J. D. Chua - in his office?JD Chua first surprised me on my set (`Moving In') last year when he spoke to a few Thai natives in Thai. I discovered later that he was Thai by descent. Hence, the scale of his short film (or `short feature' as he calls it) `The Moment' , with scenes located in Thailand, became less of a surprise to me. Catching up with him over msn, I managed to understand the vision and passion of a filmmaker who truly values the people he works with.
1. Chris Yeo the ominous producer 2. Chua: There will be an explosion 3. Fishy Crimes 4. Chua looking more like the scribe in this 5. DOP doing the boogie with the lighting pole 6. More fishy businessJeremy: How many short films hv you done b4?
Chua: I have done 4.
Jeremy: So what kind of genres styles you like?
Chua: Hands down, Crime. Be it comedy, horror, action, I love crime in them.
Jeremy: Cool. (pause) What inspired you to do this or is it something you wrote some time ago and always wanted to shoot?
Chua: I was back home in Thailand about a decade ago and I chanced upon stories of how crime affected children. I decided to be nosey and did some research.
Jeremy: Interesting!
Chua: This one stuck with me. A pair of boys witnessing their father's death.
Jeremy: Thats' very drama
Chua: So in my first year in FSV, I penned it. It was ficiton and I added my own dramatic effects. And the funny thing is people told me that it can't be true.
Chua: I have done 4.
Jeremy: So what kind of genres styles you like?
Chua: Hands down, Crime. Be it comedy, horror, action, I love crime in them.
Jeremy: Cool. (pause) What inspired you to do this or is it something you wrote some time ago and always wanted to shoot?
Chua: I was back home in Thailand about a decade ago and I chanced upon stories of how crime affected children. I decided to be nosey and did some research.
Jeremy: Interesting!
Chua: This one stuck with me. A pair of boys witnessing their father's death.
Jeremy: Thats' very drama
Chua: So in my first year in FSV, I penned it. It was ficiton and I added my own dramatic effects. And the funny thing is people told me that it can't be true.
1. Reconciliation 2. Storyboard Sequence 3. More of the same 4. On-the-spot storyboard 5. Me peeping over the artist 6. See photo below (end of blog entry)
Jeremy: I know it can be true , Singaporeans are too sheltered. (Ponders for a moment) Didn't you think it would be so ambitious to do something like that? Esp since it is just a short film?
Chua: Why must short films be small? I strongly feel that for a short film, you're telling a story, no matter what the size is. It just so happens that for this one, it's rather huge. About 12 cast members and 8 locations.
Jeremy: I personally believe we all choose our audiences.
Chua: I agree.
Jeremy: Not all film fest or events will accept our short films.
Chua: Why must short films be small? I strongly feel that for a short film, you're telling a story, no matter what the size is. It just so happens that for this one, it's rather huge. About 12 cast members and 8 locations.
Jeremy: I personally believe we all choose our audiences.
Chua: I agree.
Jeremy: Not all film fest or events will accept our short films.
Chua: Yep.
Jeremy: Sounds like your short is going to be long (is it?)
Chua: Half an hour(I hope) :)
Jeremy: What kind of screening market/types are you targetting?
Chua: Chris and I are looking for commerical festivals. A few festivals have picked it up based on screenplay but it's all verbal, so we won't name any. My films are not for the arty crowd.
Jeremy: Okay. Well, no need to feel any loss, like I said we choose our audience.
Jeremy: Sounds like your short is going to be long (is it?)
Chua: Half an hour(I hope) :)
Jeremy: What kind of screening market/types are you targetting?
Chua: Chris and I are looking for commerical festivals. A few festivals have picked it up based on screenplay but it's all verbal, so we won't name any. My films are not for the arty crowd.
Jeremy: Okay. Well, no need to feel any loss, like I said we choose our audience.
Chua: I hope fans of Johnnie To, Michael Mann, Paul Greengrass will like it. I made it as a fan for the fans. With a dash of Joe Carnahan.
Jeremy: Finally, any interesting/cosmic/uncanny/funny things happened in production? Can share?
Jeremy: Finally, any interesting/cosmic/uncanny/funny things happened in production? Can share?
1. Waiting for set-up 2. Dressing to kill 3. Daddy plays his role off screen 4. Wa! Who is this you shot? 5. Still waiting
Chua: Wah lau! Tons man! You should have coffee with Chris and I and we can tell you epic behind the scenes stories that can only be finished if told in trilogies!
Jeremy: Haha.
Chua: As I try to be a different kind of a producer, I strongly feel that film making is about the process, not the product. Filmmaking brings Love, Life and Friendship.
Jeremy: Haha.
Chua: As I try to be a different kind of a producer, I strongly feel that film making is about the process, not the product. Filmmaking brings Love, Life and Friendship.
This girl (right) looks years ahead of her age, and leaves no room for us to guess how she will look when she is mature.
The crew have become strong friends. Better bonds than army. And the cast and I still hang out. All those never happened without making films.
Home Run!