A stray path frowned upon? Or a wiser choice?

Independence in Singapore is an elusive topic. When I mention ‘independence’, I’m referring to animation as opposed to our live-action scene which is definitely more active and celebrated here. I’m a student myself in pursue of this career, and more often than not I find myself in grey areas.

What is independent animation? Is it defined according to the artistic value of the film, or is it defined by how a film is made with regards to crew size, budget and support it received? Then, are all student films considered independent animation? There are several local production houses that have their bread and butter producing animated works. They have small production teams (tick), shoestring budgets (tick) and no support beyond the company walls (tick). But the works are commissioned by the clients, and the role of a director (if there is one) is almost dependent on the clients’ expectation. So, is there an independent scene in Singapore Animation?

There is, a handful of them. Notable shorts include The Cage (1991) by K. Subramaniam, 3 Feet Apart (2002) by Jason Lai, Crocodile Journals (2004) by Yeo Lee Nah, The Mole (2007) by Victric Tng, and works by Srinivas Bhakta, because they are better traveled in the festival circuit, awarded and well-represented. Independent feature films, on the other hand, are virtually non-existent. At this point I need to point to an article written by Harvey Deneroff in 1996:

“The terms ‘independent’ and ‘feature film’ are not often thought of in the same breadth when it comes to animation. The conventional wisdom still sees independent animators as filmmakers who toil away producing highly personal and/or experimental short subjects. Unlike their live-action counterparts, making an animated feature is seen as beyond the scope (financial and otherwise) of most animation artists.”

And thus, local feature animated films are usually heavily supported by MDA (with deeper pockets) and it is no surprise that the content are usually politically correct. Let me recap the notable titles: Zodiac: The Race Begins (2006) and Legend of the Sea (2007). Sing to the Dawn (2008) just premiered recently and Kungfu Gecko is still in production, both of which I dare say look promising. And all that are good because they are good starts to pushing an industry. They exist, and it shows that yes it can be done.

There also appear to be more avenues for aspiring animators to break into the business, both in terms of the number of educational courses offered and production houses sprouting up here, most notably Lucasfilm Animation Singapore, Ubisoft and the School of Art, Design and Media. There are so many developments and events happening concurrently and the industry is expanding at an extremely fast pace. There is also a penchant by the local media to relate animation with advanced technology (i.e. 3D) and that Singapore is “an excellent hub with its strong IT infrastructure”.

The Media Authority of Singapore is reaching out to “nature talents in the animation industry” by supporting the Animated Short Film Initiative, a first in Singapore, initiated by Singapore Film Society. Together with Singapore Film Commission, a New Feature Film Fund is also initiated to allow film-makers to make their feature films. Published report in The Straits Times on 4 Oct 2008:

“The fund is not just about a decision to dole more than $2 million to home-grown talent. While the financial commitment is noteworthy, it is the smaller gestures which give observers hope that the commission might be finally be taking a step in the right direction in terms of supporting local talent after multiple missteps… the fund will hand out additional monies dedicated purely to advertising and promotions as well as tie-up with Golden Village to promise finished films distribution.”

And these two major grants are on top of the existing short film and overseas travel grants.

With immense support from the higher powers, where is Singapore Animation heading? Is independence really that hard in Singapore? I say, it is a stray path not chosen by many because results are uncertain. Many animator directors would rather work under reputed giants if possible, gain experience first before venturing in his/her pursue of independence. That is fine, I must say, and definitely a better advice than plunging into murky waters right after graduation.

As for me, I should stop talking and start working on my short films.

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Related links:
The Independent Spirit and An Invitation (1996)
Animation in Singapore (1997)
Independence in Japan (1999)
Why Cartoon? By Nina Paley (2008)
Singapore Independent Films Only