'Fly by Night' Video Challenge 2005

About Fly by Night

Make the video you have always wanted to make in one weekend. The Fly By Night Video Challenge is a weekend of mayhem and magic.

Fly By Night is a different kind of competition that encourages creativity, absurdity and spontaneity. The theme of the competition is announced on Friday night and the race begins. Participants then spend the next 48 hours creating their own films. Entries are screened on the Sunday after submission.

Ten films selected by the judges receive S$300 in prize money each. The judges’ decision is based on the creators’ ability to make the most interesting work with limited time and money. The Judges’ Choice will be announced ‘live’ on the Sunday night itself.

Past entries have gone on to be screened at the Thai Short Film Festival, Minikino (Indonesia), Pusan Asian Short Film Festival and 3rd Frame Film Festival. Fly By Night alumnae include filmmakers Yee Chang Kang, Ellery Ngiam, Tania Sng and Victric Thng.

This is the first year I am participating in the Video Challenge. My team members include Daniel, Muru, Hassan, Siva. Daniel and Muru both participated in the video challenge in the first year (2003) and got into the top 8. So this will be their 2nd time participating.

The title this year was really weird. It was ' ^#&$*)' Yeah thats what it is. Maybe I'll tell you what we did for the video, after the results are announced, but it was truly exciting coming up with ideas, shooting, and editing in less than 48 hours. Nothing like I have done before. The motivation for me this year, is not really the top 10 prize, but rather the viewers choice prize, which is an AVID editing system.

Oh yes, PANASONIC and AVID are the official tech sponsors, so we got some freebies from AVID, like a beautiful note pad, a phone lanyard, and a black T-shirt with AVID and PANASONIC printed at the back, with of course the FLY BY NIGHT logo. We finished our editing at about 2 am today morning, and the submission is from 11am to 1pm. Screening starts from 3..and will probably last until say 9, because this year, there are supposedly 50 over entries. Hope we win something, but even if we don't it will be fun to watch all the screenings, and it was truly an enriching experience just participating in the challenge. It enabled me to understand the FCP system better, for one thing. Thanks to all those who have helped in making our video possible. Thanks Norman for you Camera, and Daniel, you were an excellent sport.