About 6 hours left to 2013.... Here's another feature in the making by K Rajagopal, part of the New Talent Feature Grant series.
1. Congratulations on being selected for the New Talent Feature Grant (NTFG). Could you tell us a bit more about this film (tentatively titled A Yellow Bird) that you will be developing?
The film is about space. It is about the mental, emotional and physical space that engulfs us. It is about how we have to constantly negotiate space with the people around us and with the environment we live in.
2. As funding is slightly less of an issue now, are you hoping to push the boundaries—stylistically or technically—with what you want to achieve on this film, which you couldn't on others due to budget constraints? Anything bold the audience can expect?
Just to clarify the difference with his is funding is that it is a grant and not an investment scheme. The rights of the films belong to producer and the filmmaker unlike the previous scheme where the filmmaker does not have the rights to the film. In that way the new funding scheme is good and very reasonable. The grant is for SGD250k. The film can have a budget beyond the grant. The grant is definitely going to be useful for all filmmakers as funding is always an issue especially if you want to make a feature and up the production value especially for first time filmmakers. My main focus for now will be to tell a good story. Hopefully it will meet the expectations of the audience.
3. Even though all of you are Singaporeans—and thus draw a great deal of your inspiration locally—do you think the programme's thematic requirement that you create specifically Singaporean content potentially restricts your vision as filmmakers?
I would say that it would not restrict my vision. Most themes are universal.
4. Name one single thing or incident that happened in your life that planted the seeds for the idea of this film.
My relationships that is both platonic and sexual.
6. What are your wishes for the local film industry in 2013?
It will be good if we had regular funding from both the government and private concerns to encourage local filmmakers to make quality but most importantly a conducive and film friendly environment to film.
1. Congratulations on being selected for the New Talent Feature Grant (NTFG). Could you tell us a bit more about this film (tentatively titled A Yellow Bird) that you will be developing?
The film is about space. It is about the mental, emotional and physical space that engulfs us. It is about how we have to constantly negotiate space with the people around us and with the environment we live in.
2. As funding is slightly less of an issue now, are you hoping to push the boundaries—stylistically or technically—with what you want to achieve on this film, which you couldn't on others due to budget constraints? Anything bold the audience can expect?
Just to clarify the difference with his is funding is that it is a grant and not an investment scheme. The rights of the films belong to producer and the filmmaker unlike the previous scheme where the filmmaker does not have the rights to the film. In that way the new funding scheme is good and very reasonable. The grant is for SGD250k. The film can have a budget beyond the grant. The grant is definitely going to be useful for all filmmakers as funding is always an issue especially if you want to make a feature and up the production value especially for first time filmmakers. My main focus for now will be to tell a good story. Hopefully it will meet the expectations of the audience.
3. Even though all of you are Singaporeans—and thus draw a great deal of your inspiration locally—do you think the programme's thematic requirement that you create specifically Singaporean content potentially restricts your vision as filmmakers?
I would say that it would not restrict my vision. Most themes are universal.
4. Name one single thing or incident that happened in your life that planted the seeds for the idea of this film.
My relationships that is both platonic and sexual.
5. How do you see your strong theatre background and experience influencing this film project?
It will help me in a lot of ways perhaps in all aspects of filmmaking.
6. What are your wishes for the local film industry in 2013?
It will be good if we had regular funding from both the government and private concerns to encourage local filmmakers to make quality but most importantly a conducive and film friendly environment to film.
