New feature film script selected for BIFAN Project Market in Korea

Every year, genre film projects in development gather at Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in Korea for networking and pitching. This year in 2022, my new project was selected alongside exciting scripts from all over the world! Thank you BIFAN again for hosting us.

I also had the opportunity to watch horror & fantasy films premiering at the festival, and learn from experts giving masterclasses. I even met Brian Yuzna, the creator of my favourite childhood movie Honey I Shrunk the Kids!

My film Zombiepura on Netflix Korea in the hotel room!

New black & white short film

Starring Haresh Tilani & Wendy Toh

2021 was spent developing new projects and I also shot a new no-budget short film in black & white. Here’s the sneak peak and hope to premiere it at a festival in 2022! Oh yes, it’s another love story. Thanks to all cast & crew who helped out!

The Man Who Can’t Smile – NEW FILM!

World premiere: My new short film is now online!

The Man Who Can’t Smile: A man with a sad face is often misunderstood by others in his daily life. He undergoes a surgery to give himself a permanent smile. This is a whimsical silent film accompanied by orchestral music.

It’s been a great journey making this film with Viddsee, and my cast and crew from Zombiepura, and new friends who have joined our team. Watch it now on YouTube (above), FB or Viddsee.

Director’s statement: This film is inspired by my ‘resting b*tch face’. When I was younger, I didn’t smile so much. People often thought that I was sad, tired, or unapproachable. I soon realised that it could have been my face. I thought, what if I had a permanent smiley face?

As I developed the story, I found out that there are people with a rare condition known as Moebius Syndrome. They can’t control their facial muscles and have a real inability to smile. This film is a metaphor for people who face struggles fitting into society.

My new project wins a top prize at SAFF Market 2019

My new feature film project in development has won an award at the Southeast Asian Film Financing Project Market. Thank you SAFF for the opportunity!

Singapore’s Jacen Tan won the Salt Media Award, a development grant of $5,000 for comedy/drama “Basketcase.”

The winners were selected from a pool of 85 entries from 18 countries. The SAFF Project Market is jointly produced by Southeast Asian Audio-Visual Association (SAAVA) and Ties That Bind: Asia/Europe Producers Workshop, in conjunction with ScreenSingapore.

Singapore International Film Festival panel discussion 2019

Photo: Foo Yong Chin / Jaslyne Chua

Thank you SGIFF for having me on the discussion panel: What happens after your first film?

Jacen Tan’s first feature, Zombiepura, was a box office success in Singapore cinemas in 2018. His striking use of horror and comedy in a local context earned him the title of ‘Singapore’s latest film funnyman’ by The Straits Times.

When asked about the difference between commercial and independent features, Tan feels that “a commercial film can still have an independent voice in it and vice versa, an independent film can still have commercial sensibilities.

Was a great learning experience from K. Rajagopal, Wong Chen-hsi and Jeremy Chua. Read a recap of the discussion here. It was a fantastic festival overall and I got to watch and learn from many films and filmmakers.

Shinichiro Ueda loves Zombiepura

THANK YOU to One Cut Of The Dead director for endorsing Zombiepura! His quote is featured on our Japanese Zombiepura posters and publicity. Zombiepura opens in limited cinemas in Tokyo and Osaka, Dec 2019.

“Hilarious and unique! It’s great fun to watch the heroes survive with their army skills. The heroine actually kicks ass. Watch it with all your friends and lots of popcorn!”

Shinichiro Ueda (Director, One Cut of the Dead)

Zombiepura *Scape workshop success!

Thank you *Scape and Filmic Eye for inviting me to do this masterclass. Myself and our heads of departments June Goh (Makeup) and Junior Foong (Production Design) had a great time sharing the tricks of the trade with budding filmmakers. Together, we transformed an empty room at SCAPE into an army barracks under zombie attack! Participants learnt makeup, dressed the set, and then watched as we lighted and filmed a horror scene. It was so much fun!
Photos: Dynax Yiu

Stuntman Jaymeson gives our lead actress Joey Pink a scare

Talk at Apple Store Singapore

Thank you Apple Singapore for inviting me and my composers Joe Ng & Ting Sihao to give a talk! We shared the process, tips and tricks of composing music for the movie. Using Garageband, we also composed music on the spot for a scene from the movie, recreating the creative banter between us filmmakers. After that, it was the participants’ turn to make music for a scene that was looping on the big screen. Interesting to hear the different genres of music they came up with!

It’s an honour to be featured as ‘Red Dot Heroes’ by Apple.