Filmmaker as a Palimpsest | Jeanine Lim. Dr | TEDxYouth@HCIS

What is a Palimpsest?

• A palimpsest refers to the idea of layering where new work is layered on top of old work, creating new levels of meaning, and can be applied to various forms of art, including film (15s).
• In the context of art, palimpsesting refers to the process of layering where each iteration of the artwork is a work in progress, drawing from past knowledge, experiences, and individual creativity (48s).
• Film as a palimpsest can be studied as both a physical artifact and a mental phenomenon and process, where one reads, reinterprets, and rewrites film layer by layer (1m12s).

Filmmaking as a Palimpsest

• Through the production process, the artist creates a representation of space and time, distancing the work from the audience and bringing about something new and foreign (1m36s).
• The artist also creates a story of their own history and narrative of meanings by exaggerating their experiences of culture and filtering them through their own translation (1m59s).
• The concept of the filmmaker as a palimpsest involves rewriting oneself through their work, creating a new narrative of meanings (2m7s).

The Filmmaker's Personal History

• The filmmaker's personal history and experiences can be broken down into different eras, which influence their work and shape their narrative (2m22s).
• The "rebel" phase of the filmmaker's life began at the age of 17-18, marked by personal trauma, including the loss of a sister and parents' divorce, which fueled their anger and creativity (2m43s).
• The filmmaker's first film, shot in Australia, expressed their personal anger and collective anger towards the mistreatment of delinquent girls in a girl's home, as well as the rise of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party, which pushed against multiculturalism and immigration (3m43s).
• The One Nation party's policies, which criticized immigration and multiculturalism, affected the filmmaker and their friends, who became the target of racist attitudes and policies (4m35s).
• The filmmaker experienced a difficult time when their crew, mostly Australian, abandoned a project midway due to the crew members being attacked for being Asian, and their Australian professors distanced themselves from the project, which was very hurtful and made them feel angry and threatened (5m14s).
• The Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir, recalled all Malaysian students to return home, adding to the sense of threat and anger, but the film they made at the time only expressed anger without addressing the root cause (5m37s).

The Impact of 9/11

• To become a good filmmaker, one needs life experience, so the filmmaker pursued a Master's degree in film in Boston, US, with the intention of settling there, but the 9/11 attacks changed everything, including their plans (6m17s).
• The 9/11 tragedy had a personal impact on the filmmaker, who lost a friend in the attacks, and made them question the point of being a filmmaker in the face of such tragedy (6m45s).
• The US Homeland Security's terrorism threat advisory scale added to the stress and tension of daily life, making the filmmaker desperate to return home to peaceful Singapore, but they were unable to do so due to grounded planes (7m42s).
• The experience of being stuck in the US led to the making of the film "Stuck," which is about three strangers stuck in an elevator overnight and dealing with their deep-seated issues, and was the filmmaker's first honest work that spoke from their heart (8m52s).

Returning to Singapore and its Challenges

• Through the film "Stuck," the filmmaker was able to draw on their emotions of loss, anger, and sadness, and convey a message of hope, strength, and overcoming adversity (9m13s).
• Returning to Singapore after being away was a challenging experience due to the country's unique environment, which is often described as a hyper-real and highly controlled surveillance state, earning it the nickname "Disneyland with the death penalty" (9m45s).
• As a filmmaker in Singapore, one faces numerous limitations and restrictions, including censorship, lack of budget, control at every level, and a small domestic market, making it essential to navigate and negotiate these challenges to succeed (10m18s).
• To make a living as a filmmaker in Singapore, it is often necessary to hustle, meet people, and sell oneself and one's work, which can involve doing work that serves the state, such as collaborating with established filmmakers like Boris Buu and Bang Jill Jang, and working with celebrities like Yo Yen Yen Al T (10m46s).
• Despite the challenges, it is possible to create independent films that are light, happy, and safe from censorship, often involving students and exploring various genres like drama, comedy, sci-fi, and action (11m28s).
• To supplement income, many filmmakers in Singapore also engage in corporate work, such as creating music videos and working on National Day Parade (NDP) projects (11m59s).

Other Creative Pursuits and Philanthropy

• In addition to filmmaking, it is possible to explore other creative pursuits, such as theater, and even meet prominent figures like the President of Singapore, who can be more down-to-earth than expected (12m17s).
• Founding a charity, like Project PPRELOVE, which provides aid to the poor in Vietnam, can be a fulfilling way to give back to the community and make a positive impact, with ongoing efforts for 25 years (13m20s).
• A filmmaker's mother is her partner in an initiative, handling communication and PR work, while the filmmaker is usually behind the camera, and they work together to provide donations to beneficiaries (13m54s).
• The filmmaker has worn multiple hats, including filmmaker, educator, and change-maker, and has done work for "Film for Good," a spin-off that involves documentary-making and charity work with tertiary students (14m25s).
• The filmmaker has a self-funded initiative that is always looking for volunteers and supporters (14m48s).

Pursuing a PhD in Film

• After 10 years in Singapore, the filmmaker felt burnt out from corporate work and education, and began questioning their next steps, considering pursuing a PhD despite being in their 40s (15m3s).
• The average age of a PhD student is 27, making the filmmaker's decision to pursue a PhD at 40 seem challenging, especially since they had a stable job and good income (15m24s).
• The filmmaker decided to pursue a PhD in film with creative practice, a hybrid PhD that allows for both a thesis and a creative artwork, but found that very few schools offered this program (15m59s).
• The filmmaker applied to several schools, including those that have graduated notable filmmakers like Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese, but faced a highly competitive process and received rejections and acceptances before finally being accepted into the University of Canterbury in Christ Church, New Zealand (16m22s).
• However, just before leaving for New Zealand, the filmmaker received a call saying that the department was restructuring and could no longer support their PhD, leading to a last-minute change of plans (16m55s).
• The filmmaker had to backtrack and contact their second-choice university, the University of Auckland, which graciously accepted them, allowing the filmmaker to pursue their PhD with creative practice (17m25s).

The Documentary Film Project

• The filmmaker's PhD topic and documentary film explored a specific theme, although the exact topic is not specified (17m56s).
• After years of narrative work, a shift was made to documentary filmmaking to tell stories about real people and issues, with a focus on marginalized communities, and the topic of Singaporean identity was chosen as the subject matter (18m11s).
• The documentary was part of a hybrid PhD, which involved flying back and forth between New Zealand and Singapore, taking two years to complete, and interviewing 75 people from different ages, races, and social backgrounds (19m10s).
• The documentary included most of Singapore's filmmakers, which was considered an almost impossible feat, and it took a lot of effort to complete, with 100 hours of interviews that needed to be logged and transcribed (19m41s).
• The editing process was challenging, with the first cut of the film being 14.5 hours long, which was then cut down to 8 hours, 2.5 hours, and finally 1 hour to meet the PhD requirement (20m12s).
• The process of rewriting and re-editing the film was difficult, as it involved getting rid of material that was dear to the filmmaker, a process known as "killing our babies" in the industry (20m41s).
• Despite the challenges, the filmmaker now has a completed film and enough material to make a three-part series, which is currently in progress (20m55s).

Reflections on the Filmmaking Journey

• The life of a filmmaker is not glamorous, but rather grinding and grueling work, as shown by the filmmaker's use of a shopping cart to carry camera and sound gear (21m4s).
• The documentary is close to the filmmaker's heart, as it addresses not only Singapore's identity but also the filmmaker's own identity, and the process of making the film was one of personal growth and evolution (21m42s).
• As filmmakers, they engage with the past and present, but the final film output is always in the future, and the process of making the film is one of change and evolution (22m11s).
• Filmmakers undergo change together with their audience as they create and share their work (22m44s).
• A quote is often shared with film students at the end of a course to remind them of their role as filmmakers (22m49s).
• The primary goal of filmmakers is to examine the Human Condition and provide a unique perspective on the world through their eyes (23m3s).
• Filmmakers aim to share their vision with the audience, allowing them to see the world from a different point of view (23m8s).