Kallang Roar

That's the title of an upcoming Singaporean feature film which had it's first day of shoot yesterday, 29 Feb 2008.

It is based on actual local events that took place in the 70's, revolving around the members of a soccer team that won the Malaysia Cup in 1977, against the Malaysian state of Selangor if I'm not mistaken.

The principal actors, who allegedly resemble those actual players, were not present on this first day of shoot.  Instead,  there was a total of approx. 200 extras, dressed in distinctively 70's attire,  and with quite a number of colourfully dyed heads sprayed black.  One guy even had to wear a wig cos his was entirely bleached blond.

The location is our very own National Stadium situated in Kallang ( hence the title Kallang Roar)., which will be torn down in April, making way for a new one. It seats 55,000 but on this day, they'd have to make do with 200.

For me, Kallang Stadium brings back some memories from the year 2001. That was the year our National Day Parade was held there and I was part of it, escorting the sacred flag (also called the colours) of my unit. I was a contract soldier for 7 years but that was the first and only time I had anything to do with the NDP.

And now I found myself back in a familiar place for the last time. I guess that's the reason why I decided to be an extra in this shoot. Well, that and the fact that I wasn't even called in to try out for the principal roles. Apparently, I don't look like any of them plus the majority of them were non-Chinese. So being an extra was the only way for me to part of this film. And frankly, I had a good time cheering and jeering for both sides. :P

Enough talk already. Check out the pictures. :)

1,2,3 - The first of us extras milling around waiting to get outfitted.

4 - A shot to remember the architecture by.

5,6,7 - Me, before and after

8,9 - Snacks and refreshment, 70's style.

10 - Tin-cans-on -a-string for hot drinks 11,12,13,14 - Movie magic.