depan.

Menariknya, selain ditayangkan di TV3, BoBoiBoy bakal melangkah jauh menjentik emosi rakyat di 16 buah negara.
Ini kerana kini Animonsta Studios dalam proses akhir menandatangani persetujuan bersama sebuah TV stesen berbayar Asia Pasifik dan antarabangsa yang bakal bersiaran sekitar Jun 2011.

Animasi yang dihasilkan dalam dua versi iaitu bahasa Melayu dan Inggeris itu membawa dua pelantun suara, Nurfathiah Diaz, 11, dan Wong Wai Kay, 10, sebagai watak utama BoBoiBoy.

Seperti yang diketahui ramai, suara comel adik NurFathiah atau Fatiah sebelum ini memikat hati rakyat Malaysia apabila menjadi penyumbang suara untuk animasi Upin & Ipin.

“Saya seronok dapat peluang jadi penyumbang suara dalam BoBoiBoy pula.

“Berbanding Upin & Upin, rasanya BoBoiBoy lebih mencabar sebab perlu lakonkan suara untuk tiga karakter yang berbeza.

“Saya terima peluang ini kerana keseronokan yang pernah saya lalui semasa dengan Upin & Ipin,” kata Fathiah berkongsi pengalaman.

BoBoiBoy memaparkan kisah seorang budak lelaki berusia 10 tahun yang berupaya menukar dirinya kepada tiga karakter yang mempunyai tiga kuasa yang berbeza.

BoBoiBoy merupakan penentang keganasan makhluk asing yang turun ke bumi untuk mendapatkan biji koko.
Sebagai superhero, dia berupaya menukar dirinya kepada tiga karakter berbeza iaitu Bo, Boi dan Boy yang masing-masing mempunyai kuasa bumi, angin dan kilat.

Bagi penyumbang suara versi Inggeris pula iaitu Wai Kay, ini suatu pengalaman yang berbeza buatnya sementelah sebelum ini dia lebih condong beraksi untuk komersial.

Memulakan sesi rakaman suara sekitar Ogos lalu, akui Wai Kay, ia memberi cabaran yang berbeza kepadanya.
“Mula-mula rakaman sahaja sudah ambil masa separuh hari dan saya perlu berdiri sehingga tiga jam. Memang penat tetapi saya rasa seronok,” katanya.

Dalam memberi mood, jelas Wai Kay, dia mengikuti latihan agar lakonannya lebih berkesan bersesuaian dengan situasi dan intonasi suara.

Versi bahasa Inggeris BoBoiBoy telah dirakamkan sekitar Ogos lalu manakala versi Melayu pula bakal dirakamkan dalam waktu yang terdekat.

Selain BoBoiBoy, satu lagi watak yang dijangka bakal menarik perhatian ramai ialah Yaya yang dilakonkan oleh Nur Sarah Alisya Zainal Rashid (Alisya) untuk versi Melayu dan Fairuz Arfa Ariff Syah (Fairuz) untuk versi Inggeris.

Keterujaan mereka melakonkan watak tersebut cukup terserlah apabila masing-masing turut menyumbang idea berhubung gaya bahasa yang sering diungkapkan oleh kanak-kanak.

Bagi si cilik yang gemar menari, Nur Sarah Alisya atau Alisya, peluang melakonkan animasi tersebut tidak dipersiakan begitu sahaja.

“Watak Yaya kelakar sebab dia suka masak biskut dan berikan kepada kawan-kawan. Tetapi bila kawan-kawan dia kata tak sedap dia akan marah,” kata pelajar Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Jelutong, Selangor ini lagi.

Tambah Alisya, ketika ini perasaannya berdebar sementelah menunggu masa untuknya beraksi sebagai Yaya.

Tidak suka kepada keganasan dan sikap suka membantu membuatkan Fairuz Arfa, 9, tertarik untuk melakonkan watak Yaya untuk versi Inggeris.

Biarpun ini merupakan kali pertama dia menyumbang suara sebagai pelakon animasi namun segalanya memberikan keseronokan yang tidak mampu digambarkan dengan kata-kata.

“Masa rakamkan suara memang susah sebab ini pertama kali tetapi saya suka sebab kena buat suara yang comel.
“Yaya seorang sangat comel dan tidak suka keganasan. Dia juga suka membantu terutama ketika kawan dia dalam kesusahan,” katanya mengenai karakter yang dilakonkannya.

Yaya merupakan watak sampingan yang tidak kurang hebatnya. Sebagai budak perempuan bertudung yang mempunyai kuasa terbang, karakter berkenaan pasti menjadi tarikan kepada peminatnya kelak.

Antara watak lain yang turut menambah warna kepada siri yang mengangkat kisah superhero pertama kanak-kanak Malaysia itu ialah Ying, Gopal, Adu Du, Ochobot dan Tok Aba.

Recently 3D World Magazine has published a special feature in their latest issue regarding the growing Animation Industry in Malaysia where they showcased the top MSC animation companies which includes Animonsta Studios! There's a writeup regarding a round table discussion between the companies on the state of the nation as well as a special one page feature on Animonsta itself.

We would like to thank 3D World Magazine for dropping by our studio and featuring us in their magazine. We would also like to thank MDeC for sponsoring the feature and bringing them over.

So what are you waiting for? Go grab the latest copy of 3D World magazine and check it out.

http://www.3dworldmag.com/

Quick Update!



Following our BoBoiBoy Trailer that we released, lots of people praised the rocking Theme Song for BoBoiBoy featured in the trailer. Well that'd be thanks to Yuri Wong and Jonathan Lee from the Factory Music Studio who is also composing music for the series. We're pretty excited with some of the stuff that's coming out from him but you'll have to wait until we release it on TV to hear them. We're also making a Bahasa Melayu version of the song for our Malaysian release so stay tuned for that.

Before that, we've been getting a lot of requests for the lyrics to the song so here they are.

BoBoiBoy Theme Song

Aliens invading earth for coffee beans,
Prized throughout the galaxy.
They're coming soon,
They're coming fast,
I don't know if we can last.

So we all need a saviour to defend the planet earth,
BoBoiBoy (x3)

Ying,
YaYa,
Gopal,
And our hero,
BoBoiBoy (x3)

Good Day and Good June,

Since we posted about the available positions in Animonsta on our website, we've been getting plentiful applications to enter Animonsta. Here is the latest batch of recruits that has joined the ranks of Monstas. Joining the fray is also Kam, Iman and Rashdan who have all finished their FYP while they were with us as part time so they are now full time staff. On behalf of the the others in Animonsta, I welcome all of you to the team. Now let's get crankin' and boost our BoBoiBoy production! Ruwar!


Other than the new permanent staff that has joined, there has been a new batch of recruits that enlisted replacing the old interns who have just finished their time with us. We'd like to thank the ex-interns for being with us for 3 months and wish them best of luck in facing your Final Year Project.

- the writer would like to note that he finds it strange that there hasn't been a new recruit who is an avid Star Wars fan like himself. Where are you guys hiding? I kid.

Hello everyone! We've just published our newly upgraded website at http://www.animonsta.com. There you can find more information about Animonsta, BoBoiBoy and some info on the positions available in Animonsta.

"What's that? You're hiring?"

Yes we are but more on that later. Anyway, if you're nosy enough to look around the website, you'll notice some screenshots from an upcoming episode of BoBoiBoy. We'll also update the site with any announcements and press releases that we will have from time to time.

Hope you guys like it!

Good day!

Contact person:
Diani
diani@animonsta.com
019-4507590.

Available days:
Saturday 13/03/2010, 20/03/2010, 27/03/2010

Address:
B-1-01, SME Technopreneur Centre 2,
Jalan Usahawan, 63000 Cyberjaya
Map to our office:

Date	13 Mar 2010 - 14 Mar 2010
Venue	1 Utama, Studio V
Time	10am - 6pm
The TechEureka! campaign kicks off with TechEureka! Open Day, two fun-filled days where you get to win loads of prizes, play PC/Wii games, attend tech workshops/talks, and most importantly, learn how you can benefit from this campaign as a student, a jobseeker or a technopreneur. For more visit: http://techeureka.my/flyer%20with%20map.pdf For your information, our Managing Director of Animonsta Studios Sdn. Bhd. Mohd Nizam Abd Razak will be there on Sunday giving a talk entitled ‘An Animated Journey Through MSC Malaysia’. Hope to see you guys there

We are mainly looking for kids who can act for the characters that are all at the age of 6 -12 years old and can speak English and/or Bahasa Malaysia. The audition is open through appointment basis every Saturday and Sunday from 27/02/10 to 28/03/10 at 10.30am - 5.00pm. The audition will be held at our office at MAC3 Cyberjaya.

Send us an email at diani@animonsta.com or call Diani at 019-4507590 for more info and to arrange for an appointment in the audition. BoBoiBoy is about an adventure of BoBoiBoy and his friends who gains super powers to fight against aliens who invaded earth for coffee. The series will be made in both English and Bahasa Malaysia.

ps - don't be shy. You might be the next big voice actor in this region ;)

pss - the writer would like to note that he has reserved all future cow characters for himself to voice. JK!

Address: B-1-01, SME Technopreneur Centre 2, Jalan Usahawan, 63000 Cyberjaya
Map to our office:

Hello everyone,

Here's the latest update brought to you by the concept department! Today's special feature is the neighbourhood area in which Boboiboy and his friends reside - including a special area that will play an important role in...*drumroll please* ...well, you'll find that out soon enough! :D

Bird's eye view of the area 

The mysterious Toxic Pond... 

That's all for now. Watch this space for more updates from us! :D

Salaam and Good Day,

Last Sunday we were featured in Harian Metro, centre spread. This time you guys get to look at big pictures of Eejean, Safwan, Naim and Dzubir so you'll recognize them when you see them in public (but we're shy really). We're very happy with this and would like to thank Harian Metro and Shamran Sarahan for the great writeup. Below is the web version of the article. Original article can be found here.

Boboiboy taruhan terbaru

Oleh SHAMRAN SARAHAN
shamss@hmetro.com.my
2010/01/31

SETAKAT ini Upin & Ipin satu-satunya terbitan siri animasi tempatan yang berjaya dan memberi impak besar dalam penerbitan animasi produksi tempatan di negara ini.

Namun selepas sekian lama asyik disogok dengan siri animasi ini, mungkin ramai juga ternanti-nanti kemunculan satu siri animasi baru sebagai alternatif atau siri tambahan sebagai tontonan umum di rumah.

Lantaran itu, bekas Pengarah Upin & Ipin, Mohd Nizam Abdul Razak, 27, berasakan tiba masanya satu siri animasi yang baru dan segar dihasilkan untuk mencetus variasi dalam dunia animasi negara ini.

Selepas berjaya mencipta fenomena melalui Upin & Ipin, Nizam bersama syarikat baru miliknya, Animonsta Studios (AS) yang diterajuinya dengan tiga rakan kongsi, Mohd Safwan Ab Karim, Kee Yong Pin dan Muhammad Anas Abdul Aziz, mahu muncul dengan produk animasi terbaru yang kini dalam pembikinan, iaitu Boboiboy.

Bezanya kali ini, Boboiboy mengetengahkan animasi tiga dimensi (3D) yang berkonsepkan watak superhero tetapi berwajah tempatan.

Sudah pasti cabaran besar bakal ditempuhi Nizam dan rakan dalam pembikinan siri animasi ini memandangkan populariti Upin & Ipin yang cukup gah ketika ini.

Bagaimanapun bagi Nizam, tiada permulaan yang mudah untuk memulakan sesuatu dan dia percaya penghasilan animasi Boboiboy mampu memeriahkan lagi industri dunia animasi di Malaysia.

"Kalau boleh saya ingin melihat Boboiboy muncul sebagai satu lagi 'ikon' untuk kanak-kanak di negara ini," katanya.

Nizam bersama kira-kira 20 kru AS kini giat menyiapkan episod awal siri berkenaan dengan durasi selama 11 minit bagi setiap episod.

Yang menarik, rata-rata kru yang terbabit dalam pembikinan siri animasi ini masih muda dan berumur lingkungan awal hingga pertengahan 20-an. Mereka akan bersama menyiapkan kira-kira 26 episod untuk siri animasi berkenaan.

Tatkala bertemu Nizam dan Safwan bersama tiga lagi kru penting dalam AS, Dzubir Zakaria, 24; Yap Ee Jean, 25, dan Naim Ahmad, 22; baru-baru ini, masing-masing rancak bercerita mengenai projek animasi itu yang dijangka ditayangkan di televisyen pada pertengahan tahun ini.

INFO
> Boboiboy adalah cerita animasi untuk tontonan kanak-kanak yang diilhamkan oleh barisan animator muda berumur lingkungan 20-an daripada Animonsta Studios (AS) yang berpangkalan di Cyberjaya
> Penggerak utama yang mengendalikan AS adalah Mohd Nizam Abdul Razak, Mohd Safwan Ab Karim, Kee Yong Pin dan Muhammad Anas Abdul Aziz yang pernah menjayakan animasi popular Upin & Ipin
>Boboiboy menelan kos perbelanjaan kira-kira RM2 juta dan mendapat kerjasama daripada agensi Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd yang akan membantu menyalur dana bagi merealisasikan projek terbabit
> Agensi kerajaan, termasuk Pusat Kandungan Kreatif Multimedia Malaysia (MAC3) di bawah Perbadanan Pembangunan Multimedia (MDeC) membekalkan beberapa perisian untuk kemudahan AS menghasilkan Boboiboy
> Boboiboy dijangka ditayangkan pada pertengahan tahun ini membabitkan 26 episod dan setiap satunya dengan durasi 11 minit
> Maklumat lanjut mengenai Boboiboy di laman web www.animonsta.com

SINOPSIS RINGKAS BOBOIBOY
> Boboiboy adalah kisah mengenai watak Boboiboy bersama rakannya Yaya, Ying dan Gopal yang memiliki kuasa luar biasa menentang makhluk asing yang ingin menawan bumi
> Makhluk asing yang turun ke bumi membawa pulang biji kopi ke planet mereka, namun kerana aroma dan rasa kopi sungguh sedap, seluruh kroni makhluk asing itu sanggup turun ke bumi semata-mata untuk mendapatkan kopi berkenaan
> Boboiboy dan rakannya cuba menghalang tindakan makhluk asing terbabit hingga tercetus konflik dan pergolakan sesama mereka

So today I'd like to share with you guys our new recruits of Monstas that will become the life and blood of our team (if not already).

From left: Iman, Naim, Zirul

Kam, Rashdan, Akid

Ekeen, Hana, Nina

Tim, Hadziq

Zaim, Khairul

This new lineup includes character modeling, background modeling, storyboard artists and concept artists, further boosting our production team, not to mention our Futsal team as well. The team is hard at work with preparing for our first series of promotional products, a pilot episode and some soon to be announced minisodes. What is pilot about? What are these so-called minisodes? How did BoBoiBoy get his powers? All shall be revealed soon. Stay tuned ;)

ps – The writer would like to point out that he had nothing to do with the glowing effect on his face in the above group picture. Perhaps it is a sign?

Salaam and Good Monday!


Animation inspiration
BoBoiBoy

All eyes are also on Animonsta Studios, a four-month old company founded by Mohd Nizam Abd Razak, Mohd Safwan Ab Karim, Kee Yong Pin and Muhammad Anas Abdul Aziz.

The four young animators, all in their 20s, were the original group behind Upin and Ipin.

Nizam, Animonsta's managing director, says the team's experience at Les' Copaque gave them a head start in the industry. They are now working on their first project, BoBoiBoy.

"People assume we don't understand the business because of our age. We were the core team behind The Geng: Pengembaraan Bermula movie. We know what it takes to make an animated movie successful."

They also know that animation is a high-cost and high-risk business.

"We started out by borrowing money from our parents and now we have applied for a RM2 million fund from MDeC. It is risky but we have a good product to sell," says Nizam.

To avoid high overheads, Animonsta set up its base in Cyberjaya at MAC3.

MAC3 is the Malaysian Animation Creative Content Centre, a facility to house and offer high-tech animation facilities to start-up companies. It is a part of the government's initiative to develop the industry.

"Being here at MAC3 is a big help. Otherwise we will have to invest a lot on our own."

Nizam says BoBoiBoy has received good reviews from major animation studios such as Electronic Arts, Marvel and DreamWorks who were brought in by MDeC under a mentorship programme.

He says BoBoiBoy tells the story of a 9-year old boy and his friends. They have to fight off aliens who have invaded Earth for coffee. It will be released as a TV series first before heading for the big screen.

The Malay version will be shown in June. Production cost for the series is about RM2.6 million.

"We will roll out the movie both in Bahasa Malaysia and English."

Nizam says penetrating the global market will not be easy as it involves huge costs.

"Although there are no specific funds allocated for marketing and promotions, the government has been very supportive in providing funding for production work, mentorship programmes, incentives and facilities."

However, he says more should be done to develop good scriptwriters.

Animonsta aspires to make BoBoiBoy the next Malaysian super hero for children.

"We don't really have a local super-hero and we believe BoBoiBoy can be that."

The young team behind Animonsta. Third from left is Mohd Nizam Abd Razak, the managing director of Animonsta.

Scans of the newspaper articles.

You can read the full article here . We'd like to thank the New Straits Times and Chandra for the great article.