A real Boot Camp in Filmmaking - Film Camp by nuSTUDIOS

It must be fun shooting a film at a chalet. When exhausted, there is always lots of food and drinks. Last week, a group (think it's an ECA group in NUS) called nuSTUDIOS organised a film camp at a chalet in which people are split into teams and have to make a film. I first came acriss them from IS magazine. Then upon checking their website (http://www.nu-studios.com/), I learnt I actually knew people from it. And pretty prominent people in the indie filmmaking scene, like Kristin Saw, Tan Bee Thiam and Low Beng Kheng.

But what's interesting is these are people in non-film-related degrees pursuing film , just like myself. Beng Kheng from the Substation introduced me to Jia Jian and Alvin from nuSTUDIOS. So I had poppped some of my burning questions to Alvin...

Jeremy (J): Please introduce yourselves.
Alvin (A): As a student film production house, we aim to promote film appreciation and filmmaking within the NUS community and beyond. Since its inception in 2000, nuSTUDIOS has produced over 22 short films, with our finest participating in both local and international film festivals. These include the Singapore Shorts Film Festival, the 2004 Bangkok International Film Festival, the Tel Aviv 9th International Student Film Festival in Israel and the 2007 30th Asian American International Film Festival. J: So tell me more about your film camp.
J: What's Film Camp?
A: July Film Camp 2008 was held this 16th to 18th July 2008 partly in NUS Centre For the Arts and at Aloha Loyang where our participants stayed for 3D2N. It is held yearly in order to teach participants how to make films. The theme for this year’s film camp was ‘Green Environment’! It was to challenge our aspiring filmmakers to create short films with inspiring messages that would help create awareness having a Green Environment, and teaching them the use of film as a tool to reach out to the world. J: How was nuSTUDIOS started? (Who started it?)
A: nuSTUDIOS actually originated from a film group in Temasek Hall. Rather than remain as a group only for Hall residents, they decided to raise the platform a little to have membership open to all varsity students. Hence, nuSTUDIOS was founded under CFA in the year 2000.
J: Where did the poeple in it pick up the technical filmmaking skills from? A: I do remember 2 very technically experienced members as part of the founding team. They were in charge of carrying out technical training to less experienced members of the organization. As to how they themselves acquired technical knowledge, it was probably self-taught.
J : What are people who form nuSTUDIOS studying (wish to get a gauge of people with non-related degrees who are dabbling in film). A: We come from all the various faculties in NUS including engineering, arts and social sciences, design and environment, science, law, medicine and business. Our diverse backgrounds really help in coming up with new ways of doing things!
J: What productions are coming up?
A: We are currently in the Post Production stage for 3 short films shot in the past 3 months. Be on the lookout for "Cashless", "Definition" and "No Vacancy". We also organize screening events to showcase our very own nuSTUDIOS works.


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