Living the Dream 33 No Fear of the Unknown

MALCOLM MEJIN

As a young writer, Malcolm Mejin certainly was sure if he would strike it big in a tough industry. He recently signed to the Asian arm of international publisher Penguin Random House for his best-selling 'Diary of a Rich Kid' series. We spoke with Malcolm about meeting fans and what it’s like to live a dream come true.

You’ve mentioned that meeting fans and school tours was something you really enjoy on book tours. Is there a particular memory that sticks out to you or has affected you in a certain way? What’s the funniest/ oddest meeting you’ve had with a fan?

MM: Doing school tours, has always been, and will always be fun. I love the positive energy and excitement, and I feel at ease with myself. One particular memory that sticks out was when a fan asked me to sign their i-Phone! (I mean, it was a permanent marker, lol). I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do that at first, but the positive vibe was so strong that I just went with the flow. There were some fans who asked me to sign their shoes and even their limbs (especially forearms). There were other many weird requests, haha, but I can say that they were all done in good faith.

Living the Dream

You’ve been writing since you were six. Do you remember one of the first stories you wrote and what that was like, knowing you could be creative in that format? Have you tried other forms of art to express, or find inspiration?

MM: Yes, I remember. When I was six, I wrote a simple story, which revolved around whitewinged angels flying around on their many great adventures. Why angels, you ask? I came from a Christian family, and as a child, I was kind of fascinated with angels. I recall seeing a beautiful white angel statue somewhere as a kid, and I was mesmerized by its intricate wings, imagining how they would fly in the air and how majestic those wings would look spread out. I had such a wild imagination as a kid, haha. Besides fiction writing, I’ve also written poetry, mostly as a teenager, as adolescence was the time when teen angst started to kick in and I needed some form of expression.

It’s great to see fictional stories and characters that revolve heavily around the Malaysian /Asian human experience creatively – was this a conscious decision of yours when you were coming up with ideas for the next works after Zany Zombies and why or why not?

MM: When I first started writing the Rich Kid series, I had no idea that I’d be putting more and more local elements into the story. Writing the series was a cathartic way for me to jump into a stress-free world with amazing adventures. The first thing that came to my mind when I wrote the first title was “Sarawak Laksa”, which is a popular local spicybroth dish in Kuching. I couldn’t resist giving Robin Jin, who is the main character of the series, an affinity for Sarawak Laksa, which is his unique trait. He cannot live without Sarawak Laksa, and needs to have it wherever he goes. For example, in the first book, he goes to great lengths to have Sarawak

Laksa FedExed to him while he’s vacationing in the

Bahamas.

So naturally, as I continued writing the book, I began injecting more local elements into the story, which I hoped could be relatable to local audiences. It wasn’t a conscious decision at first, but as I went deeper into the story, I realized that putting in more local elements was pretty fun, because during some of my school tours at international schools, I have had foreign students asking me about the local food and culture, based on my books. I thought that was pretty exciting.

Robert Jin loves his Laksas. Are you also a big fan and if so, where’s the best laksa at?

MM: I guess Robin Jin and I are kindred spirits, lol. I’m also a big fan of Sarawak Laksa, and if you’re looking to try Sarawak Laksa, I would suggest going to Yeow Kee Kopitiam in Kuching. It’s one of my favorites, and I have been a repeat visitor. There are actually many more, but I’m just stating the one I frequent often when I’m in Kuching. You may Google “Yeow Kee Kopitiam” to find your way there

LIYANA MANSOR

When she isn’t parked in front of her multitude of computer monitors working on visual effects editing and postproduction solutions for films and TV series, London-based Liyana Mansor can usually be found in the great outdoors or somewhere in the world satisfying her travel bug. Barely in her mid-twenties, the Bruneian is already making a name for herself with her resume of highprofile projects which include Lucasfilm’s Andor series and Alien: Covenant by Twentieth Century Fox.

In your career so far as a VFX editor, does the shine of working in an industry that most creatives in Borneo would give an arm and leg for, ever wear off?

LM: No, the shine of working in the Film and Television industry never wears off for me. Sure, there are hard days as with any endeavour but I absolutely love what I do and feel incredibly lucky to be able to do it for a living. I know there are many creatives out there who would love to have the same opportunity, so I feel very grateful to represent Brunei in a small way and to show other local talent that it is achievable. Leaving Borneo was actually a result of family circumstance but in choosing to chase my dream job, I’ve discovered that I can

No Fear

of the Uknown

have a career that I’m passionate about and one that enables me to pursue and fund my adventures outside of the cutting room. My best advice would be to not let the fear of the unknown hold you back. We often create barriers for ourselves but the truth is you’ll never know how far you can make it if you don’t try for it. Stop waiting for the dream to fall into your lap and start working your way towards it so that you can reach out and grab it for yourself.

Do you gravitate to work opportunities in a particular genre? What has been the most challenging project to take part in so far in that respect?

LM: I think that every genre has its own challenges and rewards, and I enjoy working on a variety of productions. That said, I do love watching Sci-Fi so I always enjoy working on shows with Sci-Fi elements. All genres in Film and TV use visual and special effects to aid storytelling, but Sci-Fi and other speculative genres in particular, rely on them to a greater degree and in ways that make those projects particularly rewarding. When it comes to choosing projects, I tend to make choices based on the creatives involved, where the cutting rooms will be located, what the budget is and what I think I can gain most from the experience i.e. Will it challenge me? More importantly, does it sound fun? I’ve had my share of challenging projects. Alien: Covenant was a steep learning curve and demanding in terms of the hours it required, but it also gave me a strong foundation to work up from. Andor was challenging for different reasons. There was a high volume of work involved. Luckily we had a strong and supportive VFX Editorial and VFX Production team, which is just one example of why choosing who you work with can be important.

You've said snacks are an all-important element of a work desk. What are you stocking up on to keep you going and will we find any Bruneian or Bornean favourites on there?

LM: I wish Bruneian snacks were easy to come by here in the UK. I would have a pack of Golden Rings cheese crackers on my desk all day every day. I don’t think my colleagues would appreciate it if I busted a packet of sotong out in the cutting rooms, so that’s probably out of the question. There is the Oxford Street Market Hall where I can get close to traditional roti kosong and curry, which is always a treat. I just need someone to open a kelupis and cakoi stall now and my life would be complete, but the truth is you can’t compete with the real thing, locally made in Brunei. Until then, I settle for Candy Kittens sweets and British shortbread.

When you're not stuck at a work desk indoors, you seem to be ticking lots of bucket list items! Is there anything you haven't tried or a place that you haven't been able to explore yet?

LM: I definitely enjoy a bit of adrenaline and excitement in my life, but I also consciously choose to seek out new experiences and adventures. The work I do can be demanding at times and almost necessitates taking the time off I have, and making the most of it. I think it's important to push yourself outside of your comfort zone occasionally, and I find that exploring the world and trying new things is a great way to do that. I'm also an active person by nature, so I enjoy being involved in a variety of physical activities such as rock climbing, boxing and yoga. The wishlist is still pretty extensive, there is Hawaii, Japan, New York, Iceland and New Zealand! I need to go paragliding, bungee jumping and snowboarding too. Of course, not every day is filled with excitement and adventure. But, even on the days when I’m just working away in my darkroom, I know that I’m doing what I love and that I’m lucky to be able to pursue my passion.