Last night. I wrote an open letter to Catholic High School.
This happened because, a few weeks after agreeing to let me shoot RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS within their premises, they suddenly reneged on their promise.
A day before the shoot.
When everything's already finalized.
When a Taiwanese actress had already flown here, to good old Malaysia, to do my film, within a limited schedule.
When a large group of actors have been scheduled to act in my school scenes.
When a large amount of money and time had been committed to the shoot.
Good old Catholic High School of Petaling Jaya, which I attended from 1997 to 2001, NONCHALANTLY went back on a deal that almost jeopardized the entire production and flushed all my money into the drain.
The reason given?
A carnival day that they conveniently did NOT tell us about until a day before the shoot. Very convenient.
I had a flashback to 2001 again.
In 2001, I was president of the English Language Club, which also involved drama and debate activities. I tried my best to organize something big on behalf of my club called the "Drama Night", an event where members or volunteers could put up a successive amount of plays and skits in a night at school.
Members were enthusiastic, many submitted their scripts, and just when I was about to finalize things with the vice-principal, it got rejected (because time slots for such events were given to prioritized clubs like their much-beloved Chinese Language Club, the Chinese Orchestra, the School Band etc.)
My soul was crushed then, so did my dream. I remember walking out of the office, wondering why, all my 5 years in secondary school, the forces of the school had conspired so much to stop me from doing anything remotely artistic.
Unlike back then. This has a happy ending.
An alternative location was found. (albeit more money had to be paid and more hard work had to be done)
13 years have passed since I left.
Things are different now. They will never stop me now. I am surrounded by great people.
This happened because, a few weeks after agreeing to let me shoot RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS within their premises, they suddenly reneged on their promise.
A day before the shoot.
When everything's already finalized.
When a Taiwanese actress had already flown here, to good old Malaysia, to do my film, within a limited schedule.
When a large group of actors have been scheduled to act in my school scenes.
When a large amount of money and time had been committed to the shoot.
Good old Catholic High School of Petaling Jaya, which I attended from 1997 to 2001, NONCHALANTLY went back on a deal that almost jeopardized the entire production and flushed all my money into the drain.
The reason given?
A carnival day that they conveniently did NOT tell us about until a day before the shoot. Very convenient.
I had a flashback to 2001 again.
In 2001, I was president of the English Language Club, which also involved drama and debate activities. I tried my best to organize something big on behalf of my club called the "Drama Night", an event where members or volunteers could put up a successive amount of plays and skits in a night at school.
Members were enthusiastic, many submitted their scripts, and just when I was about to finalize things with the vice-principal, it got rejected (because time slots for such events were given to prioritized clubs like their much-beloved Chinese Language Club, the Chinese Orchestra, the School Band etc.)
My soul was crushed then, so did my dream. I remember walking out of the office, wondering why, all my 5 years in secondary school, the forces of the school had conspired so much to stop me from doing anything remotely artistic.
Unlike back then. This has a happy ending.
An alternative location was found. (albeit more money had to be paid and more hard work had to be done)
13 years have passed since I left.
Things are different now. They will never stop me now. I am surrounded by great people.
