Singtel challenges Asian filmmakers to tell a story in five minutes

Pagnanakaw is one of two five-minute videos from the Philippines that qualified for this year’s The 5-Min Video Challenge by Singtel. The other entry is an animated video, Shrimp Struggles — The Strangelovers: Christine Joyce R. Silva and Jan Michael C.

“The 5-Minute Video Challenge is one of the most creative challenges that we’ve had the chance to roll out,” said Chua Sock Koong, Singtel Group’s chief executive officer, at the awarding ceremony of the 5-Min Video Challenge. “Five minutes is the video length with optimum audience engagement. Mobile video has taken our market by storm whether to stay informed or entertained. Our customers have a high demand for video content anytime anywhere.” 

Content is a big part of the Singtel Group’s strategy to connect with customers as the proliferation of mobile devices has fuelled demand for online video entertainment. The short five-minute format is ideal for audiences accustomed to viewing content on mobile devices.

 “We are making a big push in digital content as consumers have radically changed the way they consume entertainment,” said Mark Chong, Singtel CEO, International. “For many of Singtel’s more than 600-million customers, the mobile phone is also the only way for them to access the Internet. A pan-regional competition makes a lot of sense as the power of content is its ability to transcend geographical and language barriers. Our customers will be able to enjoy access to a rich variety of original content created by the most talented content-makers from the region.”

The competition was conducted at two levels, local and regional. Each telco in participating countries invited aspiring or experienced local filmmakers to submit five-minute entries based on the theme “Connecting Lives.” The entries were judged based on criteria such as originality of content, storytelling and cinematography. Winning entries from the respective associates’ markets will then be judged at a regional level.

 “The theme ‘Connecting Lives’ resonates with Singtel’s business of keeping people connected and how human connections can drive positive change in our everyday lives,” added Chong.  “We hope to discover new talent and concepts that we can work with on future projects for the Group’s mobile and video platforms such as Globe Studios and AIS Play.”

The Singtel Group launched “The 5-Min Video Challenge” as part of its efforts to drive content innovation in all its markets. The competition is a joint initiative by associates within the Group, made up of Singtel, Optus, AIS, Airtel, Globe and Telkomsel. 

At the awarding ceremony, Simon Israel, chairman of the Singtel Group, and Chua Sock Koong presented cash prizes of US$30,000 and US$15,000 to Rotasi and Pagnanakaw, respectively.

Take Five

Pagnanakaw is a story about a devoted young man tasked to travel every day to a faraway shop to buy tofu for his family. The container he brings with him is small and only gets filled with a few pieces, just enough for a day. While faithfully carrying out his daily duty, he often wonders why he’s not allowed to bring a bigger container in order to make his journeys more efficient. One day, however, his tofu-fetching task throws up an illuminating answer to life.

“It took us one full day to complete Pagnanakaw,” shared director Miguel Sotto. “The concept for the video was thought of by my co-director Jaz Reyes.”

Jaz shared that the concept was a result of a study she did about the Badjao tribes that go up the mountain to gather food for their community. But what is significant in the gathering of the food is that even if the trip back and forth from the community takes a whole day — the tribesman who makes the trip for the food only gets as much as the community can consume in a day — so that there is enough left for everyone else who goes to the mountain to gather food.

“On the final day of the immersion, the students ask the chieftain of the Badjao community why they did the gathering in that manner, when it would be more efficient if they got enough for a week and went up only once,” shared Jaz. “‘That, my son is stealing from the other people in the area who also go there to get their food for daily needs. We lose nothing if we do it this way,’ said the chief.”

Miguel and Jaz wanted to depict the same analogy in a modern setting and this is where Pagnanakaw was born.

“I shot the film with the Sony RX 100,” added Miguel. “We had a VO and we both decided on the shots we needed for the film.”

“It was done on a Sunday in Manila,” shared Jaz. “Para wala masyadong tao. I wrote the script on my smartphone,” added Jaz.

“Do you think five minutes captured all you wanted?” I asked.

“The story we thought of was perfect for a five-minute video,” answered Miguel. “Any longer and it wouldn’t have had the same impact.”

We watched all the five-minute videos, and it took us a little over an hour to watch 12 entries from six countries. There was an hour break before the winners were announced by the board of judges namely, Eric Koo, director and producer (Singapore), Monty Tiwa, director (Indonesia); Simon Joyce, CEO emotive content (Australia); Philbert Ortiz Dy, movie critic (Philippines); Pratthana Leelapanang, chief marketing officer (AIS, Thailand); and Raqey, creative director (Tanzania).      

“I think we have a chance of winning,” added Miguel before the winners were announced. “It would be nice to bring home something for the Philippines. It would be nice to bring home recognition for our country,” the two shared.

Indonesia’s Rotasi directed by Destian Rendra and Premy Bima K was the grandprize winner of the inaugural “The 5-Min Video Challenge.” Rotasi (Rotates) beat 11 other entries from Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Tanzania to take home the first prize at the regional finals award ceremony held at Grand Hyatt Singapore. Pagnanakaw was the runner-up with a cash prize of $15,000.

Rotasi is about a photographer who is feuding with his best friend and his girlfriend. Due to this unhappy state of affairs, he loses faith in the enduring rotation of the earth as he seems to be somehow stuck in love and life. In the end, however, he goes through a journey that restores his faith.

 “We were pleased by the overwhelming number of entries which shows Asia is burgeoning with talent. The ones that spoke to the judges had compelling storylines that took us on an emotional journey. Short films are powerful narratives because in many cases, less is always more,” explained Eric Koo, director and regional judging panel representative of “The 5-Min Video Challenge.”

Two People’s Choice Awards were also handed out during the awards ceremony. Indonesia’s Destian Rendra and Premy Bima K received US$3,000 for winning the popular vote for Rotasi, while Thailand’s Panu Wiwattanapa and Pheka Charoenpakdi of Hello Gorgeous collected the runner-up cash prize of US$2,000.

“We have seen an amazing display of creative talent here tonight. Congratulations to all our winners. They have proven that short, made-for-mobile videos can capture the hearts and minds of audiences. We look forward to entertaining all our customers across the Group with original and quality content we will curate from our new library of five-minute videos,” concluded Chong.