2 more weeks of hell

Last week was hell. TOTAL hell for me.
3 freaking tests and 1 submission. But I managed to get through it.

This decision that I've made since I was secondary 4, is somehow making me question myself. There were times when I really asked myself this question, "Why the fuck did I join this course?".

First, it was the passion that I have for working for this industry as someone behind the camera. 

Second, the fun and experience is something no other courses can provide. 

Third, pride for local production. 

However, after coming into this course, my passion for filmmaking decreases. One of the reason is probably the workload given by the school. Do you know how many thousands and millions of cells were killed over 1 project? How many hours did we sleep in a WEEK? And getting criticized and feeling demoralized? Seriously, someone with a weak heart, personality should never join fms. It will only kill you. 

Nevertheless, I still managed to get the fun and experience that I am looking forward to. It is really something that no other courses in poly can provide you. The connection and contacts you get when you go for different shoots is very important. And to me, I think Singaporeans should support local productions because if we do not support our own people, who will? 

Came across this link today.

http://thejellyfarm.wordpress.com/2011/05/28/120-why-singapore-tv-is-dead/

I actually agreed to what was written though I mentioned that Singaporeans should support the local productions. However, sometimes some people will just bully the newbies with underpaid jobs and stuffs like this. Why is this happening in the industry? Something which I don't understand.

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I think fsv almost killed me. For someone who is only late for thrice in Secondary school, getting 5 absence marked across your attendance from Week 2 to Week 6 is no joke. Which means to say, I was late once for class each week. This is very bad. And worst, I might get debarred from my Studio Production module if I am late again the next time. 

Don't asked me what happened to me, because all I will say is fsv screwed up my life and sleeping hours. This is really very bad. ): 

I watched Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist yesterday. I like this quote below: 

"I used to think that when I got older, the world would make so much more sense. But you know what? The older I get, the more confusing it is to me. The more complicated it is. Harder. You’d think we’d be getting better at it. But there’s just more and more chaos. The pieces - they’re everywhere. And nobody knows what to do about it. I find myself grasping, Nick. You know that feeling? That feeling when you just want the right thing to fall into the right place, not only because it’s right, but because it will mean that such a thing is still possible? I want to believe in that.”  - (Nick & Norah's Infinte Playlist, directed by Peter Sollet, 2008)  

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GSS is here! I shall get all the things I wanna get during the 2 weeks break. Looking forward to shoot Scene Adaptation too, because we chose to do my favourite scene in Freedom Writers. (:

Busy period

You know, school is getting more and more boring especially when you are attending lectures and tutorials of the modules that you had no interest? It's like a waste of time. 

And actually I am here typing this for a simple reason - having a writer block right now. I love to write when I was in both pri and sec schools. However, when I stepped into fsv, I realized that my writings are bad, I couldn't bring out the characters' emotion, actions and my dialogues are boring. It's a challenge given to me whenever I need to write.

Today's storytelling lesson, I actually learnt something important which I believed that it will help me through this writer block - change of perspective. For my current storytelling assignment, which is to write a story, I got a C. Not surprised by this result because I did it the night before submission till the early morning, catching only 2 freaking hours of sleep before I rushed to school. Yea, that's the kind of life I am leading right now, and it only happens on submission days. Kind of upset with myself for my poor time management but I realized I could only write/work/come out with ideas when the submission day is nearing. Weird. 

Back to topic. 

I wrote my whole story from the main character's point of view. I just wrote whatever came to my mind because I knew I was rushing for time and ideas doesn't come to me easily. It was also at that moment, I realized how different it is compared to writing a composition during pri and sec schools. Everything was different. The writing style, words used, content, theme, etc. I really like reading my friend's story/script. The way the express the characters' thoughts/expression/action is way better than mine. The specific words that they used, the feeling.. I am impressed and hopes to be like them. 

Alright, photo of the day....

After 1 year.

I finally decided to cut my hair after letting it grow for a year, after all the crazy working schedules. 

Okay back to work now. Remember, change of perspective is very useful. And crazy schedules up ahead. Having shoots on the third and fourth day of cny, a 1.5 - 2k words of proposal after cny break, final project for computer graphics shoot and a full script for storytelling before school terms end. Seriously, FMS lived up to it's name - Forever Missing Sleep.

Reflection for Week 4

I did not post for week 3 because there is nothing much to talk about. Just another slack week I would say.

So Week 4 is over and I could see the stress period ahead.
Had a small presentation during Jumpstart on Monday (a waste of time) but I think it is so much better than last semester's IS.

Had another small presentation on Tuesday's Storytelling class about Aristotle. We had to write a short story using our classmates' characters from the People-watch exercise. It was fun but because I don't know what to write, like seriously no idea and inspirations. I think I've lost touch to writing ever since 'O' level ended.

We had WritCom test on Thursday and it's group work again! I love it, because we get to discuss it with our peers before submitting. At least three brains is better than one. :D Location Sound was fun too because we had role-play again.

Had Photoshop Test in the morning on Friday and it sucks. ): I forgot everything on layer masking and just tried my luck on everything that I could think of. Is it 20 or 25% of my overall result? Ahhh, whatever. It's over. Let's move on.....

To-do list:
- Update my a photo a day blog
- script for loc prod
- storyboard for loc prod )': (nightmare)
- all the paper work for loc prod
- mywritinglab
and the list goes on...

Reflection for Week 2

Hello readers! :D

So, week 2 of school and its still nothing much to do/happening. I missed Semester 1 so so much, perhaps due to photography because we will also have something to do every lesson.

First week of Yoga lesson was not bad. However, I couldn't really hear or understand what the teacher is talking because she's like talking to herself for the whole lesson. We built roller coaster during IS class. 60mins allowance = anyhow build.

Tuesday was a horrible day. I left house early but reached the class 2minutes late and was being marked absent. Hellooooooo lecturer, not all your students can fly from SIM/NP bus stop to FMS block you know? However, she's quite nice actually, and willing to listen to our explanation. During write comm, we had to copy notes and I always thought that scribbling notes in class had already ended after o levels. But now, it's back ): And during write comm tutorial today, we had a small presentation which I think I screwed it up. Gahhhhhh! Sleepy + tired + don't know what the notes is talking about = sibeh jialat.

Computer graphics is very boring BUT I learnt something new yesterday! I finally know how to make panorama photos using photoshop and I didn't know that vanishing point actually existed in photoshop! Amazing~ Oh, I did mywritinglab exercises with Felicia & Phoebe after class. Must tell myself to finish it faster so that I don't have to care about it in the next few months before deadline.

We had location sound today and it was fun. Should have seen my priceless facial expression when lecturer actually knew that I'm JJ's sis (like very randomly). Still wondering who told him actually (I think is XQ). Photobooth-ed too!

Alright, time to do other stuffs. (:

To-do list:

- update a polaroid a day blog

- five 50-words short stories for storytelling

- watch DVDs yooooooo~

- dinner with Sien & Pauline tomorrow night

- re-write my almost unreadable write comm notes

- need some inspirations

Long weekends (Y) Ciao~

Week 12 Reflections

Yohoooooo~

Another week has ended (SUPER FAST) and it's now officially 1 more month to END OF SEMESTER! OMG, I can't wait for that seriously.

Okay, so Monday, I had YOUTH DAY HOLIDAY (Self-declared) cause there was no IS class (most awesome thing that happened on the start of the week). We're supposed to do our interview on Monday but because my group mates have test the next day, we decided to postpone this assignment (nobody cares about it anyway).

Tuesday was the deadline for Photography A. #2. And like the previous time, we did last minute stuffs and was even late for SKL's lecture. Hahaha. We watched "Blowout", restricted movie. Not bad leh, it's a movie mostly about the chapter, SOUND.

Wednesday was presentation of Best 5 photos for Assignment #2. Hehe. This time round we are able to vote for 5 people's works and I got votes from my classmates! :D After that went to watch Toy Story 3 with Calvin. Nice, touching and also cute! I like the part where Andy gave the little girl all the toys that he used to play and something that he treasures alot. Oh, I also like the part where the toys all held hands together when they were about to fall into the fire. *touching*

Had my Studio Prod skill test on Thursday and I screwed up loh! 109/150. ): Nevermind, I shall do well for my interview show, I hope. Then we had Intro to film. We watched "A Man Escaped" and the class almost dozed off. It's about a guy who is in prison and planned to escape. And as we watch, we need to take down the scenes about different types of sounds. So I guess this is how Melanie made us stay awake. After that was Art & Design and our group need to re-draw some scenes for the storyboard. ):

Friday was goooooooooood because it means that the weekends are here! :D The theory part was too much for me to absorb, I think because I slept late the night before. Hehe. After that met JJ at JP because I wanna buy new backpack but can't make up my mind. Ended up at Swensens with my cute cousins wearing Woody & Buzz masks walking around JP.

Now, things to be done:

- Study for Photography Quiz

- Study for Intro to film Quiz

- Storyboard shooting

- Edit commercial

- Start on my Photography Portfolio

- Come up with film analysis draft by Friday

1 more month, XINYING ENDURE!

Week 8 Reflections

ALOHAAAAAAA! It's MID TERM BREAK. YAY!

This week was kind of horrible. 2 quiz in a week!

There's no IS class on Monday so I stayed at home to study for Intro to film quiz. A lot of things to study you knowwwwww. Mise-en-scene and Cinematography.

During Tuesday's Audio lecture, we did research on microphones and need it to presentation on Friday. After that, was Photography lecture and SKL showed us the photographs that T1B1, T1B2 and DVFX students took. Our Photography assignment #1. He only showed us the 4stars and 5stars photos. According to him, 4stars photos is around B- to B grade. Whereas for the 5stars, it's around A- to A! I got a total of 8 photos in the 4stars category!! Super happy. These are the 8 photos that got 4stars!

Red Flowers

Mr Lizard loves Climbing

Pigeon

Seeing Double Image?

Mr Green Dragonfly

Mr Red Dragonfly

Antique staircase

Lonely Afternoon Without You

& whenever Phoebe saw dragonfly shots on the screen, she turned around and asked me, "Xinying! Is this dragonfly shot yours?". Then after lecture, Melissa turned around and asked, "Xinying happy ah? Got how many photos being shown on screen?", making me paiseh. haha! During Intro to film, we watched "Hot Fuzz" directed by Edgar Wright. The front part was boring but the ending was awesomeeeeeee. Those bloody scenes and everything. Haha. We had quiz after that and I think I screwed up big time. ):

We only had a 10 minutes class on Wednesday. It's actually consultation with SKL for Photography Assignment #1. He showed us the peer evaluation and the class gave me the highest mark for this photo:

National Museum with half-raised flag

However, he commented that he don't like this photo and will probably be the second lowest for my Best 5 photo. ): I like it alot loh! However, he said that he will give my "Antique Staircase" and " Lonely Afternoon Without You" 5stars after viewing it for the 3rd time. YESSSSSS AH! :D Me & Grace did our audio recording for our 30seconds commercial too. Yay! 1 task down.

Had role rotation exercise on Thursday for Studio Production. I was the director and Douglas kept saying that he like how I directed last week more. Haha. I hope he will still give me good marks for this. Anyway, Si En brought my movie poster and it's really awesome. :D And also, for the first time I felt that I did not screw up Intro to film presentation, phew! Did storyboard during Art & Design and it seriously sucks because I really can't draw. I don't know how to draw the back view of a person, how to draw a person walking and many others. Pasted my movie poster on mounting board and handed in. Really awesome. :D

Had Studio Production Quiz and I seriously hope that I pass. HAHAHA. I forgot all the function for CCD, CCU and 3 point lighting. :X Did our presentation for our microphones research and homeeeeeed!

This is the start of my 2 weeks break! :D

To-do list:

- Storyboard (25 to 30 frames)

- Photography Assignment #2

- Research for Microphones in details

These will confirm take up my 2 weeks break.

Have a good break people! :D