> 22 – Page 2 – JACELYN NG

4D | “刀” Filming Day 2

Last Saturday, I went down to Pow Li to film Mdm Lee again as I felt that there were some shots and questions that I still have to take. I was concerned about the fact that the video might not be consistent because her clothes will be different. But the cute thing is… she actually wore the same shirt during the previous filming!! Like OMG I thought it was coincidental but nooooo she told me she purposely wore the same shirt so that the video will be consistent. I’m so grateful because she’s so attentive and professional!!

Here are the videos that I took on that day. The weather was really hot that day so Mdm Lee and I had some mini fruits tea break hahaha. And the fruits at people’s park are reaaaally cheap. I bought 3 fruits and it’s only $1.50!!!!

I thought all was well and I was done with the shooting. But guess what… When I went home to review my videos, apparently there was this flickering thing throughout my video and I realised that I didn’t set my shutter speed properly. SIGH. I actually realised that something was wrong when I was filming BUT I couldn’t find a solution to it and I thought I could edit it away. But boy was I wrong. ALSO…. I can’t believe I’m so dumb but, I plucked the rode mic’s cord into the wrong input -___- SO IT WASN’T IN THE MIC INPUT AND MY AUDIO ISN’T THAT GREAT. It’s ok…. I’ve planned to head down to shoot again on Monday…

(As you can see in the pic, the rode mic cord was in the wrong INPUT, it was supposed to be the one below sigh)

Here’s a gif from a part of the video. It’s not exactly clear in the gif but if you look closely, you can see the surroundings and the light has some sort of flickering, waving overlay to it. SIGH my noobness with the dslr needs to maintain.

4D | “刀” Filming Day 1

For assignment two, I’ll be continuing my > 22 series but I’ll be focusing on one of the occupation that has been here for more than 22 years. I managed to find this gem tucked at a corner of People’s Park Centre, known as the Knife Sharpening Lady. Her shop is called Pow Li (trying to advertise here) and she’s a petite 70 years old lady, and has been sharpening knives since 1970! How awesome is that? And I am so so soooo lucky that she’s such a sweet lady that is so cooperative and enthusiastic when I wanted to film her!

But of course… before I went down to ask for permission to interview and film her, as I’ve shot a picture of her for my > 22 series (I actually forgot to include it in my publication -_-), I developed a photo for her and she loved it! Sigh I love old people (ok not in a creepy way), but she’s really friendly and nice :))

So, 2 weeks ago, I went down on a Saturday to film her. Of course with my Dad, my partner-in-crime who is so so so great of a person to drive me down to Chinatown while helping me to carry all the heavy equipments for the shoot.

The stone equipment she uses to sharpen the knives.

Some buffering machines for polishing and sharpening.

The place was reaaaaaaally warm it was insane. I was perspiring so profusely but oh my the lady didn’t even break a sweat! She also didn’t have a fan installed and she wasn’t wearing a mask while she sharpens the knives and it’s really dangerous because of the metal dust. So my Dad was saying that we should get her a mini fan after this film is done because the place is really stuff and all. And fun fact: her favourite colour is orange, I asked her about it because I realised she’s always wearing orange the few times I visited her before hahaha.

So here are the videos that I took! As usual, being the kiasu me, I took quite alot. And she was really experienced ok! She totally knows how to answer my questions and also gave me some tips on which angle to film her and all. I love her she’s such a sweet lady.

But first thing first, here are the interview questions for her.

When was this shop established?
How did this shop started & why was it called Pow Li
Hong long have you been working here?
How old are you?
When did you start learning this profession?
Describe a day working in the shop
How’s the business compared to the past?
How much do you charge per service? (well she charges $8 per knife/scissors)
Who are your customers?
What’s the secret for maintaining this business for so long
Do you like what you’re doing?
Is there anyone who is interested in learning the trade from you?

But yes. Here are some information that I got after spending a morning with her. She’s Lee Hwee Chin, and she’s 70 years old. This shop was her father’s and she started working there since the 1970s. Her customers are mostly families, market vendors (butcher etc), tailors and there isn’t much of the chefs now as they prefer to sharpen their own knives plus their knives are really expensive $$$.

She charges $4 for her service in the past but now it’s $8. And of course… she not only does small knives and scissors, she even does the sharpening for gardening tools! Like the hugeeeee cutter. But that is more expensive and she mentioned she hates sharpening that hahaha.

Mdm Lee mentioned that there isn’t anyone who is interested in learning the trade from her, nor there is anyone she can pass her shop to. Though she has a daughter, her child isn’t interested in her trade and I don’t think Mdm Lee also wants her daughter to take over her shop as it takes alot of hard work and sweat to maintain this.

After reviewing the videos back home, as there’s a air ventilator near her shop, it was captured in the video as well. I was super stressed over it as I couldn’t take a humming throughout the background so I went to research on various methods on how to reduce the white noise… and managed to find a solution! I’ll post the before and after below.

And also, I’ve finally downloaded Premiere Pro! I feel so legit now because I don’t have to use iMovie to edit videos anymore HAHA. It’s my first time using it so I’m still getting used to it. But the awesome thing is I can finally colour correct my vids omg, something that iMovie has limitations to.

Robert saw the videos on last Thursday’s consultation and he suggested that I should take longer shots of her working so that I can just overlay the audio and there really isn’t a need to show her talking to the camera for the interview. So I took his suggestion and went back there again on the next Saturday, so stay tune for Filming Day 2!

4D | >22 Publication

Titled: > 22
Dimension: 148 x 210 mm
128 gsm matte paper and kraft paper.

“Times change, and people will have to adapt to the ever-changing world. Traditional trades that has been here even before I was born, will soon be rendered obsolete in the face of modernity.”

A total of 30 shops that are 22 years old and above are featured in this publication. The year that it was founded is located at the bottom right side of the page. The shops are arranged from the youngest, to the oldest – which dates back to 1937.

Kraft paper was used as the publication’s cover, brown yarn string was tied around it, so as to give out a nostalgic look, inspired from our local “tabao” look. It’s partnered with crisp white matte paper to give a contrast that – it’s old, but the tradition is well preserved. As the saying goes, old but gold.

Here are the shops and their founding years:

302 Fruit Stall, 1993
Choa Chu Kang Fruit and Beverages Trading, 1993
Ahmad Alay Barber, 1993
The Video Shop, 1993
Alywin Trading & Services, 1992
0119 Antique House, 1992
Sin Keck Siang Trading, 1992
Tokyo Costume Jewellery, 1989
New Ai Wah Watch Service, 1988
Kai Heng Trading, 1986
Chew’s Optics, 1986
Cobbler at “Cobbler Square”, 1985
榮顺興香荘, 1985
Queen Street Trading, 1984
Jie Bakery & Confectionery, 1984
Sin Chong Goldsmith, 1983
No signboard Provision Shop, 1983
Siyamala Book Store, 1979
Teck Whye Bird Shop, 1978
Teck Whye Aquarium, 1978
Peng Hin, 1971
Tiong Bahru Galicier Pastry, 1970
Tiam Kee Trading, 1969
Teoh Huat Textiles, 1968
四马路 Flower Lady, 1967
Roxy Records & Trading, 1962
Lee Huat Motors Co., 1959
Fine Steps, 1958
Sing Hon Loong Bakery, 1957
Pin Pin Piau Kay & Co., 1938
Teo Chew Bookstore, 1937

4D | > 22

> 22

Times change, and people will have to adapt to the ever-changing world. Traditional trades that has been here even before I was born, will soon be rendered obsolete in the face of modernity.

In the ever-changing world, it’s amazing how some last, while some don’t, be it humans, animals, trades or artificial things. Some goes and try to adapt with time, while some are still frozen in the past. And thus, for this series, I would like to talk about the vanishing trades in Singapore, that are still here in the modern world, yet are slowly becoming obsolete in the face of modernity.

Why the title “>22”?

I’ll be turning 22 years old, and I find it really interesting to be able to find shops that are older than me and has been here even way before I’ve entered this world. How was the world like before? This has always been floating in the back of my mind. Because now, our generation is all about the technology, the new gadgets and all, and we, are slowly but quickly forgetting our roots. How often can you find a young person who knows how to speak their dialect? Or even better, their own mother tongue. Well, this is directing to myself, as I’m neither fluent in mother tongue nor my dialect. Not just trades are dying, our culture and traditions are also slowly disappearing into thin air as our world evolves.

Sooner or later, our traditions will be long gone. I’m sure maybe 20 years from now, all of the old traditional stores will be replaced by hipster cafes and all. Isn’t this saddening? How the REAL Singapore is vanishing and are all replaced by goods that doesn’t have… our heritage.

This series, is to let everyone know and understand, the importance of our roots and our traditions. How we should stop getting rid of all the old heritage stuff which isn’t deemed as “cool” anymore. How we don’t easily see street vendors, cobblers, knife sharperners, traditional bakeries and textile shops etc etc as often. We should keep all of our old trades, to keep the tradition going, our identity, as I’m sure we will all regret when everything is gone, not a single speck is left.

And do you know, they are actually demolishing the famous iconic Rocher Estate? Look at how our modern times, are slowly over taking our own heritage, just to make way for more mundane and “stylish” buildings.

4D | > 22. V

Wow I guess the adventures are getting a tad too long. But don’t worry, this is Day 5 and the last! It’s a pity that due to time constraint and transport issues, I’m not able to explore places like Balestier, Whampoa, Queenstown more 🙁 But I will just make do with places which much more accessible!

Sin Chong Goldsmith which has been in the business since 1983.

New Ai Wai Watch Service which has been here since 1988, sells 2nd hand watches and does watch repairs. Really amazing couple. And apparently my Dad told me that this couple stays in the same estate as us, hmm what a coincidence.

This auntie was REALLY hostile and unfriendly towards me… She couldn’t understand why I wanted to take her shops as there’s other shops to take. But still, she let me shoot some photos of her shop. Even when I complimented her store, she was just totally straight out mean to me 🙁 Anyhow, the shop is roughly 30 + years old.

Quan Li Tonic that has been around for about 40 years! (That is really long)

This no signboard shop which sells EVERYTHING, has a friendly lady boss (she said i look studious HAHAHA) But anyways, shop was founded in 1983.

Alywin Trading & Services, which does bike repairs and sells bicycles, has been around since 1992.

Ahmad, your neighbourhood barber shop with really friendly hairdressers, was founded in 1993. Love their shop design, so old-school and retro.

Sin Keck Siang Trading, an alteration shop which has been sewing since 1992. That sewing machine has been around for at least 60 years! As said by the lady boss.

I guess this sums up the journey of me finding shops that are 22 Years & Above. Sigh if only I had more time to travel, I could find even better and more interesting shops 🙁