"Flight" is part of the Create Film Festival 2010, commssioned by the Economic Development Board (EDB) Singapore, to encourage youngsters to become engineers - now that too many of them are going the 'other way' as mass media professionals and bankers, ironically, once also advocated by the government.
Directed by award winning director,
Boo Junfeng.
Cast: Voo Ke Yang, Lin Coen Alistair, Michael Chua, Kong Yit Sim, Francis Chua, Michael Lee.
I think Voo Ke Yang, in his debut acting role, as Jeremy, performed splendidly.
I played the role of the father who didn't pass the Air Force pilot selection himself, and frustrated, pushed his son to become a pilot, much against the latter's ambition.
In real life, I had once rejected the Air Force pilot training programme. Subsequently, I graduated from college with an engineering degree, but did not get into practice. Instead, I became an information security specialist helping banks to outwit hackers. And now, I am an actor. Isn't fact stranger than fiction?
So there were moments of surreality in the film for me. Where what went on in my mind as an engineer examing the aircraft engine rotor blades would have been, the pondering over the material strength, the causes of material fatigue and other hard engineering sciences; I now (as an actor) focused instead on my physical positions, going through the important movements to demonstrate and favour camera angles, light and frame composition. Seemingly the same act, but very different thoughts.
Here are the other two films:
"Building Dreams", directed by Anthony Chen.
Cast: Ian Pang
The great visionary scientist and philosopher Buckminster R Fuller once said that if we were to get rid of all the politicians in the world, the human race will continue to live, perhaps even prosper as some things may begin to function better. However, if we were to get rid of all the scientists and engineers, within months, there will be widespread chaos and starvation. That, I think is how important engineers are.
"Hi, I am an Engineer", directed by Melvyn Lim.
Cast: Teo Seng Loong, Onn Su An, Amanda Ling, Glory Ngim, Maggie Tan, Yilynn Tay, Priscilla Lim
This clip portray the stark reality of the dating game, in that somehow, engineers are not seen favorably by many women. Somehow, engineers are seen as geeks and those that lack social skills. For some reasons, engineers are not so good at packaging themselves, probably because they are too busy working and getting things done instead of dwelling on the superficial exterior. However, in some societies like Germany and Belgium, engineers are well respected. They are seen as very intelligent and reliable people.
So given the choices, what do you want to be? An engineer, lawyer, doctor, accountant,... or an actor? :)
* LOL *
