OKJ Works

6 years in, this journey feels like we haven't reached the halfway mark yet. When I stepped into the Eng Tiang Huat Chinese Cultural Shop in January 2021, it sparked a journey that you are quite familiar with by now. It is fair to judge this project as a failure since I have yet to recover my life savings. A worthy attempt, one I never regretted, but perhaps a failure nonetheless. Fortunately in the game of life, the clock runs longer than any sporting match. And now suddenly 6 years later, I find myself on the cover of The Edge Singapore's Options section, where I shared more about AFOMP and how it is coming back in a new way to engage audiences on 31 Oct and 28 Nov. To think that I started this year "retiring" from this craft, and now A FEELING OF MUSIC PLAYING has brought me to China and Timor Leste - and in a week's time, back to the cinemas. Come and experience the next chapter of this journey here: https://afomp.okjworks.com/ Article will be out next Monday. Will share more then =)

I am excited to share that A Feeling of Music Playing is returning to the cinema - but with a TWIST! From 31 Oct and every month onwards, this 28-min multicultural musical experience will be screened with the intention to connect people through conversations. Each session will feature an interesting speaker, who will use the elements of the film to share about their own areas of expertise. The possibilities don't stop there, as we will go beyond traditional Q&As and introduce new audience engagement elements that make it easier for anyone to participate. It's a new format that I am excited to introduce to Singapore, and hope that you can join us for our initial sessions as we refine the experience. For 31 Oct, I am delighted to have Mediation Advocate, Melvin Loh, who will use the jamming nature of the musicians in the film to link it to how we can find harmony in our own lives and conflicts~ SIGN UP HERE

https://singaporefilmsociety.eventive.org/schedule/6ac5c3d8b9a3a3818c884b2f A Feeling of Music Playing returns end of this month~ More details to follow =D But sharing the link here first =)

A new week begins with a new trailer for Happy Go Lucky Made with the anticipation for some good news in the coming weeks Enjoy~ https://youtu.be/LDd7FlKt8tk

Next week, I may be giving one of the most important 5min presentations of my life yet. This is a sneak peek into how I go about thinking through it even before slides are crafted.

A familiar face for [still lives] today

Part of why I have this Telegram Channel is because there are some storylines that can only be tracked by those who follow it. And last night's win, which is further detailed on socials like here, does require some accountability that is best expressed here. I acknowledge the irony of last night. A year ago I expressed it would likely be the last time I attend an award ceremony. It just so happen to also be the Inspiring Asia Micro Film Competition. I went last night for 2 distinct reasons. One, I genuinely felt I had "let go", so going there regardless of results would not lead to disappointment. The more attractive reason was to suit up - and cosplay for the "red carpet gala theme". Such opportunities are sorely missed. However, I must confess that in my overthinking nature, I was thinking about what to say if the film did indeed win. Personally I was disappointed in myself that such thoughts came to mind. What put it to rest was when PEER played on screen. It confirmed my stance that such a film deserved to be seen in that room, and perhaps in many more if others would appreciate and champion it. I have yet come to a conclusion on whether what I am writing now is hypocritical, as I don't know if my reflection would the same if I did not win. One thing is certain. My speech after winning best documentary with TRESPASS at the National Youth Film Awards in 2019 was recounted by my wife as "not myself". Last night, I was.

PEER just won the best film in the regional round of Inspiring Asia~

Mr Niranjan Pandian is the same age as me. But as I recorded him as part of [still lives], it felt like he was a decade wiser. That seems apt given that he will be featured as part of a series called "Practice / Riyaaz / 磨练" - which features Singaporean museums and their practice in honing their craft. In many ways, developing [still lives] is my way of adding meaningful practice into documentary storytelling. And today I am reminded that not only will it improve my documentaries, I'll get to learn a lot more about life from making it. His portrait should be out next week =)

Why not? Today, the photos you see here would be impossible to capture, for Prof Tommy Koh has retired from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after 55 years of service, 25 of which were within this office. I have had the pleasure of being in his office on 3 occasions over the past 3 years. First when I updated him on A Feeling of Music Playing and my role at Singapore Film Society. Second when I interviewed him for Tembusu College's 15th anniversary. And Finally last month to document him as part of my [still lives] project. Inspired by my curiosity when staring at paintings and photos on museum walls, and a sudden thought on the iconic photo of Albert Einstein's desk a day after his death - I always wondered what if these art pieces could move and we could hear the thoughts of what was portrayed. Luckily I live at an age where both can be achieved by anyone - and so the question, why not? [still lives] will be a weekly practice for me. Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/stilllives.okj/

What if photos moved while portraits talked? What if beyond the printed text on museum walls and exhibition pamphlets, we could hear a slice of life, directly from its source? That curiosity has now turned into action in my latest project, [still lives]. I am honoured to be featuring Professor Tommy Koh as the first of hopefully many more in the years to come. You can watch his portrait on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LThwAgvLbQ He graciously agreed to be included in the series, LAST DAYS OF SERVICE, which honours public service that has to make way for progress in Singapore. For some of you, this would be the first time that you had seen Prof Koh's office. Today he is set to leave the space and retire from the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The [still lives] project has multiple series within it. In fact I am working on 3 as we speak. Beyond the curiosity mentioned above, this project was borne from my desire to practice my craft on a more frequent basis. I am excited that this project is likely to allow me to do so on a weekly basis. Hopefully in time, each series will grow into a suitable size to justify a physical activation, of which I have many ideas for~

Alone but not lonely - that's the perspective that Mdm Sereena shared me. The film she inspired me to make could change the way you see a fifth of all Singaporeans. I found myself at her home, getting to know her through tea and stories. Having lived a full life, she now lives alone. It's a situation that many seniors will find themselves in. It is projected that over 122k seniors will live completely alone by 2030. A familiar sight in the homes of many Merdeka Generation Singaporeans is a collection of tactile nostalgia. The one that struck me most was her self-portrait, taken at a time when she is around my age. From that moment on, I spoke to her not just as a senior, but as a peer who has lived twice my lifetime. That realisation allowed me to appreciate her story better, as well as the friends she makes as part of the Lion Befrienders Active Ageing Centre. And that experience was what I intended to express through PEER. Watch and vote here: https://app.campaign.com/challenge/InspiringSG67

Hello everyone~ so PEER made it to the semi-finals of Inspiring Singapore 2026. Now it needs your support to get to the finals~ PEER, a heartwarming 5-min story about seniors living alone in Clementi who friend friend one another . To get to the finals, the film needs verified viewers this weekend - people like you who are keen to: 1. Go to the campaign page: https://app.campaign.com/challenge/InspiringSG67 2. watch the 5-min film in full 3. answer 3 simple questions. Complete those 3 steps and you will be a verified supporter of the film. Your support will be considered along with an panel of judges to determine who gets to the finals. Note: It seems better to view it on your phone than on a big screen. Sadly the website does not allow full screen viewing 😭 But hopefully after the competition, I'll publish it on a bigger screen! (or if it wins the entire competition, whichever comes earlier hee hee) Thank you for your support =D

October, mayhaps. Lots of things to work on. But the future sounds amazing~

So some interesting developments... If AFOMP were to come back for a limited cinema run later this year, would you be interested? Send some emojis to let me know =)

Cineleisure, GV | 25th July (SAT) | 4.15pm-5pm | Sign Up Link: https://luma.com/nimbus26 Tomorrow I'll be undertaking a meaningful challenge courtesy of my friend and at-times teacher, Isaac James Neo To express how I practice intentionality in my documentary storytelling process had been a refreshing and reflective exercise. I believe doing something as second nature results in potential not being fully realised. That is what makes tomorrow's workshop necessary. To seek to the passionate audience that the Independent Media Fair attracts, now in its 4th year, will be daunting. Let's see what the future holds~ If you are keen to experience this yourself, the sign up link is above. See you tomorrow =)

smiling through sheer tiredness cos baby Luca decided this week to have sleep regression and that 12.30am - 2.30am is perfect to wake up and think about the universe (and drink water) But in between that and work was a serendipitous encounter last night with Hugo (left) and Huihui (right) who surprisingly was at the A FEELING OF MUSIC PLAYING cinema debut 3 years ago. This photo was prompted by Hugo who was influenced by the film to take up music once more in his life. The message screenshot is shared here with his permission. Films definitely do travel beyond whatever I can imagine.

Just in~ For the next few years, ASEAN is a key focus on mine. With Timor-Leste's joining the association last year, I knew I had to find a way to get to know the 24-year old nation better. A FEELING OF MUSIC PLAYING ought to do it. After my own independent world premiere at GV Max in 2023, and its subsequent availability on Singapore Airlines in 2024. It had been on my computer, waiting for what's next. Later this year, it will have its first festival premiere at the Dili International Film Festival in Timor-Leste, hopefully the first of many other stops around ASEAN.

always a relief and blessing to get to this stage of a new story~

(Top) Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, Dec 2025. Where I thought I was making my last documentary (Bottom) Clementi, Singapore, Today. Time to make another