Anyone can become a star in this day and age, where everyone has their mobile phone. The online celebrity sector in our nation is thriving, providing rise to a highly sought-after profession, namely key opinion leader (KOL), which is greatly desired by the younger generation. Malaysia is poised to welcome the first locally produced internet celebrity movie “WANNABE”, which will reveal the enigma of “KOL” to the public and promote good internet pop culture.
Director Wang Hongjie (from left), REEELBOWL FILM President Zhou Hanwen and Executive Director Wang Jiayun attended the launch conference of the movie “WANNABE”. Photo by REEELBOWL Film.
“WANNABE” is produced by REEELBOWL FILM, a new Malaysian film, short film, and advertising production business with over a decade of expertise, and directed by Wang Hongjie, who has received recognition from Hollywood and worldwide film festivals. On July 1st, a press conference in Kuala Lumpur invited authoritative figures from the production firm, musicians, sponsors, and journalists to attend.
Director Wang Hongjie stated that he believed the tendency of Malaysian Internet celebrities was ubiquitous and distributed a lot of meaningless stuff. He spent two years developing the script because he wanted to avoid unrealistic remarks from local Internet icons to harm Malaysia’s image. While delighting the audience, it also intends to question and improve people’s perceptions of Malaysian KOLs and delve deeply into the impact of social media and young people’s social duty.
“This is an instructive film. Many filmmakers employ ‘internet personalities’ in their films, but ours is the first. It might be viewed as a model for Internet celebrities.” He revealed that the film’s plot revolves primarily around 4 to 5 rising internet celebrities, covering topics such as family, friendship, love, and social values, highlighting internet celebrities’ struggles, the best path for internet celebrities, the responsibilities of parents and businesses, and so on. It is appropriate for all ages, provokes laughter and tears, and is perfect for family watching.
“Many primary and secondary school students want to give up their studies in pursuit of becoming a KOL. We want to spread this wrong idea and tell people that if they want to become a KOL, they should complete their studies and set a good example for society.”
He pointed out that many internet celebrities in Malaysia are talented and hardworking but remain unknown and deserve more recognition.
REEELBOWL FILM president Zhou Hanwen stated that because we are living in the Internet age, the organisation chose to shoot this film to shift public perception of Internet superstars.
REEELBOWL FILM executive director, actress Wang Jiayun, who was also the third runner-up in the 2013 Phoenix TV Miss Chinese Southeast Asia pageant, shared her experience with the social media transition from Friendster, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as the rise of internet celebrity culture. As a result, she believed it was vital to address the bad propensity in the online personality realm while also setting a positive example for youngsters.
“Many youngsters see online celebrities as role models, but the elderly know less about KOLs. So, in this film, we take a hilarious approach to teaching individuals how to become a true KOL. This identity is much more than simply eating, drinking, and having fun; it also demands knowledge to manage a personal platform.”
After 17 years in the profession, she regretted the lack of possibilities in the local entertainment sector, so she complimented the director for being prepared to work with new performers, allowing more new stars to emerge. She also encourages companies interested in supporting to join forces and collaborate to create this significant film.
The investment cost for “WANNABE” is RM1 million. It will be filmed in Kuala Lumpur. The cast is working with the professional web-based agency Idoubabe, which employs newcomers. If the box office performance is successful, it is planned to be released internationally or on major online streaming platforms.
REEELBOWL FILM would like to thank its associate partners and sponsors for their generous support, including Idoubabe, Revvo Kitchen, BrainChecker Global Group Sdn Bhd, Huang Guan Ktv Sdn Bhd, 7 Stellar Sdn Bhd, KL Brother Aluminium & Glass Sdn Bhd, Cactus Homestay, AMLEISURE, and Awesomeree Sdn Bhd.
In addition, REEELBOWL FILM also welcomes people (both male and female) who are over 18 years old and interested in the entertainment and production fields to audition. Those interested can send an email to: [email protected] for details.
