Inspirational Story of the Puppet Animation 'Desa Timun', A Local Work That is Now Global

Kapanlagi.com - Unexpectedly, wayang kulit, as a rich cultural heritage of Indonesia, is able to attract the attention of the younger generation. One concrete example is the animation of Timun Village, a local work that has successfully transcended age and cultural boundaries.

Interestingly, behind the success of the Timun Village animation, there is Daud Nugraha, who has managed to create a unique animated work. The education he received at FSRD ITB became a turning point that allowed him to combine wayang with the world of animation.

In addition, through the Timun Village animation, Daud also began to introduce Indonesian culture to the international stage, while opening new opportunities for traditional arts to develop and be enjoyed by the younger generation. Fortunately, KapanLagi had the opportunity to chat directly with Daud Nugraha in an exclusive interview session. Check out the complete explanation below..

1. The Results of Love for Shadow Puppetry

Source: instagram/daudnugraha.rt

Daud Nugraha revealed that the village of Timun started from his parents' introduction to shadow puppetry as part of the local culture. A deep love for this traditional art grew within him, leading him to dream of becoming a puppeteer, even if it meant playing with simple tools.

"Since I was a child, my parents have introduced me to shadow puppetry. So, I have loved it since I was little, and I really enjoy playing it. Yes, since I was a kid, I had a dream of wanting to be a puppeteer, even though I was never bought a banana trunk," said Daud.

On the other hand, he was also influenced by Japanese illustration styles. However, he received advice to always appreciate Indonesia's cultural heritage. This reignited his love for shadow puppetry and encouraged him to delve deeper into this traditional art. Ultimately, he succeeded in creating innovative works that combine modern animation and shadow puppetry, which later became known as aniwayang.

2. Go International

Not only has it successfully attracted the interest of viewers domestically, the animation Desa Timun has now also penetrated the international market, including Japan and India. In Japan, this animation has successfully captivated audiences, especially children, thanks to the dubbing process directly into Japanese. In this process, the role of seiyuu or voice actors was played to provide a new experience for the audience.

Meanwhile, an unforgettable moment also occurred during the premiere of Desa Timun at the Jaipur International Film Festival, India. The school auditorium filled with thousands of children witnessed the extraordinary enthusiasm they displayed while watching this puppet show. The charm of the animated puppetry was so captivating that the students eagerly approached the filmmakers to shake hands and ask for autographs as a form of appreciation.

Thus, this proves that the success of Desa Timun on an international level shows that this work still has its own appeal and is capable of attracting the attention of young audiences from various backgrounds around the world.

3. Focus on the Animation of Timun Village

Daud Nugraha explained that after the success of the Timun Village puppet animation, he will continue the series Ijo and Mas, which is adapted from folk tales. The aim is to reintroduce Indonesian folk tales to make them more relevant to modern life.

However, for now, Daud will continue to focus on the development of Timun Village as a new Intellectual Property (IP) in Indonesia, as the animation is still relatively new and in the development stage. According to him, having an IP is like raising a child that needs attention to grow and be widely recognized.

"I am focusing on Timun Village first because Timun Village is a new IP, and the IP industry in Indonesia is also still developing. So, having an IP is like having a child, a child that we have to nurture, take care of, feed, raise, and introduce to friends, until finally, it grows up and can succeed on its own," Daud said in his interview session with KapanLagi.com.

Although there are plans to develop new IPs in the future, Daud emphasizes that his main focus right now is on Timun Village. This is important so that when the new IP is launched, the introduction of Timun Village is already strong, making it easier to introduce other new IPs. Thus, the long journey of Timun Village is expected to contribute positively to the advancement of the IP industry in Indonesia.

KLovers, what are your thoughts on this cultural inspiration? Write your comments below, okay? Make sure to keep up with the latest news from KapanLagi. Because if not now, when KapanLagi?

(kpl/nol)