It’s been a while since I’ve updated this blog. For good reason, I’m still swamped
with editing. I think some of you might have already heard from me, I have stopped
doing full movie raw editing, because it is getting harder and harder to maintain my
standards. I realised it took too much of my time, and causes a delay to delivery
of final products.

Actually the real reason is because of the difficulty to find new and suitable songs
for the soundtracks.

Anyway, that is off topic and not what this entry is about. My TOP FEAR about
blogging, and especially blogging about my work is the fact that you can dig out my
very very old stuff. My fear is that I get judged based on my old work.

Ever since I’ve started in this industry, it was always about doing my very best,
but everyone improves over time (hopefully). So I’ve decided to be open about it.
The oldest piece of work you will find on this blog is from August 2007 (here)

And… a piece of my most recent work was just blogged about at www.IchiroFilms.com,
and I’ve placed it here as well… Please watch, please comment. I’ve a long way to
go, so I’m open to criticisms…

(Video had been temporarily removed.)

“Ultimately, no one can extract from things, books included, more than he already knows.
What one has no access to through experience one has no ear for.”

- Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
Ecce Homo

I am now reading a science fiction epic by David Wingrove, Chung Kuo,
and got this profound statement which was quoted from Nietzsche.

In a different context, I guess no artist can create out of more than what
he/she has access to through experience. That is where I need to thank
Hwei Min for giving me access to such unconditional love.

Ok, so we’ve seen the trailer.

Online Videos by Veoh.com

So Angelina Jolie looks so cool doing the kneeling down move on top
of a moving train, so there are a lot of “bullet time” moments à la
all the Matrix wannabes out there. Popcorn movie trash… true?

False! Thankfully! I wanted to watch this film because director’s
Timbor Bekmambetov’s previous work – the Night Watch series
was a visual feast. But still, I was shocked that this movie blew
my mind away.

First few scenes, the story feels a lot like the Matrix. Man crashing
through the glass window, jumping from building to building… Bullet
time. Stylistic framing. Office drone, Wesley, living a meaningless life.

But the cinematography and sound design was amazing. Very tight
shots for tension. Shaky, tilted shots for disorientation (yes,
TILTED… on purpose! Off topic: I have been criticized for doing
too many tilted shots. Yes, guilty as charged! I don’t know where
I picked up the habit from, some shots actually made sense, but a
lot did not.)

Sound design was superb. At this moment, I can only remember the
sounds of the stapler and the beating of the heart. The sound
engineering involved in the slowing down of action sequences.

The tight editing is also to be commended.

There are so many elements to pick up that I would probably have to
watch it again. I will be keeping a close eye on Timbor Bekmambetov’s
future work. He’s like the Russian answer to Luc Besson!

Did you know I am a great fan of Luc Besson? Now you know!

I’ve removed all of the videos from Mitch and Kal’s wedding, because there had been so many re-editing requests, that the current version looks so different from the version I’ve uploaded, and I don’t want to go through the whole uploading process again.

The trailer video is here though:-
View the Trailer Video at Vimeo

Jeron and Kris went for their honeymoon in Greece!

They asked for my mailing address before leaving for their
honeymoon in Greece, and they’ve sent a postcard all the
way from where they were.

I was so touched when I received this from them. *sob*

Watch Movie Trailer – Kung Fu Panda in Entertainment Videos  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Watched this animation a while back.

Kung Fu again? Enough already, you say? That was what I felt. But
the two names, Jack Black and Dreamworks Animation, still drew me in.
I still had to go and watch this. And I must say, it was quite refreshing.

It worked on many levels, and in my opinion, successful because it
appeals to the adult, the child, the Asian and the Americans. I did
not feel a bad taste in my mouth like some of the Asian-inspired or
Asian-themed movies Hollywood churns out… (e.g. Forbidden Kingdom?)

Of course, the story covers familiar ground, nothing new. But the
journey there was fun. Stylistically, Dreamworks have brought their
work to the next level. The visual design is stunning. Deceptively
simple Every environment was minimal in its elements, yet detailed
and realistic. I especially loved the last scene. (Watch all the credits
scroll by, there is a last scene at the very end.)

The musical score by Hans Zimmer was also good, a mix of Chinese
instruments and western. But please… how many more times do we
have to listen to Kung Fu Fighting??

“Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting… Hii YA!”

I’ve removed all of the videos from Mitch and Kal’s wedding, because there had been so many re-editing requests, that the current version looks so different from the version I’ve uploaded, and I don’t want to go through the whole uploading process again.

The trailer video is here though:-
View the Trailer Video at Vimeo