When they made the handphone smaller, froggie was like gimmick! When they put a radio into a handphone froggie was like gimmick! When they put a camera into a handphone, froggie was like gimmick! When they had a low res video camera...froggie was like gimmick again. But then Nokia has N93,a 3.2 megapixel phone that also records MPEG 4 quality video image and Gary Oldman is in the advert...this froggie gotta have a look.

It's amazing the technical marvels that are now becoming common place, in 1997 when I started filmmaking...I had to edit the videos i shot on my video 8 camcorder manually by connecting two VCRs together, queing and playing tape on one and recording on another. The only computers with speed enough to edit video back then cost roughly an arm and a leg.Today, I can edit video on a mobile phone...go figure.

However,not many are aware of the technical capabilities of the N93 and as an effort to raise awareness and maximising user expriences with the phone, Nokia organised a mobile filmmaker's workshop down in admiral marina, port dickson last weekend. Participants were preselected from applicants received by filling an online entry form (www.mobifilms.net / wap.mobifilms.net) and were all taken down to PD by a specially chartered N93 bus. Froggie did inquire Nokia as to why go so far for a workshop and they told me well, it's a nice place to be and we want them (the mobile filmmakers to be) to be in an ambience where they can just relax and enjoy the workshop.To their credit, they were successful at that. The workshop was not being held in a dingy grey office but in a nice airconditioned hall small enough to be intimate, large enough to be spacious and outside is a marina with fresh sea breeze aplenty.

The workshop consist of Ian Oliver who previously worked under the auspices of the discovery channel. He covered the basic foundation techniques of filmmaking. Froggie (me-lah) spoke on finding inspiration and maintaining inspiration to finish a film. Stan basically the consumate expert when it comes to the N93 taught everyone the power that the little phone in their hands can harness.

After the talks, participants were given an hour to shoot and edit their own little mobile films on the N93. Some were scratching their heads hoping that'll induce ideas, while others hurriedly set up complex scenarios that required a car as a prop while some others found comedy right on their desk. In an hour, the participants all came back and shared their little gems, for most froggie think their very first films. It was a joy to watch the participant's first rather naive and in that highly inspired works. Everyone laughed and cheered each other on as the films played subsequently one after another.

The day ended with certificates and a group photo of the workshop's extended family before we were all ushered to the avillion for a beach side BBQ dinner. Sand on toes while you eat! We were then provided hotel rooms to stay the night and it was a brilliant room with sea breezes and views. The participants had obviously alot of fun... some of them telling me they stayed up till 4 am in the morning to just mingle. Froggie however chosed to sleep as he was dead tired doing editing work on his film the whole week...for froggie,it was a welcome rest.The next day, froggie had breakfast, swam, walked the beach and very much just nature-fied himself with a smile. Some of the participants joined froggie beach combing too...Many thanks to Nokia who brought froggie here and oh yeah, thanks for also coming in to help froggie realise froggie's film. Thank You :P

Nokia Mobile Filmmakers Workshop

"You paint?"remarked one of my friend... "Yeah, I graduated fine arts" I answered...to a bemused look.

It's been four years since I applied paint onto canvas with a brush and despite doing it while weary and enduring sleepless nights, trying to meet an exhibition dateline...it brought back many memories of my painting days. As paint gets splattered on my shirt, my face and all over my hands...yes,I am a very messy painter...I smile...

Painting to me is still a wonderful experience...it puts you into a meditative self reflecting state...much like walking...and induce many thoughts...I'd encourage any of you out there to paint...even if you don't know how...try it as paint on canvas therapy...I think it'll do you good.

The picture to my right is Eleanor Low...an art director I work with and my former college mate...she is in the same exhibition too. Her painting...a motive of stick figurines...is very derivative of her style...using very neat almost geometrical straight lines and solid colours. It's a painting in it's own right, but to me I felt it's more graphic design inclined...though the art movement is already way past post-modernism, I am still very inclined to the renaissance ideals of art...the words are put in as a joke...

As I painted my canvas...I was abit frustrated as the four years between canvases did bring my skill level down and I was trying in vain to reach that level I know I was at but I did what I can...the two works you see here were completed in one day.

They are entitled Urban Sentiments 1 and 2 respectively. In the work I hope to show how often disregarded insignificant forms of nature, dried leaves and a weed growing out of a crack in the wall could be God's little romantic way to give us a little bit of green in our often grey urban settings. The unfinished look I feel complements the whole painting as it's meant to be raw and reflective of how in a modern jungle we are often left uncomplete...being totally away from our natural setting in a world of plastic and concrete.

Feel free to be an online art critic :P

First Paintings in Four Years...

What stemmed from a childhood game that I used to play combined with the surroundings of my darling girlfriend's neighbourhood and her own memories made me write a film called 'Note of Love', a film that ask if a 6 year old can comprehend love and maybe so much more so, than we agenda filled adults.So after the story was set in white bleached flattened tree pulp...I set out to make my film. After crafting out the scenes, I went to find the locations, the neccesary permits and the camera, cast and crew.

The Time and Place
On the 5th of December up till the 10th December, I shot the film in PJ old town. It's very much a tribute to the place to...in all it's dirtiness, in all it's derelict, there was this charm of a town where people lived and grew...where dreams started...My dear camera assist looked and me and actually said, we can't shoot...there's too much garbage strewn around....I was telling him...that's exactly the point...not everything needs to be model like beautiful...sometimes strewn garbage(now I am not advocating littering) weaves a beautiful tapestry.

Ambitious Project
It is my most abitious endeavour yet. From firemen to create artificial rain to a camera used by george lucas on shooting episode 1. I decided to pull all the stops...why? we should put money where our love and believe is no? I was nervous and anxiety filled from the onset but I tell myself that...I can and will...I can and will....

The Cast
Many says don't work with animals or kids...I had 5 of them...all around the age of 6.You know what? Many was wrong...despite some minor mood swings and temporarily stopping productions, the kids were a joy to work with. They truly touched my heart even as I looked through a small black and white viewfinder. Imagine the emotions blown up to a big screen...they'll blow people away....My actress, a budding dancer studying in Singapore named Alice (who was reccomended to me by her friend Trina) was also both gorgeous and alarmingly lovable despite being a little blur...she doesn't know mattel's barbie's ex was ken and pubic hair is not the term for the hair you shave off your chin...but no matter, guys will swoon for her when this movie is out.

The family
A terrible tremble...I've spent alot of money on this film...will this work out? will it be a disaster...schedule change,last minute cancellation by actors,a fishshop that changed his mind about letting me shoot.... The feelings I felt on bringing this film to life...fluctuated from near heart-attacks to moments of absolute bliss with the cast and crew...where smiles and well wishes were evident all around...but this is the organic way in which a film is created...an organic ever changing and magical process, in the midst of it all I am sure the term family found.

Postscript
There's still two more additional days of shoot required to finish this film that'll hike my cost further and though much less stressed...I still have to gear up for it....but seeing the visuals I've shot...not to be vain...not by my merits...but by the merits of all who were on this film...I feel the film will be a nice gentle touch on one's heart...exactly what I set out to do on my Note of Love.

Froggie's New Film!!!

If any of you remember me making a post here looking for young boys to act in a film…well…I have been away as I have been working very-very hard fine tuning that film’s script and so far a lot of people whom I have entrusted to read the script as panelists said wonderful things...

…the approach for the quaint feel is good –
Vinsen cinemaonline boss…real world businessman

…touching, though I find it quite hard to believe someone can fall in romantic love at the age of 6..
Rebecca, student and dreamy storybook reader

…good script…now it all depends on how you film it…
Lishen, works in publishing gay man who blogs at jessism.blogspot.com

Yes, they may be trying to cheer me on but I did tell them to be honest…brutally…

But there is still a lot of work to be done…final selection of locations, shots wanted, equipment required and what I can afford…working on a low, low budget as sponsors didn’t want to support the project even though they thought it was a good project…to quote one sponsor in verbatim…

Maybe we will give it a pass this time…You do have the talent and the persistency and you will definitely score…..i am also confident- identity to be left anonymous

Well, one day they’ll support me…and when that day comes the amount will double if not triple because my production scale will go up !

One sponsor actually made it very clear to me why they don’t sponsor…it’s not that they don’t believe in the project but marketing people like brand managers who approve sponsorships… work for a regular pay…they engage an agency to do most of the marketing work and from there…they just tick off on approved agency projects…and should any project fails, they are allright because the agency was engaged by the company, not them…but should they decided to sponsor me…they are putting their heads out on a chopping board…they are trying an untested and untried route…if it succeeds, well good…but they are unlikely to receive any bonuses…however if it fails…they’ll land in hot hot hot soup…so why take the risk and put yourself at a limb? Why not take the safe route and just earn the regular salary? I completely understand this as part of the process but what I didn’t appreciate were company that beat around the bush before giving me the no…thanks to the few that really considered but gave a a straight no…

so yeah…with every rejection a lot of dissapointments and heartaches but well it’s part of my trials …1000 bad bulbs before osram rite? :P Well I am bursting through my bulbs…and would get to the thousand soon…

That’s moviemaking for you…deep downs but also with it great ups….And it's important to have great ups...make sure you balance your deep depression with a good feeling of tipsy high sometimes...

today…I had a surge of happiness exploding within me…I…I … I was swept by what I think I’ll call a sudden well of personal inner joy. It was a wonderful feeling and although alone and having been awake the whole night…I dropped a disc into a CD tray, turned up my hi-fi, sang my hearts out and dance in my most awkward manner myself…sounds crazy…well who cares…I have an overwhelming feeling of happiness! Hahaha. I finished personally drawing the storyboards for the entire film…working every scene out in every detail…what angle I plan to make and how I see everything…

I am very happy with what the film look like on paper myself and I am trying to enjoy myself as much at this moment…soon the quiver inducing process of putting it into camera starts…two weeks to complete preproduction and soon time will come when I ‘ll be painting with my camera…and nervously, I try to hold my brush steady to make a beautiful picture…pray for me or wish me luck…I need all of it!!!

Happiness, dissapointments and the process of filmmaking...