5DMKII

 

Rumour has it that the United States entered WWII over the invention of a 5DMKII by a German Jewish scientist. (Captain America, 2011).

It could be defiance against the "mainstream" or it could be our inferiority complex (that we will never have the resources/patience to shoot on 35mm) but we weld our 5DMKIIs (and other HDSLRs) and we are damn proud of it. We religiously scour the Internet for any semblance that the Hollywood establishment has embraced this modern technology then use these examples as our own war medals, proudly proclaiming to our family/friends/colleagues that just because we own the same camera, we're going to be the next big-thing when we shoot our no-budget movie with our 5DMKII (and any other HDSLRs). And even when production houses ignore us and our films fail to be the taste of the month with film festivals connoisseurs, we rejoice with our 5DMKII because it's the democratization of filmmaking and we are like Francois Truffaut battling the 1950s French studios all over again.

There's no love lost for Arri Alexa, Red cameras or CineAlta. We just do not have the money, or shall we say, we don't see the need to break the piggy.

The only thing that stood between Loki's army and falling debris is not the Avengers, it's a 5DMKII! (The Avengers, 2012).

  

And because it's cheap (SGD$3, 200 for a high quality camera is considered cheap), you don't feel the pinch even if you destroy 2 5DMKIIs and one Tony Stark in one scene. (Ironman 2, 2010).

 

Robert Rodriguez shoots with the 7D. He's a bit cheap because everyone knows the 7D is the cheapskate version of the 5DMKII. But it's ok because if you can launch a Hollywood career with a US$7,000 feature film, everything you say and do is the gospel truth of guerrilla filmmaking. (Some MTV).

When Shane Hulrbert can shoot an action film without being anal about natural lighting, you can do the same too (kudos to the man who unselfishly shares his knowledge). (Act of Valor, 2012).

 

Philip Bloom on Lucasfilms' Redtails. I do not have much to say because his works speak volume, even the Nazis can use a 5D, which proves my earlier point that some German Jewish scientist must have invented the 5DMkII during WWII. (Redtails, 2012.)

And who's this?

The next time I'm volunteering videography at another non-profit event and somebody doubt me if I told him that, yes I'm using a DSLR camera and yes it can shoot video better than most video cameras in Mediacorp, I'm going to show him the link to this post.

Bringing Asia's changing face into focus

 

"You cannot fully explain a photograph or photographs, but you can sure feel it." - Zakaria Zainal.


TODAYonline link.

The Amazing Spider-Man

I used to climb structures in the neighborhood playground when I was a kid, thinking that I'm Spider-Man. There were a couple of occasions when I kept spiders I found in my house as pets, though they never live long enough. My latest toy purchase is Spider-Man in the new suit for the 2012 film reboot. Darker colours with a new spider logo. The sole of Spider-man's footwear is also designed like your usual track shoes the way a young adult would fancy his footwear.

The Avengers was a blast and imho, much better than all the 3 Transformers films (sorry fanboys). But after watching the following 4-minutes preview for the 2012 reboot of The Amazing Spider-Man as embedded below, I'm convinced that this is the real thing. Can't wait for its release.

The Man Who Saw It All

Mr Lee Kuan Yew made the cover of TIME magazine back in December 2005. This was when I was still serving my NS in the military. I specially kept this copy. Took it out again this evening during a mini 'spring cleaning'.

Always There For You

Enter The Dragon

Thanks to Big Bird and the Da Shao, they came back with an original 1973 film program of Enter The Dragon bought from a gritty antique shop in Hong Kong. This is a significant piece of memorabilia because this was Bruce Lee's last film. He passed away 6 days before the film's premiere in Hong Kong.

going for broke

If this is a business, we will be on the verge of closing down. I always like to joke with the guys that with the lack of larger institutional support, Buddhist youth work will always be the elusive promise on the lips. But we're going for broke because we believe in it.

Djinn who?

Djinn who? A revelation from a weekend conversation with a friend/film student. I mean, nobody knows who is Djinn Ong liao.

Perth (2004) dir. Djinn Ong

This is that Djinn who shot Return to Pontianak on DV tapes and which I confessed to falling asleep to. And the same Djinn who made Perth, which imho, is probably the Singaporean film with the most artistic value, but sadly overlooked. And despite it's clear homage to Scorsese's Taxi Driver, a very original Singaporean voice.

Ok, one more. This is also the Djinn whose wife is Hiep Thi Le. Probably most memorable as the lead in Oliver Stone's Heaven and Earth.

ACE CAMP 2012 Trailer

This was a no frills shoot with just a 5DMkII and a group of friends chilling out at Kavvy's home. There was no script or storyboard and I shot it against the window, the sole light source in the room, backlight. A big no-no. But I took whatever feels right and it turns out quite fine in my opinion. Re-work and re-edit it for the summer biggest blockbuster event (in our own view): ACE CAMP 2012.

ACE CAMP is a 4 days - 3 nights Buddhist youth camp organized specifically for young people aged 17 to 25 years old (26 to 30 are also welcomed). The objectives of the camp is to
(A) Share the Buddhist faith to young people
(B) Build strong spiritual friendships amongst the participants

15th (Fri) to 18th (Mon) June 2012

For more information, please visit http://sbmyouth.blogspot.com/p/ace-camp.html

Email sbmyouth@gmail.com for enquires.

Probably my swansong as a campmaster.

5 Filmmaking Lessons From HK Director Derek Yee

 Vivia Erotic (1996) dir. Derek Yee

Category 3 film without much sleaze. A satire on how struggling arthouse filmmakers may be forced to shoot blue films in order to earn a living and chase their cinematic dreams.

(1) "Can you please learn to be like Wong Jing, not Wong Kar-wai?"
Too many aspiring filmmakers want to make their own version of Chungking Express / In The Mood For Love. The audience (and the moolah) can stomach many Wong Jings but there can only be ONE Wong Kar-wai. "There's no point in making art films, nonsensical movies can be good too!"

(2) Always prepare to take one for the team.
 C'mon, someone got to buy coffee right? And can you the intern from university (I don't care if there are more law and med grads than those from your school, ref. WKWSCI Valedictorian Speech 2010), find an umbrella and shelter Ah Jie from the sun stay there for the next hour thank you. (true story with a bit of exaggeration and no punctuation.)

(3) When all else fails, direct a blue film.
"Direct a porn film? I don't do immoral things."
"Don't you know? Famous Japanese arthouse directors started out making porn."
Ok, don't try here. Not applicable in Singapore ah.

(4) When even sex fails to sell your film, turn to arthouse."Use whatever film saved from the fire, edit them and then send them to the European arthouse cinema." 
 Even a combination of terrible acting, amateur camera work and non-story can be masqueraded as arthouse. Sorry Pleasure Factory. (Someone once said to me, "Like that also can go Cannes ah?" ref. WKWSCI Valedictorian 2010).

(5) Lastly, find a girl who will love you for who you are (even if that means allowing you to be delusional, i.e. you thinking that you're going to be the special one).
"You're nothing if you stop making movies. What else can you do? I love you because you are a filmmaker."

Jaws

All you need is a giant monster shark to make millions of dollars. Can I get 1 too, buy off the shelves of some toystore or something?

Bullet In The Head

Bullet In The Head (1990) dir. John Woo

Heroic bloodshed and gun-fu. One of the best works from John Woo. We don't see such films from him anymore. 2-disc special.

 I was watching some HK film the other night about clubbing/pubbing and one-night-stands and the frivolity of casual sex (and sadly I have it on DVD as well) and it was such a distasteful (and meaningless) film. Unless somebody is giving me loads of money to direct and launch a film career, give me guns and brotherhood anytime.

Standing on the shoulders of giants

The trip opened my eyes and further enhanced what I always felt. The ease in which we now do our work, the comfort of our lives, the respect and the "prestige" are the results of the hardwork and dedication of an older generation. We are standing on the shoulders of giants (and legends and pioneers). It's an honour, really.

Finding Kar-wai

The real reason I was in HK was for work but some free time (and fighting the urge to sleep in the hotel) meant that I could explore the SAR. I went on a cinephile pilgrimage of some sort, tracing some of the streets and locations which have been immortalized in the films of Wong Kar-wai. This blogger is after all the self-proclaimed No. 1 WKW fan in Singapore.

(1) Midnight Express in Chungking Express (1994) and Fallen Angels (1995).

 

Cop 223 mulling over a broken heart at the fast food joint.

 

Cop 663 and a cup of coffee for sleepless night. Faye looks on.

And in Fallen Angels,

Charlie/Cherry ignores He Zhiwu.

Today, Midnight Express is not there anymore. It is being replaced by a 7-11 store. 

The opposite view from the stall.

How it looks like today.

The 7-11 store (formerly Midnight Express) is at No. 3 Lan Kwai Fong. Take the MTR to Central Station and take Exit D and walk towards Lan Kwai Fong. LKF is like Clark Quay/Boat Quay to us.

(2) California Bar in Chungking Express (1994). 

 

Adjacent to 'Midnight Express' should be California Bar but it is not there anymore. The California Tower, where I presumed the bar was located, is undergoing renovation and will open only in 2013.

(3) Chungking Mansion in Chungking Express (1994). 

 

The Woman in Blonde Wig and the maze that is Chungking Mansion.

Chungking Mansion 18 years later.

Of backpackers and cheap motels. Imagine Singapore's Little India holed up in a building.

 

Security at Tsim Sha Tsui MTR.

Chungking Mansion is along Nathan Road. Take Exit G from Tsim Sha Tsui, turn left, and walk 5 minutes. Not advisable for young ladies to go there alone.

(4) Graham Street Market in Chungking Express (1994).  

Faye bumps into Cop 663 having his lunch. I didn't have time find a stall selling char siew fried rice though but here is Graham Street today.

  

Graham Street Market is about 15 minutes walk from Central MTR station.

(5) Central Mid-Level Escalator in Chungking Express (1994). 

This is how it looks today not much difference eh.

 

Not sure which was Christoper Doyle's apartment playing the character of 663's home in Chungking Express. The escalators is just a block away from Graham Street.

(6) Underground McDonald's in Chungking Express (1994) and Fallen Angels (1995). 
There's an underground McDonald's restaurant just 5 minutes walk away from Midnight Express. Could be the same one in Chungking Express

Takeshi Kanishiro's Cop 223 makes eating cheeseburger the antidote for healing a broken heart cool.

And in Fallen Angels, the Wong Chi-ming/The Killer meets Punkie/Blondie/Baby at an empty McDonald's.

The McDonald's today.

More film locations to find. Maybe another trip next time. The last time I was in Hong Kong prior to this trip was 17 years ago.