We're wrapping up our post production work soon. I know, I've been writing about wrapping up for the longest time. I guess fate works in erm... mysterious (and slow) ways?
The long holidays did get in the way, but it's probably for the better, allowing all of us time to catch up on sleep and to see the fireworks! (Yes, Eng Tiong and I are suckers for fireworks.)
And something interesting to share here about our last trip of 2006:
Last November, we're in Taipei, attending the Taiwan International Film & TV Expo.
Of particular interest is the forum on the Taiwanese film industry. With a population of 23 million, the Taiwanese filmmakers think that their market is too small to support their local movies.
And then I look at Singapore with only 4 million people, a mere fraction of theirs. If Taiwanese filmmakers think they are in dire straits, I don't know what to think of ours.
Another event that is extremely helpful is the Promotion Plan. It's a pitching platform for project ideas, be it film, animation or a TV series. Judged by a panel, the winner gets NT$1 million or about US$300,000.
It's helpful for us not in the sense that we got to pitch. We didn't. But we learnt just as much watching and listening to filmmakers pitch.
The scale of their projects are mostly huge, with a wish list of big-name cast who are currently beyond our wildest dreams to get. But here it is, standing within 10 metres from us, these filmmakers are working it. Wow.
But the sad thing is, Singapore talent (especially actors) isn't mentioned in their pitch. There's Taiwanese, Hong Kongers, China Chinese, Koreans, some Japanese and even Americans. To put the little red dot on the media/ filmmaking map is a pretty long and tough road.
One thing we realise - most people don't care what Singapore is, let alone where. Thus who seriously cares about stories coming out of this place? Even Singaporeans don't support local movies. How can we expect foreigners to do so?
And that is one of the major issues that we Singaporean filmmakers have to grapple with.
On one hand, I've heard snide comments from Singaporeans who are sick and tired of films that talk about the Singaporean identity and Singaporean issues. And on the other, there're also Singaporeans who hated films that are supposedly "Singaporean" productions but aren't quite "Singaporean".
Maybe what Christine Pernin, a representative from Unifrance who was on the discussion panel on the Taiwanese film industry, said is true. She said that filmmaking is like fashion. One day a certain fashion look is in, another day it's out. The fashion designers have no way of knowing what will work and what wouldn't for the next season but they keep trying anyway, going with their guts.
I guess in our "uniquely" Singapore setting, where failure is still a stigma, we need alot more guts (and money, of course) to go create our stories. And like all ordinary Singaporeans, I am also very much afraid of failure. I remember when we were little, only a few students would put up their hands to answer the teachers' questions. Only if you're 100% sure would you even raise your hand. The right answer will get you an approving nod and smile from the teachers and admirations (albeit secretly) from fellow students. But a wrong answer earned scowls from teachers and laughters from peers. So if we weren't even sure what is the right answer, we'll never risk putting up our hands for a shot at that 50% chance of success, because all we see is that 50% of failure.
Then why did we make Truth Be Told in the first place? Well, I guess between our fear and our guts, our guts got the better of us.
But being a typical worrier, I tend to concentrate on that 50% chance of possibly being a failure. Thanks to Eng Tiong (a.k.a Mr Sunshine), he has a better suggestion - concentrate on that 50% chance of possibly being a success.
So who cares about Singaporean films? We do! (Cos' if you don't, nobody will.)
May 2007 be a great year for our film industry!
The long holidays did get in the way, but it's probably for the better, allowing all of us time to catch up on sleep and to see the fireworks! (Yes, Eng Tiong and I are suckers for fireworks.)
And something interesting to share here about our last trip of 2006:
Last November, we're in Taipei, attending the Taiwan International Film & TV Expo.
Of particular interest is the forum on the Taiwanese film industry. With a population of 23 million, the Taiwanese filmmakers think that their market is too small to support their local movies.
And then I look at Singapore with only 4 million people, a mere fraction of theirs. If Taiwanese filmmakers think they are in dire straits, I don't know what to think of ours.
Another event that is extremely helpful is the Promotion Plan. It's a pitching platform for project ideas, be it film, animation or a TV series. Judged by a panel, the winner gets NT$1 million or about US$300,000.
It's helpful for us not in the sense that we got to pitch. We didn't. But we learnt just as much watching and listening to filmmakers pitch.
The scale of their projects are mostly huge, with a wish list of big-name cast who are currently beyond our wildest dreams to get. But here it is, standing within 10 metres from us, these filmmakers are working it. Wow.
But the sad thing is, Singapore talent (especially actors) isn't mentioned in their pitch. There's Taiwanese, Hong Kongers, China Chinese, Koreans, some Japanese and even Americans. To put the little red dot on the media/ filmmaking map is a pretty long and tough road.
One thing we realise - most people don't care what Singapore is, let alone where. Thus who seriously cares about stories coming out of this place? Even Singaporeans don't support local movies. How can we expect foreigners to do so?
And that is one of the major issues that we Singaporean filmmakers have to grapple with.
On one hand, I've heard snide comments from Singaporeans who are sick and tired of films that talk about the Singaporean identity and Singaporean issues. And on the other, there're also Singaporeans who hated films that are supposedly "Singaporean" productions but aren't quite "Singaporean".
Maybe what Christine Pernin, a representative from Unifrance who was on the discussion panel on the Taiwanese film industry, said is true. She said that filmmaking is like fashion. One day a certain fashion look is in, another day it's out. The fashion designers have no way of knowing what will work and what wouldn't for the next season but they keep trying anyway, going with their guts.
I guess in our "uniquely" Singapore setting, where failure is still a stigma, we need alot more guts (and money, of course) to go create our stories. And like all ordinary Singaporeans, I am also very much afraid of failure. I remember when we were little, only a few students would put up their hands to answer the teachers' questions. Only if you're 100% sure would you even raise your hand. The right answer will get you an approving nod and smile from the teachers and admirations (albeit secretly) from fellow students. But a wrong answer earned scowls from teachers and laughters from peers. So if we weren't even sure what is the right answer, we'll never risk putting up our hands for a shot at that 50% chance of success, because all we see is that 50% of failure.
Then why did we make Truth Be Told in the first place? Well, I guess between our fear and our guts, our guts got the better of us.
But being a typical worrier, I tend to concentrate on that 50% chance of possibly being a failure. Thanks to Eng Tiong (a.k.a Mr Sunshine), he has a better suggestion - concentrate on that 50% chance of possibly being a success.
So who cares about Singaporean films? We do! (Cos' if you don't, nobody will.)
May 2007 be a great year for our film industry!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
