THERE is a Japanese saying that ”You can’t catch a cub if you do not enter the tiger’s cave”. That was the kind of gung-ho attitude which got Goh Aun Hoe started in the animation business.
The Hokkien boy from Kuala Kangsar, Perak, had known little Japanese when he decided to venture to the Land of the Rising Sun, believing that he should make hay while the sun shines. A turning point in his young life came when he saw a sophisticated TV commercial by a cigarette company. Impressed, he decided to learn more about the technology in Japan. His perseverance paid off as he spent four years there, learning the language and pursuing his studies in Japan after graduating in computer animation from Nippon Electronics College.
Goh said he learnt a lot while working after graduated.”The bosses were Japanese. They were very disciplined and not afraid of hard work. Once, when the drains were clogged, they even used their hands to clean them,” he recalled. Today, Goh is the successful CEO of Silver Ant Sdn Bhd, which released Malaysia’s first 3D animated movie in English, Seefood The Movie and creates some major success producing games cinematics and TV Series for the International companies.
Silver Ant, which began in 1999, has completed a RM5mil undertaking for a new office and animation studio in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. It has more than 100 people under its employment. Explaining the name of his company, Goh said silver always implies being in second place. “But I don’t mind being No.2 because it means you have the drive to be chasing for the top position. And ants are very hardworking, very organised and they value team work.”
While animation is his long life passion, he is still juggling between his roles as the Managing Director and Animation Director. Goh said he had originally yearned to be a pilot during his growing up days. So he attended a pilot training program in 2006 and graduated with Private Pilot License to complete this childhood ambition.
© Copyright Silver Ant S/B. All Rights Reserved.