Snapshot Singapore: Part 1

Rich history and modernity seem to collide in beautifully ambitious ways in Singapore. Through the lens, cracks of identity appear against the backdrop of a global city. There's something big happening here, and it's too new to fully understand. Everywhere you explore your senses seem temporarily heightened. It's an amazing place to get lost.

Give it Time in Yobi Film

This year I was awarded the 2nd place prize in Season 2 of the Yobi Filmmaking Contest with my short, The Geology Student. Season 3 began shortly after with a brand new set of rules, and a lengthier structure to get more filmmakers involved. Largely I hadn't been paying attention though because I didn't have a new short I wanted to campaign for.

In July the Gizmo Tree was voted into the preliminary semi-final round without my promotion or involvement, and now for the second time this year another one of my shorts, Give it Time has been voted into the contest without my help. It's taken an email both times to bring me back to the site to even check it out.

My stance hasn't changed since this happened the first time. I'm incredibly honored and flattered that people are checking out my projects and voting, but if I'm going to participate in Yobi Film again I'm going to wait until I have something new to share. I'm very proud of my previous work but many have already played a role in a contest, competition or film festival. I don't want to back-track at this point when I feel I can produce new work at an even higher standard (I just need the time to do it).

You can view my Yobi profile here. At the time of this post it hasn't been updated since I was participating in the Season 2 finals.

It's an interesting position to be in as the short could potentially be voted through without my control meaning that I wouldn't be able to compete with another film. I'm not really putting too much faith in that though, and mainly wanted to thank those who have been to Yobi Film to view my work and vote without me even knowing.

I plan on returning to Yobi, hopefully to compete in Season 3 with something new. Right now that's all up in the air. You can view Give it Time below.

The Buried Life on MTV

I'll admit that I never expected to find one of my new favorite shows by watching MTV. Sure it's fine for popcorn entertainment and a good way to waste a half hour, but the place to find a show with actual substance? Enter, the Buried Life.

The premise is simple and altogether inspired. Four friends (Ben Nemtin, Duncan Penn, Dave Lingwood, and Jonnie Penn) set out to complete a list of 100 things they want to do before they die. And we're not talking about necessarily easy tasks either. In Season One of the Buried Life episodes range from helping to deliver a baby to attending a party at the Playboy mansion to telling a joke on late night TV. They're not always successful, but the fact they attempt some fairly lofty goals is really fun to watch.

I guess I connect with their ambition and desire to do things for the sake of collecting experiences. These guys are all in their twenties and I feel like (for me anyway) it's the time when you first start to realize that there are time limits for accomplishing some of the things you want to. Not to mention that big goals take time. I can also relate to the joy of documenting your adventures - something these guys get to do as a day job.

The message is upbeat, often hilarious, and surprisingly moving. Each episode they also help a stranger cross something big off their own bucket list. It's a nice touch that brings the focus back down to a personal level. There are little things that we can do everyday to make a difference, to inspire others, and to just generally make life better.

It's a great question to ask yourself, what do you want to do before you die?