27 May 2012

Lessons you can learn from a Film Making course

To be honest, I am not a big fan of motion pictures. I am like those who pop by a cinema once in a while when there is a seemingly good movie, with the left hand carrying a box of popcorn and the right hand a cup of Coke and that's it.

However, the film making one-day course that I attended last Saturday was purely amazing. It was taught by a filmmaker from Toronto, Elliot Grove, who has founded the Raindance Film Festival, Raindance Filmmaking School and the British Independent Film Award, and has produced some of the world greatest directors- Christopher Nolan (Inception, The Dark Knight); Guy Ritchie (Sherlock Holmes); Matthew Vaughn (X-Men: First Class).

Not to forget also actor like Sacha Baron Cohen (The Dictator/Borat), is also one of the alumni of the Raindance Filmmaking School.

He mentioned that when he was young, due to his Amish background, his mum has forbidden him to go into the cinema because "the devils live inside". And, by the age of 16, he finally couldn't stand the curiosity and he went in for the first time, and saw that the cinema is not so different from a church-it also has rows of chairs. From there, he found his interest in making movies.

He was so poor that he had to live in a farm when he started his career. However, that turned out to be a blessing for him as he was taught to find the behavioral patterns for insects and the growth pattern of the wheat fields. The training was particular useful for a volatile environment like the film industry.

He also said, to follow your dream is an uphill battle, a very difficult task. He remembered how he broke his mum's heart when he can enter the top 3 universities in Canada, but ended up in an art school. And, how embarrassing it was, to tell his friends, especially his high school sweetheart about his interest, but the rest was history.

As he mentioned, sometimes we thought that film making is fake, because it's all about acting; but if we try to see it from the other perspective, it's probably even real than the reality, because in film making, we show every single emotion, by removing the public mask.

To him, motion picture is the most amazing tool that can move a person's emotion. It represents the idea, the social setting and the culture that the scriptwriter and director come from. It's telling a story; by bringing a corner of the world to the centre stage.

So, there he is, inspiring every amateur filmmaker, to become the next Steven Spielberg.

10 May 2012

The Statue in the Park

It's the same path in the park. The same rough, uneven path that I use to walk to college everyday.

Spring has arrived, yet the rainy season still lingers around; just like the curse on the land of Narnia, but in this case, instead of layers of thick, white snow, the path is blanketed with murky water.

I used to think that cycling to college by cutting through the park will be a cool idea. After a few years down the road, I come to think that probably that was the imagination incepted by movies or dramas.

Walking to college is not too bad either. Every inch that I take, is a hundred mile my mind takes to wonder, just like the pixies in the Neverland.

And, if I cycle, I might miss the chance to stop by this statue.

So, there's this statue, situated in the middle of my path to college. I see many people will stop by and take a picture or purely admire this bronze statue, which seems to be apparated from the ancient Rome.

It's called the Statue of Physical Energy. You will see a knight sitting on a horse from the medieval age, looking towards the Kensington Palace, where Kate Middleton and Prince William reside.

There are many paths branched out from the statue. Just imagine a small roundabout you will encounter on the road when you are driving. I have been taking the same route, every single day, to college. And, now I come to think that if one day, I stop going to college. Which path should I take?

However, as I look up to this statue, I see that it's looking towards the West. I smile.

The last ember of the day, is the flame of dawn for tomorrow. As long as the sight is on the horizon, which path you take is not that daunting anymore.




03 May 2012

Bersih 3.0 开讲

*以下文章纯属幽默作用。若有雷同,纯属巧合。

最近,因为考试的关系,所以并没有太去留意这篇新闻。须知道,大学生的责任是读好书。这对拿着奖学金的学生来说,更要保持冷静。

稍微不慎,钱没了;书读不了;那就真是要示威了。Occupy J**。

这有时候,也很恼人。

你不去了解新闻,人家说你在海外不是有KBKK思维的吗?你去评论,人家说你不尊敬合约内容。站在篱笆上,又被说没主见。

随着科技的发展,不需要做太多的research,只要勤开Facebook,各方的新闻和评论都会展现眼前。也有搞笑一族,不断以Bersih题材来开玩笑。

其实,现任政府,无论你怎样看,都已经大势已去,气数已尽。不管怎样,它是必须要走的。时代只会前进,不会退后。

我们看见了国外很多媒体和政治人物,都要控告我国媒体。

就连某官员写给拿着奖学金的大学生的“劝告信”,也曝光了。

这次的Bersih 3.0, 很多人都选择自己要看的东西。这没有错,器官是长在自己的身上,当然你可以选。但是,捏造事实,就万万不可。

就像身材走样的学生,在发放Facebook profile pic 时,只拍上半身一样。

不管这次的是静坐还是示威,在某种层度上,都是为即将来临的大选拉票,或者更为准确来说,“test water”。在生意的角度来说,"market estimation"。

可能,到头来,创办人可能会被人责骂虚伪,但,这其实不过是 " a means to an end"。在这种情形下,有些人会夸大这方面的说辞,但是,想像一下,就算她是虚伪,要那么多人,在星期六,大热天下去游行,也总算要有少少的自愿吧。

有人告诉我,警察打人。说真的,没有人告诉我,还以为有人欠债没还,被大耳窿追打。好像怕他不会死那样。

机会不是没有给,给了那么多年,就像不断说谎的Pinnochio一样,鼻子已经长到不行了。五年后,再奋斗过吧。