Malaysia

MALAYSIA total package

Malaysia has all the qualities of a desirable filming destination including a large high-end studio, competent crews and equipment, a filming rebate and locations that can double for much of asia from mountains to beaches.

alaysia spans two regions separated by the South China Sea, which offer a large range of settings that have successfully doubled for various South Asian locations. Peninsula Malaysia is more urbanised and is the main filming hub, with both the capital city Kuala Lumpur and the large Iskandar Studios located at the southern tip. By contrast, East Malaysia is located on the island of Borneo bordering Indonesia and Brunei. Making up 60% of the country, the region is considered a more rugged and natural than the peninsula.

Such diversity in landscapes and culture provides filmmakers with many options. Muzri B Abdullah, strategic partnership lead at the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) says “Malaysia is a unique multicultural tropical country with a diversity of religions and races. It's known for its great food, islands, beaches, national parks, rainforests, highlands, plantations, villages, and cityscapes.”

Crazy Rich Asians doubled Kuala Lumpur not only for Singapore (heritage building Carcosa Sri Negara stood in as the Singapore building) but also some New York scenes. Period drama Indian Summers also filmed two seasons in the country, on the Island of Penang which doubled for Simla, in India’s Himalayan foothills.

location HiGHliGHt

George Town, Penang

George Town is the capital of the island state of Penang and is the economic centre of the northern region of Malaysia. The city has a colonial history dating back to its founding by the British East India Company in 1786.It gained independence from the British Empire in 1957. A large part of the historical centre of the city has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008 and the city has both colonial properties as well as a sky-scraper lined seafront. Armenian Street is a creative strip featuring galleries and street murals and cafes. Elsewhere in the city ‘Little India’ is located close by and is a more bustling district where Malaysian Indian food can be found.

The incenTive offered by fiMi has been a Major driver for foreign producTion coMpanies selecTing Malaysia as a desTinaTion for filM shooTs, including high budgeT filMs and Television series.

ESSEntial FactS

taX incEntiVES 30%

Qualifying Malaysia Production Expenditure (QMPE) must meet MYR5 million for production (inclusive of postproduction); or MYR1 million for postproduction activity only (for production inside Malaysia). An additional rebate of 5% is determined by a cultural test made up of Malaysian cultural elements.

SoUnD StaGES

Pinewood’s Iskandar Malaysia opened in 2016 and boasts over 100,000 sqft of sound stages, 30,000 acres of backlot, & both indoor & outdoor water tanks. The facility is located near the Malaysian border with Singapore.

ata caRnEt YES

REcEnt PRoDUctionS

Crazy Rich Asians, Edge of the World, Marco Polo & Roy.

BESt tiME to SHoot

The climate in Malaysia is typically tropical. Warm & humid days are balanced with cooler nights. The dry & wet seasons vary area to area – so plan ahead in order to capture the country’s stunning sights in the correct weather.

tiME ZonE

GMT+8

The Film in Malaysia Incentive (FIMI) launched in 2013, which Abdullah says has made the country “a prime and preferred destination for international producers.” The 30% cash rebate incentive applies to eligible Malaysia expenditures for production and post production activities. “The incentive offered by FIMI has been a major driver for foreign production companies selecting Malaysia as a destination for film shoots, including high budget films and television series,” says Abdullah. Between 2016 and 2020, total Qualifying Malaysia Production Expenditure was recorded at MYR403.3 million.

Iskandar Studios has worked with the incentive to bring in a large number of international work. “Iskandar is the largest and most equipped facility in South East Asia, with over 120,000 square feet of stage space, three water filming environments, several backlot spaces and all the support facilities and infrastructure you would expect from a premier production facility. Practically, there are very few things that cannot be filmed here.” says CEO Rashid Karim.

“The studio is purpose-built and laid out in a way where support facilities such as workshops, dressing rooms, production offices etc are available within a few minutes’ walk from the stages, water tanks and backlots. This allows producers full control on schedule and costs, while being convenient and comfortable to talent and crew. Our best asset though is our experience. We had the honour of hosting several high-end productions for platforms including Netflix, Disney and HBO, and are familiar with the requirements of this type of production.”

Some of these productions include Marco Polo for Netflix, Warner Bros. Crazy Rich Asians, Cinemax’s MI6 drama Strike Back and disaster film Skyfire. “Over the years, we have built a robust set of expertise, services and networks to ensure the production process is at or exceeds level expected by producers and competitive globally,” says Karim.

In addition to physical shoots, Abdullah says “impressive post-production works have become one of the main attractions in Malaysia.” Postproduction work falls under the rebate scheme and is an increasingly coming to the country. Recent credits include both series of Lucasfilm’s Disney+ series The Mandalorian, who outsourced their VFX work to Malaysia, as well as Michael Bay’s Netflix feature 6 Underground.

Abdullah says FIMI is currently focused on introducing a strategy to further establish Malaysia as the go-to production hub in the region. “Foreign filmmakers that have filmed in Malaysia believe that additional promotional activities need to be undertaken to attract foreign filmmakers, since many have not been to Malaysia and do not yet fully appreciate the full potential of filming in Malaysia.”

SoMEtHinG ElSE

Gunung Mulu National Park is a tropical jungle characterised by flowing streams, jagged limestone outcrops and mossy forests. The park sits in the shadow of Mount Mulu, a giant sandstone and shale mountain littered with giant caverns. Gua Payau Cave is famous for housing nearly two million free-tailed bats, whose emergence during the evenings is a main attraction for bold adventurers.

The Sarawak Chamber is one of the biggest cave spaces in the world. The grand geological formation is located at Mulu’s Gua Nasib Bagus, the Good Luck Cave. Explorers must follow an upstream river from the cave’s entrance, and sometimes a short swim and a steady traverse along a ledge are required too. Only experienced cavers with expert guides tend to reach the chamber.