Dated: 14 March 2007
Unprecedented television drama series showcases the best of Singapore’s creative talents
What really happens between a man and a woman within the confines of a budget hotel room? Is sex automatically assumed or is there more than meets the eye? These are but two of the probing questions posed in Do Not Disturb - a new English-language television drama series scheduled to debut on Arts Central on Mondays, 10pm from 2 April to 28 May 2007.
Conceived by veteran actress and producer Tan Kheng Hua, directed by Kelvin Tong, one of Singapore’s leading filmmakers;and supported by the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA), the improvisational drama is shot in High-Definition and takes on the style of mini art-house films. With each episode set in the exact same hotel room, Do Not Disturb explores what unfolds between seven couples behind closed doors, presenting heartfelt, in-depth and sometimes hilarious stories of the inevitabilities and complexities of relationships between a man and a woman in contemporary Singapore (please see Annex A for more details).
Said Ms Tan, Creator and Executive Producer: “I wanted to expose what happens between two people in a private, claustrophobic environment. Through improvisation, the actors explored this. I also wanted to explore what it would be like for a television project working on a multi-disciplinary platform like that of many local theatre projects. What resulted is Do Not Disturb, a unique television series that presents drama in a never- before-seen design, style and tone, yet remaining quintessentially Singaporean.”
"It has been a real treat to work with such an exciting and unusual script alongside a very talented, predominantly Singaporean, cast and crew”, added Mr Tong, Director, Boku Films.
Commenting on MDA’s support for the project, Ms Samantha Loh, Assistant Director of Broadcast and Film Development, MDA, said: "Do Not Disturb is a unique programme with good story-telling and brings together talents from local television, film, theatre as well as from the fields of music and design. We are proud to have participated in this production as part of our commitment to encourage the creation of strong, fresh local content which is not only able to meet the diverse viewing interest of our increasingly sophisticated viewers but is also able to appeal to audiences beyond Singapore."
The multi- and inter-disciplinary series features Singapore talents from various creative fields, including scriptwriter Chong Tze Chien (playwright, The Finger Players), production designer Aamer Taher (architect, Aamer Taher Design), styling consultant Daniel Goh (editor, Style magazine), music director Joe Ng, music arranger Alex Oh, as well as the vocals of Wendi Koh.
The cast of TV and stage actors includes Mark Lee, starring in his first English-language drama, Lim Yu-Beng, Adrian Pang, Koey Foo, Andrea De Cruz, Yeo Yann Yann, Chermaine Ang, Sol Foo, Chio Su-Ping, Noorlinah Mohd, Andy Keegan, Serena Ho, Timothy Nga and Casey Lim (please see Annex B for more details).
(268.37KB)(268.37KB) Annex B (268.37KB)
Speaking on the significance of the series, Mr Leslie Lee, Programming Director, Arts &Kids Central, MediaCorp TV12, said: "Arts Central is proud to be the home for Do Not Disturb. We continue to be the destination for innovative and cutting-edge original local productions. One of our missions for the channel is to nurture and develop the creative industry by giving them a platform to showcase their works. Do Not Disturb is one such example. Arts Central has been actively engaged in the one-year creative process with MDA and Boku Films, and it is exciting to see the production on the channel finally. We hope to continue working with not just Singapore's best, but also the up and coming creative talents to bring local television to another dimension."
For media enquiries, please contact:
Ms Tan Kheng Hua
Boku Films
Tel: 9636 6667
Email:
khenghua@singnet.com.sg
Ms Tessa Monteiro
Manager, Communications
Media Development Authority of Singapore
Tel: 6837 9757
Email:
tessa_mae_monteiro@imda.gov.sg
Mr Patrick Lim
Manager, Channel Promotions
Central Programming
MediaCorp TV12 Singapore Pte Ltd
Tel: 6420 8630
Email:
Patrick_lim@mediacorp.com.sg
About Boku Films
Established in 2003, Boku Films is the feature film and television powerhouse helmed by Singaporean filmmaker Kelvin Tong. The Boku team comprises producers Leon Tong and Kat Goh, art director Daniel Lim, stylist Irin Lee and music composer Joe Ng. Propelling the Singapore film and television industry into the international marketplace, Boku Films has been an early adapter of innovative filmmaking technologies such as High-Definition. Its television works include The Frontline (2003), Six Weeks (2004) and Durian King (2004), which was one of the most successful television comedy series in Singapore. Film projects include The Maid (2005) and Love Story (2006), both directed by Kelvin Tong. Boku’s present projects include The Maid (A New Beginning) (HAF 2006 Project), the horror comedy Men in White and the cop thriller Rule Number One. More information on Boku Films can be found on
www.bokufilms.com.
About Media Development Authority
The Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) was formed on 1 January 2003 to champion Media 21, a blueprint to transform Singapore into a global media city. Media 21 seeks to create a vibrant media environment by establishing Singapore as a media exchange, exporting Made-by-Singapore content, internationalising local media companies, nurturing local media talent and developing digital media. More information on MDA can be found on
www.mda.gov.sg.
About Arts Central
MediaCorp TV12’s Arts Central positions itself as an alternative channel for discerning viewers. To reflect the sophistication of its viewers, it recently rebranded itself as a trendsetting lifestyle channel with the tagline “Life Begins @ 9”.
From travel and design programmes to topical documentaries, from foreign films and cutting-edge animation, Arts Central spots the latest trends and celebrates the urban life, continuously bringing to its viewers the best of what the world has to offer. Arts Central’s locally produced programmes have received international recognition, with a recent sale of 100 hours to a US cable network. Its critically acclaimed Singapore Short Story Project received three Asian Television Awards for Best Drama Series, Best Editing and Best Cinematography, and was shortlisted in the finals of the New York Festivals.
MediaCorp TV12 is part of MediaCorp. As Singapore’s largest broadcaster and one of the region’s most renowned broadcasters, MediaCorp offers a complete range of media businesses: TV, Radio, Entertainment Productions, Movie Productions, Newspapers, Magazines, Electronic Media and other broadcasting services. MediaCorp’s vision is to become one of Asia’s top media companies by delivering valued content to the world.
For more information, please visit www.artscentral.com.sg
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