Better together - finding family in film

• Main Author: Ho, Phoebe Zoe Rui Lin
• Other Authors: Ben Alvin Shedd
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: DRNTU::Visual arts and music
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/74321
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This paper documents the process of creating the short narrative film titled Better Together while undertaking the role of Writer and Director. The retrospective will be logged in a chronological manner, through the phases of Pre-Production, Production and Post-Production respectively. All films are challenging to produce, each presenting their own unique set of parameters and problems. Better Together pushed me to question how a director ought to craft, compose, and choreograph an authentic Family unit. The task was to create and direct an ensemble cast of relatable yet distinct characters, with dialogue and interaction that felt real. At the same time, it was also imperative to correctly enact the thematic elements of a General Election that was uniquely Singaporean, and a family setting that was culturally rich. With this many colloquial elements in place, the challenge was also in setting our film apart from just any bland Channel 8 Family Drama series on Singapore television. As a person, and as a team player, this film tested the perseverance of my visions. I grew as an individual, with the ambition to achieve all this within a short film, within the short span of less than a year.