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| Q & A WITH THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/CO-PRODUCER WOFFLES WU |
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How did you get involved with “Singapore Dreaming”? |
| Woffles: |
It was the lovely script which attracted me to this project in the first place. I had always wanted to make a film but somehow never read the correct script nor met the correct set of directors whom I felt would direct a film with the same artistic vision I have. Having the same temperament and artistic vision is so important in a long term working relationship. When Colin and Yen came over with the script I was bowled over by the accuracy with which they portrayed simple Singaporean family life –their hopes, aspirations, fears and frustrations. I could see so much of my own family, my grandparents, in their script. I remember thinking, “That’s exactly what our lives are like!” I took the script back and read it thoroughly and suggested some minor changes and twists here and there which they seemed to like and incorporated into the next draft. I immediately felt that we could work together and that it would be a fun ride to pool our artistic talents on this venture. |
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| What is your experience like first time as an Executive Producer and Co-Producer of a film? |
| Woffles: |
What an experience! It has obviously not been easy. I have had to learn the workings of a totally new industry for me, new technical terms, new concepts, everything new. It was like planning a huge logistic Army exercise. In one year I have had the best crash course in Film Making that has been better than attending any film school. I am very lucky because Yen and Colin who have done this before have been there to help me and guide me through so that the learning curve has been easier to negotiate. They have been the best teachers. I had to pick things up real fast. Having good artistic temperament and aesthetic sensibilities alone do not count for much as it is really a lot of hard work. A tremendous amount of effort goes into making a film which most viewers cannot even begin to imagine. So often the Exec Producer is just someone that raises the cash and then vanishes from the scene until the film is screened. I have tried to be very hands-on during the whole project, coming up with script suggestions, helping with casting, the hiring of crew, music (very close to my heart) and of course, suggestions for editing. I brought in many investors who expected me to exert some of my own aesthetic sensibilities on the film in all aspects. They had the confidence and belief in me as well as the confidence in my belief in my directors. As such, the three of us agreed from the beginning that I would EP and Co-produce. Colin and Yen have been wonderfully open to my suggestions because we know we work so well together and have similar tastes, and also because they know that I will always let them make the final decision. |
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It has been very fulfilling and enriching working with them. They are a really smart and talented couple and this wonderful little tale is only the start of what can only be a fabulous career in film for both of them. We haven’t always agreed on issues but that is the nature of any artistic endeavour and we resolve them smoothly and elegantly. We have come out of it much stronger than when we entered this project. |
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| What are the similarities and differences between being a film producer and a plastic surgeon? |
| Woffles: |
I love both. They are both creations of beauty and artistry that rely on precise, measured and calculated steps. The end product is all you see but the mechanics of achieving it are technically demanding, requiring mastery of technique and execution. Conceptually, I found the two to be so similar in spirit. It is only the methodology that differs. Plastic surgery operations take up to 6 hours to perform and then you sit back and wait for the result to emerge over the next 3 months. In filmmaking the gestation period is so much longer - often over a year before the film is finally finished and another half year before it is distributed around the world. One good thing about film is that you can promote it, reproduce it in DVD form and it can assume a life of its own. In Plastic surgery however, everything is hush hush and we can never talk about our achievements for fear of breaching confidentiality. |
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| What are your next projects? |
| Woffles: |
I hope to continue my efforts in film making. We are looking at doing a joint venture with a production company in the US where we will bring together heavyweight stars from Hollywood with Asian stars. I personally would like to make a comedy like Zoolander. So clever and accurate. |
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| What are you dreaming of? |
| Woffles: |
I dream of more hours in a day so that I can achieve all the tasks I have set for myself and still get quality time with my family. I dream of my children, grown up smart and intelligent and hopefully either making the world a more beautiful place or directing the next Oscar winning film! |
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