Launched in conjunction with the UNESCO World AV Day, this short clip is one in a series of videos produced by the Asian Film Archive that hopes to raise consciousness on the urgency of saving our creative works and film heritage: http://www.youtube.com/asianfilmarchive.
The Archive's Annual Report 2008 is made available for public perusal and shares the efforts and committment of the Archive's donors and partners to making AFA a great home for Asian films. We welcome any feedback that you may have: http://www.asianfilmarchive.org
Mon 2 November , 8pm The Substation Theatre Free admission - donations welcome Main sponsor: KODAK
Launched in 2004, First Take, a free screening of local and international amateur works now happening every first Monday of the month, is a platform for new filmmakers and anyone who is interested in film-making to meet, exchange ideas and show their works. Plus a Q&A session with the filmmakers – submissions are welcome all year round! 1. CASHLESS/ DEREK AND MELINDA TAN/ 34 MIN/ 2009/ PG 2. SELF PORTRAIT/ ER KIA HUI/ 6 MIN/ 2007 3. THE TRIUMPH/ TING SZU KIONG/ 7 MIN/ 2009 4. BRIGHT/ ALEXA CARAVIA/ 10 MIN/ 2009 5. MANU SAVES THE DAY/ SHAWN LEE MILLER/ 9 MIN/ 2009/ PG
The Asian Film Archive held a gathering session where filmmakers and people who want to get to know filmmakers can get together. The shot above is a cosmically nice shot because everything falls into place. You got Tee Pao, the AFA newbie capturing the event on camera, you've got Bee Thiam, the originator right in the middle. You got Jason Lai, an seasoned figure finishing off a conversation and you've got Ken Ochiai, an Asian film enthusiast (researcher?) in the background in observation.
Fly By Night is here again. If you are a new filmmaking enthusiast, this is your chance to put yourself to the test against 40 over teams. If you are seasoned filmmaker, this is your chance to make that frivolous or utterly indulgent film you always wanted to do and not get labelled for anything! If you don't know what is Fly By Night, here is a write up from the Fly By Night website:
Bringing together a sizable group of enthusiasts, the objective is to "make the video you have always wanted to make in a weekend". You have one weekend to conceptualise and make your 5-minute video with your 4 friends. All entries are submitted on Sunday afternoon and they screen at the same afternoon.
There is no top prize for this. But there are 10 JUDGES' CHOICE AWARDS. Basically, 10 films will receive cash prizes of $300 each. The Judges' Choice Awards, announced 'live' on the Sunday evening, are given to the most interesting works made within the limited time and budget. These films will be screened at various venues after the Fly By Night event.
Last year's theme was 'X'. What's this year? Be there to find out!
On a normal stage, like in the drama theatres, there is a need for actors to amplify every line in order to get the message across. Lines are performed. As a result, everything is larger than life. When you transport that wholesale into film, the audience may get a little indigestion. But somehow, the Blue Mansion cooked up a very palatable meal.
The camera, mounted on a crane, glides before a majestic looking Peranakan house, painted in blue and decorated with gold carvings. Its location (actually shot in Penang) is unidentifiable, which lends a sense of mystery to the place. Inside it Wee Bak Chuan, the tycoon, is lying unconscious on the floor, with a golden pineapple lying next to him. It made me sit up to brace myself for the drama that evidently wastes no time in unfolding for the audience. Like a theatre production, characters and plot elements are introduced, or rather they enter the screens with an accent, thanks to Glen’s theatrical background and crisp editing as well. The sure-footed acting from the seasoned cast probably also helped carry this off.
Bak Chuan actually wakes up to discover his family arranging a funeral for him. I told myself – bear with the predictable dramatically-ironic humour that’s about to come. What horrified me more was how Mr Wee actually has lines interjected between the ‘living’ characters, nicely timed in, as if you can see the script as the movie unfolds. Bit by bit, family members start turning up and what a motley bunch it is, ringing the bell on a few theatre productions I have watched before. The wealthy Peranakan family power-struggles have indeed been overly dramatized in Singapore. If you are frequent theatre goer, you might remember ‘Haunted’ the musical where Jacintha Abishinegaden played a ghost in a mansion sort of setting. Or perhaps Singapore Repertory Theatre’s ‘A Twist of Fate’ that featured a murder, rivalrous siblings and an inspector (all were present in The Blue Mansion too).
With so much prejudice going against it in my head, the film's sure-footed poise and wit really got me off-guard several times in varied states, sometimes amused, sometimes surprised and all the time, entertained. I will add one more – spooked. That ‘Emma Yong bit’ was quite chilling in fact and for its few minutes, it spooked me more than Blood Ties’ 2 hours of gore.
You can bet on the seasoned hands of Glen Goei and his team to come up with a script tighter than Tan Kheng Hua’s brasserie in the film. Somehow, the jokes and drama, like alcohol, tingle your senses and twirl your consciousness so that you don’t even notice the workings of the plot. But the fact is (on hindsight), everything fits in and builds up perfectly. Every family squabble is instrumental in enhancing this game of CLUEDO, leading intentionally to wrong guesses and false alarms. But of course, there were really ‘sideshow’ moments where certain actors were used like extra cherries on the cake. Sebastian Tan’s Broadway Beng has a hand in the ‘Hell Paper-Property business’ as well, supplying garish paper house offerings. Long-lost faces Deborah Png and Wendy Kwei join the more familiar Pam Oei and Karen Tan in a spurt of ‘bimbo-tic’ nothings that still drew laughs. What’s with the uniform big hair?
While I sat through hits and misses on the humour and complacently anticipated a yawnful revelation to who murdered Wee Bak Chuan, I must say I was outsmarted. While the film has been mostly engaging me with antics, jokes and mind games, it turned key to present a moral message as well, in a rather haunting way. So while I smirked at the forgettable quality of some of the earlier scenes, this left a deep impression in me. While many horror movies spook me with ghosts unrelated and unfamiliar to myself, this one awakened ghosts already residing in my head. And it’s not even a horror movie!
I guess it clearly didn’t want to be. Wee Bak Chuan had a sort of happy ending in the end and so did I because I witnessed a ‘milestone’ (quoting John Lui from the Straits Times) film.
Timothy J. Alvin shares about his first film experience after graduating from Republic Polytechnic's Diploma In New Media(School of Technology for the Arts).He also shares his experience on his recent work "The Release" in this interview.
Q: When did the idea of "The Release" came about? A: A year back, when I was filming "Ricebowl", one of the lead actors, veteran SBC actor Allend Lim, shared a story about someone whom he knows personally. This person deserted his mum, and because of this incident, the story of him deserting his mum actually made headlines in the Newspapers. As "Ricebowl" explores the tension-filled relationship between father and son, I felt that it was a very interesting idea to explore the tension-filled relationship between mother and son on screen.
Q: What message would you like to bring across to the audience through "The Release"? A: I would like to highlight the importance of treasuring the people you love, especially close ones. When you choose to let go of your loved ones, do not expect them to return. I felt that on screen family dramas in Singapore are pretty common nowadays, but I feel that stuff like character emotions are not explored deep enough. I would like the audience to feel what the characters are feeling, thus, they would be able to get the message that I would like to bring across easily. Q: How is your relationship like while working with the cast? A: It was very different. This is one of my first few times working with a really strong cast. Since most of the dialogue done in Hokkien, which was the first on screen attempt for both Liyun-Jie and Nick, they had alot of opportunities to imporvise while speaking in Hokkien. This is also Liyun-jie and Priscillia's first independent production, thus, they had more opportunities to go real deep into their characters.
Q: I heard that you are currently making plans to market this film overseas. Is that true? A: Definately, I hope to send this film to as many festivals as possible. The reason is because this film speaks a universal language, family relationship, thus anyone and everyone could relate to it regardless of nationality. But for now, my goals is to market it to festivals regional countries. Q: What are your plans after The Release? A: I am planning to do a romantic comedy, titled "One Love Two Many".
Q: If you could show a film to someone (anyone) right now, who will you show it to? A: Hmmm... Just anyone, anyone who is willing to hear me out through the film.
Q: Lastly, was it a fun journey? Though I heard it was tough to complete this film. A: It was very fun, very memorable and I am very thankful to all my crew, my producers, my parents and my friends who have given their support throughout this period. I hope to be able to inspire all the aspiring film makers too.
Darren:Thanks for the interview,I wish you all the best in the upcoming projects,and hope to see your works in near future.
The cast(Li Liyun,Nick Shen and Priscillia Chan) of The Released had shared with me their working experience with Timothy J. Alvin in his latest Work "The Release".
Note:
Nick is represented with N.
Liyun is represented with L.
Priscillia is represented with P.
Q: Could you tell us briefly on the character that you portrayed? Also, what was your experience like portraying this role?
N: The character that I portrayed goes by the name Ah Hao. Ah Hao is a young man who was left semi paralyzed after an unfortunate traffic accident. Because of this accident, he also lost his dad and his mum (played by veteran actress Lin Liyun) was left blind. Although he has to take care of his blind mother, he bears a lot of pent up resentment against her as he thought that it was her who caused this unfortunate accident. This is based on a true story and I was fascinated by this character that I have to portray.
I was very excited when I was offered this opportunity to play Ah Hao. Firstly, it is because the lines would mainly be in Hokkien, and because I am a Teochew, I enjoyed the linguistic challenge of portraying a character speaking in a new language. Next, I also enjoyed the challenge of portraying a semi-paralyzed person. A semi-paralyzed person is someone who still could perform simple daily functions despite some physical limitations. Because of that, I had to be extremely precise on the way I walk, talk, think and feel. I even made a trip down with the director and one of the producers to a handicap school to understand the difficulties these people have to undergo daily.
Liyun jie and I also did another mother-son relationship performance in En Bloc. However, the experience in this film was definitely different given the fact that both of us have to portray a characters who have physical limitations, as well as the fact that both of us have to perform in an entirely new language on screen.
Overall, I enjoyed the challenge that was presented to my for this film.
L: I played a wheel chair bound cum visually impaired mother. She was in that state due to a traffic accident. Because of the accident, her son was blind, and thus she donated her pair of eyes to him with the hopes of him taking care of her when she gets older. She is a very traditional mother who leads a life filled with misery.
P: The person, Hui Juan, is a rich man's daughter. She is not a bad person, she is just subconsiously being programmed to be pampered. She has never lived a life which is not picture perfect. She has never tasted what it feels like to miserable. But when she was asked to live with her soon-to-be in-law, she had a culture shock. Try as she could, she simply could not adjust to her life living in a lesser well to do household, thus she vented her frustrations on her fiance.
Q: What was your experience like working with Timothy?
N: Timothy is a very talented young man. Not only he is able to capture the esssence of the actor, he is also able to direct the cameraman. He has this special trademark of his which was doing one long take from the beginning to the end. He is also a very down to earth person, thus making the whole filming process enjoyable for both the cast and crew.
P: I was excited. Timothy, although being very young, has a natural flair to engage the actors in getting deep into characters and emotions. He is a very talented director despite his age, and I truly feel that there should be more support from the public as well as the government for people engaging in entertainment and arts. I wish him well in his future projects.
L: Timothy is a very young and ambitious person. He has his own ideas and principles which I strongly admire. I love to work with young people as they give me the energy and the drive to be better, and at the same time, I could share my experiences with them. However, I still feel that that many of them tend to rush things and venture without taking considerable calculation.
Q:What are your future plans after completing your first Independent short film?
L: Well, to be honest, I do not have any plans. My goal is to constantly try out new things, be it short films, theatre or even commercial series to find ways to improve my acting skills.
N: I just renewed my contract with Mediacorp. Acting is my passion, and I am willing to explore different forms of acting, be it, commercial dramas, films, stage plays or even Teochew opera. This is definitely important. I feel that in terms of acting, one should continuously learn and unlearn. The more experience you are in acting, the more you have to unlearn and relearn. This is because, I realized that actors tend to get stuck in a similar technique in acting if he/she is used to it. That is dangerous. To be a versatile actor, one should break out of his/her comfort zone and engage in something entirely different every now and then.
P: I would definitely want to have more opportunities to work in independent productions. I would also like to attempt Arts Central productions, as well as other productions which gives me more opportunities to explore "space" for my characters.
-The Release will be release REAL SOON!(Keep a Lookout for it!)
This lovely piece of photoart is created by Li, one of our bloggers.
LUNCHBOXis the beginning of a long journey to know our local filmmakers like people and not just filmmakers. I believe, and I did hear it from somewhere else too, that before making films, we, as filmmakers, must also live life. So SINdie wants to get into bed with them, know when they had their first kiss or maybe even what their parents think.
Cross-dressing started at an early age for Yew Kwang
Monday 29 June
7.30 pm Elfe, Li and I were sitting in Dome Café wondering the Mac could record sound, if our ‘Lunchbox’ could be more presentable, if we would be chased out for taking photos with Li’s big camera.
Then he walks in the preppy looking ‘ter-qua’ red (liver red) vest making me wonder if he thinks this is a formal interview. Here he comes….
Who inspires you in your life? My fatheris the first one by bringing me to watch movies. Cos he has his own intention by bringing me to the cinema. I’m the quiet type. I would definitely not make noise, won't make it difficult for him and he does not need to bring me elsewhere, where he needs to spend a lot of time. Cinema is the best as he needs to rest. The best activity to kill time is this manner. From there on, I became interested in watching movies. Along the way, people gave me advice, people who inspires me.
What inspires you to be a film maker? Middle of 1998, where I am trying to make a decision on whether to continue as a writer or to take up a film course and try other things. So after watching this movie, then I took up the course with Ngee Ann and Kelvin Tong inspires me quite a lot. It’s like someone who I look up to, not only because he is creative. He is also able to take care of the business side of things, which I am really bad at. Whenever I see him talk to producers, I am quite impressed. Another person is Mr. Man Shu Sum. He used to be the director of MDA and he was head of channel U. Formerly. He keeps tekan me, keep asking me to redo, redo, but he has his own stand. He always asks me to redo something one, but he will put it nicely. End of the day, he will say “do you know why I am asking you to redo? Because I know you can do it". His very smart, whenever he says me, he forces me to improve things and his very funny. When he gives me a lot of opportunities. One thing good about Mr. Man is that, he will give chances to new comers, but you will really have to work very hard. (So he so called trained you a lot la) but now I think of it, it’s like army la, when you are going through it, its shit ah. But when you are out of it, you think back, of course you won't want to go through it again ah.
How old are you? I’m 34
What’s the funniest rumor/remark about you? When I was in Primary Six when we were about to leave after PSLE, a friend of mine wrote something on a piece of paper of a clown/joker that says Class Clown. But I don’t find myself funny at that time. I seldom talk.
Do you think you’re a funny person because your films are funny? Maybe at times not 24/7. I take a longer time to open up to new people. Only those who are close to me knows the real me. Otherwise, I’m just like that.
What is the one other thing you must do during your rest time besides filming? I will not think of work when I watch 2 kinds of programmers. Even though I watch dramas I do think of work. But when I watch Taiwanese/Hong Kong/Japanese variety shows I don’t think of work. The other one would be soccer. I’m a soccer fan. I love watching soccer matches.
Would you ever do a film about soccer? Unless I can find something interesting/different.
Now you’re a film-maker, is there anything else in your mind that you want to complete? I hope when I’m old I can actually be an author. Write a book somewhere in an isolated place and have someone send food over. I’ll still go out like Parkway Parade, meet up with friends.
What kind of books? Probably about myself through things like I’m interested in like jogging/soccer. I don’t know if there’s such a book. Will write it in Chinese. I’m more comfortable in Chinese.I enjoy writing ever since primary school especially composition.
Elfe, posing difficult questions while Jeremy is looking difficult
What is your greatest fear in life? Actually on and off I do have this fear of my parents falling sick. I’m just afraid I’m unable to take care of them My dad is 67 and my mom is 59. That’s my only worry. I’m also worried that I might run out of ideas of what to write/shoot.
Confronting fears takes time
Does that happen to you sometimes? Right now not really because I work for the TV industry and we’re force to come up with an idea even though it is crap. It’s better to type the first draft
Tea leaves and memories...
What were the best childhood memories and which memory is a product of who you are now? When I was a kid, I wasn’t 100% introvert though I kept to myself a lot. I had only one close friend who was my neighbor and we were of the same age. My dad would bring me along to watch movies at Shaw Brothers and because of those movies I wanted to be an actor. I didn’t know there was such a thing as a director. For me it was all about actors. I was really inspired to be an actor. There were some memorable moments that I would love to shoot on film. One of the scene which I would love to shoot – sometimes our parents didn’t allow us to leave the house to play so my neighbor and I would communicate through the rubbish chute. We could stuck our heads in and talk to each other. My neighbor moved to a new neighborhood and we lost contact. Only in 2005 we got in contact again.
We were staying at Marine Parade, three room flat. It was quite spacious. When I was in primary five, my neighbor moved and I was forced to make new friends/talk to people when I was in primary six. My neighbor was called Boy Boy and he called me Kong Kong. When Boy Boy left am force to make new friends. That’s when I made a new group of friends who started this act in school where we volunteered to perform on stage for Teacher’s Day/Children’s Day. We had the same interest to perform. Whenever we meet up for gatherings we always mention about it – it’s called ji Kong. We would love to do that play again if we can now – something about the old, modern/current and future ji Kong coming together and creating mishaps. That’s when I became more outgoing. Q: What is the darkest moment in your life? I remember there were a lot of missing children here and there. But the most famous one was, the brothers. That time there were many cases. There was once where, I was actually. I went to the market with my parents, but I actually decided to go alone, then that was when I met this, Indian lady. If I could film this scene, it is also good la. This Indian lady at the void deck, then there are a lot of empty glasses lying around, not sure whether she was drinking, and she as holding on to one, and she was asking me to come over and I just walked past her. And I just act blur. And I just said, oh the time now is what, nine plus. And she said, why don't you come over? Then I did something. I, actually my parents are not near, but I just pretend, they were nearby, looking somewhere, then she ask me, oh your parents in there ah? Okay never mind. So I am not sure if I go over what would happen ah. Maybe she just wants me to sit, I don't know. Or she just wants to talk to me cause she is lonely and.
Would you starve for the sake of art? Starve ah? I don't think so leh. Starve as in not really starve la, because I have some family expenses to contribute. If only I out of debt ah. If there is something that I am pursing which is quite, then it’s okay. Save at cheaper food or wear.
Do you have any side kick or buddies to help you?I have a long term producer, (Chee Nien) that’s the good thing about going to film school. You get to know friends that are like minded friends, where probably where you would end up working with them closely. Chee Nien is one of them ah. He made quite a bit of sacrifice overall. Cause he is the director also. When we graduated, I actually need a producer for one project, so I got him in. and its like, since when have you been doing the producer role? We have been working since Ngee Ann days. But its quite fun. During poly days, he was my actor, I have done a couple of short films with him and he had to do a lot of sacrifices one. Shave his head in front of the camera, then, I hope he will stay ah.
What has been the most memorable thing that happened since you started filmmaking? There are moments here and there la but I have to say there is one interesting moment; it was when we were filming The Call Home. There was one scene, whereby the lead actor, Karsi, where there is a scene where he has to walk into the crowd of foreign workers and they are watching a big screen cinema in little India. So I remember it was like, we were saying how to shoot this scene, they will definitely turn around and look at the camera, and we were like going out of 'cans already' , and we went as early as five o'clock to set up, so as to wait for the right moment. Just to hope that we can have this one pic where nobody will look back and look at the camera and we only have one take, because, that one take was almost perfect.
We set up everything, and when it was time to shot right, we just rolled it, Karsi actually walks into the crowd, and I don't know why, at that moment, the film that they are watching is very important, none of them turn back to look at the camera. They were suppose to because there were lights everywhere, cameras, and the cameras were very big, and, those behind us were watching us, those in front were watching the movies. They are engage in the movie and when Karsi walks in, some turn around to look at him. Subsequently when we say cut, it rains heavily. We thought this kind of moment, only happen in movies, but it happened in real life, so we quickly pack up, we were soaked but we were really happy. Everything was so right, and then we walked out in the rain, things like that, but we have to protect the camera first la.
'My fingers can do plenty of things.'
So we will always remember that. It’s like only when you are in this business that you will have moments like that la. But, it’s like moments when we die, we will remember. That is the most worrying scene, we can't screw up. We actually thought of dropping that scene if we actually can't get it right la. When we were in little India, we were quite naive, trying to shot him walking on the streets, they (foreign workers) will actually stare straight into the camera and one big gang of them, they will look directly. So we don't know how to handle that scene. So we actually ask the Indian friends to come on set to tell them to not look at the camera. We really get them organized. So ask them to actually help us instead. Like action, we will ask A group to walk and don't look at the camera, and when you are done, the IC at the other side will ask them to walk back. But they will still look into the camera. Where when they walk here ah, they won't wait for the IC, they will just walk and turn and it is captured into the shot. So after the first day, the crowd scene was not going to work. So somebody tried to walk on the rooftop of the building. The owners allowed us, quite friendly. Even then we do it quite quietly, if not they will yaw....
So is there a possibility of you doing something controversial movie, what would it be? It’s not for me. Its not that I am trying to avoid, but when I think of stories, there are a bit kooky but it would not be a political or sex show. I did not try to avoid. Maybe I am just not into it. I did one, but not that controversial. But one of the most sexual films, to date, where Chee Nien is the actor, my producer, that was in school, where we were allowed to experiment.
So we were experimenting, we had a story, where we had a scene involve in the mannequin, when we were in Ngee Ann. so Chee Nien has a thing for the mannequin. So he brought it home, he has to shave his head, and drill a hole in the mannequin. So it has a vagina, so he can stick his hair into the pubic areas, not very disturbing, but it was quite funny. It was my idea, just wanted to make something really funny, something cheap and it happened to have this mannequin in Ngee Ann and quite good looking. One of the chio bu among the mannequin end of the day he destroyed the mannequin, he was a crazy guy la.
Han Yew Kwang Essential Facts
Jim Carrey has a obsession with the number 23 in the movie, what’s yours? Probably bra. I always think bra is a very good tool for story telling. My characters are weird but not in a weirdo way. funny wear. I thought of. Bra is something that you want to, for ladies, close to them, and yet it can be something that can be removed. Can, where this girl/ guy whose close to the girl. The best thing that you can have is a bra. Because I look back at... a dress or a necklace or a spec or bracelet. But nothing special. But when the idea of the bra came out, the entire scene came out. It was auto pilot. So it was a wonderful tool. We will shoot something in September.
Yew Kwang holding up Li's masterpiece for the farewell shot!
Singapore's Funniest Home Video (not sure where to get!)
Incidentally, there is a feature on him on Life in Straits Times as he has just received the NAC Young Artists Award together with fellow filmmakers Boo Junfeng, Anthony Chen and Ho Tzu Nyen.
Then he walks in the preppy looking 
Another person is Mr. 
We were staying at Marine Parade, three room flat. It was quite spacious. When I was in primary five, my neighbor moved and I was forced to make new friends/talk to people when I was in primary six. My neighbor was called 
I have a long term producer, (
There was one scene, whereby the lead actor, Karsi, where there is a scene where he has to walk into the crowd of foreign workers and they are watching a big screen cinema in little India. So I remember it was like, we were saying how to shoot this scene, they will definitely turn around and look at the camera, and we were like going out of 'cans already' , and we went as early as five o'clock to set up, so as to wait for the right moment. Just to hope that we can have this one pic where nobody will look back and look at the camera and we only have one take, because, that one take was almost perfect.
