Latest news with #Lat
The Star
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
QuickCheck: Is Matt Groening, the creator of 'The Simpsons', a fan of Lat?
Malaysian cartoonist, Datuk Mohammad Nor bin Mohammad Khalid or commonly known as Lat during the opening of Galeri Rumah Lat in Ipoh, Malaysia on July 8, 2023. WHEN it comes to Malaysian artists, the cartoonist Datuk Mohd Nor Khalid, better known as Lat, is pretty much a household name locally. There are fans of his works around the world and it has been claimed that "The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening is a fan of Lat – particularly one of his most famous works, "Kampung Boy". Is this true? VERDICT: TRUE Yes, this is in fact true – Groening has openly spoken about his love for Lat and his autobiographical account of growing up in a kampung in Perak in the 1950s. Highlighted on the website for the book put up by publishing company Macmillan is a one-line review by Groening. "Sweet, funny and brilliantly drawn, 'Kampung Boy' is one of the all-time great cartoon books," said Groening. Interestingly, this was also mentioned in a 2007 interview of Lat by the international magazine Readers Digest – where Lat mentions speaking to Groening after hearing that he was a fan of Kampung Boy and his other works. "When I was in LA working on 'Kampung Boy', somebody told me that Matt Groening liked my cartoons. So I got in touch with him. He liked my work even before he did 'The Simpsons'," said Lat. So yes, Lat can count the creator of one of the world's most famous cartoon families as one of his fans. SOURCES:
The Sun
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Malaysian animator finds success in U.S. industry
SIMILAR to others in the animated realm of the creative industry, Adam Musa Othman's formative years in Selangor were steeped in cartoon and animation. Much like a sponge of sorts, Adam took in everything around him. 'I was always drawn to the everyday beauty of Malaysian life, as seen in Lat's iconic cartooning, the textures of old buildings and watching the clouds over rooftops,' he told theSun. Now based in the US, Adam makes a living as an artist and animator at a studio specialising in animation for commercials and original projects. Though now abroad, Adam frequently describes how the influences back home shaped his visual language and storytelling, particularly what he gleaned from famed Malaysian cartoonist Datuk Mohd Nor Khalid. 'In my films like Horned Cook, Gola and Boys Night in Sidera Institute, I strove to capture a sense of place and atmosphere, layering details that evoke nostalgia and curiosity, much like Lat's work does,' he said, pointing out that he often draws on memories of Malaysian food as well as the shapes of traditional buildings in the city and kampung. Created in 2022, Horned Cook, Gola was selected for 11 festivals and won awards for its screenplay and animation, while 2021's Boys Night in Sidera Institute was recognised at six festivals such as the Rhode Island International Flickers Film Festival. Adam posited that the themes and the attention he put into his works' visual storytelling helped bolster their uniqueness. 'I like to create stories that are personal and accessible, blending cultural specificity with imaginative worlds. This approach seems to connect with audiences and juries from different backgrounds, and it helps that I keep my character designs approachable.' Balancing artistic vision with client needs Horned Cook, Gola and Boys Night in Sidera Institute were independent films. For Adam, his personal projects and his main job are greatly dissimilar due to the differences in creative control. 'When I work on independent films, I have complete creative control. In commercial projects, such as those for Mattel or the Siames music video, I focus on aligning my style with the client's vision while still inserting a specific motion and performance in the animation. 'Maintaining my artistic vision in commercial work comes down to clear communication early in the process, sharing initial impressions, ideas and how I plan to approach the job. My background in directing award-winning independent films has taught me how to advocate for creative ideas while respecting the needs of the team and clients,' he explained. That said, the 26-year-old's personal sensibilities as an animator have bled over subconsciously through the motion and character performances that he has worked on. 'I have been told by friends that they could tell that I had animated specific shots in a project even though the design is very different from my personal style. 'Ultimately, I want to keep pushing the boundaries of my own animated work and share new perspectives with people around the world.' Championing Malaysian stories Having worked abroad, Adam noted the difference between the Malaysian animation industry and that in the US, which he boiled down to scale and infrastructure. 'There are more established networks, resources and opportunities for animators in the US. However, Malaysia has incredible talent and unique stories to tell. To compete globally, the industry needs more support for independent creators, more international collaborations and greater exposure through festivals and co-productions. 'Online platforms make it easy to publish art and animation, and they make it accessible to more people nowadays. My own festival journey has shown that Malaysian work can resonate worldwide when given the platform,' he said, naming Lat as an example of a Malaysian cartoonist whose work is a success overseas. For aspiring local animators, Adam suggested they should be persistent and proactive by sending their work to festivals, seeking feedback and being open to it, along with connecting with the global animation community. Though not everyone will see similar or greater success, he said his own journey from Selangor to screenings in the US, UK and Japan proved that Malaysian stories and talent have a place abroad. 'Do not be afraid to experiment and develop your own voice, and always be open to learning from others. Specificity is always appreciated, so add bits of Malaysian flavour to your work if it inspires you,' he advised.
The Sun
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Animated success
SIMILAR to others in the animated realm of the creative industry, Adam Musa Othman's formative years in Selangor were steeped in cartoon and animation. Much like a sponge of sorts, Adam took in everything around him. 'I was always drawn to the everyday beauty of Malaysian life, as seen in Lat's iconic cartooning, the textures of old buildings and watching the clouds over rooftops,' he told theSun. Now based in the US, Adam makes a living as an artist and animator at a studio specialising in animation for commercials and original projects. Though now abroad, Adam frequently describes how the influences back home shaped his visual language and storytelling, particularly what he gleaned from famed Malaysian cartoonist Datuk Mohd Nor Khalid. 'In my films like Horned Cook, Gola and Boys Night in Sidera Institute, I strove to capture a sense of place and atmosphere, layering details that evoke nostalgia and curiosity, much like Lat's work does,' he said, pointing out that he often draws on memories of Malaysian food as well as the shapes of traditional buildings in the city and kampung. Created in 2022, Horned Cook, Gola was selected for 11 festivals and won awards for its screenplay and animation, while 2021's Boys Night in Sidera Institute was recognised at six festivals such as the Rhode Island International Flickers Film Festival. Adam posited that the themes and the attention he put into his works' visual storytelling helped bolster their uniqueness. 'I like to create stories that are personal and accessible, blending cultural specificity with imaginative worlds. This approach seems to connect with audiences and juries from different backgrounds, and it helps that I keep my character designs approachable.' Balancing artistic vision with client needs Horned Cook, Gola and Boys Night in Sidera Institute were independent films. For Adam, his personal projects and his main job are greatly dissimilar due to the differences in creative control. 'When I work on independent films, I have complete creative control. In commercial projects, such as those for Mattel or the Siames music video, I focus on aligning my style with the client's vision while still inserting a specific motion and performance in the animation. 'Maintaining my artistic vision in commercial work comes down to clear communication early in the process, sharing initial impressions, ideas and how I plan to approach the job. My background in directing award-winning independent films has taught me how to advocate for creative ideas while respecting the needs of the team and clients,' he explained. That said, the 26-year-old's personal sensibilities as an animator have bled over subconsciously through the motion and character performances that he has worked on. 'I have been told by friends that they could tell that I had animated specific shots in a project even though the design is very different from my personal style. 'Ultimately, I want to keep pushing the boundaries of my own animated work and share new perspectives with people around the world.' Championing Malaysian stories Having worked abroad, Adam noted the difference between the Malaysian animation industry and that in the US, which he boiled down to scale and infrastructure. 'There are more established networks, resources and opportunities for animators in the US. However, Malaysia has incredible talent and unique stories to tell. To compete globally, the industry needs more support for independent creators, more international collaborations and greater exposure through festivals and co-productions. 'Online platforms make it easy to publish art and animation, and they make it accessible to more people nowadays. My own festival journey has shown that Malaysian work can resonate worldwide when given the platform,' he said, naming Lat as an example of a Malaysian cartoonist whose work is a success overseas. For aspiring local animators, Adam suggested they should be persistent and proactive by sending their work to festivals, seeking feedback and being open to it, along with connecting with the global animation community. Though not everyone will see similar or greater success, he said his own journey from Selangor to screenings in the US, UK and Japan proved that Malaysian stories and talent have a place abroad. 'Do not be afraid to experiment and develop your own voice, and always be open to learning from others. Specificity is always appreciated, so add bits of Malaysian flavour to your work if it inspires you,' he advised.
The Hindu
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Sumit Nagal in Heilbronn Challenger second round
Sumit Nagal beat Tom Gentzsch 6-1, 6-4 in the first round of the €145,250 Challenger tennis tournament in Heilbronn, Germany. In the $60,000 ITF women's event in Sumter, USA, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty and Katherine Sebov beat second seeds Ayana Akli and Dalayna Hewitt 7-6(6), 6-4 in the doubles pre-quarterfinals. The results: €145,250 Challenger, Heilbronn, Germany: Singles (first round): Sumit Nagal bt Tom Gentzsch (Ger) 6-1, 6-4. Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Tim Handel & Lasse Poertner (Ger) bt Sumit Nagal & Marco Trungelliti (Arg) 7-5, 6-4. €181,250 Challenger, Birmingham, Britain: Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Nicolas Barrientos (Col) & Rithvik Bollipalli bt Cleeve Harper (Can) & Ryan Seggerman (USA) 7-6(4), 6-4. €145,250 Challenger, Prostejov, Czech Republic: Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Anirudh Chandrasekar & Ramkumar Ramanathan bt Victor Cornea (Rou) & Karol Drzewiecki (Pol) 6-2, 6-2. $60,000 ITF women, Sumter, USA: Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Shrivalli Bhamidipaty & Katherine Sebov (Can) bt Ayana Akli & Dalayna Hewitt (USA) 7-6(6), 6-4. $30,000 ITF women, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Hirotko Kuwata (Jpn) & Sahaja Yamalapalli bt Natsuho Arakawa & Michika Ozeki (Jpn) 6-4, 6-3. $15,000 ITF women, Kayser, Turkey: Singles (first round): Tanisha Kashyap bt Elizaveta Rozhkova 6-3, 6-2. Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Tanisha Kashyap & Adelina Lachinova (Lat) bt Maria Kalyakina & Zoziya Kardava (Geo) 3-6, 7-5, [10-1]. $15,000 ITF women, Monastir, Tunisia: Singles (first round): Gloriana Nahum (Ben) bt Zeel Desai 6-4, 6-4. Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Lamis Aziz (Egy) & Anja Wildgruber (Ger) bt Diva Bhatia & Anjali Rathi 6-2, 3-6, [10-6]. $15,000 ITF women, Tashkent, Uzbekistan: Singles (first round): Soha Sadiq bt Gio Jang (Kor) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4; Akanksha Nitture bt Sonal Patil 6-0, 6-3. $15,000 ITF men, Luan, China: Singles (first round): Hanyi Liu (Chn) bt Sidharth Rawat 6-2, 7-6(4). Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Jordan Chiu (USA) & Yi Jui Lo (Tpe) bt Parth Aggarwal & Siddharth Vishwakarma 6-4, 5-7, [10-2].
SBS Australia
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
'Service over profit': A light worker's mission
According to a 2023 Times Australia survey, 38% of Gen Z Australians consider themselves spiritual, with half believing in concepts like karma. According to a 2023 Times Australia survey, 38% of Gen Z Australians consider themselves spiritual, with half believing in concepts like karma. According to Lat, her long-term vision for the business includes organising healing retreats both within and beyond Australia. May PERAan' is SBS Filipino's podcast series which features practical, creative and effective ways to earn money. SBS Filipino 13/05/2025 10:55 📢 Where to Catch SBS Filipino
