English Masters Assignment Client (Film Language Analysis) - Sign, Signifier, Signified

[ In what ways is film "a text, a set of forms, relationships, and meanings"? Provide an example].

An interesting example would be the film “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”, the first of a long franchise based on the best-selling novels by Joanne Kathleen Rowling. However popular the series had become at the time of film adaptation, the producers had to keep in mind a segment of their potential audience unacquainted with the books. Hence the responsibility of bringing fresh eyes up to scratch falls squarely on the start of the film.

It fades in to a close-up shot of the “Privet Drive” sign- denoting place, during a misty night- denoting time and mood, with an owl sitting on the sign- a portrayal of mystery, wisdom, as well as a recurring animal within the rest of the film. A melancholy, echoing tune plays before the scene even opens, and as the shot pans to a line of trees in the fog beyond a streetlamp, the music swells to an orchestral trill that mildly startles the audience just as a figure is made discernible in the dim lighting.

Immediately we are given a recognisable sign in the appearance of this character: an elderly man with long white hair and a long white beard, dressed in dark robes and a pointed hat. We clearly process the signifiers to lead to several associations: wizard, mysterious, wise, powerful, magic. All of these associations are drawn based on very generalized cultural context cues from media across societies, and were put into motion by our initial view of the owl, the music, and the mood of the setting.

When this character, Albus Dumbledore, proceeds to put out the streetlamps by summoning the light from the electrical bulbs into a silver device, the audience is rewarded for the associations they made to "wizard" and "magic". The wide shot also provides a new association: this scene takes place in an entirely regular-looking quiet neighbourhood, despite the spooky fog and the music.

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Within one initial scene, the audience has made several associations that convey the style and plot of the rest of the film. One signified element is magic, most prominently, but also the existence of the familiar suburban neighbourhood denoting a non-magical side in the story. 

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Advance Engineering Manufacturer Sdn Bhd (AEM) is a long-standing manufacturer of escalators, elevators and stainless-steel products in the Greater Kuala Lumpur region. Founded in 1986 by Mr Tang Yeow Wah, a veteran of the elevator industry with over 30 years of experience, AEM specializes in the fabrication of escalator and elevator parts and finishes. The AEM portfolio includes the modification and fabrication of over 100,000 doors for major lift companies in Malaysia. (Corporate Profile)

Main Page Web Content (& Some Other Content)

Technological Habits and the Digit-All Generations [Original Essay]

The creation of the first computer did not truly take place in one era, nor was it due to just one person. While it is commonplace in history books to designate a brilliant name to an invention, in reality the many components and ideas that lead up to the amalgamation of such a device are littered throughout the years. That’s not to say that Konrad Zuse and Charles Babbage shouldn’t be rightfully credited, of course, but we often overlook the whole journey in focusing on the hills of achievement.

Whether it is the invention of the mechanical calculator​ in the 1600s, or the theory of how computers process information​, or the pioneering of computer programming language​ in the early 1900s; the gradual assembling of the modern computer began further back than often realized. Thus, we can bear in mind easier the fact that technology (as a whole, computer-related and otherwise) is only going to keep advancing as the years pass us by, in rapid spurts or slower crescendos. It is merely a journey that we glimpse, always.

In subtle relation to that, a re-visitation of one fact: humanity as a whole is made up of many separate generations, each increasingly more different than the last. Of course, we know this; but how often do we delve into it, other than to make generalizations? More importantly, how aware are we that each individual, and their respective year of individuals, are born into new circumstances that completely shape the only experiences they’ve ever known (thereby solidly separating them from their elders in some ways)? Putting aside year-by-year distinctions, there are of course the known categories such as the Millennials, Generation X, the Baby Boomers, the Silent Generation- and most recent of all, Generation Z.

While the concept of generations is not remotely new, the narrative of how we talk about it today is telling. For example, the Baby Boomers generation is the large demographic born post-WW2 in the Western world, usually American (although it may refer to Australians, New Zealanders, and some European nations). Each country has a defined set of generational categories, due to unique experiences inclusive of economy and culture, yet the Western (and more specifically, American) classifications are regarded as universal. For a long time now, American culture has heavily influenced much of the non-American world, and this is no different- despite the fact that our local generation of the same years carry a rather different reputation than that of the Western world.

To tie together the two, humanity and technology share a very active relationship; from the discovery of fire and the development of agricultural systems in the old days, to the invention of solar-powered homes and the rise of artificial intelligence now. Every human being that is born more recently is brought into a newer, ever-changing world with vastly different possibilities than the one their parents were born in, or the other one their grandparents inhabited. Such is the cycle of life, yet foresight on the adaptation of the human species in accordance with the advancement of technology is certainly not discussed enough. One must wonder-- how well have we really been able to keep up with our romancing of technology?

[rest of essay omitted]

The ACIIA Conference 2018 was an assemblage of some of the greatest thought leaders and practitioners in the Finance and Auditing industry, with the unifying theme of "Staying Relevant in a Digital Landscape". (Designed promotional collateral for digital, curated content, assisted in event organization).

Scripts for Promotional Media & Advertising


Radio Commercial Scripts (English & BM) for Client

Are you having trouble handling your finances? Do you feel
like your ringgit are slipping through your fingers? Worry
not- DuitPlus is here to save your wallet! DuitPlus is an online
platform with the purpose of informing and assisting you
with handling your financial matters! Whether it’s saving up
for retirement, your kids’ future, or your personal account,
DuitPlus has got your back. Need more information on loans,
insurance plans and credit schemes? DuitPlus is a click away!
What are you waiting for?


Adakah anda mengetahui cara yang paling baik untuk
menjimatkan wang anda? Bagaimana pula dengan simpanan
anda untuk masa depan kanak-kanak, atau persaraan? Bank
Negara Malaysia telah melancarkan DuitPlus, platform kewangan
terbaru yang memudahkan pengurusan wang serta
menyinari cahaya atas pemahaman anda tentang isu-isu
kewangan dan tips untuk menanganinya. DuitPlus, uruskan
kewangan anda dengan cepat dan bijak!

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BUILDEASY WALKTHROUGH VIDEO

Welcome to the new BuildEasy website! This tutorial will assist you in navigating the site. 

Let’s start on the Homepage, at ‘www.webuildeasy. com/Home’. Click on the “Log in” button at the top right- you can use your Facebook to sign in. 

Return to the home page. Under the main header, you will see a single line of links: hover over the “DESIGN” tab, and you will see a drop-down menu featuring four different rooms.

You can choose one of the links or click on the “DESIGN” tab. Select an area to begin customization.

Let’s select the Living Room. Scroll down to see the different types of living room designs, and select the one you like.

The options may differ from your own home layout in size or shape, but don’t worry- that’s what our Renovation Sidekicks are for. They will advise you on how to custom-fit the design themes to your own space! 

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FPAM PROMOTIONAL VIDEO NARRATION SCRIPT

Introducing FPAM- the Financial Planning Association of Malaysia. Here’s what FPAM is all about:

Our vision is to promote financial planning to benefit Malaysians, and our mission is to set the global CFP mark as the standard for personal financial planning locally.

The three main objectives are certification and accreditation, the promotion of financial planning advice, and consumer financial literacy.

FPAM is a non-profit and non-governmental organization empowered by 5000 members. It is a professional membership and standard-setting body for certified financial planners and Islamic financial planners.

Our revenue goes into expanding the profession, running the secretariat, organizing membership activities and consumer financial literacy programmes.


FPAM started in 1999. In 2003, Malaysia became the first country to license financial planners under the Capital Market Service Act 2007. FPAM had many firsts, initiating the Malaysian Financial Planner of the Year Awards in 2014, followed by the inaugural FPASC, jointly organized by all FP Associations in 2016.

 In 2017, FPAM rolled out the Membership Affinity Program. 

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Script for Minister's IWFCI Opening Speech (Monad International)

Minister for International Trade and Industry, Malaysia:


Today is the launch of Malaysia’s own branch of the “International Women’s Federation of Commerce and Industry”. It is a visionary and progressive step for the corporate sector in Malaysia, and I am pleased to see that the businesswomen of our country are moving towards globalization, thus moving Malaysia’s economy with them.


The IWFCI is an ideal platform for local women in trade to showcase their products and services internationally. It is an effort to the collective and coordinated revitalization of Malaysia’s economy, by a prospective demographic within our corporate industry.


The betterment of the local businesswoman’s capabilities enhances the corporate capacity of the entire economy, whether seeding start-ups, raising small businesses, or funding bigger investments. Local businesses require the push that international mingling will bring about, whether structurally or creatively.


Waves of innovation throughout the corporate scene may now combine with non-local perspective, while opportunity for expansion may now emerge, and competitiveness fuse with collaboration to produce a conducive environment for local businesses to thrive.

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Review of 'Tragedi Hamlet'

The first thing that struck us was the atmosphere of the stage; without revealing too much just yet, one can say that the ambience was well-established before the play even began. ‘Tragedi Hamlet’ is Dato’ Faridah Merican’s adaptation of ‘Hamlet’ (and this isn’t the first time she’s directed this play in Bahasa Malaysia); one of Shakespeare’s most dramatic plays.

It began with a scene that seemed confusing, but soon proved to be of relevance. The opportunity was taken to mystify the audience a little, as well as show off some creative choreography. It should be noted that the costumes used in the starting scene helped to draw the audience in; interest was piqued immediately (and the symbolism of the blank faces in this play is highly appreciated).

While there were a couple of moments during the first act that dragged on a little- perhaps due to incorporating as much of the translated original dialogue- the pacing of the play was done well. Here, we must interrupt ourselves and say that we truly enjoyed the staunch loyalty to the original plot of ‘Hamlet’. There was an obvious localization of the play, but it was incorporated so seamlessly that the Bard’s twists shone through.

Back to the first act; the pacing of the actors was nothing short of precise. If one character exited the stage during the end of one scene, they reappeared quickly enough from the other side for the following scene. This created a fluidity in the storytelling that kept the audience on their toes. The actors themselves displayed pretty decent interpretations for their strong characters.

Ali Alasri, who played Hamlet, was vigorous in his role and had a presence that demanded to be felt. Tria Aziz– the Queen- was excellent for the brief amounts of time she got to be vocal. Hers was a role that was noticed even when she was merely watching events unfold before her. Omar Ali, who played both the King and the Ghost, was perhaps more memorable with the latter- a wronged and sullen spirit asking to be avenged.

Other notable mentions include Adry Nasution (Polonius)- who displayed great spatial awareness during his delivery, and Arief Hamizan (Laertes) for playing the distraught brother. Hana Nadira was the hopelessly naive Ophelia, who made a distressing descent into a lovelorn waif; she truly shined in her moment of madness during the flower scene. That interaction between two siblings who lost their parent was very emotionally raw.

There were just enough comical moments to let the audience breathe through the heaviness of the story. The set was complemented by choreography that truly utilized it- the nimbleness displayed as a result was pleasing. One issue, however, would be that the cloth hangings near the front tended to block certain action onstage from some audience members, or so we’ve been informed.

The lighting was good, and the music was well-composed with just the right amount of dramatic tension. Scenes were given realism by very good sound effects. The costumes, however, were a little confusing at times- the modernism in the younger characters seemed strange compared to the old-school look of Hamlet’s traitorous friends and the traditional garb of the King.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable evening. ‘Tragedi Hamlet’ didn’t quite end with a bang, although considering the final scene, it wasn’t for lack of drama. Perhaps the fight scene could have been prolonged for a higher climax, which then would probably end the whole thing more strongly. But the deaths at the end, strangely enough, were almost therapeutic for us.

If “to see or not to see” is the question, we would recommend you go “see”. Hurry, the ‘Tragedi Hamlet’ only plays for two more days!