How do you earn a living?
I’m a full-time freelancer for television programs, since 1998. I do film on the side. Most filmmakers here have two jobs.
Sayang Disayang took six years to make. What were the holdups?
It’s common to have funding problems because [investors] don’t know what [filmmakers are] trying to do. In 2008, the conditions were not really right for first-time filmmakers. They asked, “What is the return on investment,” which is far-fetched for cinema.
So what changed eventually?
I did crowdfunding but it was not enough to cover what I needed to make the film. In 2011, some people in the film fraternity understood that the conditions for the government grants were not realistic. Boo Junfeng, Jasmine Ng and Anthony Chen engaged the SFC to change their requirements. These changed in 2012, making them more nurturing for first-time filmmakers.
What motivates Singaporean filmmakers? Is it the hope of being picked up by an international festival?
It’s still in the mindset of Singaporeans unfortunately that only when your work is picked up or recognized by an international press/jury will Singaporeans sit up and pay attention to their own countryman’s work of art. This does not only cover films—it extends to engineering, writing, music, fashion. I have seen many aspiring “filmmakers” get jaded in the first two or three years upon graduation when realities of life sets in, paying the bills and sustaining the high costs of living in Singapore. They leave the creative industry and set their sights upon another, more lucrative industry.
Will you have an official release here?
My film opened at the Arts House over National Day weekend. I was approached by bigger exhibitors. But when you transfer the film to DCP format, it costs a lot of money. I don’t want to spend any more money after what I’ve been through.
