Is back in the office...

Finally I'm back in the office...

Not for long anyway. I think this will be my final days in the office before heading back to Ipoh for the next one month plus for the shoot and then off to Kuching for Alex's wedding and off to Sipadan with Catherine and back to Kuching for xmas and then back to PJ for new year celebration in Melaka.

I'm mentally and physically tired.

Not to mention that I'm darker than I used to be, pimples more than I used to have... (solutions anyone???)

Will start the KL shoot on Halloween - that's tomorrow - 31st October.

Then will be having an endless shoot in Ipoh and Taiping and Kampar and Gopeng.

..........oh no..........

that means, will be away from internet, away from my 'civilization' for one month!!!

1st Block...DONE!

Should I be rejoicing??? ...I don't think so...

Date: 18th - 26th October 2009

Venue: Perak - Ipoh, Kampar, Sungai Siput

It was the first block of Tangkal Besi shoot last week. It did not actually start off well - lots of stress and frustration on set - but anyhow, we have completed the first 10 days of shoot! *claps* There were so many reschedule'ments happening on set and I only slept for at least 3-4 hours a day - early morning I'm up and late at night I'm down.

Alas, the whole team met each other in Ipoh and there, we got along with each other. There's just too much to tell, so much 'drama' happening on set (as always when it's a drama shoot), so much sweats but it all paid off...

Here are some pictures to tell the stories~

...the shoot at Sungai Siput KTM Station...

...the shoot at Kampar...

...the shoot at an abandon building in Ipoh...

Well, ups and downs are always there on set.

They are all for the experiences.

And some are priceless.

...Time passes...

And it's off for a 4 days break and another one month plus to go!

...Alvin's birthday cake...

GAMBATEH TO TANGKAL BESI TEAM!!!

The 'kan-chiong' Week

...something nice to eat before the kan-chiong week...

...it's the final week to shoot and it is now...

officially the

KAN-CHIONG

week!

it's about time to have no internet 24/7

it's about time to have not enough sleep

it's about time to stress all out

it's about time to have no PORK

it's about time to have everyone staying together

it's about time to hav FUN!

-It's SHOOTING time-

12/10/2009

the first visit to the doctor

Disappointment but a Relief

Had a blow of disappointment of myself and the other parties

(let me clarify, not the first time but the third time in this year)

realizes that I do not understand the person well enough

realizes that maybe I do not trust the person

realizes that I should judge a book by its cover

realizes the mistakes after it happens

realizes the effect on others

...but...

it is a relief to know that:

1st case - it's improving

2nd case - don't know and don't care

3rd case - gone with the wind

oh well

it is a disappointment but a relief

One week to SHOOT!

Officially it's Thursday, which means it's another 7 more days to shoot because our first day of shoot is on the 15th October 2009 - a Thursday - yes, it is next Thursday. (I know I'm crapping)

This week was another hell of a week. It's only a week to shoot and things are still all over the place and I did literally 5 drafts of script breakdown since one month ago! Damn I had to read the script all over again and confuse myself with all the changes and make sure I do a breakdown that does not confuse anyone but myself...............

The list of what I've been doing for the past 2 months in this project:

1. The reading job

2. The breakdown job

3. The recce job

4. The jigsaw job

5. The office job

6. The calling job

7. The 'making-friends-with-all-the-locations-we-need-to-use' job

8. The shoot job (coming soon next Thursday)

...and the list goes on and on...

Funny that I can make my job into a list like this~ Oh well, I am indeed looking forward for the shoots. Although it will be very stressful (and I stress the word S.T.R.E.S.S.F.U.L) as I need to make sure I get things in order to have one part of the shoot in order. Must do a good job as this is my first time PM'ing a production.

...to ease myself from counting down the days to shoot...

I

look

at

this

picture

and

countdown

to

the

day

I

arrive

in

this

beautiful

island

for

my

first

dive

as

an

Open Water Diver

!!!

YES!

I AM GOING TO SIPADAN!!!

*okay...that's enough for my stress release moments*

now back to reality...one week to SHOOT!

Lantern and Freedom Film Festival

It wast the Mid Autumn Festival last weekend, and again...it's another year of not eating moon cakes. I remembered playing candles and lanterns last year. This year, it was a trip to a kindergarten where Angie works. Peng, Lynn, Yih Wen and I went for a children-parents party on Friday night before heading to Jalan Alor for a good dinner.

...Peng making mooncakes...

...something I made...

but it's actually clay

...it was a cloudy night...

It was a sumptuous night with delicious and fulfilling food and not to mentioned another round of butter chicken rice when I got home (coz I tapau'ed the food before knowing about the party and dinner plan).

Freedom Film Fest screening and awards was help last Sunday at Annex, Central Market. Yih Wen got tickets for Lynn and I for the screenings. I was a volunteer before in 2007 and this is my first time attending the screening. I was amazed on the films shown that night and was inspired to work out a topic for next year's Freedom Film Festival.

...a lot of audiences turned up for the screening...

It was about 11pm where we left the screening and off for a dinner (or should I say, supper) at Jalan Imbi. Yih Wen brought us to a very nice fried beef noodles and satays. Had a good meal before heading back home. There was apparently a celebration (a street party, I guess) in Bukit Bintang as we spotted fireworks in a traffic jam.

...the fireworks at Bukit Bintang...

...the delicious fried beef noodle...

All in all, it was a good weekend. At least a time off from work to have some fun and good food.

Oh well, weekend's over. It's back to work!

Of Stress at Work

...the beauty of a full moon...

This week was one of the most hectic week of my work. Wasn't sure whether I was only because of the working environment, or the workload, or my other projects, or my lack of sleep, but I was really drained to the last drop of energy I had.

Not to mention that the whole Peninsular Malaysia was shocked with the earthquake from Padang, Sumatra on Wednesday and some air force training which sounded like World War II on Friday.

I had recces in KL on Monday and Wednesday and both days were tiring as it was raining when I was out recce'ing. Had a fever on Wednesday after waking up at 6.50am for a very cold shower in the early morning rain. The short chills are still on-off every now and then. I had the Ipoh recce on Thursday where I had to bring the Director, the Assistant Director, the Stuntman, the Director of Photography and the Art Director to the specific locations. It was a very long, tiring day.

Thank goodness that it's Friday and it's a weekend, hopefully a nice weekend to sleep, to rest and to enjoy all at the same time. Everyone in the team is counting down to the shootings which will begin on the 15th October 2009 until my last day of work. Lots of things to pack, lots of things to plan and lots of things to settle throughout these few weeks.

It's Mid Autumn Festival.... let's play lanterns and eat mooncakes!