The Journey of NDP2010

iUnspoken — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 16:08:14 +0000

In case you’ve been living under a rock, or just haven’t been visiting my Facebook and Twitter enough, you’d have probably known I was involved with this year’s NDP as Video Editor and Assistant Multimedia.

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS A VERY GRAPHIC INTENSIVE POST. IF YOU’RE ON A MOBILE INTERNET CONNECTION, I STRONGLY SUGGEST OTHERWISE. YOU HAVE HEREBY BEEN ADVISED.

Praise God for this appointment. And since NDP is like probably the biggest and most hyped about show in Singapore every year, it probably did good to my portfolio as well.

Only downside is that NDP2010 didn’t seem to have that much emphasis this year. Undoubtedly, YOG’s show is definitely bigger than NDP2010 hands down. Anyhow, great experience nonetheless. Seen a lot of different people, made new friends, new experiences, watched how people change characters (bad to good, good to bad). Of course, it ain’t such a good idea to talk bad about folk behind their backs. Observing their working style was good enough. All in all, this is the conclusion on the working environment.

“Non-media folk always assume that we media people can work at the speed of light. Creating videos to them is done with a few clicks of the mouse, and a professional looking video is born. They also assume that we media folks can read their minds to know what they want without telling us anything to begin with.”

That’s a bit much ain’t it? But it’s true! Any media folk wanna say otherwise?

It doesn’t occur to them that our 10sec “Star” video took almost 2 hours to render out of After Effects on a Mac Pro. And that’s from AE only. Go figure.

Photo I took from a studio set up that we had. Thought should take one so can use in like passports or passes and stuff like that.

This was our portable studio set up for the NDP Show Videos. The ones you see with like 1-3 people against a white backdrop. Quite simple eh? Just 4 kinos.

The nice part about NDP, apparently, SAF really values people with the FSV Diploma cert. Bumped into quite a number of FSV folk and alumni as well. Here’s Melvin, he works on the Mobile Column segments.

And another great thing, thank God we’re working on Mac Pros, and not the nonsense iNet or OA computers that SAF has. THANKS GOD. And when we have nothing to do, I usually just harness the power of the Mac Pro to do my own work too! Massive processing power in my hands. Look at my computer set ups.

2 Mac Pros and my own MBP. Video and audio editing, MSN, emails and Facebook on my MBP. Awesome much?

This is the multimedia control layout, that was before they changed it. Total 12 cam operation. Though seriously, I don’t really see the need for 12 cams. It’s way too much. Underutilized.

Did CCU during my free time. And managing 9 CCU panels at once is no joke actually. It’s massive. Plus the fact that the show is from day till night, it’s constant changing of filters during the “magic hour”. But other than that, nothing much really.

Like I said, they were underutilized.

Went about taking a couple of shots here and there.

Our dear Wei Ming was one of the cameramen.

Thought this photo looked not bad. Mad crowd that popped up from nowhere during the rehearsals.

Cam 1 at the roof top. That in the background my friends, is the poor LED. This photo was taken before it fell to the ground though.

TVM’s very own Junjie on Cam 1! Poor dude had to be strapped to the scaffolding. He’s really good though. Tracked a F16s while zooming in to them circling around Padang. Not bad a feat indeed. And yea, that’s the new Sony HDC-1500R from VisualThree, a production company in KL, Malaysia.

Rows upon rows of lights. Martin Wash 2000. At least about 20 per row. And there’s about 4 rows at least per side. And the Padang has 4 sides. Go figure the amount of power used to just light up the area.

Okay enough of Padang. Off to other stuff. Poor dude used a huge tripod for his tiny camcorder. It kinda does the job though, but it looks like a joke.

Poor dude.

And what’s media working without Starbucks. Always a cuppa SB CM in the morn, when the pocket allows.

And oh! Of course we had tickets. Though, viewing the show at Combined Rehearsal 3 and viewing the actual show on the day itself is actually quite different. Lots of changes really.

Other than working at Padang, other post production work was done at VHQ as well. Remember their infamous sigh on the 3rd floor?

Haven’t been there in a while. But frankly, they haven’t changed a bit. NOT ONE BIT.

The Show Co folks were kind enough to share their snacks with me! Caramel Snows from Aussie!

This was cause I had to stay overnight at Padang to edit them videos. Madness. And to make things worse, no day off for that. OT and overnight editing were not reimbursed. Which kinda sucks? But, I’m not complaining.

Oh! And met them Mediacorp folks too! Rahmat and Jolene! What wonderful people!

Like finally someone who also understands the media industry and them non-media folk. That’s some comfort there.

And here’s the Visual Effects Director for NDP2010. Worked with him on them videos, all his brainchild.

Boo Junfeng! Yeah it’s the same guy you saw in the papers. The same guy who directed the movie “Sandcastle”, which has travelled around the world. Great accomplishment. No prizes for guessing that he’s from FSV too.

And this is the other half of the media production for NDP2010.

Mediacorp’s new $12million toy. The new HD OBVan. Build in Aussie. Debut during NDP2010. Awesome stuff.

And while we were bored. Played with them cameras with mega lenses.

And also leave them Mac Pros running rendering them videos. Here’s 3 Mac Pros rendering the videos I was working on. So I just sat there and waited. And oh, SAF has this weird thing about limiting us to Internet connectivity. No idea why. So you see my red MBP there? Hooked it up to my iPhone and viola! WiFi Internet. Password protected of course, to only certain people that I like working with.

Media events were also in store. Where members of the press come and view the progress of NDP2010 and stuff like that. Usually happens the day before you see it in the newspapers itself. This was one with the SMRT taxis and buses with NDP2010 flags and decals.

Even Bugis Street got into the act. Not bad not bad.

Had the chance to go to Mediacorp to grab some footage from them as well.

Finally working on a familiar system. Professional Discs.

It’s weird because NDP2010 was working on a HD environment (or so they say), and the only proper HD equipment they have was a Sony EX1R. No decks, no HD videos mixers. Amazing.

Avid Media Composer. Still trying to get a hang of it though. Watched them edit the reels for NDP2010 Broadcast including idents and stuff.

Brought my own Mac to hook it up to the PD U1 Deck.

After that went back to Padang and installed…

Media Composer 5! Tried to work it but, something just wasn’t right. Think eventually still need the hardware no?

Speaking of hardware, here’s a couple of Hippos and a Spyder.

These babies run the mega projections on the City Hall Facade. Don’t think you guys saw it much on the Mediacorp broadcast though. Projected with HUGE Christie projectors. Can’t remember the rating though.

And oh, here’s proof that any Mac or machine that goes through my usage and hands, will end up screwed. Look at this.

After less than 2 months of intensive work, my dear Mac Pro started to show signs of trouble. Poor thing. Or maybe it’s my crazy hunger for more processing power.

Okay. Random shots.

Derrick on that camera stand there.

My former platoon mates being dressed up with some weird teenage mutant ninja turtles looking costume.

View of City Hall facade. This is where them graphics were projected with them giant Christie projectors from the other side of Padang.

Think this is the old Supreme Court no?

And this prison bus, always drives by on a certain day every week. Not too sure why.

Bored at work.

The back side of the Mediacorp OB Van. Those cables snaking out the bottom of the truck (only when parked), that’s the patch bay. Freaking neat.

Them props rigged up with LED lights and stuff. Where they get the manpower to push everything out at one go? NSFs. Duh.

Tried a long-exposure shot. Quite… fail.. I know..

It’s HANDHELD you dingo. That’s why.

Lets go back to control room why don’t we.

The look, always the same after every tech run and rehearsal.

And poor Steph’s face. This happens after you’re left alone to kena all the “arrows” from the mass meeting. Poor thing. Lol.

Managed to get a couple of tickets for the Preview show too. Not going to say from where. But praise God for them.

Kew. My hardworking buddy. Some say we two are the most hard working two in the room. Who else stays overnight at least once a week might I ask you? The rest of them editors, 5:30pm immediately knock off. Buggers.

At least we had fun with blasting music in the middle of the night eh mate?

Bernard from Show Co.

And I forgot his name again.

The view from the switcher board. Total of 16 LCD monitors for both preview and pgm screens. To “mimick the signal route”. Okay.

Ah yes, the girls who run the tech side of show. AVT from NP.

This is what happens when you get so mad. Poor Aisha.

The timecode machine. Ingenious stuff. But really boring to run a live show by timecode. Like, really BORING.

Stephanie with her Turbos. Apparently they have names. Tur tur, bobo, and I forgot that’s the last one.

The Show Co folks.

And oh. Regarding that boring live show thing.

I mean, come on! Where’s the excitement of running a live show when you run everything by timecode?? Too bad SAF has this ridiculous thing of having a 0% fail rate. But face it folks, in the media industry. That NEVER happens. And I’m gonna quote.

“We can do our best. But the fact is, SHIT HAPPENS!”

That was like the best line I heard in NDP2010. Not going to say who. Nice friend though. No doubt a media person.

One of them mega lights. Sorry no size comparison. But this is up to my waist level?

The star thing that they raise up with a acrobat at the bottom of it, and spew out sparks during the show.

Mega sized trusses and towers.

Props.

Oh toilets! Looks not bad actually. Doesn’t have that weird smell either.

More props.

The main LED screen. A 12mm made in China one. Same brand that made the LED screen for the Beijing Olympics.

Of course as you can see. The quality of the screen. Quite nasty. Very nasty actually. And yes, this is the one that went kaboom to the floor.

Cam 6.

This is actually quite a good view. If not for the fact that you’re sitting behind the stage and have no idea who’s singing.

Them seats. They make it look very nice, like it’s cushioned or something. But oh no, it’s plain metal plates my friends. Gonna burn your ass when you sit on them in the hot sun.

The view from the blue sector at Esplanade. Makes it look like a very very green city eh.

“Stairway to heaven”.

Not a particularly good shot.

This is the projection room.

Giant generators. They’re massive. And come in the sizes of containers. This is only two. I trust they have a minimum of 20 of these babies around Padang. Maybe more.

Mass toilet area.

Sunset at Padang.

I don’t know what they call this. But they come out when the President is about to come or something like that. Poor dudes kena screamed by their “encik” the whole day.

The, uh, moving pickup, to move the President. Word is he can’t walk that much no more. Don’t blame him though.

More props.

Another sunset shot. Not sure if it’s from the same day though.

Didn’t have a zoom lens with me, but thought this would be quite a nice shot.

Even OCBC Building has a giant flag. It’s pasted on though.

I just love the sunset at Padang. Don’t really see the sunrise much, but seeing the sunset everyday gives me a sense of peace from the madness in the control room.

Night rehearsals.

The media control. And yes, SAF folk. Like what someone said. “SAF? Enough said”

Frankly, it’s a bit weird to hear SAF people who were doing media shows for the first time saying that Mediacorp is really bad. I mean. Mediacorp is not that great yeah, no offence. But come on, compare the number of rehearsals they had with the number you had. SAF had a total of 27 or 28 rehearsals give or take. And that’s at Padang alone.

At least Mediacorp is doing a proper “live” show.

And Bernard laughs.

David Loo. The crazy guy who spammed my Facebook.

Shen Li. One of the Show Co girls…

Aisha. The Barco girl..

Had this Padang Open House thing the Sat before the actual NDP day. Which, isn’t much of a open house really. Considering that Padang is, open. If you know it well enough. Come and watch the rehearsals every Thursday and Friday.

Okay time for photos.

Jabie loves the star

Group photo. Awesome to be working with wonderful people.

I don’t know what David saw. Haha. And lol at Steph’s face!

Taken by some dude with a huge DSLR, huge flashgun and stuff. So much for the equipment. Aiyo…

Ah YES! This is the City Hall projection thing I was talking about! Quite well done actually. Could have done more, but well.

Me and Jabie

Shen Li and Aisha

David’s expression was pretty much what I had in mind when I saw this photo. Doesn’t it stink? Haha

And the rest of us join in too.

Random expressions

David apparently found himself in the photo montage that I made for the Open House

Jabie enjoying himself. And no the floor is not that clean.

I don’t know what’s this actually. But Steph took this photo and asked me to put my hand up.

Oh yes! We did a credit roll too! “iUnspoken.com” on the big screen at Padang! Woo! Not probably taken though, think there’s another one further on.

YOG was rehearsing that day too. Complete with small fireworks.

Singing?

Then they started to go a bit wonky.

No it’s not that she found something nice on the screen. We were waiting for the automator to reach the credit roll part.

Some sticker on the floor.

Yes that’s my DSLR

And yes that’s my iPhone. All hijacked

Still waiting for the dang credit roll.

Majulah Singapura

Ah yes! Teow+Sookfung Productions. That would be Stephanie. Apparently according to her, a + sign looks cool. Hence the name.

And me! iUnspoken.com. Well done to the both of us for the photo montage. Haha.

Jay! They all call him the Ang Mo guy… Quite a cheerful fella really. Full of jokes. Blew an airhorn at Holland Village the other day.

Mass duplicators

Yes I love this thing. Makes my life so simple.

He was supposedly working? On Finder windows? Haha.

Poor girls didn’t have Internet on their side. So they occasionally dropped by my Mac to use Internet.

Steph’s face. Whahah!

William, Shen Li and Alan.

12Cam board. Same one as we use in JW.

Joshua. The AD for the show. Did quite a good job really. Trust he learnt a lot through this experience.

And yeah, he’s sleeping.

Right on the actual day. One last rehearsal. Aisha hard at work with the slow Barco board.

But what’s Steph doing?? Always spam my iPhone. tsktsk!

Finally after the NDP itself, Jiahao came for the actual day NDP!

Came with his girlfriend too!

Finally the show is over.

Poor JJ still stuck at the top.

And we met this policeman. Helpful fellow. Not sure whether he had an actual duty to do though, he just kept go round taking photographs for people!

NDP2010!

Group shot!

With the TVM folks!

Against the City Hall Facade.

Went to find Jolene at the Mediacorp Van! But the first shot like. CMI.

Took again! Haha. Great working with her! At least someone who works in the same industry, talk the same lingo, understand the *ahem* frustrations.

Got a peak inside the Mediacorp Van too!

Last day shots… Jay and me.

Adrian Chan and me! Vision Mixer for the NDP2010 show!

Joshua and me!

Aisha super happy to be keeping up man…

And their party. With beer and all. The encik looked super offended when I said I don’t drink. *rolls eyes*

Super epic this shot… Got flag, still fluttering know.

Sherwin and me! Cheerful chap. We were there to “kop” VIP left over food. LOL!

And guess who I met there too! Jenna! Waitress or something there I think.

After that went back to take photos with the control room folks. First attempt. Good job Jabie! No pun intended.

Group shot all! From LtoR, Amos, (forgot), Aisha, Jabie, Shen Li, Steph, me, Sherwin, Desmond!!

The girls of NDP2010

Aisha and me!

Pang and me! Learnt a lot from him! Power sia this guy…

Last few shots… Cool wallpaper eh? This is Kew’s Mac..

This would be mine! Nice wallpaper right?

All kept up. Well done Turbos. It’s like a love hate relationship with them. Always problematic.

My NDP Passes! Horrendous the first one.

Overall, whether good or bad, it’s awesome experience. Always something to learn out of everything.

And the most important thing wasn’t about the new media works that I’ve done or new systems and workflows that I’ve learnt. It’s about working with different people, making new friendships, observing people. Overall, the most valuable thing I learnt, is about leadership skills. The good, and the bad.

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The Journey of NDP2010

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