Shooting RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS at the 140-year-old annual Johor Parade of the Gods

On February 20th, my RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS team and I headed off to Johor to shoot our ending. The reason why we were willing to endure a 4+ hour trip was because we wanted to catch the annual Johor "Parade of the Gods", a Chingay Parade that has been going for more than 140 years.

More photos from phase 2 of the RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS shoot

Due to the episodic nature of the film, THE RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS film shoot is divided into three phases, with a rotating cast and crew.

Phase 1 happened in early January.

Phase 2 happened from February 5 to 14.

My team members had some pretty cool collection of photos from Phase 2.

School scenes from the RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS film shoot

After 9 intense days, the second phase of RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS film shoot is finally over.

In my earlier post, I lashed out at my former high school Catholic High School for reneging on a deal to let me shoot within their premises... just a day before the shoot.

In the end, thankfully, we found a new school to shoot the film. But I remain disappointed with Catholic High's unprofessionalism.

Anyway, I will never forget this.

Other than that, these are the photos taken during the two days that I was shooting the school scenes.

WATCH: James Lee's new short THE GIRL FROM TOMORROW, starring Joseph Germani and Koe Yeet

Open letters to Catholic High School PJ

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.

RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS Film Shoot: Day 5

After taking a one-month break, I finally returned to phase two of my RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS shoot. (to the uninitiated, this is my debut feature)

Because of the break, we decided to start it with a simpler shooting day to ease me, the cast and crew, back to the film.

Floating Sun @ Rotterdam International Film Festival 2014

The Rotterdam International Film Festival has just ended today with the announcement of its 3 Tiger Award winners, they are:

Location scouting at the beautiful Cameron Highlands

I was continuing the location scouting last week for my film RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS, which I'm continuing to shoot in early February after taking nearly a month break. (exciting!)

So, I headed off to Cameron Highlands, which, unbelievably, I've never visited before all my life!

Photos from a very brief Taipei trip (Jan 6-11, 2014)

I was in Taipei from the 6th to the 11th of January. It's been a week since then, but only now I'm digging through my 7D's CF card to see what photos have I taken. Actually it wasn't a lot, just a few from the famous SPOT - Taipei Film House that I went to with dad and sister on my first day there. (it's also where I discovered the local band LIGHT ENGINE, which I recommended in a previous post)

And even more RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS production stills...

It's been three days since I got back from Taipei.

I've returned to work immediately. Firstly by finishing the editing of Ming Jin's SECOND LIFE OF THIEVES (which underwent some reshoots during my time in Taiwan), I needed to do that so I can focus on RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS. (not much of a multi-tasker, me)

As you know, my film had gone through an intense 4-day shoot from the 2nd to the 5th of January, the second phase of the shoot is on February. (the film has an episodic structure) So I'm going through preparations for the upcoming shoot, finalizing the cast and location, fine-tuning the script etc.

Meanwhile, my friend Joe, an aspiring filmmaker who came to the shoot to help out and served as an invaluable production assistant, had posted even more production stills of RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS.

This time, I'm sharing only photos that have myself in it because I'm narcissistic.

Light Engine 光引擎

I was at the SPOT - Taipei Film House (a must-visit in Taipei for all film lovers) two days ago, when a song playing in the shop caught my attention.

More photos from the first 4 days of RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS shoot

I'm now in Taipei, trying to recuperate after spending four intense days of filming RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS (my feature debut).

Kong the cinematographer, Boon the production designer and Ming Jin the producer have started posting more photos from the RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS shoot.

RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS Film Shoot: Days 2 to 4

After four intense days, I have finally completed the first leg of the RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS film shoot last night.

Unlike my earlier shoots, the constant development of smartphones and social media has made it possible for everyone in my team to take photos of the production, chronicling things that I myself wasn't able to see.

So once again I'm compiling Facebook posts from my producer, cast members and crew members from the last 3 days.

RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS Film Shoot: Day 1

January 2nd, 2014.

I started shooting my debut feature film RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS. It's a surreal feeling, what seemed improbable just a few weeks ago became probable.

So excited that I immediately took a selfie of myself before the shoot started.

How I started 2014... a production meeting for my debut feature, RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS

January 1, 2014. Woke up, and headed straight to the mamak stall near my house for a production meeting.

It was for my film, RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS.

My 20 Biggest Moments in 2013. Based on Facebook

Facebook had listed out my 20 biggest moments of 2013. I'm glad I have a social media site to do this for me based on the amount of likes I got on my Facebook status updates.

My 10 favourite Anita Mui film roles

The Cantopop superstar Anita Mui passed away from cancer exactly ten years ago.

I remember what I did ten years ago when I heard of the news. It was morning, my family and I were heading off to Singapore for vacation. Her death cast a pall upon my heart, that day, on the road to Singapore, the songs of Anita Mui constantly played on radio.

While I grew up listening to her songs (Bad Girl, with the memorable "Why, why, tell me why" lyrics, was a childhood favourite) and had even attended one of her concerts in Singapore, I knew Anita Mui more as an actress who starred in many great Hong Kong film classics.

It's been a decade since her passing. I will sift through my own memories and list out ten of my favourite Anita Mui films (or film roles), from earliest to latest.

My Hou Hsiao-Hsien marathon

I'm ashamed to admit that prior to the beginning of this month, I have only seen two Hou Hsiao-Hsien films, and both are his latter day works: MILLENNIUM MAMBO (2001) and CAFE LUMIERE (2003).

Every time I watch MILLENNIUM MAMBO's opening, my heart flutters.


In order to rectify my lack of knowledge regarding Hou Hsiao-Hsien's body of work (and also for filmmaking reasons), I decided to go on a Hou Hsiao-Hsien marathon of sorts. I have heard that his best works are the ones from the 80s to 90s, those were times when he was more interested in making films related to Taiwan's history.

An essay I wrote at the age of 10 made me seem like a closet psychopath

A friend back in primary school managed to dig out a book of collected student essays. Turned out that my autobiographical piece was in it.

Lav Diaz's 6-hour film, CENTURY OF BIRTHING (2011)

For the past few years, I have always wanted to catch a film by the Filipino director Lav Diaz. Most of his films are longer than four hours (his longest being close to 10 hours), yet he is prolific to make at least a film a year. How is that even possible???