VIEWING DEFENCE THROUGH THEIR LENSES

While free-falling at a heart-stopping speed of 190kmh, Ms Lee Khai Yan wondered, not for the first time, if she was crazy to be jumping out of a perfectly functional Chinook.

"But the thrill of the jump outweighed everything else!" she recounted.

The newest producer to join Defence Information Television (DiTV), the video arm of MINDEF's Public Affairs Directorate, Ms Lee was strapped to a Red Lion senior instructor while performing a tandem jump as part of a video feature, which was screened in November on the cyberpioneerTV channel found on YouTube.

While jumping out of a helicopter may not be an everyday affair for DiTV's producers, their days are getting more exciting with the recent move towards a more interactive and fresher touch to its video features.

"Compared to what we used to do - tell viewers 'Oh this is the canine unit, this is how they train the dogs', now we follow the trainers around and show viewers what they do, the challenges they face...its a softer approach," explained freelance producer Charissa Seet, who interviewed the men of the SAF Military Police Command's Military Working Dog Unit for an upcoming video feature.

New expanded role

For Ms Seet, it was not just a change in the storytelling process, but also a change in her job scope as she used to just play the role of a presenter on defence videos. Now, the freelance presenter's responsibilities have expanded to include those of a producer.

Traditionally, the job of a producer at DiTV includes providing the direction for each defence video, planning and coordinating the shoots and a whole host of back-end production work.

With the producers now working both behind and in front of the camera, they are more mentally, emotionally and physically involved in the storytelling process. Said producer Mano Mahendran: "With the revamp, our stories have become less formal, with a personal and interactive element added to them. Also, with our new roles, we take greater ownership of our stories."

Cool but challenging

Viewing sophisticated military equipment up close and documenting the lives of battle-ready soldiers every day might seem a remarkably cool and exclusive experience, but the team will have you know that there are obstacles in their work as in any other job.

Said Mr Mahendran: "It's lots of fun! I get to do things that I would otherwise have only experienced from behind the lens...but of course this comes with a lot of hard work and long hours."

Work days lasting 12 hours or more are not unheard of, especially when the number of days available is constrained by the featured units' training schedules. And even the most careful planning is not immune to unexpected hiccups such as bad weather.

"Low tides when filming out at sea, interviewees falling sick...when we encounter difficulties, we have to adapt and react quickly by coming up with alternative solutions," said senior executive producer Choh Kian Keong.

Corporal (CPL) Dong Tianzhao, a Full-Time National Serviceman (NSF) with DiTV, considers himself fortunate to be able to do things of interest to him during his National Service. Since joining the DiTV team last year, he has produced a series of videos on Basic Military Training and several news videos for the cyberpioneerTV channel.

"As an NSF, I can offer a perspective that someone older might not be able to, since I was a pre-enlistee myself just a year ago," he told PIONEER.

The revamped defence videos can be viewed on the cyberpioneerTV channel on YouTube. This channel was set up in the later part of last year to reach out to a wider and younger audience.
 

Mano Mahendran

Age: 40

Time in DiTV: 12 years

Best perk of the job: "Being able to travel to cities around the world including New York, Paris, Frankfurt, Rockhampton and Karlskrona."

Choh Kian Keong

Age: 39

Time in DiTV: 15 years

Most memorable moment: "Tolerating the extreme heat and cold of the Mojave Desert for two weeks while filming Ex Forging Sabre in 2005."

Lee Khai Yan

Age: 23

Time in DiTV: 5 months

Most exhilarating shoot: "It definitely has to be while executing a tandem jump off a Chinook with the Red Lions!"

Charissa Seet

Age: 24

Time freelancing with DiTV: 1 year

Most touching aspect of work: "The spirit, passion and dedication of the men and women in the SAF."

Dong Tianzhao

Age: 21

Time in DiTV: 1 year 2 months

Favourite words of praise: "When people tell me they get a better perspective of the SAF after they watch my videos!"