Yes! I've officially graduated from the ADFP program at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Time to hunt for freelance writing and directing jobs.

Should anyone needs a Freelance Film/Video Director or Screenwriter/Scriptwriter/Copywriter. Feel free to contact me at +6597879165 for a meet up. I'll be more than happy to present my showreel.

I'm back.....after a long while...

Yes, i'm finally back to my blog after many months.

Finally, i've finished filming my thesis film, "Violin & Tea".

I feel like taking a good long break but it seems like there are many things to be done.

And yes, i finally finished the dvd cover design for "regrets" and sent out our first copy to Clermon-Ferrand Short Film Festival in France. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!



Now i need to get my lazy ass moving to do up more publicity materials for both "regrets" and "Violin & Tea".

Casting call for final thesis film (35mm) - "Violin & Tea"

Looking for the following casts on an upcoming short film (35mm) production, entitled "Violin & Tea".

As it's a student production from ADFP (Ngee Ann Polytechnic), salary would be minimal and dependent on role played in the film. Transport and meals would be covered :).

Casts:

1. Angela, 20 yrs
- Sophisticated and classy
- Intelligent young lady with unsettled issues
- Talented violinist in the making

2. Joe, 28 yrs
- 28 year old accountant turned 7-11 employee
- Sensitive Gentleman living in a world where he is torn by life's choices

3. Angela, 10 yrs
- Robbed of innocence by the loss of a father figure

4. Joe, 18 yrs
- Helpful teenager with a pure and sincere heart

5. Angela’s father, late 40s
- Humble and talented violinist.

6. Joe’s father, late 60’s
- Compulsive gambler with little conscience

7. Old man selling tissue
- Strong at heart, refuses to let his disability hold him back.

For interested parties, pls email resume and photographs to either

producer: magtanpl@yahoo.com.sg or director: dunbine@yahoo.com

regrets website is up and running!

Yes! i've just completed a small website dedicated to my short film - "regrets".

Here's the addy:

http://derek_wee.sitesled.com/regrets/Home.html">

Hope you guys like it : )

Basic understading to Method Acting

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Method_acting

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Strasberg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislavski_System

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konstantin_Stanislavski

2nd Year ADFP - Thesis Film

Time really flies by...two months at work and it's time for school again.

Time for THESIS FILM! yay!

Oh i found a precious book on acting and directing with radio transcipts on the sessions conducted by Lee Strasberg! A gem found at Kinokuniya. Time to brush up before filming begins...

Stanislavski Quotes

* "Every action a little of psychology. A little psychology is everything physical."

* "Take nothing for granted. Think of your own experiences and use them truthfully."

Some links to Stanislavski's teachings:

http://www.kryingsky.com/Stan/Biography/bot.html

http://method.vtheatre.net/stanislavsky.html

Motivation for Character Movement

There's always a reason behind every action, and motivation behind any movement...

1. Initiative to do small actions for subsequent movement
* excitement * interest * curiosity
2. Space: control -> territory (threat/invasion of personal space).
3. Discomfort: hide.
4. Personal: confidential -> away/close.
5. Private: withdrawal/rejection/own world.

Stopping (for beat transition) - emphasis on a moment:
- ending and stopping movement grab attention. it could be for the actor to ponder/think or a after-thought.
- stopping to shift gears -> change of emotions.
- justify the actions and motivations for movement.

More small notes to directing

Week 9

2 ways of blocking actors:
* blocking actors to camera.
* blocking camera to actors' movements.

- be more demanding and explore how much deeper actors can go in rehearsals.
- get actors to work on bigger probs in rehearsal and not worry much about the smaller probs.

- "what does the actor want from the other actors?" and "how does the actor achieves it?"

- character actor is an actor who normally gets into the role of the character they are playing -> transforming themselves.
- lead actor is an actor who normally plays himself on set.
- make sure give 1st and last positions during rehearsals.
- learn to make things in depth -> foreground/background.
- use more verbs to help the actors understand better.
- reflect on the actors' experiences to anchor themselves to the scene.
- taste/hearing/visuals -> work on all the senses.
- try to rehearse with costumes to make the actors to be more 'absorbed' into the story.
- be more specific in terms of time/place.
- inject a little good in bad character even if there's no good ending... -> to keep audiences going on in the film.

Passion for Directing

After thoughts of "Regrets"

Just had some nice after thoughts for "Regrets". I felt i had more fun in directing for this project than the last albeit the constant shitty production problems.

Somehow i find myself more connected to the story and casts involved. And i feel that i've matured in terms of learning the craft in telling a story as a director.





Meanwhile my pal Byron has posted some "behind the scenes" pics he had taken while on set.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/voux/sets/72057594050832378/


Wrap photo...actually not really wrapped...still got to rushed to next and last location at the Church to film Brian's last scene.

Studio Project One Critique

Week 5

Here are the compiled comments from Kym:

- allow actors to express more. try to let actors talk more about the roles they're playing.
- find out how actors feel emotionally for the scenes.
- stand-ins not as good as having actual cast during rehearsal with any real cast in a particular scene.
- better to let actors read the script first and then find out how much they feel and understand the characters that they are playing.
- try not to make characters' emphasis too much in certain words -> better to leave it to the actors to feel for the scene.
- always ask them what the actors think and feel about a particular line/scene to gain feedbacks and instill a sense of pro-activeness in the roles that they play.
- read through the pages with the actors.
- walk through the actors on the scene.
* let the actors do what they feel is natural -> 1st & last
points.
* Chereograph actors what they do and where to move with
respects to the camera setups (block to camera).
- emotional recall or the mood within the script context to help the actors achieve the needed emotions for any beat changes or key moments.
- let the actors act over the top and then to suppress it down if it's too much -> depends very much on logic of the characters and scenes involved within context.
- good to give notes and feedbacks to the actors.
- work on bigger changes (especially the performances) and naturally the smaller problems will be corrected.
- "What do you think you want from the other party?" -> objectives of the characters.
- relationships between the characters + the environment, especially e.g. a quarrelling scene -> be aware of the place (environment) which the scene is staged -> realistic sense.
- actors are not trying to affect each other -> ellicit feelings and behaviours mutually.
- can't see Yap and Joanne having the notion of having Billy -> lack of emotional risks...
- setup the journey of the characters and to experience/express the highs and lows of it.
- the couch not appropriate for the intense cafe scene. too comfortable for both the characters.
- can't see Joanne's background of having done therapy previously.
- actual costumes can help the actors get themselves more into their respective characters.

Week 4 small notes

- if a performance is too flat -> lack of logic and motivation.
- for every scene, do we believe/convinced of the character's scene objectives/motivations to gauge the level of performance in it.
- get the character to vocalise things (subtexts) in their head -> a combination of subtext + interior monologue.
- evaluation -> give the actor 3 things to think about.
- silence in the script means nothing while pause is often for the actor to think internally.

Good exercise:
- learn to act a scene without dialogues, by saying out aloud with interior monologues and without the monologues but just the actual acting. Observe the difference...

- to feel with eyes close on the scene and then act it out -> effective memory.

Activity & Intention -> more natural when the actor is talking with some activity going on at the same time.

Grammar Edit 2

Week 4

Screen position edit:
- focuses or directs the eye to a new position on screen.

Form Edit:
- a transistion from a shot which has a pronounced shape, color, dimension or sound to a shot which has matching.
- generally a cut but can be mixed with sound as a motivation -> usually time with sound to another location e.g. Ridley's BHD rotating fan scene as the transistion to the chopper blades in the next scene.

Concept Edit:
- purely a mental suggestion.
- becos of the 2 shots chosen and the point that the edit is made, it plants a story in your mind.
- covers changes in time, place or story.

Matching Shot:
- generally try to cut matching shots.
- shots which are similar angle, similar lens, at a similar distance from subject have similar depth of field provided they have similar composition and content.

Editing Dialogue:
- never edit out a performer's pauses unless there's a good reason.
- accept them as a guide and use them as a motivation.
- sometimes you can change the complete meaning of a scene.

other notes:
- reaction shots seem more natural during a phrase or sentence than at the end. this is becos of where your eyes scan. Generally we look at the listener during a conversation not only at the end.
- remember the medium is vision and sound.
- must be additive to add something to a shot.
- better to show 2 eyes and more frontal if emotion of reaction is to be shown out.
- Possibly avoid doing an action edit from long shot to a close up.
- avoid composing an actor with lines running across his head for example.
- try not to cut halfway into a zoom or dollie.

Grammar Edit

Week 4

Simple Shot:
A shot containing one or more people or inanimate or animate objects.
- no lens motivation
- no camera movement
- no mounting movement -> no dolly/tracks
- a simple subject
- different shot sizes

Complex Shot:
Can contain one or more people (or things).
- camera movement
- lens movement
- no mounting movement
- a simple subject movement
- any combination of the camera, lens camera movement
- can be pan, tilt, pan & tilt

Developing Shot:
Can have one or more subjects.
- lens movement
- camera movement
- camera mounting movement
- complicated subject movement
- often doesn't need to be edited

Six elements of the edit:
- motivation
- information
- composition
- sound
- camera angle
- continuity
* content (phone right hand; expect next shot to be same)
* movement (directions)
* position (right side first shot; right side second shot)
* sound

Directing small notes 2

Prepping the actor(s)

Questions to pose for the actors...
1. "What do I want?"
2. "What am I giving/getting from the other actor?"

- send actors the synopsis or perhaps the entire script for them to break it down -> esp. narrative beats.
- use active verbs most of the time instead of passive verbs.
- most of the dramatic action in a scene is the actor with the most lines.

Prepping:
1. Beats
2. Action
3. Intention - what's driving the scene?
4. Motivation
5. Objective - what do i want?
6. Logic

For e.g. the intention to grab a beverage in the fridge (intention) needs the motivation for the actor to walk towards the fridge, opens it in order to get the drink (motivation).

Think! "how doi i go about getting what i want?"

Keywords for actors:
* Goal
* Objective
* Desire
* Intention
* Motivation
* Action
* Obstacle
* Logic

- use visual images to stimulate/tickle the senses for an expression/reaction -> e.g. cold vomit...

American Beauty

Found an interesting line of dialogue while watching "American Beauty":

"I'm just an ordinary guy with nothing to lose..." - Lester Burnham

A good quote on how i feel about everything at the moment in this course *sigh

Directing small notes

- acting is very much similar to life.
- directing is very intuitive -> as in how realistic life is.
- treat each individual differently -> especially with regards to the cultural background.

Instructions to actor -> the need to understand externally with respect to understanding physical actions for better and more natural acting! -> promote the understand it mentally.

- break down the actor's prejudice of certain actions which he/she has to perform.

- Generally start to work with biggest problem an actor has -> as in the key problem.

- differentiate the real actor and the character that they are going to play -> "Who am I?"

Ingredients to act

+ define what you and another person (relationship)
+ objective
+ strategy
+ tactics
+ text
+ subtext
+ interior monologue
+ beats
+ evaluation

Character Building & Directing

* Choose objectives.
* Look for the facts.
* Look for behaviour.
* Look at the things he/she talks about.
* Look at emotional events.
* Look for things that the characters want out of life.
* Direct using "as if" or "its like when".
* Status - high/low - annoy and suppress exercise.
* Subtext.

Logic & Motivation

- Set acting parameters for actors.
- use verbs to express actions to motivate the actors to play out any specific scenes.
- Immediate objectives --> motivations to get to the objectives.
- Actors listen complement to each other to play out the actions/dialogues sequentially.
- There are always reasons for every motivational actions.

Questions for actors:
- "if"
- "what do you want in the scene?"
- "What do you want from the other person?"

- External situation can help to bring out the internal feelings. It could very much be environment and costumes to psyche the actor(s) emotional feelings into their characters.

- provide a safe positive atmosphere.
- give first and last positions.
- don't be cast in stone -> give ownership of the actor's performances.
- use action words and other things.
- rehearsal.
- blocking -> continuity -> the close up.
- comfortable and achieveable for the camera.
- comfortable and credible for the actors.

Objective for actors!:
- what do i want?
- action.
- who am i?
- subtext?
- listening.
- beats / key moments.

Acting & Performance

Moving the camera (motivated)
1. Externally - i.e. following a particular character (physically)
2. Internally - i.e. showing the feelings of the character (emotionally) feelings & POV shot

Editing
1. Motivational - cut to action
2. Informational - wide shot to establish location
3. Sound - cut to sound efx
4. Continuity - 180 degrees (line axis) Screen Geography
+ matching eyelines and overlapping shots
+ avoids jump cut -> more than 30 degrees of the same
shot size

OTS is relatively like a weak POV (dirty 2 shot)

Screen Grammar - Week 2 Recap Part 2

Screen Grammar

* Remember to inhabit your storyteller's character while you direct. Shoot and see from his or her point of view. This won't be easy to remember.

* Become aware of who is acting and who is being acted upon at any moment and in any situation.

* Remember that characters are alive when they are seeking to do or get.

* Direct to imply the subtext.

* Make storyboards if you are doubtful about how a sequence will cut together. Draw stick figures if this is the best you can do.

* Remember to shoot generous action overlaps between matching shots when you mean to cut them together.

* Decide when long, comprehensive takes are called for and when a more fragmented style suits the situation being filmed.

* Give your major attention to the actors and after intial consultation for each shot, leave directing the camera to the DP.

* Look carefully for what you may have forgotten before striking any camera position or set.

* Keep all the versions you edit.

* View all your rushes again before you lock down a final cut - there is always an unused gem.

* If you want to place a cut on the beat of music, you must make it three frames ahead of the beat if it's to look right!

* In match cutting on movement, overlap (that is, repeat) the first two or three frames of movement to allow the eye to catch up.

* See how far you can go with discontinuity and still keep your audience. Have showings to find out what you can get away with. What permits the audience to fill in the gaps?

Screen Grammar - Week 2 Recap

Screen Grammar

* Every so often when you have time, make yourself aware of the different aspects of your consciousness and decide what film language would best serve your stream of consciouness.

* What did your consciouness make you do? (Move in, move away, avert your eyes, listen, think, remember...)

* Pretend you are handling a camera in everyday life and line up shots. Determine their aspects and motivations according to the emotional context of an Observer.

* Practice seeing every shot for its connotations, not just denotation.

* Loook for metaphors or symbols in movies and analyse whether they are organic to the situation or imposed.

* Make yourself classify shot juxtaposition by their type, such as illustrative, counterpoint, contradiction, associative, tense-shifting, and etc.

* See how established directors handle the axis, particularly crossing the scene axis. Multiple characters scenes with a number of character or camera moves can get very complicated.

* Practive dividing up scenes in everyday life into their possible axes (subject-to-subject, and observer-to-subject). You may want to unobtrusively scan from different vantage points.

* Make yourself aware of what makes a scene discrete. (Is it defined by time, location, mood, other?)

* Screen language imples a particular intelligence, grappling with events in which it also participates.

* Notice when composition on the screen is being adjusted because of changing internal elements.

* See a feature film and count how many types of scene or time transitions it uses.

* Notice when visual rhythm is inherent to the subject matter or when it is being varied for authorial reasons.

* Notice external compositional relationships (the juxtapositional commentary created by two compositions cut, dissolved, or otherwise associated together).

Artistic Identity Part 1 & 2

Good Stuff!

For any of you guys who aspire to be a director or even thinking of enrolling in ADFP as a directing student...make sure you possess the right mentality of working hard and smart.

Enuff of the bitching...i'll keep it for later posts especially for the producing shit in our narrative project B.

In Artistic Identity Part 1, we learn the following stuff:

1. What to do when we deal with actors?
2. How to entertain our audiences?
3. What authorship essentials require?

And in Artistic Identity Part 2, we learn the following:

1. Questions to help us travel inward and to develop ideas.
2. Problems to avoid in general.
3. Resources to probe.

Semester 2 - Week One recap...

Recap of Week one...

Kym always remind us to find a stake in the presented script so as to develop it into a good film...without a strong interest in it is like shooting something without passion.

Relationship between Actor and Character:
- maintain eye contacts with fellow actors when in front of camera -> focus and to ignore the crew and etc...
- try no to block too much for actors to get maximum attention from the other party.
- Listen and react.
- Relax when acting -> be more free in their characters.

List of Mechanics:

1. Eyelines
2. Eye contacts / Don't blink
3. Movement (with size of shot)
4. Marks
5. Relax and free up (be themselves using the MAGIC word, "if")
6. Listen and reaction
7. Less more -> not over-acting
8. Focus / concentration -> put the actors well into their specific characters.

Slogging like a dog!

Director's Notebook & shitty workload!!!

Damn, i haven't really update my directing notes on this blog. Luckily Kym went through the course outline and checkpoints in class with us last week. Shoot is over but so many outstanding assignments and stuff to be DONE!

1. Studio Exercise - Rehearsal (060206 - Monday)
2. Studio Exercise - Actual (080206 - Wednesday)
3. Asian Cinema Final Essay - (010206)
4. Media Law Assignement 2
5. Media Law Exam - (140206 - Tuesday)
6. Crew on Helmi's set (020206 to 050206 - Thursday to Sunday)
7. Post production for "Regrets" until 220206

Looking at the amount of workload we have, sometimes i wonder if the course management and instructors actually communicate on their respective schedules at the start of the semester.

Oh well, nothing's perfect i guess...

...I'm Back!...

Shoot is Over!

It's been a while since i last posted my opinions and feelings on the film making experience @ Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Yeah, i'm back here again to post my experiences and learnings for the potential directors wannabes out there.

6 weeks of pre-production stress and hardwork...and finally our Narrative B production, "Regrets" is over. For the moment, we are being relieved of production stress but soon our post-production trauma will soon take over...

--- Start of 2nd Semester...Here we go again... ---

Back to school for the 2nd semester. Time really flies when you're basically relaxing and perhaps you can call it professional bumming.

Reaally glad to see Kym back as our Directing lecturer again cos i cant imagine another bloke doing it. And of course not our worst Nightmare...

Had an rather interesting class today as we're taught to help identify our very own artistic identity in our future films as Directors.

Kym used "Crimson Rivers II" starring all-time fav French actor, Jeno Reno as a teaching guide to help us understand the finer details of what's exactly artistic identity.

Good 3 hours attended today. 2 thumbs up for a good day!

Review & Feedbacks for Studio Shoot Exercise

Seems like i performed worst amongst 3 directors : (

Feedbacks from our directing lecturer, Kym:

Actors can't relate to the story and their performance (for me shoot).

Need to sit down and go through with the actors on the story of the scene A (for me shoot).

Remind the actors of what their objectives in the scene (for me shoot).

No need to talk too much to the actors. Be brief and observe (for me shoot).

Break and rehearse sections by sections of beats if the scene is too large/complex.

Try to put actors in a risk situation when necessary -> not to put the actors too much complacency -> letting go their emotional freedom for their roles in that particular scene.

Work more on character movement (for me shoot).

Discuss the circumstances of the scene -> who are the people involved, what's happening in the scene, when as in day or night?, why and where is the locality.

Characters need to evaluate their speech/actions (in their heads) with every conversations in the scene -> so as to give better reactions.

Give notes to all casts even if one actor has performed well to ensure sponeity in the acting -> even with good performance, try to comment something that can enhance their acting for the next take.

Practice 'Cause & Effect' to earn better acting rather than asking an actor to be guilty in terms of expression -> the reaction and expression will not be as authentic as the guilty mood is not emotionally evoked in the characters.

Always introduce entrances and exits for all actors.

Ask questions to make the actors think -> that will help them indulge better in their roles.

Use playable actions to express emotions that can't be really verbal.

Pay attention to props/set designs to enhance the moode/feel.

Climax graph serve to act as a reminder of how the actors perform in that scene with respects to the overall story and how it can gel with their performances in scenes prior to and after.

Be wary when directing casts if they are seated comfortably -> nothing much gonna happen cos they're too relax! Ask, if it is necessary for the actors to seat? Justify it!

Although it's the last directing lesson we had with our lecturer, it is still as refreshing as it was in the first lesson. There are just so much knowledge to learn frm him. Well done Kym if you're reading this thread. You're good! Thanks mate : )

We just have to keep fingers crossed that he will be coaching us for the next semester *fingers crossed!*

Bits of Directing knowledge

Dont overplay music with visuals that can possibly upset the overall rhythmn of the scene/film.

Change of shot doesn't govern rhythmn.

Rhythmn is 'paragraph' that appears in-between beats.

Tempo of rhythmn is essentially rhythmn of the shot.

Establishing shot need not be a wide-shot where screen geography can be easily established mid-way or towards the end of a master shot (pan/dolly/steadicam).

Do's & Dont's after Narrative A project

Just some collective experience and feedbacks earned from our Narrative A projects as a director.


Do's

1. Shoot more cutaways/inserts for more editing options.
2. Perspective/Depth of angles.
3. Transitions (out of/intro).
4. Motivate a moving shot.
5. Work actors in frame.
6. Keep planning in lighting.
7. Keep DOP in line with the story and overall feel of the film.
8. Check sound from the camera direct.
9. Try to do away with too much dialogues by using actions to tell the story instead.
10. Use simple verbs so as to better enable actors to relate to experiences for specific actions (e.g. "as if... or like...").
11. Focus on the character running the scene.


Dont's

1. No flat acting.
2. Compromise on the details within a shot.
3. Shoot in small rooms.
4. Spend too much time on dolly shots when it's not justified for a single shot that does not have much significance/importance in the film.

Ways of directing actors in a scene

Just some notes taken off in a lecture.

Two ways of directing actors in a scene:

1, Get the actors to cheoreograph and set the camera angles with respects to the actions and movement of the actors.
2. Block the actors in the scene with respects to what the director wants to see in the shot.

Basically, the actor with more lines will attract more attention off the audience. A thought to consider in blocking...

Another important factor to take note in framing a shot with actors:

1. Two eyes in a shot -> powerful frontal shot.
2. Four eyes in a shot -> even more impact.

In-Camera Editing

Time flies. Week 13. Two more weeks to end of semester.

As part of our preparations to embark on advanced directing next semester, Kym presents us with the basic knowledge of In-Camera Editing:

Create movement amongst actors in a shot; to move the subjects within the shot with respect to the pace and drama taking place within the frame in any particular scene.

With respect to the above, we must ask ourselves the motivational and logical reasons in moving the camera with respects to the subjects in frame.

In addition, there are 3 key points to remember in making any shot:

1. Logic
2. Justification
3. Motivation

Relationships of Actors

An actor's relationship in a scene is affected by the following factors:

1. Environment
2. Other characters
3. Himself

Learn to identify the relationship conflicts of the actors in a scene to understand the scene better.

Try to put behaviour + actions + thoughts before texts --> will give a reasonably good performance in actors.

Environment can sometimes really enhance the performance of actors in any particular scene.

Dead Man Walking Presentation

We directors each has an individual presentation on a 2-hander scene for Dead Man Walking film.

Something interesting we learnt in class today with regards to the study of Climax Chart:

1. The reflection of the Climax Chart determines the shot sizes where beats/key moments take place.
2. Separate actors' graphs will help to evaluate the intersection of the emotional aspects in the scene.
3. Actors think through a 'Pause', of which is usually to be earned before being used.
4. 'Pause' is a setup with emotional intensity.

Good lesson today despite our ill-prepared presentations.

Ah Hock Done!

Finally, our group has completed the semester project and our very first virgin short film: "48 - Ah Hock"

However, it seems like everything looks ok after the First Cut but the more we look at the Final Cut, the more flaws I find in our short film. I wonder if most directors feel that way to their films, be it a short of a feature length movie...hope i'm not the only one to feel this way.

After having spent more than 10 weeks at the film school at NP, i can't help but reflect on the words of friends who tried to dissuade me from furthering my studies in the course stating that it's a waste of time...

Question is: Did i learn anything in this semester?

In fact i think i did learn things here and there but more so in Film Directing and Film as Art. Technology as Film is so so...Screenwriting & Narrative Analysis are also medicore in teachings. BUT the best is i got to make my short film : )

What i hate most is the way the system is being established in our course. Unrealiable equipement and snail-paced hardware, crazy admin guidelines, ridiculous schedules and deadlines are simply driving us crazy especially to Producers and Directors.

I wonder if there are any serious plannings and considerations when the course come up with the semester schedules. *sigh

Character Analysis

In our Film Directing class today, we learnt the fundamentals in creating characters in a film. Here's 2 insightful equations:

1. Character + Objective --> Actions
2. Objective + Actions --> Character

We watched a short film by Martin Scorsese in his segment of the New York Stories: Life Lesson starring Nick Nolte as an artist. His character is studies as a case study in how the character is being told to the audience via his actions and his objectives.

"The Canteen"

Yes! we have finally finished the filming for Helmi's "The Canteen" short film. In one blink, the entire production finished in 4 days of shoot.

Tomorrow school starts again after a so-called 2 weeks break...

Actually i'm more keen in seeing the outcome for Vince's rough cut of our short film. *keeping fingers crossed

Shoot Over!

Finally our shoot is over. Luckily all things managed to fall into places properly.

Actually i can't wait to view all the rushes and the first cut. According to Vince, the audio is all good and clear which set me at ease.

1 more day to Narrative A shoot!

It's been one hell of a day.

Compiling all the paperwork for the narrative shoot is pretty exhausting. I'm feeling burnt out.

As a matter of fact, i'm feeling a myriad of sentiments within me...i can feel the excitement and adrenaline pulsating through me; i feel frustrated and angry at times; i feel depressed and upset but yet not losing faith at the same time. i'm glad my previous working experience has had help me to pull through many mental obstacles.

Thank goodness for excellent assistance from my DP and Editor in making alot of logistical work come through.

There's just one thing in my mind at the moment - get the shoot done and take other dued assignments, narrative analysis and presentation one at a time.

Thought of the Day!
At the end of the day, i'm not in this ADFP course for grades. I'm here to practice my filmmaking craft and make some short films.

Motto of the Day!
Passion conqueres all...

Actors Actors, where are you all?

Had a entire day outside doing castings, running from Woodlands to Yishun to Tampines to Kembangan and to Orchard.

Not too bad as we more or less found the right cast for Granny and Chloe and Peter.

However, the guy who has agreed to play the role of Lim backs out late in the night. Oh man, i reckon it must becos of money...as we dont have the budget to pay any.

Sometimes it feels shitty to be a student once again. Oh well, that's how life goes on when you're not born with a silver/gold spoon : (

If only i'm half EKhoo, then things would have been soooooooo much smooth sailing. But then as the saying goes, you reap what you sow. Perhaps i was a BAD man in my previous life...KARMA...

Well, BAD people normally won't come to a good ending right? Right. Let's just carry on being nice...for the time being.

Failure of the System!

What does one do when you feel that the System is failing you?
Do you change the System or rather letting the System change you?

Difference in thoughts --> difference in behaviour --> difference in actions --> the establishing of varying norms are set --> ideological behaviour for a set of governmental rules.

To expect and be expected, is it human norm?

What's the special power of a chameleon - the ability to adapt itself to the environment...

What's the ultimate rationale within the conception of migrating?

Issues to ponder over the night.

Adrenaline Rushes & Stress prior Narrative A shoot

It's been a long and stressful week. Locations recced and confirmed, extras confirmed, BUT main casts are still 'missing'...

Things left to be done:

1. Compilation of Director's notes.
2. Casting and confirmation of Hock, Chloe, Granny, Kwan, Peter and Lim.
3. Buying of props.
4. Slight tweaking of final draft.
5. Confirmation of taxi from Comfort Taxi.
6. Rehearsals with actors.

*keeping fingers crossed...

"Sound & Fury" and "Substitute"

Watched two thesis films by the 2003 ADFP batch.

Personally i like "Substitute" better cos of the colors although the red can be too loud at times. However, i prefer the story for "Sound & Fury" especially the ending...

Boot Camp Screening

We had our Boot Camp screening in FMS.

I'm not sure about the other group but i find it more unwatchable the more i watch ours. LOL

Anyway, it's a boot camp shoot - a time for everyone to make mistakes including myself. We can't afford to make major mistakes in our Narrative A and Narrative B.

Move on we shall...May the Force Be With Us!

Contextual Breakdown of a Script

Learnt something interesting in our Screenwriting class today.

6 important elements to take note of when evaluating and understanding a script for contextual analysis:

1. Summarise the story in a sentence.
2. What does the protagonist want?
3. What does the antagonist want?
4. Can you identify the premise & theme(s) in the story?
5. What is your opinion of the story (plots/characters)?
6. What is your opinion of the script?

Importantly, we understand the difference between Premise and Theme.

Premise - a message/statement found in the film.
Theme - what the entire context is about.

E.g. "Simple Plan" where the theme is about Greed and the premise simply is ...crime does not pay.

Crazy Timeline!

Things are really starting to get crazy...it seems like time is never enough, even for sleep less relaxation.

Are we trying hard to learn everything within a short timeframe? Perhaps.

Is it good on us physically and mentally? I hope.

Let's just pray that everyone can pull it off with total best interests - that is to learn the proper arts and crafts of filmmaking in a suitable environment...

Boot Camp Shoots!

2 days shoot for 4 boot camp projects on the 17/06/05 & 18/06/05. Rather ambitious where each shoot has only 4-5 hours of shoot available before the next group takes over...

Mine was rather bad as the rain poured shortly after the commencement of the shoot. Oh well, it's just a boot camp exercise. But i would say it's a good training exercise for everyone especially the Directors and DPs.

Can't wait to see how horrible our student films will turn out! LOL!

4 important steps to a good shot.

4 Steps to a Shot:

• Blocking
• Lighting / Setup
• Rehearsing with Actors
• Filming

Sounds straightforward and easy but not entirely true. Practice makes the routine less difficult... that all.

Boot Camp is just around the corner and i reckon it should be a stressful but fun experience for most of us where we are supposed to be in the specific designated capacities that we all aspire to be in; well at least for me which i'm looking forward to becoming a good and sensible yet creative in my directing efforts.

Week Two! Importance of Screen Craft.

2nd week is over...it was heavy.

Though it was a real busy and hectic week, our attention are rewarded with the acquisition of many filmmaking knowledges. Such newly learnt techniques include in-depth understanding of Film Parameters, Scene Objectives, Super Objectives, importance of Director's Notes as well as understanding and recognising Screen Craft - The Grammar of The Screen.

In addition, there's also a workshop organised by Vijay who taught us on Continuity and the role of the Script Supervisor.

All in all, a fruitful week but also a tiring one.

--- ASPIRATION ---

To maximize personal creative talent, along with a deep passion in filmmaking; so as to produce, direct and consequently deliver well-endowed, story-driven as well as visually enticing films to the collective masses. And to satisfy personal thirst for aesthetic visual productions; I aspire to be a great film director in the short years to come. To bring out the potential Singapore filmmaking spirit to Asia and beyond.

--- PHILOSPHY ---

A film, be it a short, feature or television commercial contains more than just a story. It’s a collaboration of unique, creative and talented individuals to bring a compelling storyline, combined with detailed mise-en-scene and wonderful directions (art as well as directorial) into a finely produced piece of moving art. Be it as a form of marketing tool to sell a product or as a form of self-expression, film is quintessential of all media representations.

Interview questions...

I was prompted with a series of questions relating to FilmMaking prior to the commencement of the course. Here are my answers:

In about 100 words, tell us why you’ve joined this programme.
(you may use the following questions as a starting point)

∑ Why do you to want to be a filmmaker?
Strong passion with very strong interest in movie making.

∑ What are your key influences in life?
A personal urge and desire to do something which I will not regret not doing in my later years as an adult. Taking the initiative to do something which I have strong interests in.

∑ What are some of the films that inspire you and why?
“Amelie”, “Matrix” trilogy, “Love Me If You Dare”, “In The Mood For Love”, “2046” and etc.

∑ What are the types of films that you aspire to work on and why?
Essentially films with unconventional storylines, quirky, and also philosophical subtexts.

∑ Which filmmakers do you admire the most and why?

George Lucas: For all the sacrifices (his wife left him and he took the risks of being bankrupt twice by getting huge loans off the bank), which he made in order to bring his ever wonderful visions of Star Wars Double Trilogy to realities.

Sir Ridley Scott: For all the dramatic and powerful historical war/action movies such as "Gladiator", "BlackHawk Down" and "Kingdom of Heaven", which he enabled the masses to learn history on a whole different note.

Alfred Hitchcock: The father of modern filmmaking…do I need to say more?

Wolfgang Petersen: A veteran director who brought us the powerful WWII drama “Das Boot”, as well as other compelling movies such as “In The Line Of Fire”, Air Force One, “Perfect Storm” and “Troy”.

Wachowski Brothers: The duo that brought us “Matrix” series of excellent works! I love their subtexts about the world and our societies, which we live in general.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet: The wonderful and talented director who brought us “Amelie”, “City of Lost Children” and “A Very Long Engagement”. I like his visual art senses and directions.

Steven Spielberg: For making me understand the true brutality of war in his depiction of the 2nd World War in “Saving Private Ryan” and HBO mini-series “Band of Brothers”.

Akira Kurosawa: A fine Asian filmmaker in his own ways, I love his samurai movies (with morals as subtexts within) - "Throne of Blood", "Sanjuro", "Kagemusha", "Ran", "Yojimbo" & "Seven Samurai".

Wong Kar Wai: A director whom either you love him or hate him. But i love his visual art and music senses albeit his unconventional and obscure concepts. Titles which i enjoy are "Chungking Express", "In the Mood For Love", "2046" & "Happy Together".

∑ What do you think will be the most challenging task in filmmaking?
Personally, there are 3 immediate issues. Firstly, getting the budget to produce the film. Secondly, there’s somewhat a lack of good actors locally and getting the ideal casts for the respective characters for the various roles. Lastly, transforming the story from script to visuals.

∑ What do you expect to be the most rewarding aspect of filmmaking?
As of now, getting a feature film in the theatres and getting recognition from the local moviegoers. And perhaps then working hard to participate in Film Festivals around the world – bring Singapore filmmaking industry to greater heights.

--- Memories Reloaded ---

After 3 years of hesistations, i'm finally in a film school!

No more NATO (No Action Talk Only) for me. Time for me to put actions in place than just having thoughts in the mind - getting my short films done and hopefully to participate in Film Festivals in the region. *keeping fingers crossed* : )

1st Week. 1st lesson for Film Directing lesson. The timetables for all subjects are hectic and busy...reckon that all of us are going to be even busier as more assignments pile in.

There were only 5 students in the entire class. Not bad i would say as the lecturer would have better concentration on a smaller grp as compared to a huge crowd.

Lessons for 1st week were rather 'light'...mainly the discussions of the courses' syllabuses and how the assignments would be assessed through out the semester. As a matter of fact, i enjoy most of the lessons for this semester.

It is through much thought that FilmMaking is essentially about LIFE. Multi-layers of thoughts of how individuals' experiences in life attribute to (a) how a screenwriter writes, (b) how a director connects to the actors in bringing out the essence of the context and (c) how an editor works technically to piece up the entire visual discourse with the director. In short, they are auteurs of their respective field...

Today's Film Directing lesson is good. Concise but interessting. It helps to stimulate our thoughts in generating ideas for potential screenplays.

Sources of inspirations for stories:

1. Memories / Life Experiences of Individuals
2. Newspapers
3. Books
4. Music
5. Dreams
6. Photographs