SINGAPORE – After 50 years of nationhood, how do you celebrate the next 50 years?
Keeping in line with this year’s National Day Parade’s (NDP 2016) futuristic concept, a theme song sung by local band 53A was unveiled on Sunday (June 19).
The song is entitled ‘Tomorow’s Here Today’, and it took four months from start to finish, with over 400 performers and crew to film the video, ChannelNews Asia reported.
Filmed in ‘one-shot’ in a 6,500 square metre hall at BIGBOX mall in Jurong East, the continuous technique allows a seamless viewing of the video in one take.
Green screens were used for the video to allow the backdrop to be digitally altered, keeping in line with the technologically advanced futuristic concept.
“What we are going to do actually in the green screen, the backdrops – it’s not going to be photo-real(istic). Instead what we are doing is something that is hand drawn. We’ll see hand drawn structures of Singapore,” Huang Junxiang, the film producer told the media.
“So you’ll see the iconic shophouses of Singapore, you’ll see the Esplanade and other elements depicted around. So we wanted to create a tapestry that surrounds the performers, which emphasises the unity we possess as Singapore to celebrate NDP,” Mr Huang added.
Don Richmond, who is the composer for the song, expressed his relief at composing a song about the future, and not the past 50 years.
“I think with Dick (Lee, composer of NDP 2015 Theme Song), he obviously had a lot on his shoulders to carry. I feel that maybe that was kind of like I was lucky enough to not have that kind of pressure,” said Mr Richmond in a ChannelNews Asia report.
Explaining the decision to pick 53A, Mr Richmond said that the band’s youthful spirit and growth over the years, as well as their multiracial setup were the deciding factors.
The band is a familiar fixture at nightspots such as Hive by Wala Wala and Timbre Substation, The Straits Times reported.
As with all new NDP songs, Mr Richmond is ready for any flak that follows.
“I’m here. I’m ready to be judged. I honestly feel the worst thing that you can do is try to think that you have to please everyone,” said Mr Richmond, The Straits Times reported.
grongloh@sph.com.sg
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