Happy New Decade (or How I Thoroughly Enjoyed 2009.)

As a form of deja vu more so than a tradition, Sivalingam and I was out to celebrate the last day of the year for the 2nd year running. Last (last) year, there was Lagoon and Boyfriend with us, and so we played with sparkles and water guns after a long chat at Starbucks Big Splash. This time, Lagoon is back in Shanghai, while Pam and Hwee Teng are navigating their way through the clouds on the way home and Sin Ting is in some countdown party of his own.

So it was just me and Sivalingam the Chinese Indian. We sat at Starbucks again, but at the Raffles City one. We looked to the sky and saw the fireworks which marked the beginning of 2010. Then we settled down and chatted some more.

It has only been a few hours into 2010, the new decade of the millennium, but I'm missing 2009 already.

2009 has been nothing short of awesome, and these are reasons why:

1. Champions. A whole IVP season filled up my January while waiting for the big 6 months Shanghai internship. As the season went on, I was grateful that I had no schoolwork to worry about, since we basically went mad during after-match self-held "parties". One who went to school on friday morning after supper at Geylang was quoted as saying "feel a bit seh seh".

2. Shanghai Shenanigans. Trip #3 in the university days. This trip was a full blown six months of internship during weekdays and studying in Fudan University on weekends. Then more travelling to different parts of the "chicken-like" country on other weekends which finally led to a 13-day travelling stretch from Sichuan to Yunnnan. The whole experience was nothing short of awesome, especially when your housemates are oh-so-huggable and kisseeble (not kissable, cos they're the ones planting it on me.) and I did 2 corporate videos for my company in this span of time, too.

3. Champions again. Sunig 09 came around after I landed in this small dot. Out went the "Fu Lu Shous" + Belicia who was busy with her schoolwork, and in came many new faces, but still, the madness stayed. With charades, Murderer, 7-up and many drinking games, our after-match activities never dwindled down. And so this must be true: A team that drinks together stays together.

4. Spiritual Milk. I finally took the step, and poof, my Sundays from September onwards start with a "Wake up!" message from Joyce at 7 plus in the morning and ends after bible study. It's been a good few months into this walk, and I'm looking forward to having the most awesome and omnipotent God to guide me through the next decade (and more) . One thing to note: Prayer really works!

5. Eff Why Pee (or FYP). Now that we've past the production stage, it's time to sit in front of the computer and start piecing together this little baby into our very own indie flick.

Happy New Decade, everybody!

Day 5.

It's a wrap.

Oh yes.

Day 4.

Day 3.

Day 2.

Lorry + Motorbike

Day 1.

Chili and garlic may be good, but prayer works best.

Meet My Lead.

A nice dye job and we're good to go!

I'd like to make myself believe, that planet Earth turns slowly.

I cut my nails already.

All the centers in anti-you should be rejoicing now.

And it's thursday. A handful of fyp teams have finished their prinicipal photography. Ours starts next week.

Yesterday the sky opened up, and it rained quite a bit. Today too. Well I hope it keeps raining till Monday. Then stop miraculously on Tuesday. (The whole of Tuesday, please.)

Shixiong and group recommended garlic and chili. And I saw Bee Hwee's group bringing their garlic and chili on set during their shoot. It's supposedly very effective against warding off rain. Yes, it does look like there's no causal link between garlic and chili and the elements.

But you know what, we're probably going to try it. Because December is THE rainy season and all our shoots are in the -say it- Great Outdoors.

And if they do work, I'll seriously see garlic and chili in a new light. If they don't, well....

there's always prayer!

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Randomness.

Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.

I was watching the AFI 100 years, 100 Movie Quotes compilation and it hit me that I knew about 40% of the movies featured. It just goes to show how many movies a film student goes through, and of course movie nights in Shanghai helped to. Here's a list of some of my favourites, and let's see if you can get which movie they are from. Some are quite old, but there are a few contemporary ones.

"You talkin' to me? Oh, you talkin' to me."

"I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse."

"Hasta la vista, baby."

"Gentleman, you can't fight in here. This is the war room!"

"Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown."

"Here's Johnny!"

"You had me at hello."

"Show me the money."

"Carpe diem, boys. Seize the day."

"May the force be with you."

"Rosebud"

"I feel the need- the need for speed."

And the one that gets me in chuckles everytime:

"Stella! Hey Stella!"




And no, there's no "You jump I jump" in there, thank goodness.

Ready, Steady, Go.

The last few days, I had imagined myself mostly as Ironman, or Doc Ock from Spider-Man, or any other superhero with a mechanical arm.

The steadycam workshop was a two day studio workshop with only 5 people, and we had plenty of time to try and wear the vest, put on the arm and act like some high-tech soldier with a gun attached.

Other than that, it's mostly chatting with Vincent (technician), and gettting more information about what equipment the school has and what we can use. Most of us who are doing film as our FYP have started their principal production, and it's good that the students in BSC are really enthusiastic about helping one another.

FYP, to me now, is really a love-hate relationship. And I'm hoping that we'll all come out of it satisfied.

And alive. (hahaha.)




Aubree, student by day, sharpshooter by night.



My camera phone does no justice- she looks like she hadn't slept in years!




Note to self: Remember to put as much effort in as possible in the preparatory stage, so that you'll not regret when you look back! It's the biggest, biggest film in your university life!

the 100th post complains.

Stupid weather.
Stupid tv monitor which stubbornly refuses to detect stupid macbook.
Stupid scheduling conflicts.
Stupid morning to night schedules with lack of sleep in between.
Stupid deadline.
Stupid sulky temper.
Stupid idiotic drowsy double eyelids.
Stupid repeated questions over and over again.
Stupid certain deafness in everyone.
Stupid mumbling.
Stupid equipment headaches.
Stupid irritating phone bill. And I just paid my last bill. Sheesh.
Stupid unholiday-like holiday.

Okay. done with complaining. Moving on.

The Stand.

You stood before creation
Eternity within Your hand
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
Carried the Cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I'll walk upon salvation
Your Spirit alive in me
This life to declare Your promise
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I’ll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all

So I’ll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours


It was last night, there and then, that I felt, and I knew.

Experience the Filmmaking Process

Youths, we want you.

http://fattripodfilms.wordpress.com/experience-the-filmmaking-process/

22.

Thank you guys.

For the facebook and phone messages, the practical gifts, the cards, the ice cream treat, the Kuishinbo extravagance, the Sushi Tei lunch, the Korean feast, the Karaoke-ing, the Starbucks frappe and (boring) orea cheesecake, the calls, and most importantly,

the love.

Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!

(now to get back to FYP. Note to self: Deanna Tan, your 22nd will forever be synonymous with fyp-ing. Go go go!)

Every step we take, challenges ahead, we turn them all to gold.

My exams are over.

But but but before you glare at me with disgust and seething teeth- yes you who still have that one last paper to go- I have to say I'm not smelling the freedom at all. Not one flowery citrus-filled ounce of it.

This is my last term break of university, the last "holiday" of my official school days, but coincidentally, also the crunchtime of my Final Year Project.

Thus, instead of sweet, sweet freedom, I smell plastic equipment, burning lights, and (I assume) the salty odour of my fellow Fat Tripods' blood and sweat. Nevertheless, pleasure comes in different forms for different people, and this, to me, is pleasure wrapped underneath a whole truckload of pain (work).

Today was a packed day of doing FYP stuff. So was yesterday. I forsee that the following weeks will also be highly devoted to these three magical letters. However, funds are limited (ZERO at the moment and we're going to be in deficit soon) so I would like to emphasize- guys, I need money. Moolah, cash, ch-ching, dough, dollars and cents.

There.

Anyway, on a totally irrelevent topic, I went back to my old Junior College today. The "Walls of Hope" have been painted over with brown paint, and the canteen has expanded. There is a bbq corner and the whole carpark has now been fully patio-ed. I wanted to look for Ms R for some help in my FYP, and I ended up coaching and playing with ACJC against SR for a friendly game.

It was fun, nevertheless. Felt like the good ol' times again. When Ms R went on with her debrief (this one's short compared to what I had during my time), I sat on the court, just listening and thinking how much time has gone by since I last did that as a student there.

I always told people, if I had to pick the best time I had during my entire education, I'd pick the times in Junior College, long potassium maganate stained skirt withstanding. For I think I evolved, sort of, and turned my challenges into gold (it's the school song!)

Now I don't know how to end this. It looks to be turning into a melodramatic ending. Which isn't very me. So I'll repeat myself again.

I need money. Moolah, cash, ch-ching, dough, dollars and cents.