The 3-Part Docuseries that Sheds Light on Frontliners in Singapore
Amidst the ongoing uncertainties of the pandemic, we often forget the sacrifices others have made in order to ensure that life carries on for all. We are, of course, talking about the nation’s very own frontliners who go above and beyond to aid Singaporeans everyday. Enter: Viddsee’s original documentary series ‘In Your Shoes: Going Beyond’ — a production that sheds light on three foreign workers who have left home to make a living in Singapore during trying times.
The series follows host Divian Nair as he puts himself in the shoes of frontliners Nilar (disinfects homes), Vikas (hawker), and Danilo (embalmer) — experiencing firsthand the labour required of such jobs and understanding the people working tirelessly behind them.
Though the episodes are less than 10 minutes long, which isn't enough to fully depict the intricacies of their work, we do recommend watching them as they do shine some light on the more significant struggles frontliners face on a daily basis.
Below, we ask filmmakers Eileen Chong and Lee Yi Jia and host Divian to share how they handle projects of such sensitive nature as well as their personal experiences working on ‘In Your Shoes: Going Beyond’ with each other and the workers.
What drew you to take on this project?
EC: At the end of the day, we are all people who have dreams and experience struggles. We are now in a pandemic where the real enemy is the virus, not each other. Being into socially driven projects, I’m always ready to connect and create.
YJ: The first edition of ‘In Your Shoes’ last year was so fun to make. It allowed me and the team to explore places and meet people we wouldn't encounter on the regular. When the opportunity came to reprise the series, I was naturally very excited to jump on it, in the hopes of having the same heartening experience I did before. Furthermore, the theme of the series was one that I felt was very timely, and important for us as filmmakers to address.
DN: My mom works in a hospital and is a frontliner herself. Amidst a few acts of discrimination that surfaced in the news, I was motivated to be involved in projects that help to reiterate the importance of frontliners and their contribution.
How was creating ‘In Your Shoes: Going Beyond’ different from your previous work?
EC: Maybe instead of thinking of it to be different - essentially the idea of “In Your Shoes” was created to bring people on a journey to experience work that is different. Basically, to be in someone else’s shoes, other than your own. In this case, through the experience of the host, we get to understand both the emotional and physical challenges of our frontline workers. Nilar, Vikas, and Danilo are doing work that is both contributive and essential to Singapore society. I hope Singaporeans can be empathic and kind to them instead of making negative sweeping statements.
YJ: Nothing is ever a given! On our call sheets, we plan very loosely to give room for things to change and happen organically. We can't plan when the good moments appear and sometimes catching it on camera involves the perfect alignment of timing, luck, and the right environment. I guess for narratives, a lot more planning and control can be exerted.
What factors did you have to consider before delving into a project of this nature?
YJ: I always keep the profiles we feature as a top priority. Given the sensitive and personal nature of documentaries, it's our responsibility as filmmakers to help present the profiles' realities in the most truthful manner, and at the same time, keeping in mind their comfort level and welfare. It's important for me to lead with my conscience when it comes to docu-making. Because the profiles don't owe us anything, but we owe it to them to present their stories in a fair and ethical manner.
DN: I definitely had to consider why this was important to me. I strongly believe that if we want and expect our frontliners to support us and take so much of the risk on our behalf, then it’s only fair we support them too. Once I was clear on that, it was easy to help translate the experiences of these wonderful individuals.
Tell us about the collaboration process between the three of you during the process of producing and filming this documentary.
EC: Divian is a trooper. When he comes on set, he does the hard work with no questions asked. We didn’t fill him in very much during pre-production and wanted him to react and take in the process organically. He was very present with how he feels spending time with the profiles and it was amazing and easy working with Divian.
YJ: Eileen is one of my closest collaborators and we've been working on several Viddsee series — from ‘Letters to God 2’ to ‘TLDR’. It's always great collaborating with her as she inspires a lot of confidence in me, and she is great with connecting with people and bringing them comfort. Divian was a true champ too, in bringing his own personality and flair to the series. We barely scripted his sections, and so everything he shared with us truly came from the heart, and that wholeheartedness was what made the three of us collaborate so well together.
DN: (Eileen and Yi Jia) were extremely aware of the nuances surrounding the nature of this form of storytelling. Even though there were a few sensitive touchpoints like death, both of them guided me with a sense of clarity and assurance that let me comfortably and confidently explore the profiles.
Tell us about one main takeaway from shooting the documentary.
EC: The documentary only lasted less than 10 minutes per episode. But man, we grinded for days, only to catch a glimpse of the work of these migrant frontline workers. It’s hot, uncomfortable, physically and mentally tiring. I feel that the documentary isn’t even enough to properly translate how hard the work can be and how much it actually contributes to our society. You have to be there to do it. I’m glad to be a part of this project, and now I’ll leave it to Singaporeans to decide to make a choice; to discriminate or to empathise. I hope as Singaporeans, we do the right thing.
DN: I think the main takeaway was how we were not so different by nature. Our circumstances have forged different paths in life, but the nature of who they were was so familiar. I could not help but be reminded of friends and even relatives just by the way they laughed and smiled. That sense of connection was very powerful and it fuels my resolve to always treat another person with kindness.
Watch Episode One of ‘In Your Shoes: Going Beyond’ below and catch the rest on YouTube here.
