done with friends and foes
My Short Movies
These are a recollection of all the short I myself have crafted along with the help of many of my friends. Every and every one of these films carry something unique of their own, but at their core, all contain the same overall style of filmmaking that I have been developing for quite a while. From the first ones being the most recent to the last ones being the least, one can see my progression and my skills evolving through the span of five years.
The fact that it was my first-ever documentary on a fairly controversial topic in Malaysia meant it was one of the more difficult films to create. Discussing the topic of metal/grunge music in Penang, as there have been many governmental issues regarding the genre being the “devil’s music” and therefore being illegalized and overall banned. The film, therefore, shines a light on the genre, as well as telling its audience that it isn’t as violent, sadistic, or antagonized as it has been portrayed by the media. Clocking in at roughly 9 minutes and 15 seconds. Press “V” for full size
My first analysis of a film, more specifically a documentary wasn’t by any means of high aesthetic quality, it doesn’t carry a 4K resolution and it doesn’t focus on any images or articles to prove one’s statement, instead, I’d partnered up with artist and friend Rebecca Lee, with her depicting ex-gangster and murderer Anwar Congo’s degrading psyche and mentality as the man comes to the realization of what he had done through the drawing she had done throughout, and finally with me through my narrative analyzation of each shot and scene in the 2012 documentary, “The Act Of Killing”. Press “V” for full size
This one I take some pride in not because it is superior to the others, in my opinion, I believe it’s pretty substandard if we were to compare but more so because coming up with a plot, actors and a scene by scene were done all in under an hour, the only thing that was lasting was the editing room but overall, it was a challenge we had given ourselves, with me and actor friend Jean-Marc. The end product? A thrillingly suspenseful short that retains its tension from its music despite the very goofy and simplistic cinematography (shot on an iPhone) and overall premise is that a mysterious elevator stops all time from happening except for our unnamed protagonist. Press “V” for full size
From just moving from Taipei to Penang, I had decided to film a short that would not only introduce myself but my overall philosophy, moralities, and my willingness to persevere through the two most important years of my life as of yet. The sound audit was taken from a motivational speaker by the name of Bishop T.D. Jakes, and the video is a representation of me, Oscar Vereecke as I walk through adolescence, and slowly pace myself towards adulthood and most of all, reality. Press “V” for full size
A melancholic film depicting the deteriorated mentality of my partner and friend Vincent after leaving his friends in America to be back home in Taipei. The lack of story relates to the fact that its a film tributed just to him, and is the only short directed not by me, but by Vincent Divisia. This is the film responsible for winning an award in our school. Press “V” for full size
Our task was to conceptualize, film, edit and present a short that not only represents but serves as a form of advertisement of Taipei including its people, culture, and architecture, set at the backdrop of a haunting soundtrack. And so we did just that, in our group of three students from my previous high school. Press “V” for full size
Partnering once again with long time friend Vincent Divisia, ‘Hourglass’ is my very first short film containing a legitimate story; one that is original albeit intricate, one that can be interpreted in many different ways. But my idea was to sort of recreating what one would see if they were dying, and 5 minutes of brain activity is left. And in the film, I am basically suggesting that I would see nothing because I feel as if I haven’t done anything noteworthy or of memorability in my life, and therefore the death just repeats. It takes multiple watches to fully understand. Press “V” for full size
The very first film I had ever done with my new Fujifilm XT-20 (the camera I’d use for every movie I’ve made from 2017 – 2021). Similar to the Taipei short, JAPAN is a film that marks the tranquility of the vastly unconventional and eccentric Japanese culture, one that I have found myself not only loving profusely but connecting to on a personal level. This had marked my first voyage into filmmaking territory, and a lot of progress has been made since. Press “V” for full size