Secured embassy support and Netflix pitch for cultural documentary series

Project Background:

Piring Oranje was conceived as a response to my experience producing Kisarasa, the highly successful cinematic culinary series that explores the rich culinary traditions of Indonesia. Despite its achievements, I wanted to create an IP of my own—one that would be more impactful and allow for greater creative and strategic control. This led to the development of Piring Oranje, a comprehensive cultural and culinary program exploring the historical connections between Indonesian and Dutch cuisines.

Using AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity, I conducted extensive research to form the foundation of the project. Online research identified key culinary connections, while offline collaborations with academic experts at the Dutch Studies Program of the University of Indonesia added depth and credibility to the concept. The result is a program that seamlessly combines entertainment, education, and cultural storytelling.

Beyond being a documentary, Piring Oranje is a multifaceted project designed for greater societal impact. In addition to producing a high-quality video series, the program includes:

- A published book of research findings, with 1,000 free copies to be distributed to educational institutions in Indonesia and the Netherlands.

- Offline events to engage the public and collaborate with culinary schools and organizations, supported by partnerships such as The Royal Netherlands Embassy in Indonesia and the Indonesian Embassy in the Netherlands.

- A vision to position the program on a major OTT platform, with Netflix as the primary target.

Piring Oranje serves as the kick-off project for Histonema Heritage Media, a media platform I am building to showcase Indonesia’s rich history and culture to the world. Histonema aims to become the go-to channel for global audiences interested in Indonesia, using international production standards and AI-driven innovation to create impactful stories.

Achievements:

- Developed a comprehensive program concept that extends beyond a video documentary to include books and offline events, ensuring greater societal and educational impact.

- Created a professional pitch deck with tailored versions for specific audience such as embassies, commercial sponsors, and OTT platforms, heavily utilizing AI tools such as ChatGPT and Perplexity.

- Presented the project to The Royal Netherlands Embassy in Indonesia and the Indonesian Embassy in the Netherlands, both of which has stated their support for the program.

- Submitted tailored proposals to commercial sponsors, identifying potential partners through AI-powered research and aligning their values with the program’s objectives.

- Began discussions with Netflix as the primary OTT platform for showcasing Piring Oranje, creating sample visuals to highlight the program’s cinematic quality and global appeal.

Tools:

- ChatGPT: Used extensively for brainstorming, structuring the program, crafting pitch decks, and refining proposals.

- Perplexity: Employed for in-depth research and identifying potential sponsors with aligned values.

- Canva: Utilized for designing professional pitch decks with AI-assisted layouts.

- Leonardo AI, Adobe Firefly, and Photoshop: Combined to create custom visuals, such as posters and mock-ups, tailored for proposals and presentations.

Methodology:

1. Conducted extensive online research using ChatGPT and Perplexity to identify culinary and cultural connections between Indonesia and the Netherlands.

2. Collaborated with academic experts at the Dutch Studies Program of the University of Indonesia to validate and deepen research findings.

3. Developed a multifaceted program concept, including audiovisual contents, books, and offline events, designed for broad societal impact.

4. Collaborated with ChatGPT to brainstorm, structure, and refine pitch decks tailored to embassies, sponsors, and OTT platforms.

5. Designed layouts using Canva, incorporating visuals created with Leonardo AI, Adobe Firefly, and Photoshop.

6. Presented the program to embassies, sponsors, and Netflix, tailoring content to align with each audience’s values and objectives.

Learnings:

- AI can significantly enhance the research and development process, making it more efficient and precise.

- Combining AI-driven tools with traditional research methods leads to more credible and impactful results.

- Tailored proposals and visuals that align with each stakeholder’s values greatly increase the likelihood of securing support.

- Integrating AI into creative workflows not only improves productivity but also elevates the quality of outputs to meet global standards.