【LIVE LIFE】 DID IT!

I usually don't submit my films to festivals as I believed they are for Art's Film, well, most of the time. Plus, out there has like thousands and thousands of film festival over the world, and I believed for film submission, you need a certain level of experiences and skills, and making the right choice.

I'm certainly not that person, not yet. That is why I always wished to have a producer who helps and leads me on this...

So how did I know about Akira Kurosawa Memorial Short Film Competition?

It happened one day when I visited Kinokuniya. at the Japanese section's counter I saw this postcard about the competition. What attracted me was the theme of this year's competition - LIFE, and it required a short film less than 10mins, without any submission fees(that's the best part). Instantly I thought about LIVE LIFE, and from there I thought "why not give it a try?"

Months later, at Janury this year I received a letter from Japan. I was so excited because LIVE LIFE was announced for the nominated 19 films from over 500+ submission worldwide! There are 2 nominated films from Malaysia, one is from Ho YuHang, who directed "The Rain Dog" few years back.




It was a great news to me. Few months later, it came another greater news...




Wow! Unbelievable.... Congrats to myself, hehe~ And ofcoz to all the cast & crew members of LIVE LIFE! This would be the first award for LIVE LIFE, and for myself in filming career. Yeah! So can I go Japan for the awards ceremony??

Also congrats to YuHang for the Grand Prix! He's a great actor/director, funny guy!



More about LIVE LIFE, click HERE.

【LIVE LIFE】

Last few days, I was looking back at my movies again, first was 【Live Life】, and then 【Love.Say】, last time I used to think that they weren't good enough to spread around, but the feeling this time is different, it's like you were looking back at your old works, and even they weren't good enough, you could now tell yourself or anyone else, "hey~ that was like 2 years... 3 years ago man!" And then automatically, they became quite presentable, and you started be proud of it! :P

And then later, a composer who hasn't been in contact for almost 3 years, came to me in msn and asked, am I the director of 【Live Life】 and if there's any chance he can watch 【Live Life】? Instantly, I felt like all this is a sign, and I told him "you got me in the right time! I had just watched it after these years, and now I am thinking to upload it online!"

Well, I'm glad now I have my own server and is able to share the movies with you guys. If you haven't watch it before, this is 【Live Life】, a short film I wrote and directed 3 years ago. Yeah~ I still like the caption " There is a time to see with your heart"! haha~ If you like to read more about live life, follow this LINK.

If you like the movie, please tell your friends.
If you hate it, don't keep it with you, tell me! :)

Embed Code

Thank you for watching! :D


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Before LomoWall...

These days, we are busy preparing lomowall for the coming Lomo X-hibition. Thousand and thousand of lomographs to be sticked on the wall, reminded me of one quite similar wall with full of b/w photograph that featured in my short film - Live Life. If you ever watched the movie before, you probably know what I mean; If you don't, just keep scrolling down... :P

I remember there was a wall-making's sequence that we shot that time. So after got home, immediately I searched for it, thew in a music, and here is it to share with everyone!

The Making of the Wall.


Eventually I decided to cut in only one shot of the wall at the ending part of 'Live Life'.
One and only special shot!

The ending sequence of Live Life.


And here's the still. Used to be my favorite destop wallpaper! :)

If you like to see a different, bigger, and hell sparkling colorful wall full of thousand more photographs than this. Don't miss our Lomo X-hibition 2007 from 26th Nov - 1st Dec at Desein Academy, Wangsa Maju! One huge wall + 16 personal panel walls (including mine) are waiting for you, see you there!

For more information, click to see the poster or the detail.

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1st Official Selection for 'LIVE LIFE'

I had submitted 'LIVE LIFE' to the Calgary Fringe Film Festival few months ago, and today I've received an email from them, which really surprised me!!

Usually after the selection, they will email you to notify whether your film is selected or not been selected...

So here it goes from the email:

"The results are in and programming has been completed for the 2007 Calgary Fringe Film Festival. It is always a difficult task selecting films from the hundreds of entries we receive, particularly considering the quality and amazing stories that are being told by you, the filmmakers.

We are excited to tell you that your film is an Official Selection to our 2007 Festival which runs August 10th to 19th in Calgary, AB, Canada. The exact schedule of when your film will screen will be published on our website next week at www.calgaryfringe.ca

In addition, we will be announcing those films which have been selected to receive a recognition award for excellence in filmmaking and an award certiicate.

All filmmakers who are an Official Selection are invited, with a guest, to attend any and all of our film screening sessions. Please email to indicate if you are able to attend, especially for the screening of your film.

Next week we will also announce the nominees for each category (short films, mid length films and feature length films) for Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Actress. These Awards will be given out at the Awards Party on Saturday August 18th, along with Audience Choice Awards in each category..."

Wow!! That's really incredible and unbelievable!! 'LIVE LIFE' received an official selection and will be screen at a film festival in Calgary! hehe!! Ofcoz I also wish to have nominees for any of the 'Best Of' category later on but I'm already happy enough just having it selected. :)

Anyway, we'll wait and see...

And ofcoz, very BIG thanks to all the Live Lifers and vfs and everyone who supports!

LIVE LIFE

'Live Life' has got some good feedbacks recently and I thought it's really the time for me to post up some of the Makings in here to share with everybody. I was about to do this while ago when Chin Hwa shared about Live Life in CARI, yet not many people responded to it so this didn't happen. Now, thanks to Seng Kit who recently posted up an article about 'Live Life' in his blog, which really surprised me! And ofcoz, I take that as a compliment so I decided to do this. :) Take a look at his blog if you have time, great young photographer!

So...Here we go.

'Live Life' was shot in Vancouver, Canada. It was the mid-term project when I was in film school. We got a small 10-crews-production with some limited gears from school. We shot 5 days in total.

The story was original written as a romantic story between a guy and a blind girl. I put in sunset as the theme, the message to tell is that the best moment we see is always short, but it can last forever when it's in our heart. The concept wasn't strong enough and the message doesn't deliver in the way. The 'sight' and 'heart' kept pacing up and down in my mind...
And then I wrote 'Live Life'.

My script was choosen by school and I was very lucky to be picked as the director after the director's pitch. One thing that even cheer me was that I got to shoot in film! (because we split into film and dv teams) Another great thing was, I had my best friends all in my team! Included all the asians in my class. Haha~

One problem that we faced during the pre-production was we couldn't find a right interior location to shoot. So we ended up with shooting in the studio, and build all the interior sets! The result was spectacular- bigger room, we got more control of the lights, quiet location, and full control of art direction!

Well, I will talk non-stop if you never yell 'cut!' :p
Better show some photos...

Behing the scene :








Production stills :




The Live Lifer :



Some of the story board :
(sketched by me)
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The concept painting :
(painted by me)



To be continued...