Peaksy Tourist Restaurant LLC hiring experienced UAE-based restaurant staff at Yas Bay, Abu Dhabi: Male Supervisor, 2 Hostesses, 4 Waiters. Immediate start — apply
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“The decorations are so pretty!” I exclaimed.
“They are! Hey!” Tessa flags down Osman, the waiter. “Did you put up these decorations in here? I like them!”
“Me? No.” He replies.
“You didn’t put them up?!”
“No, if I would have put them up they would have looked awesome. Because I did not put them up - they look horrible!”
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At Rise Hospitality, we believe that great service starts with great people. As our venues continue to grow and welcome gue
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Catch22, one of Dubai’s most vibrant dining destinations, is expanding its team at our JBR location! If you’re passionate about hospitality, thrive in fast-paced environments, and love creating memorable guest experiences, we want to hear from you. Operated by Kitopi, Catch22 blends global flavors with bold personality—and we’re looking for dynamic individuals to help us deliver exceptional service.
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Waiters at Cafe Florida - Aldo Balding , 2023.
British , b. 1960 -
Oil on canvas , 29 x 21 in.
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Guys this restaurant I’m in hasn’t caught up with fashion yet these twink waiters are in skinny jeans.
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*takes first bite of food at restaurant*
Waiters: “Can I get anything for ya? How’s everything going over here?”
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BRUNEI CONTENT FESTIVAL 2024
Another year of the Brunei Content Festival! This marks its third year and a great one for my film, Waiters, which won Best Feature Film of 2024!
Additionally, Afiq Julaihi, who plays one of the lead roles in the film, won Best Male Performer.
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WAITERS RELEASE (23.02.2024)
The day is here. ‘Waiters’ movie is out and the cast & crews attended the 2nd show of the day, 7:00pm. The show had laughter from the audience and it was good to hear the feedbacks and comments, 'Relatable’.
Unfortunately, not all the cast came which was a bummer but it is as expected throughout this project to have those ones who find it hard to make time for their own movie. Tisk. However, I thank the support, the friendships, the patience and the commitments from the ones who did. It was an amazing ride and I couldn’t be more happier to finally proven myself, that I still have what it takes to make another feature film.
[[MORE]]Hopefully, there will be more encouragements and motivations moving forward to make more. This movie marks the 40th Anniversary for it’s nation, something to give back as a Bruneian. I hope, in the near future, the film industry will change and take local films MORE seriously rather than looking at it as something Bruneians are not good at doing, which is making movies.
Waiters is packed with lots of things that had crossed the common boundaries (typically not allowed) in terms of language, those dark jokes and humor.
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PRODUCER’S INTERVIEW
A week ago we had the Kristal FM interview for Waiters movie. Today, it’s on Pelangi FM. This time, I don’t do the interview because I wanted to highlight the producer Imelda Groves, whom is also my wife. Without her, Waiters won’t be possible.
Along with her, we sent in two of the cast, Afiq Julaihi and Aliff Ali to join as the others were not available. Firdaus Abdullah, a.k.a DJ Daus hosted the show with some interesting question. FYI, Daus also had a cameo in the movie as well.
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In the past I’ve done loads of interviews but whenever I get on a Malay talkshow/interview, my sentences are always, and i mean ALWAYS, jumble up because for some reason, my brain is thinking that on live national radio, you need to speak in proper Malay language that includes ‘Saya’, 'itu’ and 'ini’ etc. I don’t know why. And saying 'Aku’ to some is harsher than 'Saya’.
I don’t know. I really really don’t know. Back in the days, we were told to talk standard Malay. And that was it. So i found myself talking and thinking of the words to use at the same time which made my sentences all messed up and most of the times, does not answer the question I was asked and/or it will go someplace else instead.
I’m not a fan. Even when live on TV or interview in Malay. I just can’t. That’s why this time, I decided NOT to do the interview but rather send in my wife as she does it better and I want to share the moment with her because as mentioned above, she is the reason I managed to finish another movie.
She is the heart and soul of it because she made me realized something I needed to do on that one particular day to get off my ass and do something in my field of work.
Anyways, it was a smooth interview, everything fell into place so hopefully this second interview, words got out to the public about my upcoming film, Waiters, to be released in cinemas on National Day, 23rf February 2024.
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WRITE, SHOOT, EDIT, REPEAT
A mental note I tell myself these days. Write, shoot, edit and repeat. Actually, it’s a tagline from Film Riot but I love it.
It’s no surprise that everyone needs to make a living., as a filmmaker, it’s more challenging. Every single day is a wake up call where the mind will starts thinking on ways you can make money when you are tied up with a filmmaking profession.
[[MORE]]I’ve had my ups and downs when I decided to venture into video production services. Started off with wedding videography and event coverages and eventually landing with a couple of corporate stuffs here and there. That’s mainly it. I started getting active with TV programs for local broadcasting in 2019.
But somewhere 2019 to 2022, I was in my little bubble, roleplaying a character called Conna Adams, Director of the Los Santos Police Department where I train the best officers to serve the city. I build a FiveM server for Grand Theft Auto 5, called Modways Roleplay and survived a passive income monthly by coding and retailing stuffs from it. It lasted about a year until it all fell apart.
I was overly invested into developing it and all I ever wanted was to unite into a local Bruneian server and prove that it can be done with just a set of rules. Rules are important. Rules are what makes a game server, a good server. But no. No Bruneian wants a rule in a game and I’m the bad guy. Sick right. It’s fine. What else is new right?
But hey, I’m not going to bore this post about my game server. I’ll save it for another time.
My point is, I’ve woken up one day and decided to take charge with my life by doing something useful as opposed of playing games for hours and hours where I can actually learn something new and manage my finance.
My buddy Afiq has the same mindset with me which made things easier. He’s even younger than me yet bright, clever and mature. He also stated the obvious. It was either sticking your face through playing games and not make money against, shut the fuck up and grow up because it’s time to put the skills to use, challenge yourself and start working hard and learn new things.
This is also why my second feature ‘Waiters’ means a lot to me because this movie was actually what got me to challenge myself to commit and write a 136 page script for 28 days straight. Yup, straight. I DID NOT miss a single day. I told myself that I needed to at least write 3-5 pages a day.
The result? It made me happy. I was literally happy after a long time. I was proud with myself very much and even proven my wife that I’m not useless with my computer. It got me off my ass from video games. When I think about it now, I was indeed a useless piece of shit. There’s nothing impressive about it playing video games right? Does it? Another thing I kept in mind, ’Grow up!’.
If I could turn back time, I would meet myself in 2019 onwards and slap myself over and over to wake up and realize that it’s not about fun and games. I’ve got a talent. I ventured into media field, to become a filmmaker and I’m not putting it to use nor am I studying.
(I keep saying learn/study because you’re always improving)
For instance, I’ve been learning 3D animations and discovered new software from it. I even learnt Davinci Resolve before I decided to edit my movie on it. That took a while to understand after transitioning from Adobe Premiere Pro.
Hell. I even went to Vietnam for a post lab program for Busan. Read here.
So write, shoot, edit, repeat?
Well. I told myself, after 'Waiters’, I’m going to start doing more stuffs I have planned for 2024 to generate an income. I have to. I’m suppose to. I mean what else can I do?
I’m sick and tired of always worrying and I have been in a long time. I’ve got a family to take care off and I’ve met my worst life experience to get here.
'Waiters’ little message also includes that typical mindset about waiting for a change. Well it’s not going to change will it, if you sit and do nothing. You have to do something about it.
All I’m doing now is counting the days until 'Waiters’ is launched in cinemas February 2024 whilst I prepare for the things that follows.
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THE ‘WAITERS’ DOCUMENTARY
Before we started shooting 'Waiters’, I had this idea to actually do a full behind the scenes coverage on the 'making’ of it. So I decide, maybe we should just do a full length, proper documentary movie as we went along. Documentary is a bit underrated here and so it was also something I always wanted to do and tick-off from my list of goals.
A working title, 'ADAM GROVES: THE WAITERS DOCUMENTARY’ by Mateen Jazlan.
Coverage mostly were done during the shoot that includes interviews etc. Mateen Jazlan, a student from IGS College is perhaps the only student in my wife’s class that was interested to learn more and experience an actual video production at work. Especially, working from start to finish, movie. In a way, he was like an intern who commit to lending a hand as production assistant as well for the film.
[[MORE]]The documentary will be at least 90 mins long. Yes. Like I said, a proper one. An actual movie. A movie I thought at first could at least generate some funding on the appointed platforms. However, right now, as we speak, seems like we might not be putting it out on local platforms but to just post it up on Youtube. I mean, I don’t want it to be difficult for audience to reach by subscribing plus, this is just an experiment. I’m known by close ones to be experimental and is why my creativity is based on that.
I need to see it first hand and observe things. Try it and just do it.
Anyhow. The documentary will cover everything from the beginning. The first person I told this to, the people I shared this to. How the idea came about, how I wrote the script, who did i contacted to star in it, the why, the when and everything in between up to the point of the first night it plays in local cinema. That is when the movie will be done. We’ve got a few more months to go and I’m editing it simultaneously whilst finalizing my cinema cut. The subtitles, the colors, the audio especially.
This is also to showcase 'me’. I might be an inspiration to some (and so I heard by several, I don’t know) or in other words, some might want to know how it was made and what was the purpose and story I wanted to share. Well, the documentary is all about that. I want the audience to see the untold truth of what goes on in the mind of the people who were involve.
Uncensored. Unscripted. This is my experiment. This is something I wanna try execute. A documentary.
At one point I wanted to produce a documentary about my band 'Not Famous’ which was called 'I’m Not Famous’. Getting to know the story behind the band since 2002, the songwriting, the making of the first album, The Mall launching experience, the crowd that became obsessed following the hiatus, the fights and disagreements and then coming back again in 2020 with a new member writing the songs properly, maturely with a new member.
It was all planned out. Each of the band mates filmed themselves and submitted it to me for editing.
It didn’t happened. It was all archived instead because again, we took a break due to the damn covid and then back to same old personal life. Family, kids, work etc. My point is, it never got around to it. Especially with me starting to write movies again.
And so, it was something I tend to do. A documentary. Here we are, I’ve managed to secure something after 'Waiters’ come out in February 2024, a documentary will follow on.
There are other stuffs I wanna do as well which I can’t say yet here but I have a couple of short films in mind, perhaps a little web-series challenge, of course, more flicks. I can’t stop now. I’m only getting started and I’m not gonna wait another 7 years until I write another film.
That was something I’m quite disappointed myself to be honest. We filmmakers have to keep writing and producing. A typical and common thing here and I’m telling myself to prove it wrong.
Write, Shoot, Edit, Repeat. I love that saying. It’s applied.
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SCREENING RECAPS & PRIMAJAYA CITY
The Waiters: Cast & Crew Private Screening was fun! I had a lot of positive comments on it and I’ll take it any day! I’m glad everyone enjoyed it. During the time of the show, all I could hope for was making sure the jokes and scenes I wrote would get a reaction. 90% of the time, it did. The 10% would be jokes I wrote was either no laughs or just 2-3 giggles. What is more surprising, there were even laughs to the parts that were not funny when I wrote it. Most of the time, laughs were consistent and I’m flattered.
Started slightly late due to waiting on one of the 7 MAIN actors to arrive. Around 7:55pm, the night started with Paula Malai Ali (emceeing for the event) and went on to talk about me. All in her own words, she prepared this introduction about how I am as a friend, what it was like when we worked together in TV program we did a couple of years ago. What she sees in me as a director. Everything was flattering and all so touching in some ways which made me realize how much of an observant person she was. She calls me up and I said a few words thanking everyone who came.
The show starts and all I wanted to do was just listen to laughs and seeing reactions. I have to say, it’s a quite a sight.
[[MORE]]After the show was done, everyone got up and started sharing their thoughts. Unusual compared to ‘Primajaya’, this was purely different. I’m not quite show how to put it. But this felt genuine. Perhaps it was the fact that it was 'better’ than Primajaya or it was because all I heard all night long was the word 'relatable’. Which was pretty much what I was going for when I wrote the script.
I wrote the script purely the way I want to write it and the way we talk on an everyday basis. And also, perhaps I directed it 'properly’ this time whereas Primajaya was more rushed and wanting to finish it quick. Waiters, I took my time by making sure I won’t make the same mistakes again which led to all the 7 main actors a favorite character to the audience that night. Each and every one of them had a background, had a uniqueness which was maybe why it’s relatable. We might have a friend or know someone who is like them.
Or the fact that there were scenes and dialogues that were just so real, some have/had experience it before. The point is, I wrote it from the heart, I said what I needed to say in the film (because to some people that’s how you express things with) and it’s out of my system. At this point, I don’t really care what anybody has to say about the movie. In fact, I’m not trying to impress anyone but to keep the goal I had from the beginning of this project. And that was, to just do things properly and be a better director.
Now that it was announced. The movie will be out in 3 cinemas, Brunei-Muara, Tutong and Belait under Times Cineplex on the 23rd February 2024 onwards.
At this point, I still need to do some extra work to prepare the cinema cut and subtitles. It’s going to be challenging because I need to censor stuffs, (mostly words) and try to figure out a way to tell the story by the words I shall replace it with in the subtitles. I know, I know. Sucks right. There’s nothing we can do to change that.
Sometimes there are words in my mind that is not offensive or insulting but to some, it is. And that’s the problem we, everybody is facing. Those little things are impactful which leads to cutting it out or censoring. As much as I’ve fought for it, I can never win. No one can. But it’s either, showing it on cinema OR don’t show it at all.
Note. I did tell myself from the beginning that if I’m getting more cuts or asked to remove a scene and a chunk of the story, I won’t be showing the movie in Brunei. Something I kept reminding myself during the writing process and visioning it when we shot it.
“It’s not FOR Brunei, it’s FROM Brunei”. Because apparently, when you are a Bruneian and you make a movie in Brunei, automatically the mindset sees it as if we wrote this for and based on Brunei. Well… it doesn’t have to be right?
This is where 'Primajaya’ came into the picture 9 years ago. I wanted to write a movie in a fictional city BECAUSE I knew for a fact, at that time, they’ll always try to destroy and tear your work apart. And i didn’t want that. So I started basing it around the idea where I create my own city with THIER own sets of rules that I thought I could do anything. Just as long as I protect the name of Brunei and make a movie in a different city that is NOT RELATED.
However, sometimes, it’s difficult to explain, making a fictional city but the characters are speaking Bruneian dialect. What’s my reason for this? Well…Borneo itself. We’ve got Sarawak and Sabah either sides. From my own knowledge and observation, both neighboring countries understand the Bruneian dialect. Actually, they speak it in some weird way too and we’d understand that THEY understand.
And I thought, hey, Primajaya is part of Borneo? Can. Again. Fictional. Primajaya speaks Bruneian and that doesn’t mean Priamajaya is IN Brunei.
Oh and if you’re wondering how I named Primajaya. To be honest, I have no idea. It was random and came up in my mind and I nailed it to the wall. Cos at first, naming the city wasn’t an issue. And so I used it and got stuck with it. HOW COME? Well, if you must know, (quite a number knows this), the movie was originally called BAHLOL. (Idiot).
That’s why the name of the city of secondary. It wasn’t a priority. Unfortunately, BAHLOL was also another word that was not allowed to be used as a movie title. Like I said, there are some things you can’t get away with eventhough to us, it’s not a bad thing. I mean seriously. How do you make a movie that has a situation, or a dialogue to refer to someone stupid? Or is an idiot WITHOUT saying it?
(Smart ass walks in an says, You can make a movie without using it or find another word).
Well, I want to tell the story THIS WAY, NOT YOUR WAY. You write a movie then and make it convincing. This has proven in WAITERS. I wrote it the way I wanted to write it and I saw first hand on what happened lastnight, the reactions, the laughters and the positive comments. What did they say? It’s RELATABLE because that is HOW WE SPEAK, naturally.
Which I believe is KEY in writing a good movie. Believable! So yeah. “It’s not for Brunei, it’s from Brunei’ as in made in Brunei with my Bruneian friends. Not for you, for entertainment, for fun and to achieve something we can ALSO DO OUTSIDE of Brunei.
Seriously, it is not easy to find people around you who thinks like you and knows that it’s not the end of the world if you don’t try doing something different. Never stop trying. Just do what you want to do and something awaits us at the end of the tunnel. (No not a white light). Opportunity. Achievements.
WAITERS’s main message is basically that. It teaches people to realize to wake up and stop dreaming about it and start doing something with your life rather than just growing old, stuck in one job and complain about income and debt. I have this problem too but I won’t stop trying. No bull. I’m not perfect either but I’m not gonna let someone say shit about me and then cry in my pillow wishing everything will change all by itself. No.
This is why WAITERS means a big deal to me and it’s not because I needed to make a movie after 7 years since Primajaya, it’s my own personal battle to be better at something, learning from mistakes and just be creative.
So yeah, that’s my little back story after lastnight’s awareness. Stuck me into gear and got me thinking about stuffs.
Anyways, hope you enjoy the movie. Not that I know anybody might be reading because at this point, I’m writing this for myself, my personal journal.
THIS IS FOR ME. I didn’t write this for you. Sibuk saja.