One of our missions is to shed the spotlight on Indonesia’s cultural riches. This mission was realised through a world-class animation TV series project called Bayo and The Beachbuds. Working together with studios and productions houses from Los Angeles, USA and Montreal, Canada, the project is currently under development.
During the early stages of this project, JToon Studios invited a few key individuals to visit Bali and to explore and learn about its’ cultural richness and also to see in real life the Bali Starling Bird (Burung Jalak Bali), the species that would become the inspiration for the main characters of Bayo and The Beachbuds. A lot of unique cultural knowledge were learned from the trip, especially on the locals’ warmth and hospitality, and how they would treat a guest as a royalty. Balinese people will always try to make sure that the guest’s stay in Bali is a memorable one.
The other interesting thing learned during the trip was a Balinese indigenous irrigation system called ‘Subak’, a cultural heritage passed down from generation to generation. The Subak system regulates the rice fields irrigation system fairly, so that every farmer will receive fair amount of water for their fields. For the Balinese, Subak is a reflection of their three main philosophies about relationship: Harmony with God, Harmony between Mankind, and Harmony with Nature.
Also from this trip, we learned that the Balinese society is split into two major group: The ones living on the coastal lines (This is the side of Bali that most tourists are familiar with, filled with exhilarating night life and exotic bars), and the ones living in the mountains, which are the farmers (This side is more tranquil and serene).
The beautiful sight of Bali captures the heart of our team: Buildings made out of bamboos and other natural elements; unique art forms such as paintings, reliefs, and statues decorating not only hotels and restaurants but also almost every street corners; the endless green fields; beautiful teal sea and white sands; decorated with the clear blue skies and sunshine made Bali a memorable and ultimately inspiring place to be.