b

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ABOUT THE SINGAPORE MEMORY PROJECTThe Singapore Memory Project (SMP) is a nationwide movement which aims to capture and document precious moments and memories related to Singapore; recollections not only from individual Singaporeans, but also from organisations, associations, companies and groups. This project, driven by the Ministry of Communications and Information, is led by the National Library Board.

WHO WILL TELL YOUR STORY?

Each of us has a rich personal history, even though we sometimes feel caught up in seemingly mundane everyday matters. As time passes, things change but there will always be unforgettable and happy memories that remain vivid in our minds. These are the stories that help us to find a common ground with our friends and loved ones. Why not take a step further and capture your personal stories for posterity? Let your creativity flow. You can write a story, create a photo journal, or embark on personal projects through drawing, animation or documentary filming. Share your stories with your future generations through the Singapore Memory Project to give them a sense of what life was like for you. This memory kit provides various suggestions on how you can document your memories. We look forward to reading your happy, interesting and unforgettable stories! Gene TanDirector, Singapore Memory Project

CONTENTS

Chapter 1: Oral History 4Chapter 2: Writing Memories 12Chapter 3: Photographing Memories 20Chapter 4: Illustrating Memories 30Chapter 5: Animating Memories 38Chapter 6: Recording Soundscape Memories 48Chapter 7: Documentary Filming of Memories 54Chapter 8: Visioning The Future 62

Published by: National Library Board, SingaporeDesigned by: JAB Design Pte LtdPrinted in Singapore by Chung Printing Pte Ltd

© National Library Board, Singapore 2013ISBN 978-981-07-6164-6

The Singapore Memory Project Memory Kit – Your guide to capturing personal memories is published by the National Library Board, Singapore with permission from the copyright owners. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form, for any reason or by any means, whether re-drawn, enlarged or otherwise altered including mechanical, photocopy, digital storage and retrieval or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing from both the copyright owners and the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. The text, layout and designs presented in this book, as well as the book in its entirety, are protected by the copyright laws of the Republic of Singapore and similar laws in other countries. Commercial production of works based in whole or in part upon the designs, drawings and photographs contained in this book is strictly forbidden without the prior written permission of the copyright owners.

Please direct all correspondence to:

National Library Board100 Victoria Street#14-01 National Library BuildingSingapore 188064Tel: +65 6332 3255Fax: +65 6332 3611Email: ref@library.nlb.gov.sg Website: www.nlb.gov.sg

National Library Board, Singapore Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

The Singapore Memory Project Memory Kit : Your guide to capturing personal memories. – Singapore : National Library Board, 201368pp 21cmISBN : 978-981-07-6164-6 (paperback) 1. Collective memory – Singapore – Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Storytelling – Singapore – Handbooks, manuals, etc. 3. Oral history – Handbooks, manuals, etc. 4. Interviewing – Handbooks, manuals, etc.

DS609.9 959.57 -- dc23 OCN839733997

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INTRODUCTION Oral history is the collection and documentation of memories through recorded interviews. Your interviewees will recollect and share stories of their lives and experiences, people they have met and places they have been. They will also add their personal feelings and opinions to their stories, making the past come alive.

WHAT YOU NEEDFor oral history recording, it is advisable to use a professional recorder and microphone. Otherwise, you may use your mobile phone too. If you wish to make a visual record, you may use a video camera.

It is useful to have a pen and notebook with you for taking down important points and follow-up questions while your interviewee is talking.

This section is contributed by the Oral History Centre, National Archives of Singapore (NAS).

NAS is the official custodian of Singapore’s collective memory and is responsible for the collection, preservation and management of

Singapore‘s public and private archival records.

Equipment and tools checklist

Recording device

(audio recorder,

video camera or

mobile phone)

Microphone

(if necessary)

Spare batteries

Pens

Notebook

CHAPTER 1

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1 Decide on the theme and focus Decide on your research theme and

interview focus. For example, your research theme could be “school days”, and your interview focus could be “my favourite lesson”.

You can start by thinking about yourself and your objective. What are you curious about? Whose memories do you want to capture? What is interesting about the person’s background or story?

To get ideas for your theme and focus, you may wish to check out the resources at the National Library and National Archives of Singapore (NAS) in person. Online resources such as NewspaperSG (newspapers.nl.sg) and Access to Archives Online (a2o.nas.sg) are also helpful.

2 Choose your interviewee Identify an interviewee who is willing

to share the types of experiences you want to capture. For a start, your interviewee could be your parent, grandparent or teacher.

3 Prepare your questions Ask more open-ended questions,

beginning with “Why”, “How” and “What”, to allow your interviewee to share more information and his or her personal feelings.

You may order your questions chronologically, or you may arrange them such that one question leads to another smoothly.

Do remember to cover basic personal information at the start of the interview, such as the years spent in school and his or her age when a particular incident took place. This will help listeners understand the interviewee’s background and relate to the interview better.

4 Conduct a pre-interview session During the casual pre-interview

session, share your objectives and scope with your interviewee. Use memory aids such as photographs, newspapers and publications to evoke his or her memories. Your interviewee may bring up new, interesting topics that you may add to the interview scope.

A picture indeed paints a thousand words — but would it not be even better to hear the story behind it?

How was it like studying in a village school?

Open-ended questionHow do you feel about being a member of the school band?This question encourages the interviewee to share his or her thoughts in detail.

Closed-ended questionDid you like being a member of the school band?This question requires merely a “Yes” or “No” reply. The interviewee does not get the chance to elaborate further.

Ever wondered how grocery shopping was like before there were supermarkets?

Do you know that these students were celebrating the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II? Ask your interviewees about the types of celebrations they had in the past, which you rarely hear today.

How were kampong residents affected by f loods during the 1950s? Get your interviewees to share their personal experiences coping with events in the yesteryears.

Photos courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore

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5 Conduct the actual interview During the actual interview, pay

attention to your interviewee so that he or she is more willing to share. You need not follow your prepared questions exactly; go with the flow of your interview and ask for more details when necessary.

Always remember to get written agreement from your interviewee for the use of the interview. Make a copy of the agreement for your interviewee.

6 Document and disseminate Always back up several copies of

your recordings. It is also a good gesture to send your interviewee a copy of the interview.

To facilitate searches, prepare a synopsis, or summary, of the interview. You may also want to transcribe the recording to provide quick access to its content. When you transcribe, you will need to listen to the recording and document its content word for word in writing. Actions and emotions should be indicated within brackets, for example (interviewee smiles). You may choose to transcribe only selected or notable parts.

7 Upload your story Email your audio file of not more

than 20MB to singaporememory@nlb.gov.sg. Include your personal details such as name and contact number and a synopsis of your submission.

Familiariseyourselfwithyourrecordingdevicebeforetheinterview,andremembertopress‘record’justbeforeyoubeginyourinterview!

Duringyourpre-interviewsession,lookoutforambientsoundsthatwilladdnoisetoyourrecording,suchastelephonerings,heavytrafficandelectricalappliances.

Remembertoturnoffyourmobilephone(ifyouarenotusingitasarecorder)andencourageyourintervieweetodosotoo.

ORAL HISTORY RECORDING SAMPLESFor sample oral history recordings and transcripts, check out the National Archives of Singapore’s Access to Archives portal at a2o.nas.sg

MORE ON ORAL HISTORY BooksMemories & Reflections: The Singapore Experience – Documenting a Nation’s History Through Oral History by Oral History Centre

The Oral History Manual by Barbara W. Sommer and Mary Kay Quinlan

OnlineSteps to Conducting Your Own Oral History Project by the National Archives of Singapore

Practical Advice: Getting Started by the Oral History Society (UK)

How To Interview - Part 3: Tips & Tricks

Duringtheinterview,nodatappropriatetimestoshowthatyouarelistening.Smileandmaintaineyecontactwithyourinterviewee.

Trynottointerruptyourinterviewee.Avoidacknowledgingwithtermslike“yes”or“Isee”,whichwillsoundunnecessaryonplayback.

Whentranscribing,don’tchangeyourinterviewee’schoiceofwordsandtenses,asthespeechreflectshisorhersocialbackground.

IftheinterviewwasnotconductedinEnglish,youmayalsoconsidertranslatingitintoEnglishtoshareitwithmorepeople.

During an interview, maintain eye contact with your interviewee, nod and smile at appropriate times. Your interviewee should feel comfortable with you and the environment.

Photo courtesy of the National Archives of Singapore

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An interview session in progress.

PAULINE LOHPauline Loh is a journalist, magazine editor and award-winning book author. She shares with us her interviewing experiences as a journalist. More details on page 17.

How do you prepare for an interview session?After ensuring that I have the interviewee’s name and contact number, I will do further research on the interviewee and the story angle, and email a list of questions so that he or she has time to prepare the answers. In my email, besides introducing myself and arranging for a date, time and place, I will check with the interviewee the language he or she is comfortable with; if necessary, l will arrange for an interpreter. It’s also important to state the length of interview time (usually one to two hours) and give my contact number in case of changes.

Which interviewing experience impacted you the most?Once I interviewed an 80-year-old blind woman who was the sole

caregiver of her husband who was suffering from dementia. Nobody else was staying with them. She measured out her husband’s medicine by feeling the sizes and shapes of the pills. He was incontinent, and she detected his urine spillage by smell. He could leave the house and she won’t realise it because she was blind. She would wait for the police to call. I was shaken by the fact that there were people living in such desperate plights in prosperous Singapore.

Could you share your experience of a challenging interview? In my second year as a news reporter, I had to interview a grieving husband whose wife had been electrocuted to death by a faulty water heater. I read up the police reports so that I wouldn’t have to ask unnecessary questions. I introduced myself as a reporter upfront. He was still in a state of shock and talked disjointedly.

I tried to keep my notebook as unobtrusive as possible. I did not interrupt, not even to ask questions. I maintained an interested and sympathetic facial expression. I kept the interview short so as to not prolong his grief. After the interview, I expressed my condolences and thanked him for his time. From this experience I learned that it is important to show sympathy and not to interrupt.

Can you give some tips on how to conduct a meaningful interview to those new to interviewing?Always be punctual for interviews. If you are not confident about taking notes fast enough, bring along an audio recorder. To help your interviewee open up, remember to make eye contact and smile. Ask open-ended questions, and don’t interrupt his or her answers. Show empathy through facial expressions; never rebuke an interviewee or moralise. Don’t talk about yourself. Always be courteous — introduce yourself, thank the interviewee, and smile.

Photo courtesy of the National Library Board

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INTRODUCTIONMemory writing is the act of capturing memories and documenting them in written form. Think of some of the most memorable places, people and events in your life and put them down in writing. You can also help capture the recollections of others by interviewing them and documenting their memories in writing. Think of it as “freezing” a particular moment in time. Together, the written memories will create a rich tapestry of stories, allowing us to leave a legacy for our future generations.

Equipment and tools checklist

Writing tool such as a pen or pencil

Notebook

Computer

Interview transcripts (if you are

writing someone else’s memories)

This section is contributed by Kelly Pang, a former journalist and executive sub-editor

with The Straits Times. She was one of the key researchers for The Singapore Story: Memoirs

of Lee Kuan Yew and From Third World to First. She is also a co-founder of Dotted Line Consultancy, an editorial consultancy.

WHAT YOU NEEDYou hardly need anything else besides a pen and notebook, and perhaps a computer. Memories may come back to you anytime, so be sure to jot down anything that comes to mind, so that you can look through your notes later.

CHAPTER 2

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1 Choose a topic If you are writing your own

memory, begin with a memory list: write down the most significant people, places, events and experiences you can remember about your past. Then pick one topic that is especially meaningful or nostalgic to you.

If you are writing someone else’s memory, you may need to do some research first to find out what is interesting about his or her life. Then select a topic to focus on.

2 Research and conduct interviews

When writing your own memory, go through your personal memorabilia, journals and old photos. Talk to friends and family members — their recollections may help jog your own memories. Write down all the details you can remember about the topic, including your thoughts and feelings. Follow up with some research at the library or on the Internet.

If you are writing another person’s memory, do an in-depth interview and transcribe the interview. (See chapter on Oral History)

3 Outline your story Before you start writing, ask

yourself: What is the key idea that you want to convey through this memory? Is it to highlight the significance of a person or place, to relate a lesson learnt, or to capture someone’s personal memories?

Let’s say you are writing another person’s memory about life in the 1960s. Your key idea can be the neighbourhood he grew up in. Framing your story with a “key idea”, or angle, will help you decide what to put in and what to sieve out.

Write an outline to help you organise your thoughts. You may want to structure your story with an introduction, main body and conclusion. You can introduce your key idea in the opening paragraph, go on to describe different scenes and people in the next few paragraphs, and conclude with your interviewee’s personal reflections.

4 Write your story Voice: If you are writing your own

memory, use the first person “I” so that the memory becomes more intimate to your reader. If you are writing another person’s memory, you can use the third person, i.e. “he” or “she”.

Introduction: Put down your key idea and background information about the memory in the introduction, to give your readers a bird’s-eye view of what is to come. For example, for your interviewee’s memory on the neighbourhood he grew up in, the introduction can be written as:

learnt, your feelings and thoughts about the memory, or your hope for the future. If you are writing someone else’s memory, you can conclude the story with your interviewee’s personal reflections. For example:

Even though the families along Track 2 moved to f lats, Mr Lim has kept in touch with some of his old neighbours. “I missed the old days and our kampung spirit,” he said. “Luckily, many of us moved to the same housing estate and we still visit one another during Chinese New Y ear and meet at the coffeeshop to catch up.”

5 Do a final check Read through and correct any

spelling or grammar errors. Make sure that important information, such as the dates of events and the names of people and places, is correct. If unsure, make it a point to check it up.

Let your story sit for a few days if you have the chance. Then read through it again to see if you have missed any details or if you should remove any.

6 Upload your story Save your writing in a Microsoft

Word document if required.

Follow the step-by-step instructions and upload your story directly onto the singaporememory.sg portal.

Mr Lim Teck Boon, 57, may have left his\kampung days behind but he still carries fond memories of growing up in a remote Chua Chu Kang village. Born in 1956, he lived with his family in a one-storey house on a chicken farm until they were resettled in a HDB f lat in Jurong East in 1988.

Main body: Use vivid details and recreate scenes that engage your readers’ five senses. Show them using movements, smells, colours, sounds, texture, taste and more. Enliven your story with dialogue or quotes to express your main characters’ own voices. It is fine to recreate conversations based on the material gathered from your interview or if you have noted down specific unique phrases. For example:

Mr Lim’s house was along a dirt road known as Track 2, an offshoot from the main Chua Chu Kang Road. He said: “It would turn into a brown slush after the rain. My friends and I loved running barefoot and chasing one another on the muddy path.” Like the other houses along this road, the Lim family’s house had wooden planks as the walls and zinc plates as the roof. Mr Lim said: “When heavy rain fell on the zinc roof, the noise was thunderous. We had to raise our voices in the house just so that we could hear one another.”

Conclusion: If you are writing your own memory, you can end your story with your personal reflections, such as the lessons

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Yourstoryshouldanswerthequestionsofwho,what,when,where,howandwhy—alsoknownasthe5W1H.Usethe5W1Hasachecklisttoseeifyouhaveacompletestory.

WRITING SAMPLES The History in Matchboxes by Zhang Ling, Hui Han and Pham Thi Minh Thuy

Hearts of Rochor Centre by Ruth Anne Keh, Nguyen Thi Viet Linh and Zhao Xijun

Streets We Remember by Hamzah, Su Myat and Li Junlu

MORE ON WRITING BooksOn Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser

Your Life as Story: Discovering the ‘New Autobiography’ and Writing Memoir as Literature by Tristine Rainer

OnlineMake the Most of Your Memory: 10 Tips for Writing About Your Life

Tips on Writing Your Autobiography or Memoir

How to Write Your Autobiography

PAULINE LOHPauline Loh is a journalist, magazine editor and award-winning book author. She has met many interesting people during the course of her work and has always felt that it would be a pity if their stories are not preserved. So when she heard about the Singapore Memory Project, she jumped aboard with conviction. Since then, she has written several Singapore memories and conducted small group training on writing memories.

What are the most important elements in memory writing?It is important to capture all aspects of who, what, when, where, why and how — also known as 5W1H — in your writing. Paint “word pictures”, eg. descriptions of the place or person you are writing about. For example, if you are writing about a kampung (village), describe the road conditions, the number of houses, the materials used to build houses, the landmarks, the residents and more.

How does one write a credible memory that will impact readers?Get all the facts right, including the dates of events. Include quotes from your interviewees. It is important to provide descriptions, since scenes are or will no longer be available. Focus on the positive and refrain from criticism, especially on sensitive topics such as politics, race and religion. After writing, check your grammar and spelling.

Enhancethememorywitholdphotos,videofootageandoralhistoryrecordings,especiallyifyouarepublishingonline.Lookoutfortheseduringtheresearchstageandaskyourintervieweeforoldphotos.Remembertoaskforpermissiontousethem.

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How do you develop an interesting angle for a story?

Everyindividualhashisorherowntakeonthesamescene.Foraninterestingangle,quotethepeopleinvolvedinthestory.Youcanalsogointodetailfortheonescenethatiscrucialtothewholestory.Forexample,forastoryontheMalaysiaCup,youcanwrite:“FandiAhmadlineduptheball.Thestadiumfellintoananticipatoryhush.Selangor’sgoalkeeperpulledhisglovesnervously.Fandimoved.Itwasoverinasplitsecond.The50,000-strongaudiencewentintohysterics.Fandialonewassilent.Hestoodwitharmsakimbo,asmallsatisfiedsmileonhislips.”

Can you share about the memories you have written?

ForUnofficialRaffles’Historians:RafflesHotelasSeenThroughtheEyesofTwoSpecialGuests,IinterviewedCecilHolmesandBrianGrimwood.Iwasinterestedinhow

Singaporeisseenthroughtheireyesastourists.IwroteTheRobinson’sDepartmentStoreFirestorybecauseitwasraretofindaninsider’sstoryofthattragedy.Wehavenewsandcourtrecordsofthisincident,butafirstperson’s

experienceisalwaysthetruestandmostheartbreakingaccount.Ialsowroteaboutmyfather-in-lawOngTienSoo’syoungerdays,sothathisgrandchildrenwouldknowmoreabouthim.

What was the most difficult challenge?

CecilHolmesandBrianGrimwoodhaveheavyBritishaccents,soIhadtoconcentratetounderstandwhattheysaidandtrytoreflecttheirwayofspeakingwhenIquotedthem.Theyalsokeptinterruptingeachother,soIhadtotakecarefulnoteofwhosaidwhat.

Myfather-in-lawwas80whenIinterviewedhim.HespokeintheHinghwadialectandlittleMandarin.Hewasalsosickandinpain.Inaddition,hewasataciturnperson,soitwasdifficulttodrawhimout.Toovercomethechallenge,Ialsotalkedtothepeoplewhoknewhim,suchashiswifeandchildren.

SAMPLE STORY

Excerpt from Unofficial Raffles’ Historians: Raffles Hotel as Seen Through the Eyes of Two Special Guests by Pauline Loh

AlthoughRaffleshasitsownresidentarchivist,BertieandCecilputupahealthycompetitionforthepost.

IfBertieistobebelieved,whenMichaelJacksonstayedinRaffles(whichhedidduringtheDangerousWorldTourin1993),aglovedhandwasspottedtohavesilentlyslidaroundthedoorofhissuiteandthenquietlywithdrawn.Bertieisalsoadamantthatthegreatsingermoonwalkedinthecorridor.

Theyalsoreminiscedthetimeagreat-great-(theywereunclearabouthowmanygreats)grandnephewofVincentVanGoghstayedinRaffles.ThisfamouspersonhadmadehissuiteintoanartstudioandhadinvitedBertieandCeciltoviewhiswork.

Startedonthetopicofthedoormen,Cecildeclaredaffectionately,“Thedoormenareourfriends.We’vegoneoutsociallywithoneofthebrothers,Swaran.Oneyear,hebroughtusouttoeatfrog.Youheardright–frog.ItwasatarestaurantacrosstheroadfromRaffles.Swaransaidwemusttryit.Thefrogwasstillalive!Itwashuge!Wecouldn’teatit.Butwedidbuyaliveone.WecarrieditbacktoRafflesPalmCourtandreleaseditamongthebushes.Sonow,wheneverwe’reback,wewouldlistenoutforitscroaks.Wesaveditslife!”

And did you know that the front door of Raffles was once at the side?” announced Bertie triumphantly. “Not many people know it. And breakfast used to be eaten outdoors, accompanied by songbirds in cages. Ahh, that has to be my fondest memory. But it’s not politically correct now.

They (the bellboys) wore these little hats. It’s as much a tradition as the doormen’s majestic turbans! It’s a shame the practice isn’t continued. It would be nice to see that again.

Photo courtesy of National Library Board

Raffles Hotel

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INTRODUCTIONPhotography is the art and practice of taking and processing photographs. It is a great tool for documenting memories because it can capture precise moments in time.

A single photo features a memorable moment, place or event. However, if you want to tell a complete story, you may wish to develop a photo essay instead. A photo essay is a series of photos arranged in a specific order, allowing you to explore a theme or show the progression of an event. A great photo essay evokes emotions in its audience.

WHAT YOU NEEDTotellastorythroughphotography,youdon’treallyneedfancyequipment.Often,abasicpoint-and-shootcameraorevenyoursmartphonecamerawillsuffice.Attheendoftheday,yourcameraisonlyatool.Moreimportantareyourinteractionswithyoursubjects,yourresearchandthecontentandmessagesthatareconveyedthroughyourphotos.

Doensurethatyouhavesufficientbatteryandmemoryspacetolastthroughyourfieldwork.

This section is contributed by Zakaria Zainal, a documentary photographer. He published

Our Gurkhas: Singapore Through Their Eyes, a photo essay on retired Singapore Gurkhas. Read Our Gurkhas at www.singaporememory.

sg/showcases/30/contents

Equipment andtools checklist

Camera(Digital

SLR,point-and-

shootcameraor

smartphone)

Sparebatteries

Storagecards

Penandnotebook

Taperecorder

Photo-editing

softwaresuchas

AdobeLightroomor

Picasa(availablefree

atpicasa.google.com)

CHAPTER 3

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1 Choose a topic Lookaroundyouforstoryideas

orthink about the experiences you have had.Inmycase,Ihadasix-monthinternshipwithaNepalesenewspaper;theexperienceexposedmetothecountry’sculture,andthisinturnhelpedmedecideonmytopicandinmyinteractionswiththeretiredSingaporeGurkhas.

2 Research Spendtimereadingandcollecting

informationonyourtopic,atthelibraryorontheInternet.Learn from or emulate similar photography projects.Talktoandinterviewpeoplerelatedto

yourtopic;theymaybeyourphotographysubjects,theirfriendsandrelativesaswellasacademicsandexperts.Besidesequippingyouwithknowledge,yourdetailedresearchwillalsogiveyoutheconfidencetotacklethechallengesyoumayencounteroverthecourseofyourproject.

3 Determine the angle, message and emotions of your story

Keep the story simple.Theremaybeseveralwaystoapproachyourstory,butsticktoonethatyoufeelwillhelpguideyourreadersbetter.Forexample,thetopicofSingaporeGurkhasofferedmanypossibleangles.Intheend,IdecidedtokeepthefocusonthestoriesandmemoriestheyhaveofSingaporeduringthetimeoftheirservice.

From Gila Bola: Surviving Singapore Soccer, by Dan Koh and Zakaria Zainal, a photo essay on Singapore football fans.

Football fans captured in Gila Bola.

4 Plan your photos Plan the shotsyouwanttotake.It

isusefultostudyphotostakenbyotherphotographers—youcangettipsandinspirationonshotsizes(e.g.wide,zoomed-in,portrait,close-up),lighting,compositionandmore.

5 Take photos and conduct interviews

Whenyouarriveatthescenetotakephotos,don’tbetoorigidaboutstickingtoyourplan.Go with the flow and let your eyes and heart decidewhatphotographstotake.Whenyouinterviewyoursubjectsforthecaptionsorstory,besuretogetanswerstothequestionsofwho,what,when,which,howandwhy(5W1H).

6 Put photographs together to tell a story

Inmostcases,youwillnotbeabletouseallthephotographsyouhavetaken.Bediscerningandselect only the best onesthatnarratethestorywell.Theeditingprocessalsohelpsyouknowifyouneedadditionalphotographstohelptellthestorybetter.

7 Caption your photos Youmayhaveinterestingphotos,

butultimatelywhat will guide your readers are detailed captions.Yourcaptionsshouldincludenamesofthepeopleinthephotos,date,informationonwhattheyaredoingandwheretheyareat,whererelevant.

8 Upload your photo essay SaveyourphotosinJPEG

orPDFformatandemail to singaporememory@nlb.gov.sg.Includeyourpersonaldetailssuchasnameandcontactnumberandasynopsisofyoursubmission.Photo courtesy of Zakaria Zainal

Photos courtesy of Zakaria Zainal

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SAMPLE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKS OurGurkhas:SingaporeThroughTheirEyesbyZakariaZainal

MosaicMemoriesbyJustinZhuang,ZakariaZainalandWeeHoGai

GilaBola:SurvivingSingaporeSoccerbyDanKohandZakariaZainal

MORE ON PHOTOGRAPHY

BooksBetterPhotoBasics:TheAbsoluteBeginner’sGuidetoTakingPhotosLiketheProsbyJimMiotke

HowtoPhotographAbsolutelyEverything:SuccessfulPicturesfromYourDigitalCamerabyTomAng

ImageMakers,ImageTakersbyAnne-CelineJaeger

OnlineWhatMakesaGreatPhotoEssay?

5TypesofPhotosThatMakeforStrongPhotoEssays

5iveFootWay

ShootingStrangers,PhotographsbyDannySantosII

SebastianSong’sblog

Familiariseyourselfwiththefunctionsofyourcameraandthebasicprinciplesofgoodphotography.Thesewillenableyoutobecreativeandtakegoodpicturesunderdifferentconditions.

Writeaprojectstatementthatwillgiveyouacleardirection.Italsopreventsyoufromgoingoff-topicandhelpsyoufocuswhenyoufeeloverwhelmedbytoomuchinformation.

Itisimportanttoidentifyyourtargetaudienceandknowwhowillbeinterestedinoraffectedbyyourproject.Ifyoualwayskeeptheminmindasyouworkonyourproject,youwilltakemoremeaningfulphotos.

Writeyourstoryandcaptionswhilethedetailsarestillfreshinyourmindsoyouwillnotlosekeyinformation.Takeitasanassignmentyouhavetosendtoaneditororteacherinlessthan48hours.

Don’tbetoopre-occupiedwithcollectinginformationandphotographsallthetime.Itisgoodtopause,analyseandreflectonthematerialyoualreadyhave.

Don’tbeafraidtoaskyourintervieweesformorenamesofpeopleorsuggestionsofthingsandplacesyoucanphotograph.Theymaylikelyleadyoutotherightindividualsandideasforyourproject.

Takedownkeypersonalinformation,especiallynamesandages,accurately.Otherimportantinformationincludesoccupation,contactnumbersandemailaddresses.

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JEROME LIMJerome Lim photographs for and writes the blog The Long and Winding Road to capture Singapore’s changing landscape. He hopes to preserve his memories of a Singapore that we may not see tomorrow by documenting his experiences through photography. Check out www.thelongnwindingroad.wordpress.com/tag/jerome-lim/

What are three things you would bring to any photography session?Sparebatteries,storagecardsandcleaninggear.Itcansometimesbehardtopredicthowheavyyourusagemaybe,anditisalwaysimportanttokeepyourlensesclean.

Which photography assignment was the most meaningful to you?MyattempttocapturethelastdaysoftheMalaysianRailwayinSingapore(below)putmeintouchwithlike-mindedpeople,manyofwhomhavebecomefriends,andalsowiththespacesandpeoplethatmadetherailwaywhatitwas.

How is capturing photographs to tell a story different from normal photography?

Idon’tseeanydifference,aseveryphotographhasastorytotell.Itisimportanttovisualisewhatyouwanttocapturefromtheperspectiveofthestoryyouwanttotell.

How do you prepare for your photography sessions?Theamountofpreparationdependsonthesubjectmatter.Ifyou’redocumentingaplace,you’llneedpriorresearchtoidentify,forexample,thekeyfeaturesofanarchitecturalworkorsubjectsofinterest.

Courtesy of Jerome Lim.

The now defunct Bukit Timah Railway.

Photo courtesy of Jerome Lim

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Can you share some photography tips?

Totellastory,it’simportanttoidentifyoursubject,isolateitwithintheimageandvisualisehowtherestoftheimagewillrelatetoit.Keepingyourphotographssimpleandunclutteredoftenworkswell.

Photos courtesy of Jerome Lim

Alargeraperturehasashallowerdepthoffield,whichcanbeusedtoisolatesubjects.Fastershutterspeedsfreezeobjectsinmotionwhileslowshutterspeedsresultinblurness,whichcanbeusedtosuggestmotion.

Youcangivegreatvisualimpacttoyourphotographsbyfollowingsimplerulesofcomposition,suchastheruleofthirdsordiagonals.Theuseoflighttohighlightsubjectscanadddramaticeffect.

It’salsoimportanttounderstandtherelationshipsbetweenaperturesize,shutterspeed,depthoffieldandmotion.

Clockwisefromtopleft:

Ruleofthirds

Off-centresubjects

Useofleadinglines

Useoflight

Useofblurnesstosuggestmovement

What equipment do you recommend?IuseadigitalSLRcameraprimarilyasitoffersagreaterdegreeofcontrol.Butcompactandphonecamerasareexcellentandeasytouse.Irecommendequipmentthatyoufeelmostateaseusing.Understandingyourequipment(anditslimitations)andknowinghowtouseitismoreimportantthanhowsophisticateditis.

30 31

INTRODUCTIONPicture journalling is the art and practice of documenting experiences with illustrations, sketches or drawings. It is a personal and direct way of recording events and expressing your thoughts and emotions, especially if you are combining illustrations and words. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be trained in art or be an artist to start drawing. If you have an eye for observation and a mind for imagination, you are all set for picture journalling.

WHAT YOU NEEDYouneedonlyreadilyavailabletoolsandmaterials—atthemostbasic,onlyapenandpaper.Itisadvisabletouseasketchbook;loosesheetsmaygetlostmoreeasily.

This section is contributed by FleeCircus, aka Lee Wai Leng, a Singapore-based illustrator. She

participated in the Singapore and London Design Festival 2007 and was picked by Gryphon Tea and Swiss bank

(UBS) to collaborate in a limited-edition artwork. She documented her childhood days in Pulau Ubin

and Toa Payoh with an illustrated journal, My Memory Book by FleeCircus. Read the journal at www.singaporememory.sg/showcases/6/contents

Equipment and tools checklist

Drawingand

colouringtools

(suchaspens,

markers,pencils,

colourpencils,

watercolours)

Sketchbook

Camera

CHAPTER 4

32 33

1 Choose a topic Herearesomewaystogetideas:

brainstormwithafriend;talk to people around you and relatives about their stories; list down your own experiences.Myownchildhoodexperiencesofplayingtraditionalgamessuchas“fivestones”andice-creamstickboomerangsweretheinspirationforMyMemoryBook.

2 Research Ifyouhavedecidedtodocument

someoneelse’smemories,conductaninterviewwithhimorhertoget more information(seechapteronOralHistory).Ifyouaredocumentingyourown,writedownwhatyourememberaboutthepeople,eventorplace.Whathadhappened?Whowereinvolved?When,whereandhowdidithappen?Thesedetailswillhelpyoudecidewhattoincludeinyourillustrations.

Gothrougholdnewspapers,booksoroldphotosifyouneedvisualreferences,suchasforthetypeofclothespeopleworeandhowplacesandobjectslookedlike.

3 Decide on your illustration style and materials

Ifyouarenewtodrawing,youmaywishtobegin with pencil sketches or simple line drawings with a marker.Decideifyouwanttoaddcolours,withmarkers,watercoloursorcolourpencils,forexample.

Youneedtogetmaterialsthataresuitableforyourillustrationstyle.Forinstance,ifyouwanttousewatercolours,itmaybeadvisabletousewatercolourpapertogettherighteffect.

4 Decide on your storytelling style Your story can be chronological

with a beginning, middle and end, or it can be made up of vignettes—smallepisodesthatexploreatheme.Youcanalsojuxtaposeanddoacomparisonbetweenthepastandthepresent.ForMyMemoryBook,Iwentwithacombinationofsnapshotsandacomparisonofthenandnow.

Itisadvisabletoprovidecaptionsorashortstorytogowithyourdrawingsothatanotherpersoncanfullyappreciateit.Therefore,remembertoincludedetailssuchasdates,namesofpeopleandplaces,togetherwithadescriptionofwhatthedrawingdepictsandthecontext.

5 Begin sketching and writing Focusondrawingthemost

significantoruniqueareas.Ifyouarecapturingmemoriesofaplacethatstillexists,youmaywishtomakeyoursketchesonsiteinordertocapturethedetailsanditssenseofplace.Itisalsogoodtotakepicturesoftheplaceforreference.Youmaywishtowritetheaccompanyingstorytoyoursketchesinlonghand—thiswillgiveyourillustrationsapersonalandintimatetouch.

6 Upload your illustrations SaveyourillustrationsinJPEG

orPDFformatandemail to singaporememory@nlb.gov.sg.Includeyourpersonaldetailssuchasnameandcontactnumberandasynopsisofyoursubmission.

Pagesfrom

MyMemory

Bookby

FleeCircus.

Photos courtesy of Lee Wai Leng

3534

ILLUSTRATION SAMPLES Moving Forward by Andrew Tan

My Memory Book by Flee Circus

Traditional Toy Making by Lim Qixuan

MORE ON PICTURE JOURNALLING/ILLUSTRATION

Learn the basics of drawing from books, websites and illustrators. Read up about illustration styles, composition and colours.

Don’t worry about whether your

sketches are “beautiful”; what is more important is the story you want to tell.

Draw with a permanent ink — with a marker or pen, so that you will not be preoccupied with making changes.

If you get stuck, try one of these drawing prompts: draw in a continuous line, draw with only dots and draw patterns. Focus on words and be inspired by them.

You can enrich your journal with a collage or montage. Seek out and add small objects, printed matter and old photos that enhance the memory or story.

You will get better at drawing if you do practise more. When you feel more confident about drawing, begin to think about how you want to compose a page with your drawings and text.

BooksDrawing for the Absolute Beginner: A Clear & Easy Guide to Successful Drawing by Mark and Mary Willenbrink

Artist’s Journal Workshop: Creating Your Life in Words and Pictures by Cathy Johnson

The Creative License: Giving Yourself Permission to Be the Artist You Truly Are by Danny Gregory

Urban Sketchers Singapore Volume 01: A Book of On-Location Sketches and Drawings Documenting the Singaporean Urban Landscape by Urban Sketchers Singapore

OnlineUrban Sketchers Singapore blog

OIC@Singapore Cable Car

Drewscape’s blog

Don Low’s blog

Organisation of Illustrators Council

Marcus Lim’s blog

From My Memory Book by FleeCircus.

Photos courtesy of Lee Wai Leng

36 37

DOMINIQUE FAMDragon playgrounds were typically found in Singapore housing estates in the 1970s and 1980s. Dominique Fam’s comic, Once Upon A Dragon, tells the story of what one such playground means to a boy at different stages of his life. Dominique, an illustrator by profession, illustrates for advertisements, print and web publications. Check out the comic at www.singaporememory.sg/showcases/29/contents.

Why did you choose illustration to document your memory?I’manillustratorandIliketodrawcomics,somyinclinationistousethemediumIamfamiliarwith.Couldthestorybetoldinwrittenformorwithaphotomontage?Perhaps.ButIfeltmostconfidenttellingthestoryusingthemethodthatIambestat,sothat’swhatIdid.

Can you tell us about your experience in producing Once Upon a Dragon?  Theillustrationprocesstookafewweeks,butittooklongertorecalltheevents,andresearchandplanthescenes.Therecallingstagecouldn’tbedoneinjustafewhoursorafewdays.Itriedtorecallbylookingatsomeitemsfromthepastorbythinkingaboutthem.ButsometimesIjusthadtowaitforthememoriestocomeback.

What was most difficult about the process?Itwasn’tdifficulttryingtorecallthememories.Itwashoweverachallengedecidingwhattoexclude.Mystorycentresonthedragonplayground,sothathadtoremainthefocus.Andbecauseit’sastoryspanning20yearsbuttoldinonly20pages,whateverdidn’thelptomovethestoryalonghadtobeeditedout.

What did you enjoy most about the experience?Itwastheopportunitytolookatthingsfromhindsight.Aswegothroughexperiences,ourperspectiveisoftenlimited,especiallywhenframedbyouremotions.Butwhenwelookback,wecanseethingsfromawiderangle.Beingabletowriteaboutthemyearslaterwasaninterestingwaytorevisitthepast.

Can you tell us more about Once Upon a Dragon?OnceUponaDragonisacomicaboutmymemoriesassociatedwithadragonplayground.Ihopereaderscanidentifywiththeexperiencesinthestory;andiftheyareabletoidentifywiththecharacters,that’sevenbetter.Keepingtheartstylesimpleandgenericisaneffectivewaytodothis.Ialsothoughtsequentialartisagoodwaytomovethestoryalong.

Excerptsfrom

OnceUponADragon.

Illustrations courtesy of Dominique Fam

38 39

INTRODUCTIONAnimation is a technique involving filming or photographing drawings, models (such as clay and paper cut-outs) or objects in sequence. The drawings, models and objects are slightly moved or changed in each successive frame so that when the frames are played back in rapid succession (24 frames per second), an illusion of continuous motion is created. Animated sequences can be presented as videos or motion pictures.

Combining storytelling with visual entertainment, animation is an excellent medium for documenting and presenting memories. Stories and experiences are brought to life with action, sound and visual impact.

There are three types of basic animation, namely:• Cel animation, where pictures are hand-drawn on transparent sheets called celluloids• Computer animation, which uses computer graphics in 2D or 3D formats to create moving images • Stop-motion animation, which uses models or objects manipulated and photographed frame by frame

Stop-motion is a suitable animation style for beginners, as the resources and tools needed for it are readily available. Stop-motion techniques are also easy to learn and practise. This chapter provides a guide to making stop-motion animation using cut-out models.

This section is contributed by Ho Wei Siong, who is among the pioneer group of animators trained in Singapore.

He co-founded Animagine, a leading provider of animation-based training to both students and adults in Singapore.

Animagine has developed proprietary software and solutions to support learning through animation.

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WHAT YOU NEEDStop-motionanimationwithcut-outmodelsusesflatcharacters,propsandbackgroundscutfrommaterialssuchaspaper,cardboard,stifffabricandphotographs.Tofilmorphotographtheindividualframes,youmayuseawebcam,digitalcamera,videocameraorevenasmartphone.

Theprocessofmakingananimationcanbedividedintothreestages,namelypre-production,productionandpost-production.

Equipment and tools checklist

Markers

Bluetack

Scissors

Paper,cardboard,stifffabric,

photographs

Camera(webcam,digital

camera,videocameraor

smartphone)

Tripod

Computer

Stop-motionanimationsoftware

suchasAnimaker(PC)[trial

versionavailableatwww.

animagine.com.sg/products/

animaker]oriMovie(Mac)

PRE-PRODUCTION1 Choose a topic Allgreatstoriesbeginwithanidea.

Beforeyoudecideonthememoryyouwanttocapture,askyourselfsomequestions:Whose memories or what kind of memories are you interested in?Aretherepeoplearoundyouwithinterestingstoriestoshareaboutplaces,peopleoreventsfromthepast?

2 Research Onceyouhavedecidedonyour

idea,researchdeeperintoit.Interview people for their recollections. Fleshoutthedetailswithbackgroundresearchatthelibraryorontheinternet.

3 Write the outline Youmaywishtouse the classic

storyline with three main parts: beginning (set-up), middle (confrontation) and end (resolution). Theset-upintroducesthemaincharacters,andtheirsituationsandgoals;inthemiddlepart,themaincharactersconfronttheirobstacles;thefinaleseesaclimaxinwhichthemaincharactersovercometheirfinalobstacleandreacharesolution.

4 Make a storyboard Prepareastoryboardusingyour

outline.Astoryboardisaseriesofdrawingsorsketches(stickfiguresarefine)thattell the story visually and help you organise your animation shot by shot. Yourstoryboardshouldrevealinformationsuchasthecharactersandhowtheyaremovingineachframe,dialogue,andthetypesofshotsandcameraangles.

Storyboardframesfortheanimation

LittleGestures.

Illustrations courtesy of Animagine

iMOVIE

ANIMAKER

43

42

PRODUCTION5 Create the scenes and characters Set up the first scene. Draw the

characters on paper, cut out and piece togetherthedifferentpartswithBlueTacktocreatefigureswithmoveablejoints.Rememberalsotoincludeabackgroundwithcut-outobjectsforthescene.

7 Capture the frames Move the artwork bit by bit

and capture the images frame by frame. Foreachadjustment,capturetwoframes.Continuemakingadjustmentsandcapturingframesuntilyouhavecapturedalltheframesneededforthefirstscene.Refertoyourstoryboardandmoveontocompletethesubsequentscenes.

6 Begin filming or photography Setupyourdigitalcameraonthe

tripodsothatitfacesthescene.IfyouareusingananimationsoftwaresuchasAnimaker,connectyourweborvideocameratothecomputerandlaunchthesoftware.Begin by taking 24 frames as the establishing shot.[ForatutorialonAnimaker,logontowww.animagine.com.sg/products/animaker]

Cut-out models and props used for Little Gestures.

Using Animaker, a software for stop-motion animation.

Photos courtesy of Animagine Photos courtesy of Animagine

44 45

SAMPLE ANIMATIONS Stop-motion videos

Little Gestures

N.E.Mation!

It is crucial to plan ahead when producing an animation because it is time-consuming and sometimes difficult to fix mistakes during editing. That’s why it is important to have a script or outline and to follow your storyboard.

Keep your camera steady on a tripod. Don’t stand too near the camera or you may accidentally knock or move it.

Keep the lighting bright and consistent. Use electric lights such as table lamps, and don’t film or photograph near a window.

Be aware of shadows, especially those created by people walking past. Any shadows cast will create a flicker in the final sequence.

Always check to make sure that the hands that are adjusting the cut-outs and objects are not caught in the shots. Don’t rush to capture the frames.

Vary the types of shots (such as wide shots, medium shots, close-ups) and camera angles (frontal, low, high) — this will make your animation more interesting visually.

MORE ON ANIMATION BooksBeginner’s Guide to Animation: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started by Mary Murphy

Frame-by-Frame Stop Motion: The Guide to Non-Traditional Animation Techniques by Tom Gasek

OnlineAnimaker tutorials

iMovie tutorials

Still from Little Gestures.

POST-PRODUCTION8 Editing If you are using a Mac, import the

images first into iPhoto and then iMovie to review the frames and animate them as a sequence. After creating the animation, add any desired dialogue recording, music and sound effects as well as titles, transitions and credits. If you are using Animaker, the frames would already have been captured by the program. Review the frames and render the frames as an animation sequence by clicking “Make Movie”.

9 Upload your animation Ensure that your animation is in

one of these formats: AVI, MOV, MP4, WMV (20MB per file). Follow the step-by-step instructions and upload your video directly onto the singaporememory.sg portal.

Alternatively, you can save your videos into a DVD and mail it to:

Singapore Memory Project100 Victoria Street #14-01 National Library Building Singapore 188064 Attention: Azlin Aziz

Photo courtesy of Nexus

46 47

JANICE LOW EARN QINGJanice Low Earn Qing, Sumithri Rekha Venketasubramanian, Sheryl Teng Swee Sim and Felicia Koh Xiao Jie, from National Junior College, took part in the 2013 N.E.mation!, a digital animation competition organised by Nexus for youths to express their thoughts on Total Defence in Singapore. Their animation, Little Gestures, was a top 10 finalist and can be viewed on YouTube.

theendofouranimation,ourmaincharacterthanksanursefortakingcareofhermotherwhohascontractedSARS.

What was the production experience like?Wehadonlythreeweekstoproduceouranimation,andwehadtoworkreallyfasttomeetthedeadlines.Ourcharactersandpropswerefirstcutfrompaperandpaintedwithwatercolours,whichgaveasoft,pastellookthatsuitedouremotionalstory.Wethentookmanypicturesandanimatedthemusingstop-motiontechniques.

What did you enjoy most about the experience?Producingananimationmaybeatediousprocess,butanimationisapowerfultooltoconveyideasandillustrateastory.Weanimatedmanycharactersandtookthousandsofpictures.Itwasreallysatisfyingtoseealltheimagescometolifeasananimation.

What advice do you have for someone telling a story using animation?Bedeterminedandnevergiveup.Continuetoreanimateasceneaslongasyouthinkthereisroomforimprovement.Itmaybetoolatetomakeanychangestoitatthelaterstage.

How did your team decide on the story for Little Gestures?ThethemeofN.E.mation!competitionwas“TogetherWeOvercome”.2013markedthe10thyearsinceSingaporeovercametheSARScrisis,sowethoughtthattheSARStopicwouldexpressthethemeverywell.Wewantedtoshowhowpeoplecouldhelpothersovercomeproblemswithsimplegestures.Thisseedideaguidedusinbuildingourstory.

Was Little Gestures based on a real-life story?LittleGesturesisfictional,butourideascamefromourobservations,experiencesandresearch.Forexample,welearntthatnurseshadcontributedalotduringtheSARScrisis,sowefeltthatitwasimportanttoincludetheminourstory.Towards

Still from Little Gestures.

From storyboard to animation.

Photo courtesy of Nexus Photos courtesy of Animagine

48 49

INTRODUCTION“Soundscape” refers to the sounds heard in a particular place that are considered as a whole. Even if we are not listening out for them, we hear these sounds and they help us identify locations and environments.

The soundscape of an MRT station in Singapore, for example, includes the sounds of fare gates opening and closing, trains rolling into the stations, and the warning beeps for closing train doors. In a local coffeeshop, you hear the clangs of glass coffee mugs and drink servers shouting beverage orders in a lingo that is unique to Singapore, such as kopi o ga dai (black coffee with extra sugar) and Milo peng (iced Milo).

We relate the sounds of everyday life to our community, identity and heritage. Often, they may be taken for granted until they have disappeared or are at risk of disappearing. By collecting and documenting random soundscapes, you can help preserve the aural memories that may come flooding back when someone hears them again.

Areas for soundscape projects could include the following:• Wet markets • Hawker centres • Conversations (dialects)• Festivals (e.g. getai)• Playgrounds• Train announcements• Bus doorbell

This section is contributed by Tan Pei Ling, a Singapore-based interdisciplinary artist. She began

to record and use sound as a medium in 2008 when she realised that she was beginning to lose aural memories of her grandmother. Her work Two Concrete Walls looks at

sounds as testimony to the demolition of Teban Gardens, while And They Gathered Them Together in Heaps,

examines Singapore’s constantly shifting landscape.

WHAT YOU NEEDForlong-termdocumentation,itisadvisabletorecordsoundscapesindigitalformat,suchaswithadigitalaudiorecorderoryoursmartphone’saudiorecordingfunction.Ifyouwishtomakeavisualrecordaswell,youcancapturethesoundscapelocationonvideowhilerecordingthesounds.

AUDACITY

SOUNDTRACKPRO

PROTOOLS

Equipment and tools checklist

Digitalaudiorecorder,orsmartphonewithaudiorecordingfunction.Foraslightlymoreadvancedorhigher-qualityaudio,tryaZoomaudiorecorder.(YoumayalsodownloadsmartphoneappslikeSoundcloudandChirbitforrecording).

Batteries

Computer

Sound-editingsoftwaresuchas

Audacity(freeforPCandMac),

SoundtrackProorProtools(Mac)

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Pei Ling‘s work Two Concrete Walls looks at sounds as testimony to the demolition of Teban Gardens.

segments during editing. You can also document the soundscape with a video camera, which records both the audio and the visuals.

4 Edit your recordings Upload your recordings to a

computer with a sound-editing software such as Audacity (audacity.sourceforge.net) or Protools. Review your recordings, choose the segments that have captured significant sounds, and put together the various parts.

5 Upload your recording Save your audio file in MP3, WAV

or WMA format. Email your audio file of not more than 20MB to singaporememory@nlb.gov.sg. Include your personal details such as name and contact number and a synopsis of your submission.

Alternatively, save your audio file into a CD and mail it to:

Singapore Memory Project 100 Victoria Street #14-01 National Library Building Singapore 188064 Attention: Azlin Aziz

1 Choose a location Begin by listing the

places you are familiar with or interested in. Take a walk around these places and note down the sounds found there. They could be the school canteen, the wet market or a Malay wedding reception, for example.

2 Research Go online or to the library to read

up about the location you have decided on. Highlight the sounds you should listen out for, their significance and how they have changed over the years.

Talk to the people at the location; they may be able to share important information about the place or about interesting sounds you can collect. For example, if your chosen location is the wet market, talk to the stallholders to find out the best times to record certain sounds (such as customers bargaining).

3 Begin recording Use a digital audio recorder to

record the soundscape. Let the recording function run while you listen out for the key sounds you want to capture. Note down the timings when these sounds occur, so that it is easier to find these

MORE ON SOUNDSCAPE Check out some familiar local sound clips on the National Archives of Singapore’s portal (a2o.nas.sg).

It is advisable to keep track of the dates of recording every time you upload your recordings to your computer or an audio-sharing site as it is time-consuming to figure out afterwards.

Use a tripod when recording. You would not want to hold on to your recorder for long recordings.

Where you point your recorder at determines the type of sounds you capture and how clear or loud the sounds are. Also, get as close to your specific subject as possible.

Sound is sensitive to movements. If you intend to walk and record at the same time, wear shoes that do not make loud noises and remove all accessories that may cause disturbance in your recordings.

The soundscapes of a particular place may not be the same at different times of the day. Try recording at a location at different times in such situations.

BooksThe Book of Audacity: Record, Edit, Mix, and Master with the Free Audio Editor by Carla Shroder

Recording on a Budget: How to Make Great Audio Recordings Without Breaking the Bank by Brent Edstrom

Practical Recording Techniques: the Step-by-Step Approach to Professional Audio Recording by Bruce Bartlett and Jenny Bartlett

OnlineHow to Use Audacity

Audio Editing: The Basics

Aporee

British Library Sounds Recordings

Photo courtesy of Tan Pei Ling

52 53

Still from David’s soundscape video on the Asian Civilisations Museum.

DAVID CLARKEOn his trips to Singapore in April 2009 and May 2011, David Clarke from Hong Kong made recordings of the city’s sounds — from traffic, construction and nature to music in a Hindu temple. He is a professor in the Department of Fine Arts at the University of Hong Kong. His soundscapes of Singapore are shared on www.youtube.com/user/solubleshark

How did you get started on soundscape collection?IhavebeendocumentingHongKong,whereIlive,usingphotography.Sincedigitalcamerasnowadaysallowyoutoquicklyswitchtorecordingdigital

video,Ihavebeenabletorecordbothsoundscapesandstillimagesonthesameoutinginacity.

Why did you want to collect soundscapes of Singapore? HongKonghascertainsimilaritieswithSingapore,andI’minterestedtoseewherethetwocitiesoverlapanddiffer.WehavecicadasinHongKongtoo,forinstance,butIrecordedoneinFortCanningParkbecauseitssoundwasdifferentfromanyIhadheardfrominsectsinHongKong.ThatIgrewupinEnglandgivesmesomeperspectiveonSingaporetoo,givenitsBritishcolonialpast.

Did you purposefully listen out for these sounds? Idon’tnormallydoagreatdealofresearchbeforesettingouttorecord.IfindthatIgetthebestrecordingsifIjustwanderwithout

toomuchpreconception,evengettingalittlelostsometimes.Icanthenbeabitmoreopentodiscoverwhathappensthere.

Why do you combine visual and audio? Ioftenprefertorecordsoundsthatareminglingtogetherinthecity,sincethat’showweactuallyhear.Todothatwellyouneedtohavevisualtoo,toexplainwhat’sgoingonandpreventitfrombeingjustablurofsounds.Ifyouusesoundrecordingalone,thenyouusuallyneedawrittenexplanation.

How do you think these soundscapes help you relate to your memories of Singapore?MyexperiencesofSingaporeinvolvedallmysenses,soIneedtohavesoundrecordingsandphotographstotrytorecallmytimeinthecityaswellasIcan.I’dselectafewmomentsofsoundthathavemeaningformeratherthan

attempttosumupthecityasawhole,though.Fragmentscanoftenbeenough.

What should one look out for in soundscapes?Whenyoufeelasenseofnoveltyinthesoundscapeyouarelisteningto,that’sthecuetostartrecording.Anotherapproachistorecordyoureverydayenvironmentinadiaristicway;youshouldselectpersonalexperiencesthatcanbelegibletootherpeople,capableoftriggeringcollectivememories.

How will you be using your soundscape recordings?FornowIammostlyhappytosharetherecordingsindividuallyviaYouTube.LaterperhapsIwouldliketojointherecordingstogethertomakealongerfilm.Icouldcomparethesoundscapesofdifferentcities,orpickoutthemessuchasnatureandmusicheardoutofdoors.

Still from David’s

soundscape video on Fort Canning Park.

Photos courtesy of David Clarke

5554

iMOVIE

WINDOWSMOVIEMAKER

INTRODUCTION A visual format combining storytelling with moving images and sounds, film (or video) is an excellent documentation tool for memories. Within the film genre, documentaries are especially suitable for memory collection because they are factual records of events, people and places. Documentaries also often involve interviews with people, thus recording their reminiscences, points of views and emotions. This chapter provides a guide to making documentaries using basic equipment and tools.

WHAT YOU NEEDThe basic equipment needed include a video camera, a tripod for mounting the camera and a microphone. For editing, you need a computer and video-editing software. If you have a bigger budget, you can add lighting and sound equipment for higher image and sound quality.

This section is contributed by Wee Li Lin, one of Singapore’s most prolific filmmakers with some 10 short films as well as two features, Gone Shopping (2007) and Forever (2011), under her belt. Li Lin’s memory project, Singapore Country, is a documentary on the genesis of Singapore Cowboy, the hit song by Matthew Tan, Asia’s

most accomplished country singer. Watch the film at www.singaporememory.sg/showcases/22/contents

Equipment and tools checklist

Video camera (or digital camera or smartphone with a video function)

Storage cards Batteries Tripod Microphone or digital sound recorder

Computer with built-in video editing software such as Windows Movie

Maker and iMovie. Free downloadable software available at http://www.nchsoftware.com/videopad/index.html?gclid=CKWaxKjKkrkCFXFe4godLREA0Q

Optional: lights (recommended for indoor shooting or at places where lighting is dim)

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The filmmaking process is divided into three stages: pre-production, production and post-production.

PRE-PRODUCTION1 Choose a topic Think about the topics you are

familiar with or passionate about; it could be a person, place or event. For example, if you are a music fan, you could make a film about a Singapore band. If your grandfather ran a provision shop, you could interview him about how people shopped in the past and document the old-style provision shops remaining in Singapore.

2 Research Conduct your research at the library

and on the internet. Ask around for recommended people to interview. Select people to interview. Conduct pre-interviews with your interviewees to find out more about the place or event and how they were involved. At this stage, you should also determine your story angle. Materials such as old photos and video footage will help you tell a more complete story, so don’t forget to seek them out and ask for permission to include them in your film.

3 Assemble your crew Get your friends and family to pitch

in. The key roles in the production are the director, cinematographer/camera operator, sound and film editor. During the shoot, each person should perform only one specific role.

4 Outline your story A documentary script is usually

written after all the footage is shot, but it is useful to write an outline before the shoot (see sample outline on page 56). The outline should have a beginning, middle and finale; it should include the characters, their goals and problems, and how these will be resolved. Plan the interview questions: Ask open-ended questions that will draw out more information and emotions.

5 Plan your locations and shots With your outline you can now plan

your locations and shots. Decide if the interviews will be conducted indoors or outdoors. Plan to shoot on-location at the places related to the memory you are collecting.

You also need to list down the B-roll shots, which are footage other than the interviews, such as buildings and daily life. The B-roll shots can be used to illustrate the interviewee’s or narrator’s voiceover.

Determine the types of shots you want to capture; for interviews, medium shots are suitable, while a variety of shots, such as wide, medium and close-ups, will make your film visually more interesting.

Sample outline

Sample shot list

It is useful to have talent and location release agreements. Let your interviewees and location owners know how you will be using and disseminating the film before they sign the agreements.

Once you have secured the filming venues and interviewees, determine your filming locations and arrange your interview appointments accordingly.

Various shot sizes from Singapore Country. TOP: Medium shot; BOTTOM: Wide shot.

Courtesy of Bobbing Buoy Films

Courtesy of Wee Li Lin

Courtesy of Wee Li Lin

5958

SAMPLE FILMS (videos accessible via Internet Explorer)

Singapore Country by Wee Li Lin

Water Heritage Memories

Let’s Play by Writemind Productions Pte Ltd

Games We Played by Little Red Ants

MORE ON DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING

Get to know your subject matter well; you can’t tell a great story if you don’t know it well yourself.

A compelling story can only happen with a compelling character. Develop the characters, i.e. your interviewees, in your documentary well.

PRODUCTION6 Beginfilming Shoot the interviews and B-roll

footage. For the interviews, set up your camera on a tripod so that the shots will be steady. Connect the microphone to your camera if it has a mic input. If not, use a digital recorder or a laptop to record the audio, which you can sync with the images at the editing stage. Place the microphone or recorder as close as possible to your interviewees when they are talking.

POST-PRODUCTION7 Review the footage and write

the script Look through the footage and write

the script. Choose footage that will tell a compelling story. Write the script complete with the interviews, narrator’s voiceover (if including), B-roll shots and other materials, such as old video footage and photographs.

8 Editing Using the script as a guide, edit

your footage using video-editing software such as Windows Movie Maker (PC) or iMovie (Mac). At this stage, add royalty-free music, sound effects, the title and credits. You may choose to include subtitles in your documentary.

9 Uploadyourdocumentaryfilm Ensure that your film is in one of

these formats: AVI, MOV, MP4, WMV (20MB per file). Follow the step-by-step instructions and upload your film onto the singaporememory.sg portal.

Alternatively, you can save your film into a DVD and mail it to:

Singapore Memory Project 100 Victoria Street #14-01 National Library Building Singapore 188064 Attention: Azlin Aziz

Be respectful but also be willing to dig deep to uncover and discover things. This is not investigative journalism but it’s about unearthing and excavating things that may be long buried. So be determined!

Always shoot more than you think you need so that you have more footage to work with. It may be a hassle or difficult to ask your interviewees to return to shoot additional footage.

Listen to the quality of the audio before you begin actual shooting. If there is too much background or ambient noise, move your interviewees to another location.

Take note of the lighting at your location, as lighting can affect the mood of your story. A white cardboard can be used to bounce light to the shaded side of an interviewee’s face.

BooksDocumentary Storytelling: Creative Nonfiction on Screen by Sheila Curran Bernard

Making Documentary Films and Videos: A Practical Guide to Planning, Filming, and Editing Documentaries by Barry Hampe

Filmmaking for Dummies by Brian Michael Stoller

OnlineHow to Make a Documentary

Documentary Interview Tips

Making Documentaries

Interview Techniques for Documentary Filmmakers

6.5 Ways to Start and Finish a Documentary Film Project

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LIM JUNDALim Junda is a motion graphics designer. He made Haircut, a short film on one of the last remaining street barbers in Singapore, for a cinematography class during his Motion Graphics and Broadcast Design diploma course at Nanyang Polytechnic. His film is featured on the Singapore Memory Project portal at www.singaporememory.sg/showcases/4/contents

How did you decide on Haircut?  My teammate, Ian Chua, and I were at Sungei Road, a place in Singapore with lots of character and heritage. We stumbled upon a street corner, where elderly men get their hair cut by another elderly man. And we knew that was it — that was the story we were going to tell.

Can you tell us about the filming process? We tried to be as unobtrusive as possible when we were filming, in order to capture the calm and laid-back atmosphere, which is vastly different from the fast-paced lives most of us lead now. These elderly men helped make Singapore what she is today; we wanted to subtly pay tribute to them through the film.

What was the most difficult challenge?It was getting the permission to film. We put aside our fancy equipment and went inside with the most harmless-looking camera. At first, the barber and his patrons were unwilling, but they agreed after we promised not to be a hindrance. We filmed quietly from our seats at first. Then, when they got comfortable with our presence, we moved around the space to capture more.

What did you find most memorable about the experience? It was the owner’s smile when we were done filming. We took some photos of him cutting hair and made a collage for him. Sitting there also let me take a step back from my own busy life; the peace and serenity calmed me down.

What advice do you have for someone using film to document memories?Many people may think that they cannot produce their shots if they don’t have a certain piece of equipment. That is true only to a certain extent. Equipment only aids the process; don’t let it restrict your storytelling and creativity.

Stills from Haircut.

Photos courtesy of Lim Junda

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INTRODUCTION

A vision is an ideal and unique image of the future for the common good. – Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, in The Leadership Challenge

Besides capturing memories of the past and present, you could also capture your vision and aspirations for Singapore in 20, 30 or even 50 years. The vision can be a personal one or one that relates to the wider community or even of Singapore as a nation. There are various ways you can present the vision, in writing or using any one of the other documentation methods such as animation, illustration or documentary film.

WHAT YOU NEEDYou need a pen or pencil and a notebook, your computer as well as the tools required for your chosen documentation method, which are described in the respective sections in this kit.

This section is contributed by Martin Tan, co-Founder and Executive Director of Halogen Foundation Singapore,

a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to youth leadership development. Halogen seeks to build young

leaders who will change the world.

CHAPTER 8

Equipment and tools checklist

Writing tool such as a

pen or pencil

Notebook

Computer

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WHAT OTHERS ENVISION FOR SINGAPORE

Our Singapore Conversation

Challenge Magazine – What’s Your Vision For Singapore in 2030?

A vision must first and foremost be ideal. No one wants a vision of the future that is worse than today.

Your vision statement should be positive. Focus on things you want to do or become rather than things that you do not want to do or become.

Ask yourself the questions below; your answers should pertain to the topic you have chosen.

What has been achieved?

What has been done well?

What are the important things that can be improved?

What lessons have we learnt?

Where are we at now?

1 Choose a topic The focus of your vision can

be your family, community, lifestyle or specific themes relating to Singapore such as transport, housing, environment, entertainment and places.

You could start by thinking and writing down the people and issues that you care about, then pick a topic that matters to you most. For example, if you feel strongly about the environment, you can develop a vision relating to environmental responsibility in Singapore and express it in writing, a drawing or animation.

2 Look to the past Spend some time revisiting the

past and thinking about the present. You may need to conduct some background research at the library or on the internet.

Answer the questions in the green box (top right). This reflection exercise is essential as it allows you to understand how things were before and the lessons learnt.

3 Imagine the future By understanding the past and

the present, you will be able to know what you want to keep, change or create for the future, and answer the question “What do we want to be?” For example, if your observation is that people generally do not recycle, your vision can focus on inspiring the recycling mindset.

4 Describe your vision statement With your answer to “Where do

we want to be?”, you can then form and write down your vision statement. It should succinctly express an ideal, desired future. For example, your written vision statement could be “Singapore will be a nation of recyclers.”

5 Document and disseminate your vision

There is no limit to how you can document your vision. At the very least, the vision and key actions should be documented in writing.

Besides penning these down, you can use other creative documentation methods described in this memory kit, such as illustration, animation and filmmaking. For example, you can express your vision statement and the key actions visually, such as with a mind map and illustrations.

6 Determine the key actions You can skip this step or choose to

add value to this vision. Answer the question “How do we get there?” by identifying the key actions that must be taken to achieve the vision. For example, the key actions needed for your vision may be:

• Inspire Singaporeans to make recycling a part of their lives

• Teach Singaporeans to recycle easily

• Make recycling resources such as recycling bins and services readily available

• Reward and recognise Singaporeans who recycle

7 How to submit your vision Follow the step-by-step

instructions and upload your vision directly onto the singaporememory.sg portal.

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KUIK SHIAO-YINKuik Shiao-Yin is a co-founder and the creative director of The Thought Collective. It comprises School of Thought; Thinktank; Food for Thought; Thinkscape; and Common Ground. Find out more at www.thethoughtcollective.com.sg

How did The Thought Collective begin? When we started our first venture, School of Thought (SOT), in 2002, we were a group of young teachers who wanted to help youths see that education goes beyond exams, that it should benefit not just themselves but their communities as well. The other ventures of The Thought Collective, on the other hand, grew out of instinct and calculated whim.

What is The Thought Collective’s vision?As a group, we are here to build up Singapore’s social and emotional capital. Anything that helps Singapore become more trusting, confident, creative, and better at relating – we’ll give it a shot.

What was developing The Thought Collective vision like? In 2012 when SOT turned 10, we developed The Thought Collective vision. We took 10 years of working hard, bumbling around, failing, succeeding, and, finally, weeks of sit-down sessions to get our vision out. We went back to our memories of our entrepreneurial journey, told our best stories, and talked it out as a team, carefully choosing the words that would best describe our company vision for the future.

How have you documented and shared your vision?We have documented our story in a little booklet and made a short documentary about the vision forward. You can view the documentary at The Thought Collective website.

What is your vision for Singapore’s future?I want to see my city become renowned for cutting-edge thinking and outstanding achievements not just for herself, but for the good of the world. I want her to be a model of graciousness and kindness to her neighbours. I believe Singapore has everything within her to be a truly great city of creativity, compassion and character.

Going forward, how will The Thought Collective contribute to this vision? We will do whatever our mission statement says we do: drive innovation, nurture thought leaders, transform community spaces, bring people together for good causes and more.

Stills from The Thought Collective’s documentary.

Photos courtesy of The Thought Collective

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Memories of School Days 1. Share your fond memories of your school days. a) What are the names of your schools? b) In what years were you in the schools? c) Describe your first day of school.

2. What was your favourite subject/lesson? a) Why was it your favourite subject/lesson? b) Who taught this subject/lesson? c) What were some funny/unforgettable incidents that happened during the lessons?

3. What are your fond memories of your school activities or achievements?

4. Who was your best friend in school? a) What did you both have in common? b) What were some of the fun things you did together?

5. Share your happiest or an unforgettable memory of your school days.

Memories of Places and People1. Can you describe the neighbourhood you grew up in? a) How many years did you live there? b) How did your family come to live there? c) Who were the other family members/interesting personalities living in the same neighbourhood?

2. What was the house you grew up in like? a) Who lived in the house? b) What did your family do for a living?

3. How was the relationship with your neighbours? a) What were the memorable occassions shared with your neighbours?

4. Who were your closest friends during your teenage years? a) What games did you play? b) Which were your favourite hang-out places?

5. When did you move away from this place? a) Why did you move away?

More suggested questions for other themes available on www.iremember.sg

Before Interview 1. Equipment checklist

2. Interview preparation • Understand the background of interviewee • Prepare your questions • Decide on the interview location

During Interview1. Introduce yourself and state the purpose of interview2. Invite interviewee to share basic personal information3. Request interviewee to complete memory contribution card4. Seek permission to record interview. Conduct the interview. 5. Explain that story will be featured on singaporememory.sg6. Thank your interviewee

After the Interview1. Check the facts and if necessary, double check with the interviewee2. Write out the story. Suggested storyline: a) Introduction (key idea and background story) b) Main body (include quotes and vivid details) c) Conclusion (personal reflections of interviewee and photos, if any)3. Upload your story onto singaporememory.sg

Recording device (audio recorder, video camera or mobile phone)

Microphone (if necessary)

Spare batteries

Pens

Notebook

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Learn how to capture memories

in eight different ways and embark

on personal memory projects

with friends and family.

Share your memories with

future generations through the

Singapore Memory Project.

This kit is available online at www.iremember.sg

ISBN 978-981-07-6164-6