Malaysia

In Marvel’s latest superhero film Thunderbolts*, Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova jumps from the top of the 118-storey Merdeka 118, Malaysia’s newest landmark. Located in the capital Kuala Lumper, it opened last year as the world’s second tallest building behind Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, reaching a towering 678.9 metres. Thunderbolts*, which was released internationally in early May, also filmed a large downtown explosion in Kuala Lumpur, which was captured in-camera, not through CGI. 

The Malaysia-filmed scenes were captured over three days but it took three months to plan, engineer and secure permissions for the audacious stunt, according to local facilitator Biscuit Films, which has handled high-profile productions such as Crazy Rich Asians and seasons one and two of Marco Polo. It also worked on the BBC’s upcoming Lord Of The Flies, written by Bafta winner Jack Thorne and directed by Marc Munden. The four-part series adapts William Golding’s classic novel and is scheduled to premiere this year. It is set on an unnamed island as a group of schoolchildren are stranded following a plane crash. The archipelago of Langkawi, comprising around 100 islands off the coast of northwest Malaysia, was chosen as the main setting for its stunning tropical terrain. Jungle locations closer to Kuala Lumpur also feature. 

Langkawi continues to be a popular filming destination, welcoming several reality TV shows to its remote but cinematic island setting, including Channel 4’s Tempting Fortune, a reality series that took full advantage of Lang­kawi’s rugged beauty. Contestants trekked for 18 days through pristine wilderness in a test of endurance and temptation. Meanwhile Banijay’s Good Luck Guys, a French survival reality series, filmed in Langkawi and surrounding islets.

Malaysia also aims to provide post-production services to international projects through the Digital Content Grant from government agency Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation.

Hong Kong director Toe Yuen, best known for the Annecy winner My Life As McDull, undertook the computer animation for his latest feature A Mighty Adventure in Malaysia. The tale of a grasshopper, spider and butterfly was shot on location in Taiwan, including outdoor and indoor settings. Malaysia’s FlyStudio was responsible for the animation and VFX pipeline,  integrating animated characters and effects into the live-action scenes. Match-moving techniques were used to recreate digitally the on-set camera movements, enabling animated elements to blend seamlessly into the live backgrounds and giving the film a stylised fusion of realism and fantasy. 

With more than two decades of experience, FlyStudio has worked on international collaborations including Tekken: Blood Vengeance and Resident Evil: Retribution.

International producers are spoilt for choice when it comes to locations. Malaysia offers diverse natural and urban landscapes, from the misty highlands and tropical islands of Langkawi to the bustling metropolis of Kuala Lumpur, providing a distinctive creative canvas for various storytelling and on-screen images. 

There are highlands and tropical rainforests, including Lata Berkoh National Park, Raban Lake and the Sungai Palas Tea Plantation; islands and beaches, such as Kapalai island with its clear blue waters and the floating village in Sabah; as well as modern cityscapes, most notably Kuala Lumpur City.

Kuala Lumpur is a highly convenient place to shoot films/TV/commercials as most cast and crew are based in the city, and all the major equipment rental houses are close by. 

For cities or towns famous for their heritage buildings mostly from the British colonial times, Penang and Ipoh top the list.

Key architectural locations include the colonial Cheong Fatt Tze mansion and the E&O hotel, both in Penang; Carcosa Seri Negara — the colonial mansions of the British High Commission in Malaya — and St Regis Hotel, both in Kuala Lumpur; and beach resort Four Seasons resort in Langkawi.

First contact: Zokifli Abu Bakar, Film In Malaysia Incentive zokifli@finas.my

Malaysia doesn’t have a city-by-city government film commission, location shooting permits are usually obtained by building owners, business owners, or the city council. 

The process can be relatively easy if you engage with location managers who have already established relationships with local companies.

Malaysia now stands at the forefront of virtual production in Asia. Last year marked a new milestone with the launch of the Finas ICVFX Virtual Production Studio in Ampang Jaya, near the capital Kuala Lumpur. This flagship facility features a 790 square metre main soundstage and two additional studios. 

Outfitted with INFiLED GX Series LED panels and Brompton Technology processors, it supports real-time rendering for virtual environments, XR and high-end immersive content, serving up a future-ready platform for innovation.

Malaysia has an efficient and cost-effective transport infrastructure. It takes around 90 minutes to fly from top to bottom of the Malay peninsula where Kuala Lumpur and IMS are located. From Kuala Lumpur it takes two-and- a-half hours to fly to the eastern states of Sabah and Sarawak on Borneo.

First contactZokifli Abu Bakar, Film In Malaysia Incentive @ zokifli@finas.my