Dear friends, my apologies that this blog has not been updated as regularly as much as I would've wanted to. Too many things happened and as you might not be aware, sitting on the computer nor socialising over overpriced coffee would be the last thing I want to do after 12++ hours of shoot!
If you had followed my previous blog, one of the projects that had occupied me was a tremendously satisfying documentary series called PROJECT NEIGHBOURHOOD. I have always wanted to move away (when possible) from the typical light "info-ed/magazine" programmes that you typically watch on commercial television. PROJECT NEIGHBOURHOOD was what I consider a "real" documentary. This is something I'm moving on to besides television drama series and making films for cinema. The previous documentary I did was MODERN PILGRIMS during the summer of 2010.
In the previous blog, I wrote that I'll be doing 3 episodes. But I ended up completing 4 episodes - Jurong, Serangoon, Tiong Bahru and Bukit Timah. Much thanks to the folks at Oak3 especially Wan, Amalina, Jun, the assortment of APs/researchers, Noli (!!) and Mannix, whom I sensed kinda shared the same visual aesthetics as myself. We used the Panasonic AG-AF102 to shoot this series - a first for me in regards to the camera. It was a satisfying journey for me as this series also touched on heritage and people. Doing documentary is an extension of the "info-ed/magazine" programmes that I have done in the past. We uncovered HEAPS of information that I personally would have loved to be included in the programme. But the network and executive producer :P had other objectives to fulfill. Oh well, it's television and it's ...er, kinda cool as long as I still get to pay my bills ...haha!
Memorable moments
1. Jurong
This episode is something close to me personally due to the fact that I have been staying in Jurong all my life! However the estate still amazes me as there are still "nooks and corners" in Jurong that I have not discovered or heard of but never explored. This may sound cliche but that's the truth. For example, the Thow Kwang pottery at Jalan Bahar and that conversation with battle veteran Col (Ret) Goh Lye Choon who was one of the pioneers instrumental in setting up the training modules for National Service. It was touching to hear stories of the early settlers of the flats in Jurong. I should also add that my family was the first few families to move into Boon Lay and I could relate closely while listening to their stories.
2. Serangoon
I do not live in Serangoon but this episode relates emotionally to me for two reasons - I love Little India and importantly, the fact that Serangoon was one of the location where the Baweans pioneered in Singapore. This episode was filmed a few days after I was graciously handed the prestigious Bawean Teladan 'Model Bawean" 2011 award by the Singapore Bawean Association. It was humbling and just THE story I need to tell the mainstream audience who may not be aware of the contribution of the Baweans in early Singapore. The other main Malay ethnic groups are the Javanese and Bugis.
3. Tiong Bahru
I was a little apprehended when I was task to direct this episode as Tiong Bahru is an estate that I have no connection personally, other than the Art Deco architecture knowledge that I picked up during my previous trip to Brussels. I visited the house of Victor Horta who propelled Art Deco and Art Nouveau in Brussels. I recalled the old parts of Brussels while observing the old streets of Tiong Bahru.
4. Bukit Timah
This episode could be one of the most interesting episode for me personally. We covered Bukit Brown cemetery - a haven of Singapore pioneers, Adam Park - I didn't realise that it was the site of an actual WW2 battle field in Singapore (the other being Pasir Panjang where the Lieutenant Adnan Saidi of the 1st Malay Regiment fell), the famous Bukit Timah Nature Park - do you know that the forest is older than the Amazon and that it has the only other natural park sited in a city other than Rio De Janeiro? Bukit Timah was also where the Railway once ran through and yes, where the British totally gave up on Singapore during WW2. Further, to discover there actually existed a Mr Chew Boon Lay, whom Boon Lay estate was named after, via his tomb felt surreal. Oh, I attended Anglo-Chinese School (when it was still one school at Barker Road) thus I can relate to the theme for this episode.
Enjoy!
If you had followed my previous blog, one of the projects that had occupied me was a tremendously satisfying documentary series called PROJECT NEIGHBOURHOOD. I have always wanted to move away (when possible) from the typical light "info-ed/magazine" programmes that you typically watch on commercial television. PROJECT NEIGHBOURHOOD was what I consider a "real" documentary. This is something I'm moving on to besides television drama series and making films for cinema. The previous documentary I did was MODERN PILGRIMS during the summer of 2010.
In the previous blog, I wrote that I'll be doing 3 episodes. But I ended up completing 4 episodes - Jurong, Serangoon, Tiong Bahru and Bukit Timah. Much thanks to the folks at Oak3 especially Wan, Amalina, Jun, the assortment of APs/researchers, Noli (!!) and Mannix, whom I sensed kinda shared the same visual aesthetics as myself. We used the Panasonic AG-AF102 to shoot this series - a first for me in regards to the camera. It was a satisfying journey for me as this series also touched on heritage and people. Doing documentary is an extension of the "info-ed/magazine" programmes that I have done in the past. We uncovered HEAPS of information that I personally would have loved to be included in the programme. But the network and executive producer :P had other objectives to fulfill. Oh well, it's television and it's ...er, kinda cool as long as I still get to pay my bills ...haha!
Memorable moments
1. Jurong
This episode is something close to me personally due to the fact that I have been staying in Jurong all my life! However the estate still amazes me as there are still "nooks and corners" in Jurong that I have not discovered or heard of but never explored. This may sound cliche but that's the truth. For example, the Thow Kwang pottery at Jalan Bahar and that conversation with battle veteran Col (Ret) Goh Lye Choon who was one of the pioneers instrumental in setting up the training modules for National Service. It was touching to hear stories of the early settlers of the flats in Jurong. I should also add that my family was the first few families to move into Boon Lay and I could relate closely while listening to their stories.
2. Serangoon
I do not live in Serangoon but this episode relates emotionally to me for two reasons - I love Little India and importantly, the fact that Serangoon was one of the location where the Baweans pioneered in Singapore. This episode was filmed a few days after I was graciously handed the prestigious Bawean Teladan 'Model Bawean" 2011 award by the Singapore Bawean Association. It was humbling and just THE story I need to tell the mainstream audience who may not be aware of the contribution of the Baweans in early Singapore. The other main Malay ethnic groups are the Javanese and Bugis.
3. Tiong Bahru
I was a little apprehended when I was task to direct this episode as Tiong Bahru is an estate that I have no connection personally, other than the Art Deco architecture knowledge that I picked up during my previous trip to Brussels. I visited the house of Victor Horta who propelled Art Deco and Art Nouveau in Brussels. I recalled the old parts of Brussels while observing the old streets of Tiong Bahru.
4. Bukit Timah
This episode could be one of the most interesting episode for me personally. We covered Bukit Brown cemetery - a haven of Singapore pioneers, Adam Park - I didn't realise that it was the site of an actual WW2 battle field in Singapore (the other being Pasir Panjang where the Lieutenant Adnan Saidi of the 1st Malay Regiment fell), the famous Bukit Timah Nature Park - do you know that the forest is older than the Amazon and that it has the only other natural park sited in a city other than Rio De Janeiro? Bukit Timah was also where the Railway once ran through and yes, where the British totally gave up on Singapore during WW2. Further, to discover there actually existed a Mr Chew Boon Lay, whom Boon Lay estate was named after, via his tomb felt surreal. Oh, I attended Anglo-Chinese School (when it was still one school at Barker Road) thus I can relate to the theme for this episode.
Enjoy!
No comments:
Post a Comment