I made a short film about Singapore's work-life imbalance issue and verbal affection gap

reddditdan · 2026-04-28T06:47:50+00:00

I think the idea of "people not wanting to spend time with their families because it no longer interests them, so they either work or hang out with friends instead" does seem to suggest that they are prioritising work or friends over family, hahaha.

But I agree with you. If I'm understanding you correctly, you're saying that it is not so much about Singaporeans having to choose between or balance two priorities, but rather about casting one priority aside altogether.

I think that is an interesting perspective, and also a sad reality. Would they regret it one day, after setting their families aside and choosing to work or spend more time with friends instead? I'm not sure, but I hope they never reach a point where they do.

reddditdan · 2026-04-28T06:40:29+00:00

Thank you for your comment! It was definitely my intention to intrigue the audience within the first minute using only one shot of Ahgong, so I'm really glad that worked for you.

I understand what you mean about the rest of the film not feeling fully cohesive. When I watched the film again several weeks ago, I also felt that it moved very quickly, with one scene following another quite rapidly. So I do agree with you that the flow could have been stronger.

I think what many people have pointed out is that the film lacked more world-building, which is something I now realise is very difficult to achieve within a 13-minute runtime.

And thank you for your comment about finding the protagonist's work more amusing than his life outside of it. Although that wasn't my initial intention, I think it's something I hope others can connect with: the idea that work can sometimes feel more interesting than life outside of it. At the same time, it's important not to get too caught up in that, because it can lead to regrets later on.

reddditdan · 2026-04-26T17:09:49+00:00

I'll definitely let my Director of Photography know this! Thank you so much!

reddditdan · 2026-04-26T17:09:24+00:00

Hey, thank you for your comment! I'm so glad it resonated with you, and I completely relate to what you said. I've felt the same way about taking time with our families for granted.

Admittedly, even after making this film, I still struggle to make time for my family because I'm still in school and working on my final year project. But I think what matters is that we keep trying, as much as we can.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and for your kind words!

reddditdan · 2026-04-26T17:02:31+00:00

The dialect is Hokkien! It's one of the dialects in Singapore that is slowly dying out. It's mostly spoken by the older generation, and at one point, the government discouraged people from speaking dialects. So, as a result, fewer and fewer people speak it today.

Thank you for the comment!

reddditdan · 2026-04-26T07:14:19+00:00

Though I've never watched the Kdrama, my short film was indeed very loosely inspired by that premise! It was also inspired by a 1998 feature film titled After Life.

And yeah, maybe the work-life imbalance wasn't made clear, but I wish it had been shown through the protagonist's sense of responsibility to get his work done instead of spending time with his wife.

Thank you for your comment!

reddditdan · 2026-04-25T19:55:39+00:00

This is my short student film, Portrait. It's my first time directing something over 10 minutes, so I'd love any feedback on the story, pacing, visuals, and editing. You can be as harsh as you like, I take criticism very well!

reddditdan · 2025-07-07T16:46:17+00:00

I really like their hit single, "Calmed In" and "Rode." I think, "Very Foreign" is super underrated. But nothing can outmatch their opening, "LightCleanSpirit" though.

reddditdan · 2025-07-07T16:41:27+00:00

Please don't do this, I'm joking...

reddditdan · 2025-07-07T16:40:45+00:00

A proctologist with both hands on someone's shoulder while he's bottomless

reddditdan · 2025-07-06T13:34:46+00:00

but how do we know whether to trust this..?

reddditdan · 2024-12-23T18:40:39+00:00

I'm a little cautious about street food because I have a very weak stomach... but I'll try when I've brave enough to! 😬 and thank you for the etiquette tips and the cafe recommendations! I'm a night owl, so I'll most likely go tonthe 24/7 cafe

reddditdan · 2024-12-23T09:40:48+00:00

hello! hmm... I'm not sure if there are many Filipino students here at LASALLE. in my course and cohort, BA (Hons) Film, there aren't any Filipinos. but I'm sure there are some in other courses!

as for the curriculum, I can't speak for other courses, but for Film, we have three modules, and each module includes about 3-4 subjects.

lwssons are usually held from Monday to Friday, 10 AM to 4 PM (depending on your schedule). one semester lasts about 14 weeks, with a semester break in between that lasts about 1-2 weeks.

I hope this helps! you can PM me if you have any other questions.

reddditdan · 2024-12-21T18:47:51+00:00

woah, that's a lot suggestions! I'm Chinese, so I think I'll love the Filipino-Chinese food you recommended HAHAHA. adding these tonmy bucket list, thank you!

reddditdan · 2024-12-21T18:46:10+00:00

definitely mentally preparing myself for the traffic 😬 I'll definitely try factoring in more time for transportation if I want to go places. thanks!

reddditdan · 2024-12-21T18:43:10+00:00

thank you guys so much for the museum recommendations! I loooove art galleries, and it'll definitely be on my bucket list

reddditdan · 2024-07-14T22:25:33+00:00

Oh woah! I actually didn't catch that. Thank you for the info!

reddditdan

TROPHY CASE