Four months ago after finishing my studies in Curtin Univeristy, I was wondering where I would end up for my career. It was after having a very long backpacking trip with Catherine and a four days diving course that I finally settled down in Petaling Jaya after a call from Red Communications. I flew over to KL with little things of mine and settled down even before I agreed to any job. I met up with Sok Peng (a Producer in Red) and after discussing about my job prospect and the project and the pay, I signed the contract as a Production Manager for a TV Drama Series for 4 months.
...my second office phone...
The first two months was all about preparation for the shoot in October with recces in Perak and KL, letters to managements, sourcing out accommodations and caterings. It was quite a smooth sailing first two months in this project, only until the last two weeks before the shoot begins where workload started pouring in and we had to work till late at night and through weekends. I had to translate scripts to English, redo breakdown 5 times each episodes, etc.
...my cup...
Shoot started on the 18th October in Ipoh. Due to many last minute things popping out right before the shoot, many things started to stress everyone out. It was, at some point, so stressful that most of us couldn't take it, but no matter what happens along the way, we will still carry on.
One of the most frustrating experience in this shoot was how 4 vans broke down on my drive! YES! 4 VANS! ...how? I don't know. The first one broke down on our way up to Ipoh for the first time. The second van broke down after the replacement of the first van. Third and fourth broke down upon rental. At one point, everyone banned me from driving and at that point, I feel so useless - not to mention that not many of us in the production can drive manual cars!
Locations were all good. But, there were times where I had to wake up in the wee hours of the morning (shoot finishes past midnight) to source out for last minute locations in Ipoh. But, thank God for his guidance that I managed to get what I needed to, even if it was an hour or two before the shoot begins for the day. Another stressful aspect of one of my job scope as a location manager was to find out (very last minutely) that my locations are either a) from wooden 70s setting to brick & tiles in the 20th century; or b) from an open business location to a close-shop location. Yes~ it happened three times throughout the shoot......... *speechless*
...one of the locations from an open business to close-shop...
Hmm... first two weeks of shoot was quite a complication when certain departments just tends to screw up everyone on set. I'm sure that most productions anywhere do go through the same situations - it's just that, how bad the situation was at that time - and yes, we were screwed at some point but we managed to get things done and over with and think of solutions for the next day shoot.
...for example: this VW Van to be a police land rover *sweats*...
So, we had a new team on set...presenting...
...Angie, the art department with her assistant Aaron & Hon...
The cool part of this shoot is that we work together and we all stay together in 3 houses here in Ipoh - production house, cast house and crew house...and not to mention we have Tesco, Tesco Extra and Jusco just around the corner and a McDonald's Dive Thru just 5 minutes away. Also, the food in Ipoh are just great - Nga Choi Kai (Tauge Chicken), Hor Fun, Satay, Western, Italian, Japanese food as well. Last but not least, the pubs in Ipoh are just wonderful~
...everyone on set practically wears crocs...
There was a week of horror for most of us - especially the drivers in the production. It was a week in Taiping, but we had to drive up and down every single day of our shoot, and with call time at 6.00am and wrap time at 10pm, we reached home at almost midnight, sometimes at 2am, we practically drive while trying to get sleep in the car.
...the beauty of Taiping...
The size of our team: 8-men crew, 3-men art department, 2-men wardrobe department, 1-man makeup department, 5-men production department, 3-men directing department.
The amount of transportation: 1 crew truck, 1 crew van, 1 cast van, 1 wardrobe van, 1 props van, 2 production vans.
Equipments: endless list of camera and lighting equipments we use...but I love the camera.
...Panasonic P2HD Camera...
Somehow, dunno why... (still wondering)
was how I ended up in the hospital.....................
I was admitted to hospital for 3 days, running through checkups like blood test, scoop (camera down my throat to my lungs), xrays, and more blood tests. Was lying on the hospital bed with nothing more than a TV, a PSP and my phone. Thanks a lot to my brother Alex, who drove hours up to Ipoh from Tangkak to be with me in the hospital, and thanks to Lynn and Daniel for bringing me food :)
This is Lynn, the editor.
She is on set and off set (at home editing).
She has cool but heavy gadgets.
This is how I normally looks like in production.
My red cap, my red pouch, t-shirt and shorts, shoes or crocs.
There's so many things about this production that I love:
1. the stunt scenes (car chase, fighting, falling, crashing...)
2. the locations (old, classic buildings)
3. the casts (everyone is so fun to be around with)
4. the production (helping out one another)
5. the outstations! (ipoh, kampar, taiping, kamunting)
...our lead actor, Muniff...
...the craziness on set...
...the drinking challenger...
Of course, the project will come to an end. My contract ended on the 9th December. I left Ipoh that morning by train to settle my accounts and hand overs in the over. Am missing everyone on set (who are still working on this project...sorry that I couldn't be there until the end).
...the beauty of a camera...
All the best to everyone in this project!
Awaiting for the end of the project and the airing of this drama series!
!cheers to the team!
