Ibrahim Zubir won the Best Cinematography award for his short film ADAM, under the Media Student Category at NYFA. He had the opportunity to be part of Sony Singapore’s Alpha Creator BTS filming crew in Japan, Kitakyushu. When asked to explain what he learnt on the trip, here is what Ibrahim had to say.
“It was an unforgettable moment for me and the team. With the purest of intentions and utter dedication, the team earned a prize unimaginable despite the intensities we faced along the way.
What a way to celebrate my proudest moment! I met the team and my producer Eamonn Singleton, whom I worked with throughout this overseas shoot. I was given the responsibility of producing four different USP (unique selling point) videos of the latest camera a7r3 . Eamonn briefly ran through the shot lists required for each USP. It was comprised of various modes, namely; silent, low-light, eye autofocus and 5 axis stabilization. The day before I arrived, the team already recced potential locations and researched on the places that we would go. My task was mainly to decide on framing and other technical aspects to achieve the best shots. Also, I assisted Eamonn with creative decisions. I genuinely thought the schedule was tight. However, It was truly a great learning experience for me since it was my first time in Japan and also my first time meeting everyone onboard this trip.
We traveled from one place to another mostly on foot and bus, wasting no time. It was a productive trip shooting overseas. The team went to AruAru City, which is renowned for its arcade centre for youth entertainment in the city. The next location was the Yasaka Shrine. This was where I captured scenes for the “Silent shooting” video. The peace and tranquility of the place was ideal for “Silent” shooting.
The team travelled to Sarakura mountain before sunset. It is a newly discovered spot, praised for its panoramic night views in Kitakyushu. Thankfully, we did not have to hike the 622m tall mountain. Instead we took a cable car that was operated for the public. Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side, as it was too foggy to witness the night view. However, I believe the team had a great time being in the cold for that night and getting to know one another better. It was a long day for most of us since we went straight to visit places after we arrived at Kitakyushu.
The next day, we visited MORITA (a sushi bar). It particularly impressed me with the owner’s showmanship whilst being shot preparing sushi for a documentary. He was probably in his late 80s and rumors has it that he started making sushi since the nascent age of seven. I had the raw shrimp sushi and it tasted nothing like the ones in Singapore. Simply divine.
Along the way, me and Eamonn continued to work on our deliverables. Most of the shots we achieved were straightforward and simple. One of the most amusing visits was the TOTO Museum, it was actually the Japanese famous toilet brand museum. I was amazed at the attention to detail given to toilet bowls by the Japanese.
Our dinner on the second day was a fascinating and thrilling experience. The team had the pleasure to dine in at one of the local restaurants, Mojikou, Mannen Game, where we had puffer fish, infamously known for its poisonous nature. Preparing for it requires a license. We left not even a single morsel to waste. We used even the fins of the fish as a garnish in the sake. The menus seemed unusual to me but tasted great. Dinner was also about meeting and networking with some team members. I enjoyed meeting and hanging out with new people and sharing our opinion about everything; not just about filmmaking or the media, but topics we shared in common.
The third day was the most exciting, we nearly walked the entire day. Our first destination was Hirao Dai Karst. The team started hiking at 730am and ended at 12pm. It was rather challenging for some of us due to the heavy equipment we were carrying. I really enjoyed the hike, and being in nature.
Along the way, we came across a toddler with his grandmother; such a rare sight to see since it was quite an arduous journey. After hours of hiking, we arrived at the limestone cave where temperatures were low and water levels reached our knees. The water was freezing but I think we all enjoyed it since we were under the hot sun for quite some time. The team ended the hike with lunch nearby at a ramen store.
After lunch we headed to Sugao waterfall. It was one of the most beautiful sights but unfortunately only had a brief moment to spend as our scheduled had overrun. Despite time constraints, we completed the shots.
Overall, I had a great experience with the entire team, even though the trip was only four days long. There were numerous lessons learned from shooting at a new environment with a new set of crew whom I met for the first time.
It was definitely a journey I would never forget. Thank you NYFA and Sony for this wonderful Experience!”