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Friday, October 24th, 2008
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11:42 pm - it first began
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2:56 am - PPP 2008
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I got back from Korea 2 weeks ago, after spending 5 days at the Pusan International Film Festival. I realised the announcement of the SFC's New Feature Film Fund was made while I was there because of the many many well-wishes that came pouring in via sms. I couldn't respond immediately because expensive lah.. Korea uses a different type of network and my phone was on 3G mode when I was there.
So.. SANDCASTLE will be my first full-length feature film. I have been developing its treatment over the past 6 months, and will be spending the next year working on the rest of it. It was selected as one of the official projects at the Pusan Promotion Plan (PPP) 2008, which was why I was at PIFF. What is PPP? It is basically like speed-dating between distributors, festivals, co-investors, production companies and filmmakers. There are 30 tables in a ballroom, a project at each table, and meetings are scheduled in half-hour slots over 4 days.
It was quite tiring, cos I had to repeat my pitch every 30 minutes. But it was a very rewarding experience, because it also made me realise which elements of my story were sticking, and which weren't. The organisers told us that Sandcastle was among the top 5 projects with the highest number of meetings. That was really great news, considering the illustrious company that we were in - the likes of Lee Chang-Dong, Yasmin Ahmad and Chang Tso Chi.
I didn't take many photos because I was trying out my new camcorder from Panasonic. More on the camera later. Here's the home video I took:
We didn't know the only way into the opening ceremony for festival guests was on the red carpet. Gary, James and I were a bit late, so we had to walk in minutes before the movie stars arrived. It was sooo embarrassing. None of us were appropriately-dressed for the event, especially me because I was carrying a super-unglam bag which was a door gift from the festival. I was hoping no one would react to our arrival and just let us walk unnoticed to our seats.. but nooo. The stadium crowd was in so much anticipation by that time. As soon as the cameras at the press stand began flashing, the audience started to clap. We continued to walk and then someone screamed. Before we knew it, the whole arena was screaming! I was like 'oh, please don't..' Then, when people realised we weren't anyone famous, they ALL started to laugh! It didn't help that the red carpet was really long and we were the only three dudes on it at the halfway mark.
Anyway, the movie stars on the red carpet in the video were taken for Melbaby. Hope he recognises some of those faces, because I didn't. I wish I did, so that I could feel more of the excitement. Talking about faces, I was more interested in the looks on the faces of the aunties sitting across the runway from me. I can so imagine Melbaby and Alex among them, one ogling at the stars, the other admiring complexions.
It was my second time at Pusan. My first was in 2005 when I participated in the super-hardcore Asian Film Academy (aka Asian Film Army). So this time while I was there, it was lovely meeting up with friends like Hye-jung and Edwin. Also, many of the friends I made in Hong Kong were there too. It was great hanging out.. if only we all had more time on our hands on this trip. Next year again, perhaps!
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| Sunday, October 19th, 2008
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10:56 pm - family portrait
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| Friday, October 10th, 2008
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1:09 am - lost, and found
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| Wednesday, October 8th, 2008
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12:38 am - 감사합니다
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| Wednesday, October 1st, 2008
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7:33 pm - and the journey begins..
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| Wednesday, September 24th, 2008
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12:56 am - Play and feed hungry people!
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| Friday, September 19th, 2008
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11:09 pm - Queen Street Bus Station
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I started a directing workshop for third year students at Lasalle. It felt very strange at first, becoming the lecturer of my friends, but after the third lesson, we've more-or-less gotten used to it. I only have five lessons with them anyway.
I was looking through my folders and found the directing exercise I did last year around this time. Can't believe it's been a year!! Basically, we were supposed to come up with a scene for the students of the Acting Department to perform in. I figured I should experiment with cinéma vérité, as I've always been very curious about it. I knew the acting students were theatre-trained and thought I could put them up for a challenge.
Here's what we did.
Featuring Libby Gott and Crispian Chan.
Camerawork by Kelvin Ke.
Turned out okay.. and I enjoyed the process very much. I learned a lot from the mistakes.. First of all, the piece is ridden with continuity problems.. primarily because the scene was set at a phone booth where people who stopped by stayed no more than a minute. A second camera unit would have solved the problem. Secondly, I should never have given the actors the scripts beforehand. At least not such a detailed one, because they were trying to memorise too much.
And finally, I should have made sure the wireless mics were actually working! I found out that they were faulty only on the day itself and had to improvise with my small handycam. I wired a spare stereo lavalier mic I had into my handycam and hid it in the camera bag Libby was carrying. It was the only place I could hide a recording device and the actors had to take turns wearing the mics with every take, depending on how far apart they were. So, that's where my second camera unit went.. and that's why Libby couldn't take the bag off when Crispian offered to carry it for her. heh. The worst part was, in a location like that, it was impossible to do any form of slate. So the camera on Libby kept recording, and I suffered in post.. cos I had to sync an hour's worth of traffic noise with ten minutes' worth of visuals - BY EAR!
Okay lah, at least I get to show off that fact now. heh. Oh well.. still learning.
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| Tuesday, September 9th, 2008
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11:45 pm - duty
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| Saturday, September 6th, 2008
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10:07 pm
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Singapore is prettiest when it rains.
Especially during one of those sudden torrential downpours. The roads suddenly become reflective, the streetlights halo and the ground never seemed contoured in a certain way until water rushes over it.
And people gather spontaneously under shelter. Lovers keeping warm, mothers digging for tissue and smokers buying time.
So beautiful lor. If only I had a camera and a story to tell.
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| Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008
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11:03 pm - the day i knew
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I remember that night eight years ago, when I couldn't get into any of the junior colleges with my prelim results and I felt like I was the disappointment of the family. I sat down with Dad and Mum and asked them if I could pursue filmmaking. They were hardly convinced that it was a sound decision, but given my grades, there wasn't another choice apart from the diploma courses.
I remember that afternoon six years ago, when Mum was leaving her restaurant for the last time with a heavy heart. Dad and I went to pick her up, and I delivered the first piece of good news she had heard in months: I had just topped the class for my first year in FSV. This, coming from her son who had never done well in school, was quite a miracle. She smiled and said, "Thank you for making this not such a bad day."
And I will remember today, for the six short minutes that I stood on stage, reading my valedictorian speech in the presence of the the two most important people of my life.
[View on youtube]
Minister for Education, Dr Ng Eng Hen
Chairman of LASALLE Foundation
Board Members
President & CEO
teachers and staff
my fellow graduands, family and friends.
Good afternoon.
It is a real honour to be receiving this award and speaking in front of all of you here today. I come from the pioneer batch of students to have graduated from the Puttnam School of Film with a bachelor’s degree. Having worked intensively over the past year with my classmates, I believe every one of the thirteen of us graduating today has lived out the true sense of the word ‘pioneer’. This award is for all of them, for they have come very far to be here today and, along the way, set precedence well for our juniors.
When I first found out about this school, what attracted me the most to its programme is that it is a part of an arts college with students of various other disciplines – all under one roof. Filmmaking is one of the most collaborative art forms and I realised the benefits that such an integrated creative environment would bring. As it turns out, as far as it was logistically feasible, the school held on to its promise and I had the pleasure of practising my craft with my friends of the Acting and Music Technology programmes.
I would like to thank in-particular Mr Herman Van Eyken, the Head of the film school and my mentor. We can only imagine the kind of challenges and difficulties he has had to face in setting up a new programme. I can only say, Herman, sorry we complained so much. It is probably what pioneers do to get things done. In the most trying of situations, you held on to your principles and allowed your students to do what they believed in.
The title of my thesis film is Tanjong Rhu. It deals with a fairly sensitive and definitely controversial subject matter. I am very thankful that the school kept to its mission of nurturing talent and maintaining the integrity of its students’ works, in spite of the many obstacles that came our way over the course making this film. I believe this is what truly sets this film school and College apart from others, and I am very proud to have been a part of it.
On a personal note, this occasion means a lot to me especially because it is the first time I am accepting an award in the presence of the two people who have given me life and made me the person that I am. Papa and Mummy, thank you for your unconditional love, acceptance and support. I hope I have made you proud.
So, we are finally here today. We come from different places, different backgrounds, with passions for different disciplines. But today, we graduate and leave from here together, with a certificate that basically stands for “welcome to the real world”. It is hard to believe all the long afternoons in school, the endless hours brainstorming in group meetings, the rehearsals, the arguments, the politics, and the late nights we spent shooting in the most god-forsaken places you can find on this island – all that wasn’t actually “the real world”. For many of us, this day marks the end of our lives as students and the start of our careers as we brace ourselves for the challenges that “the real world” will bring.
Creating art will be a constant struggle – in Singapore or anywhere for that matter. From looking for sponsors to finding a discerning audience and dealing with the regulators – it has never been easy and probably never will be a breeze. As budding practitioners, we are all pioneers in our own right. The challenges that we have faced in school will continue in the ‘real world’. But they should never stop us from pushing the boundaries – both of our imaginations and of our societies.
On behalf of the graduating class of 2008, I would like to thank our College, our lecturers, our family and our friends for the support and encouragement that they have given us.
Thank you.
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| Monday, August 25th, 2008
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11:30 am - one year on
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| Sunday, August 24th, 2008
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11:35 am - loss
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| Friday, August 22nd, 2008
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12:05 am
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| Tuesday, August 19th, 2008
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4:22 pm - "Valedictorian"
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| Wednesday, August 6th, 2008
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8:34 pm - Hong Kong!
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This was probably the most fruitful trip to a film festival I've ever had. The attendance at the screenings turned out to be better than expected, considering both Lucky 7 and my programme were shown alongside The Dark Knight, The Mummy and Wall-E. The screenings were held at the Broadway Cinematheque, which is also a multiplex in the neighbourhood of Yau Ma Tei. There was a Taiwanese lady who gladly told me she came to the cinema to watch either The Dark Knight or Wall-E, but saw the festival's banner and decided to give my films a try instead. How wonderful!
The audience response both during the dialogue session and after was overwhelming.
Jonathan (right) and Henry (left) are the two festival directors who put together the festival all by themselves! I have no idea how they do it, but between the two of them, they coordinate everything from selection, invitations and tape traffic to venue logistics, publicity and guest hospitality! On top of all that, they also run InD Blue, a short film distribution company representing independent films from the region, and have full-time jobs as film and art reviewers for a local newspaper!
They managed to publicise my screening in a few local publications, including the HK magazine (their version of IS) and a full-page write-up on Singapore independent films in the Milk Magazine:
On top of their wonderful hospitality, I was also hosted by a few friends, including Josh Kim - a Korean filmmaker who also had a film showing at the festival and knows HK very well because he used to work and live there. I also met up with Raymond P, who is leaving Fortissimo Films to join the Toronto International Film Festival. He invited us to his farewell party and I got to know many people from the commercial filmmaking world in HK. I can't wait to go to Pusan next to see all of them again!
After the US and the Maldives, I was super-broke and couldn't afford to shop much. I'm proud to say I've resisted (most of) the temptation of the HK summer sale. heh.
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| Saturday, August 2nd, 2008
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6:31 pm - Indignation 2008: Silence and Aching Hearts
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Note: This is a private event, by invitation only, which will be checked at the door.
Organised by Alex Au
The gay issue is acutely personal, not just to LGBT persons, but also to their parents, siblings, occasionally even their opposite-sex spouses. While in Singapore, there have developed numerous channels of information and communication for LGBT persons, many parents, siblings and spouses continue to feel isolated.
Here is a roundtable for sharing and understanding.
Two filmmakers will discuss, through some footage they have interviewing parents of gay people, how parents react. Then well known psychotherapists Anthony Yeo and Juliana Toh will speak informally about love and acceptance and dealing with social expectations.
Most important of all, participants are invited to share experiences.
Date: Tuesday, 5 August 2008
Time: 7:30 - 9:30 pm
Venue: 72-13
Register for this event
I will be there to share Katong Fugue and a work-in-progress documentary on Dr Khoo Hoon Eng and her sons, whom I visited late last year in the US. Zihan will be there to share Autopsy.
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| Monday, July 28th, 2008
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10:53 pm - Next Stop: Hong Kong!
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The kind people at the InDPanda International Short Film Festival are holding a screening of all of my films (minus Tanjong Rhu) this Thu and Fri at the Broadway Cinematheque in HK.
Click on the above link and look for mini-Sunny and teeny-weeny-Daryl in the collage (Programme J and K) for details.
31 July (Thu) 7:50pm
- LUCKY 7
01 Aug (Fri) 9:50pm
- STRANGER
- THE CHANGI MURALS
- KATONG FUGUE
- BEDOK JETTY
- UN RETRATO DE FAMILIA
- KELUAR BARIS
If you happen to be in HK, or know anyone living there, please help spread the word around k? I'm very scared no one shows up and I'll have to QnA in an empty hall.
Wah.. but my schedule from Tues night when I arrive till the weekend is already packed with appointments - lunch, dinner, supper, post-supper!! And most of them are with people I've never met. It's friend-making time!!
And for the first time ever, I've actually done all my festival prep work in advance! That means the night before and not.. erm.. 2 hours before my plane takes off. Festival prep work includes having my travel documents ready, DVDs burned and packaged, posters and postcards printed nice nice, and knowing what I want to wear for the next few days.
Okay, back to work. Got a deadline to meet before I fly.
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| Sunday, July 27th, 2008
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12:26 am - The Maldives
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I never thought I would enjoy a beach holiday this much. It was a paradise holiday lah! I got all excited only the night before when I googled the Maldives and found pictures of it's capital Malé...
and its airport..
Then I realised I was REALLY going to be in the middle of the Indian Ocean, doing nothing but enjoy the legendary pleasures of the 'sun, sand and sea'.
We were to stay at the brand new Kandooma Resort, 40 minutes by boat from the airport. So the four of us arrived last tuesday night and stayed at a Family Villa, before moving to the Presidential Water Villa on the next morning. Presidential wor.. this was our room..
It was the rainy season and we were really afraid the weather would spoil everything for us. Turns out, there was enough sun for a slight tan and just enough cloud cover to prevent our skins from burning.
We spent most of our days lying on what they called a 'partially submerged hammock', which was suspended over the coral reef. We could spend hours just lying there, looking at the sky and listening to crashing waves. About a hundred metres away was the edge of the reef.
We went snorkeling in the deep sea, boating on a catamaran, kayaking and played a lot of ping pong. heh. One evening, while the sun was setting, there was a storm on the horizon and a rainbow appeared. And apparently there were dolphins dancing at the rainbow's end but I couldn't see cos I wasn't wearing my glasses. Nick couldn't help but blast Mariah from the sound system at them.
And when the tide was low, we could walk on the seabed..
Nick, xd and I went looking for seashells but we couldn't find many we could take back cos most of them were taken up by hermit crabs..
And when the tide was high enough, we went snorkeling under around our villa. I spent more than an hour on the last day underwater, determined to feed the fish leftover bread from dinner the night before. I think I effectively altered the diet of fish in the Indian Ocean cos they were swarming me towards the end and I had no more bread.
Nick was so cute lor.. the soundtrack of the four days comprised mainly of Mariah Carey, Jack Johnson, Mariah Carey, Jason Mraz, Luis Miguel, Luis Miguel, Luis Miguel and Luis Miguel.
To top the whole trip off, we found out upon our departure that we were the first guests to have ever lived in the Presidential Water Villa and they ferried us back to the airport on the Kandooma Gold - the resort's only yacht. Talk about luxury!!
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| Wednesday, July 16th, 2008
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8:52 pm - Water Villa at The Maldives
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I'm on an atoll in the middle of the Indian Ocean! Strictly no phone and no internet over the next 2 days. The only way to reach me is by air or sea!
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