Role : DP

I have learnt, as a DP, to fully understand the locations, psyche of crew and to be able to achieve your goals within the shortest possible time. I’ve learnt to hold up for an hour’s set up just to achieve 3-4 shots, due to the scale of the set up. Also to understand when to take breaks when the crew is tired/fatigued. I’ve also learnt to fit in as much as we can achieve, eg if we have shot ahead of schedule, so we can get as many things done as possible.

1. I am the DP and music composer for this AFP2 project. I will be in charge of the shot design during pre production and production itself. In post, I will be in charge of the music compositions and score of the project.

2. Simply put, what i’ve learnt about the entire pre production process is the importance of being early and respondent to your director, producer, whoever is in charge of a certain area. Fortunately for us, we had a director who dealt with everything so there was only 1-2 people to report to.

1. I am the music composer for this AFP1 project. In post, I will be in charge of the music compositions and score of the project.

2. The post production process is fairly simple and step oriented. The DI at Blackmagic is always a delightful experience to go to. I also love working on the music from home, after receiving a viewing of the footage and getting the initial notes for composition from the director. The music choices were thought of between Nuqman and I. We wanted to achieve a very alternative and grunge feel for Ollie, our main character.

I have learnt, as a DP, to have full, or as much as possible, full understand of a location and it’s conditions. The sun direction, power socket’s positions etc must be taken into consideration and understood beforehand. On production, i’ve also learnt to agree with my AD, to push the grips and electrics and everyone else to run on schedule and get our shots setup asap. I’ve also learnt about the groundglass in the SR2, that I have to frame using the S16/16:9 frame, not the 1:85. Lastly, I’ve also learnt that a good and accurate camera report is vital to knowing how much footage we’ve shot and for consistency of the F-stop and focal length.

2. There’s loads to learn from the pre production process. The most i’ve learnt during this process was how to create overheads and lighting plans properly and accurately. I’ve also learnt the important of a location scout, in order to understand the conditions of the shooting locations. I’ve also learnt that a music spotting sheet is really necessary, so I know when to compose the music to fit the scene’s mood.

I’ve really got to start the ball by mentioning the Apple IPod. C’mon, you know it, i know it. It’s a piece of ingenuity and the pioneer in the art of portable music players. But how did it get this way? Was it based on the sole desire of the vast majority of people to get something that is innovative and creative? I beg to differ. The selling point of the IPod is how it is actually sold into homes and the hands of buyers by the simple approach of the media and of course the awe of Steve Jobs.

Not putting Jobs or Macintosh down. I really admire the way they sell their products to thousands upon thousands of people that believe that Apple, or Macintosh, has the best selling equipment. However, there are several controversies that the IPod is not the ultimate portable music device.

Going back to the 2001 Macintosh Conference,birth place of the first ever IPod. It had a 5.5 hour life span, could hold a thousand songs and could only be charged by Firewire, an Apple invention. The speech was a success not because Jobs held up the perfect portable media player. It was simply in the way he built up the IPod and placed it in a place so far off from the other alternatives that they could barely smell the IPod smoke. The IPod was not only a music player. It was meant to be a profit earner. You’re going to say, how can a company not want to make profit. Precisely! Apple has made millions upon millions thanks to their beloved IPod.

How did Macintosh go that far with the IPod? It all was held up on two simple facts. Product awareness and product placement. Making sure that everyone knew what an IPod is was the most important part of the Apple invasion. They had adverts, reviews online and in magazines,some of which are now legendary, for example the hit with the U2 track, “Vertigo”. I’m sure that if you mention that song to someone who doesn’t listen to U2, the person is going to go, “oh, that IPod advertisement!”. It’s so true that how much a company spends is how much they are going to get their products sold. Look at Macdonalds for another example. Billions, mind you, BILLIONS are spent on their advertising campaigns. They have TV shows, partys in the restaurant and so many gimmicks. A waste of money? NO. By judging at the amount of profit and revenue they make annually, i’m sad to say that Macdonalds is making the big bucks.

Back to Macintosh now. Have you realised that almost any music player or earphones in any of the movies, commercials, tv series etc. are all IPods? You’ve never seen a Hollywood film with Creative players being thrown around, or ran with a couple of superstars? It’s always the Apple IPod. This is called product placement. If Apple is able to make sure that every single superstar carries an IPod with them, they can be certain that the IPods will sell like pancakes.No doubt that the public will view the IPod as luxury items, as items that stars will carry. This common desire, the deep yearning to be like a superstar or at least of superstar status draws them out to buy an IPod.This is the way companies work the public to get their products. Place high value on their products, yet sell it for a cheaper price because that selling price is leaps and bounds over the cost price, ever since IPods were Made In China.

The trap of commercialism is very very dangerous. IPods are just IPods. It’s a matter of personal opinion and personal preference. No way can Apple shove an IPod into your pockets. They would not want to harm consumer rights and their opposition’s rights. Fighting a law suit is much worse than persuading the general mass public to buy your products.

Definitely a thought worth thinking when you are shopping next time.
Phua.

Punggol and Chinatown was my last venture!(This is gonna be a photo heavy post)

Ah, there’s more at so enjoy!

Exciting news, my dear friends.

CALVIN PHUA is officially ANTI DIGITAL.

I know about the cost and stuff, but the real experience of photography is in the film, to me at least. The digital aspect is convenient. But why have form but no functionality?

I know i’ll get flamed and i’ll get praised for this decision. Pro film and pro digital people don’t mix. haha.

On the other hand, for those collectors.I’ve found an old Olympus OM-1n which was my uncle’s. It’s mine for the time being. It’s mint cause it was time capsuled in my uncle’s cupboard. It’s lovely and here’s a picture of it’s awe.

TAKE THAT! Not bad eh. I guess i should join the photography club in school.

Freedom is a many faced figure to many people of different aspects of life.

To a man on the street, freedom is the right to have a house deed in his name.

To the crminal, freedom is getting out of his jail cell.

To an O’ level student, freedom is completing his or her papers as soon as possible.

Freedom is an opinionated view, usually biased towards the party involved. Freedom usually occurs in the head first, as a thought, a thought where the best situation happens to the person. The person believes that he has freedom by doing this act. This belief will then trigger an action, one where the person believes will grant him his so desired freedom.

But what is freedom really all about? To me, it is the true liberation of fears, which will lead to the releasing of potential in anyone or anything. If a person has “freedom”, it doesn’t mean that that person can do anything he or she wants/likes. That person has freedom when his or her fears are lifted away. The potential that is inside everybody is the main source of that fear. We are fearful only of ourselves. So fearful that we do not do things that ought to be done. We also create a boundary and limit ourselves to the amount of work we can do. This is surprising true when it comes to sports.

Have you ever worked out in a gym alone, by yourself? You’ll usually find the session unfullfilling and will go home, begging for more of a kick out of the two hours wasted. If you take a closer look at it..when we’re alone and by ourselves, we set a limit on ourselves. We need a constant push, in the form of a personal trainer or your closest friends. No matter what, to achieve a perserverance of high quality, we humans must be encouraged.

Also, have you ever told yourself that you’ll lose this amount of weight in this designated timeframe? This kind of plans will not usually come to pass until you, yourself,will sacrifise your lifestyle and eating habits. Experts would be that pushing force in this equation.

As i pen down these examples, i have a vague idea of what you think freedom is. It is truly the sensibility, knowledge and total faith in yourself, the desire to prove that you are either right or should be listened to. In all, freedom is a choice you must make. No one stands on earth today without a choice made on them.

No matter how far you go in life, freedom will be a big issue. Freedom from the work crisis, freedom from the liberation of conforming to the normal. Freedom is not as easily gained as it is thought of. You have to know what to do in order to gain freedom.

Freedom is part of a prompt testing of God, or any other higher force you believe in. Freedom, or the desire to be free is planted into every single thing that is living. Your willingness to fight for that freedom is the test score of the test. The
more willing, the higher the test score.

If you are looking for freedom, first thing you should do is not to be normal. I’m not telling you to do stupid things, but i am illustrating the fact that only unique people change the world. What good would a person be if everyone was exactly like him?Would it be logical that someone can change the world just by being normal and average?

Freedom comes from being the odd one out. You can’t maintain your pride while seeking freedom. No man has ever been proud to say, “I am free”, unless he has worked hard for it, so much so that he had to humble himself in front of others.

Liberation is a step towards freedom. If you learn how to get yourself liberated from your situations, problems and every fear, you’ll be a free man. You’ll be so filled with freedom that you don’t want it anymore.

Therefore, no matter what happens, i choose freedom. Why be stuck in the normal, boring and mundane society that we live in now? Freedom should be sought and it will be, as soon as you have the desire to be liberated.

Freedom is in your hands.
Phua.