Independent Singapore-based short film now crowd-funding for post-production support!
Christian girl Ru Yi finds herself alone in an empty Singapore… until she meets Aidan, a stranger with an old radio, who doesn’t share any of her beliefs. The two discover a strange radio transmission and embark on a journey in hopes of finding other people who are also “left behind.”
Director Says:
Personally, I identify myself as Christian but I have opinions that may not align with the general sentiments of my belief system. This comes as there have been very vocal camps from religious groups throughout 2014 in Singapore. It is easy to expect others to force-fit themselves into one’s belief mould, condemn and hate-monger. But messages of putting judgment aside in order to understand first are few and far apart.
Through the events in the film, we get to explore the lengths at which we can go to in order to affirm belief and identity. We hope that the short film expresses the need for acceptance rather than drawing up lines that will divide and ultimately rob us of getting to know someone or simply enjoying the present.
An empty Singapore serves as an extreme backdrop to explore what we feel are the greatest “what if”s in the lives of many young people: expectations, the search for meaning/purpose and the uncertainties of the future. We don’t have the answers but we have an opinion. This short film is our means of expressing it.
Last but certainly not the least, the film is about the people around us: family, relatives, friends, loved ones, acquaintances, even strangers. We’ve all complained about Singapore being too crowded (remember the 6.9 White Paper outcry?) and feeling tethered to parents, obliged to entertain relatives, or not having enough time to spend with friends. We know and have been guilty of forgetting to appreciate the crucial support systems in our lives. Through the breaking down of an imagined empty Singapore, we hope to remember and appreciate the people that made and make up the nation that we now enjoy.
Principal photography of the film is complete and we are now in the post-production stage, which provides its own set of challenges because we are creating a Singapore that is empty of humankind. Really, you ask? Really, really.
A page off our “pre-visualizations”
Post-Production
We did not want to take the easy way out and shoot only at locations in Singapore that are expectedly empty. Granted, it was an ambitious task we set for ourselves to film such a story in a small country with almost 5.5 million people: every other take gets interrupted by a passing vehicle or a curious onlooker or two and there’s no such thing as getting clean atmospheric sound recording when real-life isn’t quite as empty as the film’s context… But we just had to try!
Visual Effects (VFX)
With our VFX team always on the edge of their seats, scenes were written, planned and shot with the aim of using computer-generated graphics and visual effects in order to create a realistic and encompassing, deserted Singapore. These shots serve another critical purpose: they allow us to empathize with the two characters, who no longer have any family and friends with them, a situation we are probably not familiar with.
Sound Design & Original Score
Sound plays a vital role in the film. In a people-less Singapore, there should be no droning of traffic, no humming of electric generators, no shouting of coffee shop uncles and aunties at your neighbourhood kopitiam… In short, the sound design will have to be completely re-imagined and reconstructed.
Colour Grading
We shot the film on an ARRI Alexa, arguably the best digital film camera available in our school, so that we could get the most out of image quality and colour grading. Our Director of Photography sounded like he was talking about pastry when he tried to explain the “baked-in” capabilities of the camera. But with this comes the need to engage a post-production house that comes at a (friendly) price: our seniors who have gone professional!
In a nutshell, the S$4,000 post-production budget will cover:
1. Visual Effects (VFX) and Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI)
2. Sound design, effects and final mixdown
3. Colour Grading and final polishing of picture elements
4. Original score
5. Festivals and distribution, including DVDs
6. Designing and printing of promotional material
And of course!
Taking up an unseen slice of the pie: a cut goes to our campaign host and transaction service – Indiegogo and Paypal. If we meet our funding goal, Indiegogo will get a cut of 4%. If we do not, they will take a 9% cut.
Any contribution will be greatly appreciated. To thank you in bringing us that much closer to achieving our vision, we have prepared a set of perks, including:
Stickers!
“Cool” not “cute” stickers by resident cat whisperer Han Qing Ping to keep you company should you find yourself alone in Singapore.
Postcards!
High quality postcards featuring the fruits of our Visual Effects team’s labour! Tired of traffic congestions? MRT too crowded? Let us help you imagine a people-less Singapore!
EP!
A soundtrack EP (available as a digital download package or physical copy) filled with the film’s score, theme song and soundtrack by Jon Chan and Nelson Tan. 100% Singaporean in flavour!
Address Book!
Never lose your contacts with an address book with specially designed covers.
Canned Food!
Collector’s edition canned food that bear screen grabs from the film – also, you won’t know what type of canned food you’ll get till its at your doorstep!
Find our campaign online at: www.indiegogo.com
“LIKE” us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com
