Turning 30

So, I turned 30 yesterday. A while ago, I looked at it with slight trepidation, I don't think I was prepared to say goodbye to my twenties just like that.

The final days of the RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS shoot (Cameron Highlands, protesters etc.)

Today's the last day of my twenties. I'm just doing what I like best, going through the post-production of my film, RIVER OF EXPLODING DURIANS.

So, while I have to wait patiently for the tedious process of syncing the audio and video before I start editing, I'm just going to revisit the final days of the shoot.

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)