From commanding a troop of men in green to directing a production crew - is it really that different? We talk to Dom Ow, an army officer turned filmmaker whose feature film Red Numbers we can't wait to see. He tells us how he went from the easiest job to make money to the hardest.
SINdie: How did you become being an army officer before this?
Dom: I was in Officer Cadet School during NS and was offered a scholarship. I felt it was important to get a good education and to get started in a career that would be challenge me in many ways so I accepted the scholarship.
SINdie: What inspired the switch over to explore filmmaking?
Dom: I’ve always wanted to be a filmmaker, and I did in fact major in film (along with Literature) when in university. When I was approaching my mid-30s, I felt like I had accomplished much of what I had set out to do when I joined the armed forces, and if I did not take that big step, inertia would set in and I would be less inclined to switch later.
SINDie: did your ex colleagues/ family/ friends react to your decision?
Dom: Most of my colleagues in the military were quite surprised. My military career was coming along well and I can understand some of their thoughts that I was “throwing it all away”. My family and closer friends, however, always knew that there was a filmmaker in me waiting to come out of the shell. But by and large, whether they agreed with my decision or not, almost everyone who knew me offered their support. I guess there’s a bit in everyone about wishing to follow his dream and pursue his passion.
SINdie: Was there stigma knowing that you'd be seen as a "first time filmmaker" with your debut piece of work? How did you deal with it?
Dom: Everybody who aspires to become a filmmaker dreams of making a feature. A feature film, in many people’s eyes, is still the measure of heaving reached a certain level of expertise and experience. In a sense, you can direct shorts, TV and it won’t be as challenging as making a feature. So to me, there was no stigma about being a “first-time filmmaker”. I wanted, I felt I needed that opportunity to make a feature.
SINdie: Ever regretted the decision, or thought of going back?
Dom: I sometimes joke that I went from the easiest job to make money to the hardest. It is not a slight on people working in the civil service or uniformed services – I think that there are many hardworking people in the public sector. But the fact is my previous job was an iron rice bowl. Still, even from the perspective of financial security, I have no regrets, none at all. Money is important but I believe that if you do what you love, and work hard at it, money will come naturally (perhaps with a little slice of luck like in Red Numbers!).
We at SINdie wish Dom all the best in his filmmaking adventures, and we look forward to seeing Red Numbers!
If you know of any other individuals who have "crossed over" to the world of filmmaking, drop us an email at sindieonly@gmail.com - we'd like to feature these inspiring souls!
2011 has been a bumper year in terms of local movie releases, particularly among the commercial movies where several movies broke the S$1m box office record, including 2359 and Already Famous. That is not forgetting the 2 Chinese New Year Blockbusters - Homecoming and Great Great World. While many new players with the money and entertainment industry backing broke into the scene, the familiar independent names like Royston Tan, Boo Junfeng, Tan Pin Pin, Sun Koh took time out to focus on smaller projects while theire next feature film idea was well in gestation.
A tradition of SINdie is to offer a peek into some of the projects filmmakers are up to next year in our 'Who's Shooting What?' series. We bring you a selection of the upcoming projects. Here is the first series of 5.
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Project Title: Hugging the Buddha's Foot Filmmaker:Liew Shi Xiong
Brief Description: A play on the Chinese idiom: 临时抱佛脚 ／ Hugging the Buddha's foot at the last moment. Ill-prepared for the upcoming exams, 2 teenage boys embark on a journey to hug as many Buddha feet as they can find, in a bid to gather as much luck as they can and pass their exams without having to work too hard.
Tagline: More Feet, More Luck!
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Project Title:Liminality / The Red Route Filmmaker:Iyvone Khoo
Brief Description:
Iyvone made Liminality as one of her graduation videos and it was chosen to compete for FutureMap 2011 and will be showing at the Zabludowicz Collection in January 2012 among other festivals. She will be looking to make another series along similar veins. At the same time, she will be working on a documentary 'The Red Route', which is shot over the death of my grandmother who passed away at the aged of 107.
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Project Title:想你 I Am Thinking Of You
Filmmaker:Lai Weijie and Elizabeth Widjaya
Brief Description: A woman returns to Singapore to revisit a childhood love that was never fulfilled. Meanwhile, on a cruise to nowhere, a man mourns the recent loss of his father. The invisible navigate themselves through the new Singapore landscape, bound by the past and their memories before she went missing. This work imagines a life ended abruptly and a ghost child that grows up along with the cities she was lost in. Ghosts are often portrayed as taking on the form of how they last looked in life but what if this ghost allows her image to grow, as she would have wanted to be if she had been alive? She haunts Singapore, until one day she meets a boy from her past... Tagline: This work is dedicated to the ghosts of us, to the lost pasts and the eclipsed futures.
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Project Title: Taxi Driver
Filmmaker: Kelvin Sng
Brief Description: My debut feature film to go into production in June 2012. Inspired by the local best seller "Diary of a Taxi Driver" Tagline: The best journey in life is the one you are not prepared for.
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Project Title: UnPeaceable Filmmaker: Graham Streeter (who made 'Cages')
Graham Streeter on the set of 'Cages'
Brief Description: Made under imperative Pictures and to be shoting in Los Angeles this Winter, this is a psycho-thriller where dreams and reality collide. Tagline: When a girl screams in the forest and no one is around, does she really make a sound?
The grass is always greener on the other side - or is it? What does it take to switch careers into something you may not be so familiar with? We talk to Lim Beng Kooi, or more affectionately known as BK Lim, director of the short film "One Sunny Morning" (the film has been travelling quite a bit on international film circuits), and find out why the former banker decided to cross over to the world of filmmaking.
SINdie: How did you become being in the banking industry before this?
BK: I "drifted" into banking. As an ASEAN scholar at The University of Singapore where I majored in Economics and History, I was offered a job by a local bank while still in the midst of sitting for my final exam.
Then, somehow, I remained in banking all my professional life; the first 6 years with this local bank, and the next 25 years with a European bank (which included three overseas postings of about three years each assignment).
SINdie: What inspired the switch over to explore filmmaking?
BK: I've always been passionate about films. I'd watch a film several times over for its technical and artistic angles. And over the years I've amassed a fairly large collection of films, first on VHS, then on laser discs and then DVDs. And now, blu ray. Arguably a good or bad “investment" depending on the pace of technological evolution.
I used to joke that I was a filmmaker trapped in the body of a banker.
Through my love for films, my wife ad I got to know several local filmmakers, including professionals such as lawyers, who make short films as their hobby. One evening at dinner, a local filmmaker 'challenged' me to make a short film, offering her technical support, saying that with my huge Criterion Collection of films, I 'have already been to film school'.
So I took the plunge. In early 2004 when I left banking, I made my first experimental film. With friends. While I like my script, the colour and the sound are awful. Watching it hurts one's sensory nerves.
The following year, I did another experimental film, with no dialogue. Again with friends. Then over the next five years, nothing happened. No inspiration. No motivation.
Then suddenly one day, I felt the urge to make a film, sparked by an image of the very first opening shot of a story based on an episode in the life of a Parisian friend. That story didn't take off. Then over dinner with some friends, they suggested that I do this story, about a relationship between an older guy and a younger guy. And they helped with the script.
SINdie: How did your ex colleagues/ family/ friends react to your decision?
BK: My strongest supporters and believers are my wife and our three sons. This filmmaking thing is very much a "family business".
Among my relatives, no one's surprised as everyone knows that since my secondary school days, I'd watch two to three films every week, starting from Friday afternoons through to Sundays. Among my wife and sons, whenever we run out of things to talk about, which is, never - we'd invariably talk about films. I think the best legacy I'd leave to our three sons would be my massive and varied collection of films and music.
In that sense, I feel that it's a good investment : it's not a selfish hobby as the whole family and friends get to enjoy it, and, depending on technology, it could even be highly durable.
And now, to add on to these, as my wife puts it, our sons will always have the remembrance of the films I've made.
This, in turn, places a certain sense of responsibility on me, in ensuring that I do not make films that could potentially embarrass my family. This doesn't necessarily translate into making 'safe' films, but what it means to me is that I should be a responsible filmmaker and be able to justify my story and my visuals (Read : no cheap sensationalization of scenes deemed exploitative... Read again: no gratuitous sex scenes).
Among my friends, especially my banking fraternity, it's a slightly different scenario. Most of them are pleasantly surprised at the pace and passion in which I have taken to filmmaking. But they're all very happy for me. And they are tremendously supportive. My wife and I are very appreciative of their help and support at the recent Private Screening of my film at The Arts House.
Among my favorite feedback from my banking friends are that I have re-invented myself...and that I've found a new lease in life...and my favourite : ' How does a hobby end up in winning him an award?'
SINdie: Was there stigma knowing that you'd be seen as a "first time filmmaker" with your debut piece of work? How did you deal with it?
BK: One Sunny Morning is my first 'real' film, in that it's the first time I've worked with a full team of professionals, from the cast to the crew. I was the only 'newbie' on my own film set.
Hence winning the Best Director Short Film Award came to me as a massive shock. But with hindsight, it's also an acknowledgement of the combined talents of my cast and crew in this film.
I did it as my 60th birthday present to myself. From the outset, I decided I'd finance everything myself, as I've no filmmaking credentials and experience. And as an 'old uncle dude', I am unable to get free technical help unlike student filmmaking projects where one can afterwards reciprocate by helping back the others.
These, plus my desire to do my first film my way, guided by my passion, enthusiasm and my instincts resulted in it being a self-financed project. And as my wife puts it...even if I were to make mistakes, these would be my mistakes to learn from and they're not life and death issues.
I was extremely fortunate to have met Looi Wan Ping as my cinematographer. We hit off immediately given too, his vast and in-depth knowledge and appreciation of art-house films. When I told him that I'd want to pay homage to Michelangelo Antonioni in this film by putting in the mimes, he immediately understood what I meant and which scenes in the film 'Blow Up' that I was referring to.
More than that, throughout the entire process, from pre- production through to post-production, he continues to inspire me and not only shares my vision, but, in fact, enhances it through his extraordinary visuals. And we've incorporated a fair bit of that Antonioni effect, including long takes, the incorporation of scenery and architecture and set designs, in this film.
Given that I was the only rookie on my own film set, there were times when I wasn't aware of what I was doing and made mistakes. But I always relied on my instincts ad to how I'd want a scene to be filmed. I was helped too by a capable and helpful crew including my Assistant Director Koo Chia Meng, and my cast Keagan Kang and Nicholas Bloodworth.
My debut filmmaking experience was enhanced and smoothened by capable n creative talents not just in the production process but also in post production, particularly with sound. The guys at StudioMB, Neil, Kevin and Kenny were terrific. Patiently explaining to me the concept n value of sound post and then just as patiently helping me with it afterwards.
It was an intense four days of shoot and several months of pre and post production. Intense, but fun. Certainly much more enjoyable and fulfilling than banking.
SINdie: Ever regretted the decision, or thought of going back?
BK: As mentioned above, I'm having fun. I'll never go back to banking. In fact when I left the bank in early 2004, I received offers to return to banking, and to the corporate life... But I've never accepted, or even considered it.
This newfound lifestyle of filmmaking is so much more enjoyable and fulfilling. And my ideal situation going forward is to be able to make a film a year, or every other year.
And now that I've won an award, I'm hoping that I have some credentials to fall back on and it'd be heartening to be able to get sponsorship for my projects, even if only partially.
I'd like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation to my friends who believed in me, inspired me, and helped me through this filmmaking journey - Wee Li-Lin, and Charles Lim, Zhang Wenjie, Michael Kam, Tan Pin Pin, Sun Koh, Alan Goei, Ang I-Ming and my newfound friends and cinematic soul-mates, Looi Wan Ping and Anthony Chen.
To my wife and our three sons, my love to them for being my anchor and for putting up with me.
Trailer for One Sunday Morning:
We at SINdie wish BK all the best in his filmmaking adventures, and we look forward to his next work!
If you know of any other individuals who have "crossed over" to the world of filmmaking, drop us an email at sindieonly@gmail.com - we'd like to feature these inspiring souls!
Urban redevelopment. That's what they call it. I hope its not another condominium. So screenings are coming to an end at Sinema Old School. We popped by two of their final screenings - Sinema Showoff! Whatever... and Curator's Picks, for a series of parting shots .
'Thank goodness we were not assigned to the Night Safari!'
SINdie writer Raymond Tan, moderator for the 'Whatever...' evening prepares his script
One of the things to be missed, this great chill-out area
This pre-show conversations outside the shop will be missed
The signature Sinema Showoff group shot
Sex sells. Senior sex even more. The filmmakers behind, Post-Love, a documentary on seniors and their sexual lives draws the most questions
Directors deep in thought when Raymond asked for an introduction to their current or next project
Sinema Showoffs offered an important platform for filmmakers to reach new fans of local cinema, and people who are willing to brave the 120 steps to Mount Sophia
We are really packing up this time.
Nooraini, director of 'Window of Dreams' and Rajasree, curator of the Showoff! series
Since the walls are coming down, might as well paint something nice on it right?
The crowd at the Swansong edition of Sinema Showoff!
Rajasree moderates the swansong edition of Sinema Showoff!
(from left to right: He Shuming, Anthony Chen, Rajasree Ramasamy, James Khoom Kelvin Sng)
Showoffs are a chance for actors, crew as much as film buffs to gather. Lead actor of 'Hentak Kaki' (second from right, in black t-shirt, next to the lady with the white shawl) takes time out to support James, the director of the film
Final questions?
This is it! Click! Snap! And save it for our memories.
Finally here is a mini-tribute to the Sinema Showoff! series consisting of parting shots and
We have extended the deadline for the LomoKino contest. Last day to send in your entries would be 25th Dec. Christmas Day! It's easy to enter, send them in now!
Here is how to take part in the contest and win the LomoKino:
1. Think of a 3 min film you would make with a Lomokino.
2. Send us a photo and an accompanying line of text what your Lomokino film will be about.
3. Send it to promotion.sg@lomography.com
4. The best 10 entries will be loaned a LomoKino to produce their film.
5. The films will be screened at a Lomography x SINdie film workshop at Lomography Gallery Store where the best 2 will be picked at a live judging to win a Lomokino they can keep forever!
Lomography will provide guidance to the 10 finalists on using the camera to shoot their films.
Prizes
1st Prize: LomoKino + 3 packs of film. He/she will also get to be a Lomo Amigo.
2nd Prize: LomoKino
8 Runner up Prizes: Lomography button badge set + 10 Piggies (store credit in our online store; 1 Piggy = 1 USD)
Boo Junfeng puts new steps into old tunes with Flight. One who has watched his films will find familiar the army boy polishing his boots (a troubled one at that), the fatherly figure with a strange affinity for the defence forces, people all around whose rigid ways mimick the rules-obssessed system and that final plane flight at the end that seemed uncannily similar to the award-winning Keluar Baris by Boo. Even the dilemma of duty and personal calling rings a familiar echo.
Flight is another short film made under the CREATE Film Festival, again bound by the agenda of Create Tomorrow SG, which is of course to make engineering cool or at least allow everyone to uncover the engineer in them. Jeremy grew up with stories told by his dad about how planes fly, without knowing that his dad harboured hopes of him riding the plane one day. During the his military coming-of-age, Boo borrows the familiar situation of the army aptitude test to depict Jeremy's inner conflicts. By subverting the typical expectations around the aptitude test and how most are likely to want this 'key-to-a-high-paying-career-as-a-pilot' opening, Boo gives a new spin on an old issue and he does it with narrative economy and subtlety.
While Boo achieves credible little moments throughout the film, the film really 'took flight' with the final scene in which a plane roared across the sky over the two characters separated by ideals that fail to meet. The duality of the engine's blast, in the way it represented 2 different aspirations, brought the film to a ponderous end, which, thankfully does not place a judgement on who or rather which aspiration is right.
Many guys would have fallen for the insurance agent as well. She appears in immaculate make-up, perfectly-tamed hair and sharpness of manner that commands not just attention but the skipping of a beat in any hot-blooded male. But she appears in the wrong scheme of things. This after all is a film that extols the virtues of the engineering profession, commissioned under http://createtomorrow.com.sg - an initiative to get more people to choose engineering?
‘Hi, I’m an engineer’ by ad agency veteran, Melvyn Lim, presents a beauty parade of women in the context of a speed dating session. The protagonist, Khai, meets a bevy of women, each attractive in her own genre, in hope of meeting someone he could take home. Well, as the agenda dictates, you know he’s going to take home an engineer for sure and she will be the last to appear. But the thrill in watching the film is seeing how he brushes up to the other women in the sequence and the director’s deliberate setup of a guessing game for the audience.
There is the hesitant teacher-like Susan who thinks engineers never leave construction sites. There is of course our dragon lady of insurance. Then, there was almost a footsying brush with Miss Glamour-Puss. Then, I cannot understand how someone can say 'I like lawyers', of no offence to my lawyer friends but that statement seemed a little contrived. Of course, Ling provided the happy ending being the sweet, sensible civil engineering girl who would also fit right into an MOE be-a-teacher ad.
The visual profiling of the women kind of reminds of the pointedness of advertisement messaging, where little room for interpretation can be afforded. But the stroke that makes this film engaging despite the pointed messaging is the use of word tags that replace the presence of any dialogue. The word tags are like speech clouds, which echo what the characters are thinking and saying. The choice of singular words add a sense of mystery and keeps the audience guessing. While Citibank reigns as the pioneer of the use of text labelling in its famous 'price tags' advertisement, this film brings tagging to another level. My only complaint is some of the tags are too telling, spoon-feeding the audience with who's right and who's wrong for him.
Written by Jeremy Sing
Catch the other films in the CREATE Film Festival here.
By the way, engineer or not, the lad playing the guy's got a bright dating future ahead of him. Check out this Razor TV video.
JD Chua (currently based in LA) and Aaron Ng, both Singaporean filmmakers, are out to make a tribute documentary on Sinema Old School, given that Old School will son be torn down.
If you've ever sat on the cushy red sofas of Sinema Old School watching some of the best local short and feature films, if you have ever chilled in the 'hill-top sanctuary of a place that's Old School, if you have something to say about losing this equivalent of an artist's quarter, please email your thoughts to the directors. They will go into the documentary.
It can be: What you like about Sinema Old School What will you miss about Sinema Old School Memories or stories about Sinema Old School And it does not have to be long.
Please email them to chuajd@gmail.com with the heading Sinema Old School. If featured, the filmmakers might ask if the contributor can be featured in the doc.
Marking a mark before it goes
How it looked before the red cushy sofas filled the room
Voices will continue to echo
The team behind Sinema Showoff poses for their swansong screening
This project is produced under Ground Glass Images and supported by Nicholas Chee, Founder of Sinema Old School and SINdie.
The grass is always greener on the other side - or is it? What does it take to switch careers into something you may not be so familiar with? We talk to Lim Beng Kooi, or more affectionately known as BK Lim, director of the short film 
