Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) Booth Highlight - Genforcer Is All Ready to Protecc You! ( L1-AA180-181)

Making its debut at Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) 2025 is GENFORCER - a group of Red Dot Island-centric public safety superheroes embodied in the popular tokusatsu form. For those who are not familiar with tokusatsu, the Japanese word literally means special effects, and well-known tokusatsu entertainment include beloved franchises like Ultraman and Kamen Rider.

GENFORCER is the brainchild of local homegrown media production agency Playbox Studios, whose projects have included video segments for the National Day Parade show, and Singapore Film Society's (+65) Film Project. Red Dot Diva had the privilege to sit down with Playbox Studio's founder and CEO Basil Yeo to chat about GENFORCER, the spark that inspired its creation, and the new heroes' relevance in today's world.

Red Dot Diva: I was surprised to find out that Playbox Studios is launching a range of tokusatsu characters called GENFORCER at SGCC 2024. Please tell us the origin story of GENFORCER, and what inspired you to start on this project?
Basil: Genforcer is a trio of first responders - a police officer, paramedic and firefighter - who don advanced armour to combat high-tech crimes and disasters beyond conventional emergency response. As you can guess, they are inspired by tokusatsu and real-life first responders.

We have always loved tokusatsu, and working on an indie tokusatsu was some of the best moments in our lives where we felt creatively fulfilled. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we witnessed incredible commitment and dedication from our real-life first responders, and that was also the time when I completed Winspector, Solbrain and Exceedraft, three early 90's "Rescue Police" series from the now-defunct Metal Hero franchise. Thanks to Syafiq, I also watched Tokyo MER, a TBS drama that's on Disney+. And that's how we decided that our next project would be about first responders.

Red Dot Diva: Who is the designer of the GENFORCER suits? Any special points to note about the suit designs?
Basil: The concept artist who designed the Genforcer suits, or what we call the 'Unity Armour' is Danial Syafiq, or Dansya (pronounced as densha). (By the way, he is also not the same Syafiq mentioned earlier!). He came up with the initial draft for the current suits about over a year ago, after Syafiq and myself decided to ask him to give it a go, because we weren't too satisfied with what we had up till that point in time. And he did a fantastic job!
Red Dot Diva: They certainly look very, very eye-catching!
Basil: The suits are designed with local elements in mind - Husky's helmet design is based on the Singapore Police Force's Next Generation Fast Response Car, Collie's design combines elements from the Singapore Civil Defence Force's Fire Medical Vehicle and the current generation ambulance, while Beagle's colour scheme is based on the Singapore Civil Defence Force's new bunker gear. Collie also carries around an AI medical bot known as Handy.

The unique aspect of the suits is that they are built atop a base suit, which is expandable and modifiable, thus opening up opportunities for overseas iterations of Genforcer.

Red Dot Diva:When can we expect more to be revealed about GENFORCER on social media? (Impatient, lah!)
Basil: We're revealing the characters one by one in the lead up to SGCC. After that, we will also be posting one "G-Log" a week (we will try!). For at least six months now, we have been filming almost everything that we've been doing for project development and behind the scenes for the teasers and photoshoots, so there's a lot of archival footage that we're now pulling out to edit into vlogs.

One thing that we're going to try and do as much as we can (and within the realm of legal possibility) is build this IP in public, so anyone who is interested can see what goes on behind building an IP from scratch!

Red Dot Diva: What were the most challenging parts in bringing GENFORCER into reality?
Basil: It was most certainly trying to figure out the purpose of this project. Why does it even matter to anyone out there apart from our own selfish reasons of wanting to make something that we can call our own. The lack of purpose was so bad that I actually put off working on the project for a while to focus on building the company instead, Then one day, the main objective occurred to me, and I started to challenge the team to figure it out on their own. Well they did. Mostly, haha.

The reason why Genforcer matters is because of public and personal safety, and the need to constantly stay vigilant against potential threats that have become part and parcel of today's landscape. Positive, public safety education will play a big part in helping us be mentally and physically prepared should anything happen. It's quite similar to the Total Defence mantra, but this is something that comes from the ground up, and not top-down (from Government).

The next challenge was about finances. This project is currently financed entirely from revenue, sans loans and investment. Apart from financing Genforcer, we have overheads like rent and salaries to pay every month. So, this leads us to having to shift our priorities once in a while, which may affect the pace of development or production. But in this aspect, I think we've done really well in 2024.

Another challenge I can think of is managing our peak periods when it comes to our video production business. This year, during May to August, we produced a total of 40 videos across 3 projects. It was also the same period that we were developing our plans for SGCC and later on. Also at the same time, we hired two interns to help out with the shoots, which means we also had to spend time training them and ensuring that their progress was on track. In the end, the team pulled through. Which brings me to my last challenge - Building the right team.

Having the right team can make or break your project, and I am extremely fortunate to have this team. We have an amazing chemistry (they call it 'single brain cell') and there is a wonderful energy that permeates throughout our office everyday. I hope our audiences will be able to see that same passion and energy throughout everything that we do for Genforcer.
Red Dot Diva: That's very inspiring. I hope up and coming creators or business owners will find what you shared useful, and keep these tips in mind when they decide to embark on their own journey.

Red Dot Diva: Successful creator IPs are usually presented in various forms. So, are there plans for GENFORCER to be in a comic, or a Youtube shorts, etc?
Basil: Currently, our main priority is to build up our YouTube channel and social media with different types of content, including our "G-Logs". Most importantly, short form educational PSAs that address our mission of making the world a safer place. We also want to do a comic book in 2025, and we have already actually spoken to an artist, but we won't say who they are until things are signed.

This might also come as a surprise to many, but we will not be committing to doing a TV show at this time. Not a pilot, not even a trailer. The main objective is short form content on YouTube. However, if the right opportunity comes along...
Red Dot Diva: Hahaha. Like why not, right? But I do agree that in this day and age, web and social media content is the way to go for starters. You can see how many Korean webtoons and Japanese manga have gotten the live action treatment and been adapted as a TV series or animation show. It may take years to get there, but it still got there all the same!

Red Dot Diva: It is not easy to run a small business, especially in the creative industry. Do you have any practical tips to share with small business owners out there?
Basil: Set small, measurable targets that you can achieve along the way as you seek to fulfil your main objective. It is important to celebrate the small wins but don't over-celebrate. Also, to build it in public. Because people don't back businesses, they back people.

Red Dot Diva: What can we expect from the GENFORCERbooth at SGCC 2024?
Basil: We'll be having appearances from each of the Genforcer characters (and maybe one together), showcasing some conceptual work and prototype displays, as well as launching our merchandise line. Hopefully the reception is good enough that we could continue doing all of this!

Don't miss the opportunity to meet the kick-ass GENFORCER, and chat with the creators at SGCC 2024, Booth L1-AA180-181.


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Catch a peek of the 3GENFORCER callsigns - Husky, Collie and Beagle!

Say hello to HUSKY, who is all set to make the world a safer place!

Red Dot Diva thinks there is never too many female superheroes, so she is glad there is COLLIE to help save the day!

BEAGLE is ready to come to the rescue!

Find out more about GENFORCER on their social media:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/genforcer
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/genforcer/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@genforcertv

The GENFORCER official website is also set for a launch date in a week's time. Remember to check out the site's link here: https://genforcer.tv/


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RELATED SINGAPORE COMIC CON (SGCC) 2024 ARTICLES

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) - Meet Comic Book Guests Like Mike Zeck, Michael Gaydos, Ram V and Giuseppe Camuncoli
(Update: Francesco Manna, Michael Gaydos, OSHRed will no longer be attending as guests for SGCC 2024)

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) Booth Highlight - Meet The Monster Bunnies By Raven Collectibles (L1-AA201)


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Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) Booth Highlight - Meet The Monster Bunnies By Raven Collectibles (L1-AA201)

It has become an annual tradition that Red Dot Diva puts a few interesting guests and exhibitors of Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) in the spotlight before the show. There are usually new convention attendees who may not be knee-deep in pop-culture, so she hopes that a quick guide would make them curious enough to check out some of the booths on the show floor. In addition, the articles are a good way to keep the local geek community strong and connected.

This year, Red Dot Diva first interview "victim" is Sharavanan Sora of Raven Collectibles, a homegrown local toy design studio that focuses on high quality 3D sculpted toys and figurines. Sharavanan (or Shara for short) works in the the civil service. When he gets off work, he would indulge in one of his main hobbies, which is sculpting. The love for the craft has led him to a journey in toy design and the start of Raven Collectibles. Other than sculpting, Shara has a list of interests including drawing, playing video games, watching movies, enjoying numerous animated series, listening to music, animation, and spending time with his family.

Shara also confesses that he is addicted to comic books and boasts of a dedicated library for his collection, which number in the thousands. He shared that his comic book obsession probably started with watching Super-Friends in the 80's, but he only started buying comics from the 90's onwards when his cousins introduced him to a local comic book shop in Ginza Plaza.

Let's find out more about Shara, Raven Collectibles and their latest toy line called Monster Bunnies:

Red Dot Diva: What inspired the beginnings of Raven Collectibles? Tell me your origin story!
Shara: I have always been obsessed with toys. Because growing up, my parents will always promise to buy me a toy only on my birthday, but somehow mysteriously stay quiet when the birthday actually comes. So once I had adult money, I buy all the toys I want. And I really really loved these cute toy designs by "The Loyal Subjects". All my favourite pop culture characters in chibi form. Absolutely beautiful stuff. But, I found out they were blind box toys. Which I absolutely loathe. I hate that gimmick of making people buy many repeated toys before finally getting the ones they actually want. It's greedy and preys on people with unhealthy obsessions... like me. So I thought, "I'm just gonna make my own toys!". And I guess that was my villain origin story.

But, it is my beautiful wife who owns the business. She puts up with my childish obsessions. So, she is a huge part of any success we have.

The Raven Collectibles family!

Red Dot Diva: How did you get into 3D sculpting?
Shara: So after realising my villainous goals, I looked into 3D sculpting and 3D printing. I started by looking at YouTube tutorials on the basics. Truly, YouTube has a wealth of knowledge for absolutely anything you wish to learn. It is not just for movie trailers and nonsensical memes.

I've always loved sculpting but could never truly get into it because of clay drying too fast. If you needed a couple of days' break, you'd come back to a dried up project. But now the technology was here. I could come back to a 3D sculpt project years later and the clay was still malleable. And whatever I sculpted, I could easily print out because we have 3D printers now. And so began my learning journey in toy making.

Having the ability to take something from inside your mind and bringing it to physical reality is a very powerful, positive feeling. Absolutely addictive. In a good way. I'd recommend anybody to try it.

Red Dot Diva: Where do you get your inspirations from? Do you have a secret sketchbook of ideas to use for future projects?
Shara: My inspirations are mainly from the comic books. I started out my journey into 3D sculpting with Superheroes. In fact, all my sculpts before the "Monster Bunnies" were all Superheroes and Villains. Honestly, ever since I started sculpting, I haven't really touched any sketchbooks. Been neglecting my drawing skills. Ideas just float around my head until I have time to spare to start on each new project. I do have a list of things to sculpt on notes in my phone.

Red Dot Diva: Please share more about Monster Bunnies. How did they come about?
Shara: These first 4 Monster Bunnies, I just randomly sketched in class back in the day in NAFA. I studied there for a year. I can't remember if a friend requested a monster bunny or the idea just popped in my head. But I do remember the unique pose I visualised and just had to pour it on paper. Once that was out, I wanted to see other bunny monsters in the same pose. I had never done multiple different characters in the same pose before and it seemed like a fun thing to do. I loved what I saw and really wished I had a toy of one of these. Interestingly that was in 2004. Twenty years later, that wish has come true!

Red Dot Diva: They look frightfully adorable. Will there be a Monster Bunnies version but with Asian ghoulies?
Shara: That is SUCH and INTERESTING question! So weird that you asked with those specifics. You will have to come to SGCC 2024 for the exclusive "Monster Bunnies Wave 2" reveal to find out. I type this with a cheeky smile.
Red Dot Diva: Ooooooh. I can't wait!

Red Dot Diva: I understand that it's not easy to run a small business. Do you have any practical tips to share with aspiring creators out there?
Shara: Make full use of the internet to run your business. It is not cheap to run any business, so avoid fixed costs as much as you can. I'm mainly referring to renting a space. Because that will burn a hole in your capital too quickly. You do have to spend money to make money. But do it wisely. Always look at alternatives, and resist jumping in to any commitment. If there are any big decisions to be made, give yourself time to calm down from excitement before making it. If spending can be avoided, always avoid.
So many great ideas never get to flourish because we run out of fundings fast.

Red Dot Diva: You were also exhibiting at SGCC last year. What are the things you learnt about the attendees' buying preferences?
Shara: They are there to BUY!!! They want only to buy things. They do not want to take down your number to do business later. Haha. Last year my booth was set up just to advertise my services as a custom 3d sculptor. I had my work on display. And everybody who came up to my booth wanted to buy everything on the spot. Unfortunately, that would leave me with an empty booth for 2 days. So, lesson learnt. This year I'm selling 200 Monster bunnies. Get them while stocks last.

Red Dot Diva: What can we expect from your booth at SGCC 2024?
Shara: We have our first soft launch of our Monster Bunnies as SGCC exclusives. After that, we will be taking pre-orders at our Amazon.com shop (still setting up). We also have the very first official reveal of Wave 2 of the "Monster Bunnies". Look out for 4 NEW interesting monsters! They are deadly and ferocious! And oh so CUTE!!! If Wave 1 does well, maybe we can expect a Wave 2 release just in time for Halloween next year! Fingers crossed.
Red Dot Diva: That sounds awesome! I'll definitely come by to say hi, and budget permits, to BUY!

Raven Collectible's MONSTER BUNNIES can be found at SGCC 2024, Booth L1-AA201.

Follow Raven Collectibles on Instagram, Youtube, or Tiktok.

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RELATED SINGAPORE COMIC CON (SGCC) 2024 ARTICLES

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) - Meet Comic Book Guests Like Mike Zeck, Michael Gaydos, Ram V and Giuseppe Camuncoli
(Update: Francesco Manna, Michael Gaydos, OSHRed will no longer be attending as guests for SGCC 2024)


Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) Booth Highlight - Genforcer Is All Ready to Protecc You! ( L1-AA180-181)

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If you enjoy Red Dot Diva's content, feel free to help her efforts going by showing your support through ko-fi. Thank you!

FOMO ArtWeekend v3 2024 - Get Ready To Fill Up Your Festive Gift Bags At Taste Orchard (23 - 24 Nov 2024)!

The Organisation of Illustrators Council (OIC Singapore) is hosting another art market called FOMO ArtWeekend at Taste Orchard on 23 and 24 November 2024. This is the third FOMO ArtWeekend show since the organisation launched the event at *SCAPE in December 2022.

You may wonder - so what is the difference between the two events presented by OIC, namely   Illustration Arts Festival (IAF) and FOMO ArtWeekend? According to Red Dot Diva's source, FOMO shines the spotlight on emerging and younger illustrators based in Red Dot Island, while IAF is geared towards the industry level with regional and international illustrators being showcased plus talks and workshops listed as part of the event. So, if you want to get a feel of how local young artists and creators are vibing these days, FOMO is the place to be!

Eager shoppers and art lovers can expect to check out over 80 booth at this upcoming festive edition of FOMO ArtWeekend. This translates to more than 100 illustrators participating at the event, offering unique merchandise and gift ideas so you can get ready for the joyful year end festivities.

Some of the artists boothing at FOMO ArtWeekend include illustrator and ceramic artist byJolyn, whose cute characters get into silly but very accurate situations; tattoo artist @tiredbutwoke who puts Pokemon creatures on ink; live sketch artist @Shuiwong; veggie-focused art and merchandise by @heyvegemates, just to name a few. There is going to be a wide range of merchandise that you can buy at the art market - stickers, postcards, art prints, plush toys, keychains, tote bags, you name it they probably have it. It will make any shopper who loves cute things go wild. 

Do check out OIC's social media on Facebook and Instagram to see who are the other artists appearing at FOMO ArtWeekend. Then, dig out those pennies you have saved for the holiday season, and get ready to grab goodies for yourself or for your loved ones!


FOMO ARTWEEKEND V3 - THE FESTIVE EDITION
Date: 23 and 24 November 2024 (Saturday)
Times: 11 AM to 7 PM
Venue: TASTE Orchard, 160 Orchard Road (the former OG Orchard Point, for those who remember the retail store)
Admission: Free of charge

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Cartoons Underground 2024: Interview With The Creators Of Animation Short Film "I Think I'm Going To Die"

Southeast Asia's largest independent animation festival Cartoons Underground 2024 will be having a one-night only animation short film screening on 19 October 2024 at The Projector @ Cineleisure. The screening will feature a total of 14 specially selected films.

One of these films in the Singapore Student Competition segment is a stop-motion animation and mixed media feature entitled “I Think I'm Going to Die” by Ning Xuan Tan, Audrey Yong and Meghan Poh. The trio are recent graduates from Nanyang Technological University, School of Art, Design, and Media, and “I Think I'm Going to Die” was their final year project. The film is about a young girl who discovered that she had a mysterious condition, and in a panicked state, scurried around looking for a diagnosis.

From left to right: Ning Xuan Tan, Audrey Yong and Meghan Poh

Director Ning Xuan Tan is a writer, editor and illustrator and loves telling stories that create compelling emotional connections. Her first film “Paper Offerings,” co-directed with Vanessa Ng and Winona Mazo, has been selected for a number of film festivals and was won first place at the 100-Second International Film Festival in Tehran.

The Art Director of the short film is Meghan Poh, a designer, illustrator, and animator, who enjoys experimenting in different ways of telling visual stories. Rounding up the core team is Head of fabrication, lights and rigging Audrey Yong, the stop-motion expert who also has a specialisation in 2D drawn animation and compositing.

Red Dot Diva had the pleasure of interviewing the team, and asked them about their process while creating “I Think I'm Going to Die”. They also shared with her what their aspirations are in the near future!

Red Dot Diva: Congrats for getting selected for Cartoons Underground! What made you decide on the theme of your short film?
Ning Xuan: Animation is a vehicle for spreading awareness and bringing experiences to others, so I really wanted to do a social issue which many could relate to. It was also exceedingly important to me that I was very familiar with the topic. So the theme of women’s health, followed by a bit of cyberchondria just seemed to be a good theme to talk about. I think in our world today, it’s just so easy for us to google search our illnesses. And then we’d have to try to figure out whether or not we’re actually dying, or is it just a part of being a woman.

Audrey: Animation is also the best medium for trying to visualise and communicate issues to a larger group of people who would never in their life experience the same problems. It’s very “If you know, you know” when it comes to women’s issues, so we wanted to make something that would instantly connect with other girls.

Red Dot Diva: Stop-motion animation is such a back breaking art, with so many bits and pieces involved in its process. How do you get things organised so that you can be creative and yet meet your deadlines?
Ning Xuan: We had clear roles, but we ended up being quite chaotic. What we wanted to do was to complete our film (from making a set, to animation to compositing it into a video) in sections, based on the mediums. And each person would have a job in that medium, like rigging the puppet, building the set, animating, post-production etc. So we’d set deadlines for ourselves, creating a pipeline and hoping to be done with a medium and then moving on to the next medium.

But we were slow because we had to keep experimenting and working things out. Our pipeline of work would fail because of this, and we’d jump over to help each other which slowed us down more. We’d end up juggling multiple jobs. I think there were times when I didn’t have a rest day at all for weeks because we couldn’t meet our deadlines.

Still it really helped that our film had so many things to do, I’d find myself editing, making paper flowers, colouring with crayons, felting, and then sculpting a plunger. So creatively, I was never completely burnt out since there was always something new and exciting to do. In that aspect, it meant that I was always quite productive. And once things were going, it was easier to be inspired and motivated to finish the scene. I would always feel incredibly happy after we complete a shot, because just seeing all our hard work put together, even if it’s just a few seconds, makes it all worth it.

Audrey: It’s organised chaos for a film at this scale – we always plan things to go one way but end up realising that it’s not realistic while we’re in the midst of it. Our flexibility with our planning both helped and hindered us, but I think it was the reason we got it all done in the end. The key was to make sure we were all doing something at any given point in time – if I’m still fixing Lily’s puppet for one scene, I’d ask Ning Xuan to help me get the set for the next scene ready in the meantime, while Meghan animates the shots in a different scene that doesn’t require the puppet I’m currently fixing. As long as we were optimising for simultaneous work, we were somewhat on the right track.

Red Dot Diva: It's interesting to note that the film involves different animation mediums and styles. What is it about the story that fits this choice of direction?
Ning Xuan: I wrote this story knowing that I wanted a stop motion animation film that could let me experiment as much as possible. With this in mind. I thought of creating a story of a girl that could travel through different worlds searching for a diagnosis. So this gives us an opportunity to reasonably use different mediums and styles throughout the film. Our professor, Bernhard, would also always tell us, “why use stop motion? Why not 2d or 3d animation?” He would try to get us to think about why we are using a certain medium for each part of the story. So the entire story was really carefully considered with each medium.

Meghan: The core of the story is really about transformation, Lily (the main character) is changing physically and psychologically, and the way the world sees her is changing as well... it’s fitting that the film’s art direction is all about shifting from medium to medium!

The medium changes are also done very deliberately—there’s one transition from sand to paper that blends the two materials together and even uses a special puppet only present in that transition—and this all underscores the journey that she is on. I really enjoy when films use visual techniques usually reserved for epic drama to illustrate the emotional impact of seemingly mundane experiences. Lily is facing something completely unfamiliar to her, her world is turning on its head, and animation is such an imaginative medium to pull the audience along for the ride.

Red Dot Diva: What were the best and worst parts of making this film?
Ning Xuan: I think the best part is being surprised by how good a medium looks as a final product. There were a lot of times we were just going in blind not knowing what we’re doing half the time, just trying our best. My team would always say we just have “5 bucks and a dream.” And then we’d be in complete shock when we light it all up, set up our camera and things actually look amazing.

The worst part for me was the uncertainty of the whole film. Sometimes, it just felt as if our hard work amounted to nothing. Because we were working so hard, experimenting and yet we wouldn’t have a lot shot on camera. The thing about stop motion is that more time can be spent making and preparing things, and if we don’t do this well it’s super hard for the animator to animate. So we were always slow in our cohort because we didn’t have just as much filmed and shot as they did. But I’ve come to accept that stop motion is all about problem solving disasters. And while we were slow we completed things at a good pace and even managed to finish the film early.

Meghan: The best part is that I came out the other end still loving the process of animation, thanks to a wonderful team. I don’t think most people get to see how tedious, lonely, and borderline painful animation can be—spend hours and hours in a dark little room pushing grains of sand around in very specific ways and you start to lose your mind a bit. The worst part is that I’m not sure when I will have the time and resources to make something at this scale again...

Audrey: The worst parts for me were all the unprecedented problems we encountered. There’s a lot of unknown when it comes to stop motion because it’s a lot harder to execute than any other kind of animation - our built assets need to last, our rigs need to function the way our animators need it to, etc. At some point I was literally fighting science because the type of silicone rubber I had just happened to be the kind that didn’t cure when in contact with resin. Things like these are impossible to account for without experience, so it really felt like we were wandering around a dark room with no flashlight in those moments. The best part was probably the entire process of making something in stop motion. I’m now more convinced than ever that this is something I wholeheartedly love and enjoy.

Red Dot Diva: What is your favourite stop-motion animation movie?
Ning Xuan: A classic for me would be Coraline, I watched this so many times when I was a kid I could recite the script. I just love how uncanny it looks. But currently? I have to say Pui Pui Molcar. There’s just something about both films that really shows that every scene was handmade with love.

Meghan: It was an experimental stop-motion short that made me decide to major in animation: Furniture Poetry by Paul Bush. I didn’t know that animation didn’t always have to be representational or narrative-driven.

Audrey: The one that stuck with me the most from my childhood was The Boxtrolls. But I’ve also been really loving Pokemon Concierge.

Red Dot Diva: After the premiere at Cartoons Underground, what are your key aspirations regarding the art of animation film-making?
Ning Xuan: We’ve been trying to work out something as a team again to make another stop motion film for fun. I just love stop motion so much it would be a shame if I can’t do this again, I will just be open to opportunities in the future.

Meghan: I want to make a film again, whether it’s with this team or on my own or in some other way. It’s a really rare, precious opportunity to make a movie that isn’t business and doesn’t have to bend to the world, one that I’m not sure will come by again.

Audrey: Future stop motion projects aside, I’m interested to see how far we can carry the stop motion medium with us. I feel like it's so rare to see stop motion outside of a film format. It would be really cool if we had the opportunity to work on a stop motion game or visual novel.

Red Dot Diva finds it super exciting to see how energetic and imaginative our local animation and film students can be, and you will be even more impressed by their work when you watch their short films at Cartoons Underground 2024 next weekend. Go grab those festival tickets now!


CARTOONS UNDERGROUND FILM SHOWCASE
Date: 19 October 2024 (Saturday)
Times: 7 PM
Duration: 1 hr 36 min
Venue: The Projector @ Cineleisure - https://theprojector.sg/films-and-events/cartoons-underground-2024
Admission: Standard tickets at $20 each. VIP Ticket at $40, includes exclusive Cartoons Underground 2024 Merchandise

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Cartoons Underground 2024 - Watch 14 Stunning Animation Short Film Showcase at The Projector @ Cineleisure (19 Oct 2024)

Craving to feast on animation films other than those blockbuster aesthetics produced by Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks and the like? Then, it's time for you to head to Cartoons Underground 2024, Southeast Asia's largest independent animation festival.

The 13th iteration of the animation event will showcase a lineup of 14 specially curated shorts from Italy, the US, China and of course, Singapore, on 19 Oct 2024, 7 PM at The Projector @ Cineleisure. These films - which feature different styles of animation like 2D, 3D and stop-motion animation - were selected from 1,500 submissions from over 90 countries. Expect to watch stunning animation films with topics that range from sex positivity, mental health, friendship, horror and the classic good versus evil.

Premiering at the festival is “She and Her Good Vibrations” by Olivia Griselda and Sarah Cheok, a bold story a woman's sexual discovery. This film was developed in Cartoon Underground's Story Development Lab back in 2021. Other notable films include Dahee Jeong’s “Society of Clothes,” where everyone exists only as clothes; Greg McLeod’s comical, philosophical take about filmmaking entitled “Mee and Burd,” and Animation Youtube titan, Patrick Smith’s “Broken,” which tells the tale in his signature style about the eternal battle between good and evil.

Since the roots of Cartoons Underground originate locally, the event also highlights the wonderful work of Singaporean student filmmakers and artists of Asian heritage with 2 International Programmes and 1 Singapore Student Programme. In the Singapore Student category, NTU Art, Design and Media (ADM) makes a strong showing this year. Four out of the five films presented are from the school, and include “Neh Neh Pok” which tackles body positivity, and the dialogue-less and emotional drama “The Seamstress' Secret,” as well as Ning Xuan Tan's “I Think I'm Going to Die,” a striking film about a girl's odd affliction that uses diverse animation techniques.

For the full list of the 14 animation films featured, check out the programme list at www.cartoonsunderground.com. Here's the trailer so you can take a peek of the selected films:

For those who want deeper insights to the art of animation, Cartoons Underground will be hosting a special event called Behind the Screams: Masterclass on Singapore Horror Adult Animation, which will take place on 17 October 2024 from 6PM to 9 PM. The horror-themed masterclass (perfect for the Halloween season!) will feature two upcoming horror-themed animated TV Shows: “Zombie Safari” by Finding Pictures Studios, and “A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts” by Robot Media Playground! You will get to learn about TV animation production, and engage with the speakers Ervin Han (Robot Media Playground), Mark Wee (Finding Pictures Studios) and Jerrold Cheah (Finding Pictures Studios) at the Q&A.

Cartoons Underground is a fantastic way to appreciate the vast range of animation talent out there, especially those based here locally. Red Dot Diva attended the film showing for the first time last year, and it was an eye-opener. It is amazing that amidst layoffs and closures of large animation studios like Lucasfilm, there is still a strong presence and animation talent burgeoning on our island and in the region. So, if you want to try something different, go get a ticket at this very unique one-night-only premiere.


CARTOONS UNDERGROUND FILM SHOWCASE
Date: 19 October 2024 (Saturday)
Times: 7 PM
Duration: 1 hr 36 min
Venue: The Projector @ Cineleisure - https://theprojector.sg/films-and-events/cartoons-underground-2024
Admission: Standard tickets at $20 each. VIP Ticket at $40, includes exclusive Cartoons Underground 2024 Merchandise

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Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) - Meet Comic Book Guests Like Mike Zeck, Michael Gaydos, Ram V and Giuseppe Camuncoli

If you have attended Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) before, you know the drill! Get tickets to the show, gather your squad, attend the event and have the best geek fun of the year.

The largest pop-culture event will be back at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre on 7 and 8 December 2024, with over 400 exhibiting companies and 480 brands at the show that spans two floors (Level 1 and B2). All in all, there will be four exhibition halls taking up about 200,000 sq ft in space.

The show's organiser has been rolling out the guest announcements, and there are some heavy hitters in the list of comic book guests. This year, artist agency Scotts Collectables will be bringing in creators Ram V, Alessandro Cappuccio, Bjorn Barends, Dan Quintana, Fernando Blanco, Javier Fernandez, Belen Ortega, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Francesco Manna and David Messina.

Red Dot Diva is putting award-winning writer/ artist Ram V on her "die die must meet" list. Ram V has written graphic novels including GRAFITY’S WALL, THE MANY DEATHS OF LAILA STARR and BLUE IN GREEN. He has also written for iconic DC Comics and Marvel titles like Detective Comics, Swamp Thing, Venom and Carnage.

It will also be really cool to see Italian artist Giuseppe Camuncoli back on the island again. 14 years ago, he was a guest at Singapore Toy Games and Comic Convention 2010, and he was Red Dot Diva's first interview victim! Welcome back, Giuseppe!

When both RDD and Giuseppe were younger and more innocent (circa 2010)

Scotts Collectables has been making their presence felt at SGCC in the last couple of years by connecting popular comic book creators, like James Tynion IV, Lee Bermejo and Martin Simmonds, to fans in this region. The autograph lines at the booths can be quite long. So, if you are intending to get your comics signed by their creators, do arrive at the event hall early!

At SGCC 2024, fans can get to meet veteran comic book artists like Mike Zeck and Joe Rubinstein, who are co-hosted by Fat Snake and local comic book store Pink Ponk. Mick Zeck's artwork on Spider-Man and Punisher has influenced the look of these characters, creating iconic images that have been imprinted in the minds of comic book fans. He is also the creator of the black-and-white suit won by Spider-Man in Marvel's 1984 limited series, SUPER-HEROES SECRET WARS.

Inker Joe Rubinstein has contributed to countless comic books with his talent. He holds a Guinness World Record of inking the most number of artists in the comic book industry - with credits in over 2,500 comic books. One of those books is the THE OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE, which he worked on for 20 years. Besides Marvel titles, Joe Rubinstein has worked in titles by major comic book publishers, including DC's AQUAMAN, ION: GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE and GREEN ARROW/BLACK CANARY series, and Dark Horse's ARCHENEMIES.

Other guests hosted by Fat Snake and Pink Ponk are Michael Gaydos, who is the co-creator of Jessica Jones for Marvel. With over 30 years' experience in the comic book industry, Michael Gaydos has worked on mini series POWERLESS and DC Comics' PEARL. Joining him, are artists Elia Bonetti, OshRed, Emma Wu, and Indonesian Rudy Nurdiawan aka Rudy Ao. Red Dot Diva has not seen Rudy in years!!! So, she cannot wait to catch up with him again at SGCC. Rudy is such an awesome guy, and he draws uber-detailed, near hyper-realistic renditions of comic book characters.

As a pop-culture show, SGCC has also invited guests who do not work mostly on Western comic books. Announced so far are HK manhua artist Khoo Fuk-Lung 邱福龍, award-winning Japanese American illustrator Yuko Shimizu (not the Hello Kitty creator!), local illustrator Darren Tan (best known for his Star Wars and MTG art), a convention favourite and official Disney artist James C Mulligan (he's so friendly, and his booth is a popular hot spot), as well as local concept artist and illustrator Julian Kok.

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A post shared by The Square Comics (@thesquarecomics)

Oh, and the creators of webtoons The Square Comics are special guests of the event too!

There should be more guest announcements as the show date looms nearer, but Red Dot Diva can bet your bottom dollar that one of them would be Simone Legno of the insanely popular tokidoki lifestand brand. If you haven't noticed before, Simone Legno has a legion of super-loyal fans, and they will always go all out to get to meet him whenever he makes a stop in Red Dot Island.

Last year, SGCC attendees got to meet DC Comics' Executive Editor Ben Abernathy. In the year before, Marvel's Editor-In-Chief C.B. Cebulski was back in town. Red Dot Diva wonders if fans will have the opportunity to meet ditors from the Big Two again this year?

Do the current list of guest announcements stir up some nerd excitement for SGCC 2024? Who do you think would be announced as SGCC guests next?


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Want to see what SGCC 2023 was like, check out my Youtube videos for last year's show!

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Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) - Tickets Now Available For Purchase, and Space Ranger Celebrities Announced


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Artscience Museum To Host Interactive The World of Studio Ghibli Exhibition (4 Oct 2024 To 5 Feb 2025)

Artscience Museum will be hosting THE WORLD OF STUDIO GHIBLI exhibition from 4 Oct 2024 to 2 Feb 2025. This is a show that Studio Ghibli fans simply cannot miss!

The interactive showcase which features the charming Ghibli universe was held in Bangkok last year. Previously, the exhibition delighted fans in major Asian cities, like Hong Kong and Taipei. In a couple of week's time, THE WORLD OF STUDIO GHIBLI's latest iteration will land on Red Dot Island, and Red Dot Diva (who has probably watched all of the Ghibli movies), can't wait for it!

In case you are not familiar with Studio Ghibli, here's a brief history of the iconic Japanese animation studio. The company was founded by directors Isao Takahata, Hayao Miyazaki, and producer Toshio Suzuki in 1985. The studio's unique worlds and imaginative story-telling, depicted through detailed and emotive hand-drawn animation, are the key ingredients that have captivated film lovers worldwide. In a world flooded with flashy CGI effects, Studio Ghibli's hand-drawn films are exceptionally precious and special.

Studio Ghibli has received Academy Awards nominations for 7 of their films, and won Best Animated Feature for two of them - Spirited Away in 2003, and The Boy and the Heron in 2024.

Fans visiting THE WORLD OF STUDIO GHIBLI can expect to immerse themselves in 16 large and detailed theatrical sets displayed in 11 film galleries. These hail from beloved Ghibli movies, including My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, and more! The upcoming show will also include the latest award-winning movie The Boy and the Heron. Needless to say, this would mean ample opportunities for your selfies and wefies. Who doesn't want to sit on a train carriage with No-Face?

You can also learn more about Studio Ghibli's intricate and creative process through 16 box art and trick-eye installations. At the end of it all - a retail store awaits you! Get prepared to be tempted by all those official Ghibli merchandise.

During the announcement of the exhibition, Vice President of ArtScience Museum Honor Harger said, "This year ArtScience Museum presents one of our largest and most ambitious exhibitions to date – The World of Studio Ghibli. It showcases the work of one of the most important cinematic production houses in the world, who have created some of the most beloved and critically acclaimed animated films of all time. We are incredibly honoured to host the first major exhibition by Studio Ghibli in Singapore.”

Studio Ghibli added: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to hold The World of Studio Ghibli exhibition at Singapore’s prestigious ArtScience Museum – a venue which is highly esteemed by Japanese visitors and many others. This exhibition will transport visitors into the realm of Studio Ghibli, where they will get to experience the films first-hand. Whether you are a Ghibli enthusiast or a newcomer, the exhibition offers something for everyone. As a leading destination for tourism and business, Singapore welcomes people from all around the world, and we hope they will also visit the exhibition to encounter the world of Ghibli and become fans of our films.”

Tickets are already available for purchase via Klook and Marina Bay Sands box offices. The prices for non-Sands LifeStyle members range from SGD 29 to SGD 49 per adult, depending on whether you are a local or not, and also, if you are visiting during peak or non-peak hours. Sands LifeStyle members will enjoy discounts on the tickets. There are also family ticket bundles. More details can be found at the two venues mentioned above.

THE WORLD OF STUDIO GHIBLI is expected to draw in a crowd of local as well as regional fans. So, in order not to miss out on the show, do get your tickets and book your choice slots early!


Dates: 4 October 2024 to 5 February 2025
Times: 10 AM to 7 PM (last entry is 6 PM)
Venue: ArtScience Museum, MBS
Admission: Visit Klook or MBS box offices (see links above).


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