THE name Kamn Ismail might not be familiar to many younger Malaysians, but many are familiar with his work in the local animation scene with characters like Usop Sontorian and Keluang Man.
Today, Google Doodle celebrates the 67th birthday of Kamn, who was a leading figure in the Malaysian animation industry. Notably, he was a pioneer in the use of computer technology and digital applications in animation during the 90's.
Born in Pengkalan Balak, Masjid Tanah, Melaka, in 1956 Kamn Ismail or his real name, Kamarudin Ismail was the recipient of the 2012 Cartoon Activist Award for the achievement of producing Malaysian animation series at the "Anda, PM & Kartunis" programme.
MALAYSIA'S FIRST ANIMATED SERIES
Usop Sontorian, the first animated television series produced in Malaysia, launched Kamn's career in digital animation.
It took nearly three years and 94 dedicated employees to produce a total of 49 episodes, which were aired on RTM's TV1. Usop Santorian's success boosted confidence in the local animation industry.
In 1996, Kamn led the Malaysian delegation to the 6th International Animation Festival in Hiroshima, Japan, where the Usop Sontorian series was first aired in front of international audiences.
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SUPERHERO IN MOTION
Kamn began working as a director at UAS Animation Studios in 1997. His first task was to create a successful animation series, which he accomplished.
The Keluang Man, a well-known character, tells the story of Borhan, a Tampoi mental hospital patient who, at night, transforms into a crime-fighting superhero with the help of his trusted sidekick Tiong Man.
Keluang Man was the first local animation to combine two-dimensional animation with a three-dimensional background. Kamn decided to combine both methods due to the difficulty of producing animation motion and camera motion in a more interesting way.
PAVING A CLEAR PATH
Kamn has remained resilient in the face of the challenges that the animation industry has thrown at him. Kamn founded his own company, Quest Animations, in 2001. Among the titles he has produced are Che Nat, which won third place at the First International Festival of Television Productions of Islamic Countries in Tehran, Iran in 2001, and "Best Animation" at the 16th Malaysian Film Festival for Kumang.
Kamn announced his retirement from the animation industry in 2016 due to health concerns. Mat Kilau, a patriotic-themed animation series, was his last project with Quest Animations. Mat Kilau has won several awards and has been translated into other media platforms such as comics, Augmented Reality (AR), and a digital game.