Film Directors Workshop

On set Ebi Shankara and Eswari Gunasagar were gushing over this new show called ‘Karuvanam' on Vasantham in early Dec, and I took a peek and was blown away. I had to meet one of the guys behind this. We chatted, and it's not often that I get back so much from listening to this younger, serious filmmaker. He was so bent on not having his photo for this podcast that all he gave me was this blurry photo. I could have stolen one from the ether, but I'll honour his direction.Kumaran Sundaram is an award-winning Writer/Director with over a decade's experience. After studying film, he directed and wrote acclaimed works like Oh Butterfly, which won a Global Tamil Series Excellence Award at Edison Awards 2024. His MMA-themed drama Achamillai Manamae (Fearless Heart) won Best Direction at the New York Film and TV Awards 2023 and was nominated at the UK's Content Innovation Awards. Jillendru Oru Kalavaram (Happy Chaos), streaming on Netflix, garnered recognition. With credits on platforms like Viu and Discovery, he has produced programs internationally and aims to deliver life-changing stories, touching hearts one decisive moment at a time.

Recorded in late 2023, I had the privilege to talk to Djinn in a noisy cafe in Sim Lim Square, before he rushed off flying back to LA- hence the aggressive background noise cancelling-sorry. We owe Djinn and all those involved with the Movie, Perth- for pioneering Singapore indie films in 2004, when it was a lot more difficult to write, produce, direct and distribute a feature film. A great person to chat with. Lots to share.In this episode, we're diving deep into the world of Singaporean filmmaker Djinn Ong, best known for his film Perth. Djinn takes us on a journey through his unconventional path into filmmaking, starting with his work at the Economic Development Board (EDB) to his experiences in the Hong Kong film industry and eventually into directing. From casting actors off the street to balance the constraints of low-budget filmmaking, Djinn shares candid stories about working with actors like Sunny Pang, working with Producer Juan Foo, his passion for telling authentic Singaporean stories, and the challenges of bringing independent films to life. Join us as Djinn reflects on his creative process, the evolving landscape of local cinema, and his thoughts on the future of filmmaking in Singapore and beyond. This episode is a must-listen for aspiring filmmakers and anyone interested in the intricacies of storytelling through film.[00:00:17] How Djinn found the female lead for Perth[00:01:56] Casting Sunny Pang[00:04:28] Creating the Film 'Perth'[00:05:51] Journey into Film Directing[00:06:55] Djinn began in early EDB promoting Creative Industries i.e Film[00:10:34] Writing a paper for the establishment of a Singapore Film Commission[00:11:31] Djinn tries a Indiana Jones type job[00:11:47] How Djinn got involved with Yonfan's Bugis Street[00:13:20] Transition to the US and Short Films[00:17:29] Working in HongKong Film Industrywhat's the last thing you did, like[00:18:52] Not directing for a while[00:19:33] Reflections on Directing and Storytelling[00:20:53] Balancing Local and Global Storytelling[00:22:57] Returning Home: Reconnecting with Local Cinema[00:23:32] Character Development and Inspiration[00:24:35] The Joys and Struggles of Low-Budget Filmmaking[00:27:07] What Djinn looks for from a DP[00:31:02] Casting Authentic Characters[00:37:27] The Importance of a Good Production Team[00:41:33] Impactful Small Sequences[00:42:42] Exploring Global Cinema[00:43:41] Asian American Productions [00:48:16] Challenges in Production[00:54:46] Directing and Actor Performance[01:05:22] Encouragement for Independent Filmmakers

I had the pleasure of talking to James Lee late last year, and this long podcast episode is the result. I can't tell you how much I learned in these 1.6 hours. James Lee is such a filmmaking dynamo. He's precise, generous in sharing and loaded with filmmaking stories and anecdotes.  I don't want to swing the overused word 'masterclass" here but  I can't tell you how much I learned in these 1.6 hours.James Lee, an esteemed filmmaker originating from Malaysia, made his mark in the world of theater before transitioning seamlessly into the forefront of indie digital video filmmaking. Proficient in directing, producing, and acting, he has garnered international acclaim with awards at prominent film festivals in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Philippines, and Singapore. James became a focal point at the 9th Deauville Asian Film Festival in France, solidifying his status as a pioneer in digital filmmaking. Noteworthy accolades include the prestigious Cannes Silver Lion Award in 2016 for his compelling work on "Last Day of School." James Lee's influence extends beyond the screen, evident in his role as a speaker at TEDxKL in 2015, where he shared valuable insights into the evolving narrative landscape.

FDW is back!!! Huge apologies. But FDW will be back as regular as I can keep this up. A nice slate of new activities planned and new energy an vigour. Let me clear the backlogue first. I was worried that these were recorded some time back that its not relevant coz the subjects have went on to great things BUT I found the conversation still very interesting and even more so with some hindsight. Kindly enjoy Sunny when he just came back from hobnobbing with Forest Whitaker and Tom Hardy on the set of Havoc. 1. 00:00:00 Just back from shooting in a Gareth Edwards Hollywood movie "Havoc" in UK2. 00:00:24 How did Sunny Pang get into the industry in 19933. 00:03:31 1999 Sunny felt that he wanted to act more than doing ONLY stunts but after a lot of rejection, he became a bouncer in clubs.4. 00:04:20 Sunny gets casted in 'Perth: The Geylang Massacre"5. 00:06:19 Working with Lim Kay Tong in 'Perth'6.  00:10:06 How disappointments affect his career7.  00:12:47 How Perth was not seen as a commercial success8.  00:14:04 Working with James Lee - a prominent Malaysian Director/Producer9. 00:14:20 Working with his Sifu ?Aleelb Said - a HK/Indonesian Martial Arts Master Action Director working in Asia.10. 00:15:16 Working with James Lee on "Call if you need me"  (2009)11.  00:17:16 Meeting Timo Tjahjanto the first time for "Night Come for Us"12.  00:18:07 Meeting "The Raid" Gareth Evans too.13. 00:18:25  Then "Night Come for us" production stalled during prepro training.14. 00:18:38 Then he was approached by Timo for "Headshot" since "Night Come for Us" stalled15. 00:20:37 Screening of "Headshot" in Toronto International Film Festival16. 00:21:50  Sunny recalls the first day of shoot for "Headshot"17. 00:24:30 Learning to hustle as an actor18. 00:26:52 Importance of being independent in getting jobs19. 00:32:44 On Singapore's potential in the international arena20. 00:37:13 Shooting for TV in Singapore - everything is too sanitised 21. 00:41:55 Shooting 'Gareth Evans international action flick "Havoc"22. 00:43:52 What Forest Whitaker said to him after a take on 'Havoc'23. 00:45:09 Whats next for Sunny Pang (Nov 21)24. 00:46:52 Working with different directors25.  00:49:47 Working on dramatic scenes requiring more focus for Sunny Pang 26. 00:51:37 Working with Indonesian Directors like Timo and Gareth  27. 00:52:42 An actor needs to understand the script well before shooting28. 00:53:49 On rehearsals29. 00:54:18 Rehearsal Process with Malaysian Director Zahir Omar30. 00:55:35 Was there lots of rehearsals for 'Havoc'?31. 00:56:59  Next projects (Nov 21)32. 01:00:48 His experience working with Anri Okita a Japanese AV star33. 01:04:47 His take on crying or emotional scenes34.  01:01:08 On acting, no actinga nd over acting35. 01:11:19 Sunny Pang on Inspector Han one of his memorable popular roles36. 01:12:10 Sunny Pang's management style with Ronin Action Group37. 01:15:23 About the 'Macho Man' in asian cinema38. 01:22:16 About being open in the industry39. 01:26:27 How was Craft Services on 'Havoc'?

Li Lin WeeDirector. Storyteller. Wee Li Lin (b. 1973) is one of the pioneer female filmmakers in Singapore. Her films have a signature humour, warmth, and whimsy to them.  Li Lin has made numerous short films, two feature films, as well as several telemovies and commercials. She has won several awards locally and internationally, such as "Best Director" at the Singapore International Film Festival. In 2018, Li Lin was commissioned to direct Singapore’s National Day music video "We are Singapore". It was such a hit that it became the highest trending video on YouTube in Singapore that year. Li Lin's films have screened at prestigious festivals around the world, such as the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, Short Shorts in Tokyo, the Udine Far East Film Festival in Italy, the Shanghai International Film Festival, the Hawaii International Film Festival, and many others.  Li Lin did her undergrad at Brown University and her graduate studies at NYU-Tisch Asia where she studied dramatic writing under an IMDA scholarship. She also teaches film-related studies at various tertiary institutions around Singapore on a part-time basis. Li Lin enjoys photography, audio books, and going to the cinema whenever she can.

Yuni Hadi is a film curator and producer specializing in the management of film and media projects. She has spent a large part of her career promoting Singapore and Southeast Asian cinema. Hadi headed the Singapore International Film Festival in 2009, and 2014-2019 as its Executive Director covering its 25th to 30th edition. In 2017, she co-curated a cross-disciplinary exhibition In the Garden with artist Adeline Kueh, which saw 6 artists respond to physical spaces within the home and its perimeters. In 2013, Hadi published and edited the book Behind the Camera and co-produced the film Ilo Ilo, the first Singapore film to win the Camera d’Or Award at the 66th Cannes Film Festival and Best Feature Film at 50th Golden Horse Awards. Hadi was awarded the Eisenhower Fellowship and the United Technologies Corporation Fellowship in 2016. In 2015, Hadi received the Honorary Award from the Singapore Short Film Awards in recognition for her contribution to the film industry. She was named one of Female Magazine’s “50 Most Inspiring Women” in 2010 and recognised as one of the Great Women of Our Time by Women's Weekly in 2014. She was formerly Co-director at Objectifs Centre for Photography & Filmmaking and Programme Manager at The Substation Centre for the Arts, where she currently serves on the boards of.

Episode 11 -In this episode Don talks about working with actors and DPs. Another very Director-centric episode- here he shares his experiences with- diva actors, so called trained actors n non actors. Working with CYNTHIA KOH for the first time in a Mandarin language drama. Discussing about building that trust between the director and actors. 'Working the ‘magic’. Being impressed with a young inexperienced JABU DEEN and see how he has developed so far. He also shares his varied experience working with DP SHYAN and DP MICHAEL ZAW. I have known Don since 2015 on the set of ***Tanglin***. It was Singapore's longest English TV long form series- running at more than 800 plus (half hr) episodes and it had a number of directors on board. And we were part of that. Super ep. Enjoy.

Episode 10 -In this episode Don shares his beginnings with Vasantham ***Vettai *** and Channel 5's ***Tanglin.*** I have known Don since 2015 on the set of ***Tanglin***. It was Singapore's longest English TV long form series- running at more than 800 plus (half hr) episodes and it had a number of directors on board. And we were part of that. It is super interesting for me IMHO to have two directors talking about it because strangely we seldom do- sharing our experiences coz we mostly kept to ourselves. This is one of the most Director-centric insdier talk sessh. Most of all, I love his sharing his concept of success.

Episode 9 - Chai Yee Wei. We have known each other through the years but only a lil closer after he really helped me out with the DCP of 'Diamond Dogs' and even recently 'The Last Song". Always a trusted friend and ally in the SG film industry, he had put aside his Directing for a good few years and then came back in a big way after his Win in Short Shorts Tokyo. In this episode, he shares his journey and his candid views of directing in Singapore. Enjoy. “In the early days I couldn’t get that trust easily from people, I was really... I don’t want to say, bullied but I learned a lot from the people that I had worked with, not just the actors but from the crew too.” Chai Yee Wei, Grand Prix winner of Short Shorts, an Academy Accredited Festival, with his short film "Benjamin's Last Day at Katong Swimming Complex”(2018), has a career as diverse as his interests. He has co-written and directed several feature films across genres ranging from horror (Blood Ties), to dark comedy (Twisted), and musical rom com (That Girl In Pinafore). And being a tech enthusiast, he also started Mocha Chai Laboratories, and built Singapore's first boutique digital film lab with a state-of-the-art Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos facility. Today he splits his time developing and producing content, while advocating the use of new technologies to tell better stories.

A FDW CCB Spinoff. Here we talk to the other filmmaking departments. We did an 'Actors Talk Back' with Kheng Hua and now its 'DPs Talk back' with Amandi Wong. Amandi was the first DP i worked with nearly 15 years ago. First DP in relations to Narrative work. I already had a good decade working with other DPs on TVCs and such but narrative work, Amandi was my virgin first. We didn't get to work together much these few years and that's because he became so sought after and every time I call him for a job, he always says "NA" and then he realised he forgot to ask... pauses... THEN he ask "When ha?". But the heart is already broken :) A most interesting sess.

Episode 8 - Chai Yee Wei. We have known each other through the years but only a lil closer after he really helped me out with the DCP of 'Diamond Dogs' and even recently 'The Last Song". Always a trusted friend and ally in the SG film industry, he had put aside his Directing for a good few years and then came back in a big way after his Win in Short Shorts Tokyo. In this episode, he shares his journey and his candid views of directing in Singapore. Enjoy.

Episode 7, folks! In this episode we grill Director LER into his process or approach towards actors/acting/performances. If you haven’t binged HBO 'Invisible Stories', you’re still an ‘invisible story’ :)  Binge!- you owe it to yourself to watch this one. Next week Director Chai Yee Wei (蔡於位)!!!

Episode 6, folks! Long long long overdue. My fault. Director Ler’s Part Two. Continuing with more insights into directing his crazy awesome HBO ‘Invisible Stories’.

Sorry for the delay- been swamped by CCB WFH deluge. I’ll try to be punctual… haha. Our last part of the CCB Specials with Kheng Hua when she was back in SG. This is the episode where she talks about her LA forays and a glimpse into her working on the current Grey's Anatomy Season 16, Marco Polo and Kung Fu etc. And her lil encouragement to any Directors who wants to work with her. Enjoy. Next Week on the last CCB Specials (methinks) - DP Amandi Wong!!! Tan Kheng Hua is a Singapore actor and producer. She is currently based in Singapore and Los Angeles. She was most recently seen in the films Crazy Rich Asians (Warner Film) and The Garden of Evening Mists (Astro Shaw, HBO Asia) and on television in Marco Polo (Netflix), Foodlore (HBO Asia), Chimerica (Channel4) and Grey's Anatomy (ABC). She is represented by Fly Entertainment in Singapore and represented by Zero Gravity Management and GVA Talent in the UK and USA. Website https://share.transistor.fm/s/b78e7541 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/3UXFGPktlH0l4Mdn72FS7K Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/film-directors-workshop/id1504606895#episodeGuid=f5fc6881-9f98-4be3-8b11-f69f30de8c64

Episode 5, folks! So far Guoshen & Glenn are personal friends but this episode we have a director I don’t really have too much interaction with before this. We know each other in many ‘Hi, Bye’ flybys and I did work with his wonderful actress wife, Wendy Toh in ‘Diamond Dogs’. In this episode we talked about his uber awesome ‘Invisible Stories’ before it premiered on HBO. ( And actually this podcast is so timely coz HBO is streaming ‘Invisible Stories’ for FREE now for CCB. If there’s only one series to Binge- you owe it to yourself to watch this one- Also don’t forget to catch my latest short ‘The Last Song’ on ANDIE CHEN’s Youtube Channel - haha shameless plug . WARNING- SALTY LANGUAGE. Ler Jiyuan is a Singaporean filmmaker. He is the director of several high-profile Singaporean TV dramas such as HBO Asia’s Grisse, Mediacorp Studios Channel 5 Telemovie Gone Case, based on the award-winning novel by Dave Chua and Telemovie The Love Machine, which was nominated for five awards at the 2016 Asian Television Awards. Ler is the writer/director for short films The Drum, which won the 2018 Viddsee Juree Gold Awards and was in competition at the 2017 Clermont Ferrand Short Film Festival; and Paper House, which premiered at the 2017 Singapore Chinese Film Festival. He is currently showrunning HBO Asia’s mini-series Invisible Stories, premiering in Jan 2020.

Continuing our CCB Special with Kheng Hua when she was back in SG and just before the CCB was installed. In this episode she shares her thought processes with working with other actors, directors and talks about her work on Marco Polo, Crazy Rich Asians and recently Grey’s Anatomy. And discover what is the worst piece of direction you can give her on set. Enjoy. Tan Kheng Hua is a Singapore actor and producer. She is currently based in Singapore and Los Angeles. She was most recently seen in the films Crazy Rich Asians (Warner Film) and The Garden of Evening Mists (Astro Shaw, HBO Asia) and on television in Marco Polo (Netflix), Foodlore (HBO Asia), Chimerica (Channel4) and Grey's Anatomy (ABC). She is represented by Fly Entertainment in Singapore and represented by Zero Gravity Management and GVA Talent in the UK and USA.

Episode 4, folks! Thanks for support so far. Hundreds have tuned in. Ok… I exaggerate- a hundred plus have tuned in-haha. But I’m still happy:) This episode continues with the 2nd Part of Talking with Glenn Chan. He shares his processes working with actors, difficult scenes and reveals his career first love- directing or cinematography. Sorry for the technical glitches and the lack of a pop filter. We will try to get better... someday. Glenn Chan is a Singaporean Director of Films and Television whom has been progressively integral to the local media industry since his directorial debut in 2002. He has lend his talent as Director, Director of Photography and Writer to a multitude of noteworthy works, helming a range of content alongside some of Singapore’s top production companies. Website https://filmdirectorsworkshop.transistor.fm/ SPOTIFY https://open.spotify.com/show/75GXckNp4vbfPcIhhth5Zg Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/film-directors-workshop/id1504606895

Before we jump back into our regular drop on Wednesdays-continuing our PODCAST with GLENN CHAN, we wanted to try something new on this also New show. Talking to Kheng Hua when she was back in SG last week and just when the CCB was announced, that talk was so full of great info- so I thought maybe I'll add CCB Specials for peeps to spend more time hanging out here. She's been a good friend for many years and so lucky to have her share her experiences working with directors. Enjoy. Tan Kheng Hua is a Singapore actor and producer. She is currently based in Singapore and Los Angeles. She was most recently seen in the films Crazy Rich Asians (Warner Film) and The Garden of Evening Mists (Astro Shaw, HBO Asia) and on television in Marco Polo (Netflix), Foodlore (HBO Asia), Chimerica (Channel4) and Grey's Anatomy (ABC). She is represented by Fly Entertainment in Singapore and represented by Zero Gravity Management and GVA Talent in the UK and USA.

Glenn Chan is a Singaporean Director of Films and Television whom has been progressively integral to the local media industry since his directorial debut in 2002. He has lend his talent as Director, Director of Photography and Writer to a multitude of noteworthy works, helming a range of content alongside some of Singapore’s top production companies.

Episode Two Continues the Talk with multi-hyphenated Wang Guoshen. Film and TV Director /Writer/ ExecutiveProducer. Film Directors Workshop. A Personal Passion Project - A Podcast on Directing in Singapore. Super long overdue as some were recorded late last year-Yikes! Check out every week for a rambling talk cock sessions with SG and non SG Directors on the craft of Directing. https://filmdirectorsworkshop.transistor.fm/ SPOTIFY https://open.spotify.com/show/75GXckNp4vbfPcIhhth5Zg Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/film-directors-workshop/id1504606895

Ong Kuo Sin graduated from Hwa Chong JC in 1993 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree (Radio-TV-Film) in UT Austin with a 3.8 GPA. Returning to Singapore in 1999, he became the assistant director for “School Days”／七彩学堂(Channel 8), which won the best sitcom of the year. The following year, he was offered to direct the second season of the sitcom and had since gained experience in a wide range of different genres. Being effectively bilingual and versatile, Kuo Sin’s various ventures include documentaries like “Life Stories” and “Lion Dances” (all Arts Central); travelogues like “Extreme Gourmet”, “Extreme Japan”, “Seoul Far Seoul Good” (all Mediacorp Channel 5) and “Spa Seekers” (Voom HD); variety programs like “Behind All Jobs”/美差事苦差事 (Channel 8) and dramedies like “The Sassy Neighbour” series, “Parental Guidance” and “Sayang Sayang” (all Mediacorp Channel 5). Dramatic pieces that Kuo Sin has directed includes “Chemistry” (Channel 5), “Perception” (Channel I) and “Our Rice House”／我们的饭店 (Channel 8). Kuo Sin has also directed the well-received tele-movie “The Promise”／向日葵的约定 for Channel U in 2009 and the 2010 Channel U blockbuster “Secret Garden”／秘密花园. In 2012, he directed Channel U’s highest rated drama, “JUMP!”/跳浪and completed his first feature film, “Judgment Day”/世界末日. The film was released in Singapore and Malaysia in 2013. In the same year, he helped produced Taiwanese comedian Kang Kang’s directorial debut “十萬夥急”and directed Channel U’s tent pole drama “Scrum!/衝鋒” and Channel 5’s “Spouse For House”. In 2014, Kuo Sin earned a nomination for “Best Local Director” in the Singapore E-Awards and “Spouse For House” won Best Comedy at the Asian Television Awards. In 2015, Kuo Sin wrote the viral hit song “Unbelievable” for “Spouse For House” and also serves as the Executive Producer for Channel 5’s 199- episode long form drama, “Tanglin.” By the end of the year, he shot and released the feature film “Mr. Unbelievable”. In 2016, he wrote the screenplay for Dick Lee’s debut film “Wonder Boy” and his third feature film, “One Head Light”/絕世情歌. In 2017, he completed principal photography for “One Head Light”/絕世情歌