Every Singaporean Son
Every Singaporean Son is a Singaporean documentary released in 2010. It serves as an education tool for all pre-enlistees during their Basic Military Training in Singapore. Most of the episodes were filmed at Pulau Tekong. 18 episodes were released. The first episode airs on 7 July 2010 on YouTube, subsequent episodes were released on every Tuesday, each clip lasted for 6 to 8 minutes.
Every Singaporean Son | |
---|---|
Country of origin | Singapore |
No. of episodes | 18 episodes (Cyberpioneer, YouTube and National Geographic Channel) 7 episodes (Mediacorp Channel 5) |
Production | |
Running time | 6-8 minutes |
Release | |
Original network | YouTube National Geographic Channel Mediacorp Channel 5 |
Original release | July 7 – November 1, 2010 |
External links | |
Website |
National Geographic Channel ordered the series and it will be aired in six episodes (30 minutes per episode) from 8 March 2011.
In August 2011, the season branched out to another 6-part series named: Every Singaporean Son – Epilogue.
The documentary was nominated for "Best Cross-Platform Content" at the 16th Asian Television Awards 2011,[1] but the series lost to the Indian series The CJ Show.[2]
On 16 August 2012, the series branched out to its second season of Every Singaporean Son, premiering every Thursday of the week, it will be named: Every Singaporean Son II - The Making of an Officer. The series will concentrate on batch of cadets training to be officers in OCS Officer Cadet School, it will last for 20 to 25 episodes.
The show aired on Mediacorp Channel 5 on Mondays at 7pm from 31 March 2014 to 5 May 2014, each episode lasted for 30 minutes (including commercial breaks), the 18 short episode series was compacted into 7 episodes.
Plot
In nine weeks, 15 young men from different backgrounds came together for the rite of passage that every Singaporean son must experience, which is to survive the 9 weeks of Basic Military Training. The documentary is split into 18 episodes allowing all pre-enlistees and parents understand the life in BMT.
Cast
Recruits
- REC Muhd Nabil
- REC Loh De Wei
- REC Muhd Syabil
- REC Dudley Lin
- REC Chandra Thiaghu
- REC Kenneth Ng
- REC Justin Mark
- REC Goh Qingwei
- REC Danial Hakim
- REC Douglas Wong
- REC Lemuel Teo
- REC Huang Guoquan
- REC Daryl Lim
- REC Shawn Lee
- REC Dom Ang (Shaoquan)
Superiors
- CPT Roger Chen - Officer Commanding
- 2LT Shamsul - Platoon Commander
- 3SG Glen Liang - Section Commander
Episodes
Episode No. | Episode Title | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | "My Buddy[3]" | July 7, 2010 | |
This is where it all starts. From Pasir Ris to Tekong, we follow the recruits as they begin their National Service journey. Amidst the busy-ness of this first day, we see how the recruits quickly adapt to life in the military, most crucially by making friends of strangers. | |||
2 | "Where I Stand[4]" | July 12, 2010 | |
So you think you are fit? You won't really know where you stand until you measure yourself against a common benchmark - the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT). Watch former school sportsmen Danial and Dudley, and your average guy Qingwei put themselves to the test. | |||
3 | "Strip[5]" | July 19, 2010 | |
Before a recruit is allowed to shoot, he must learn how to handle a rifle. Through the eyes of recruits Douglas and Syabil, we discover that there is nothing routine about the "courtship" when taking the Singapore Assault Rifle 21 as your "wife" | |||
4 | "R&R - Run & Rehab[6]" | July 26, 2010 | |
It's no secret that there is a lot of physical training, especially running, in BMT. But just when Daryl, Dewei and Danial think that they have had too much of it, they go running again - this time in the swimming pool! | |||
5 | "How Far?[7]" | August 2, 2010 | |
It's the first time the recruits have to carry all their personal combat gear in a route march. On Guoquan's shoulders rest not just the weight of his fullpack but the responsibility of lifting the morale of his mates with his singing. On the sidelines, Shawn watches his section soldier on as he is restricted to light duties for a month. He misses out on the camaraderie, but does what he can to help them along their journey. | |||
6 | "Sharpshooter[8]" | August 9, 2010 | |
Shooting. What's BMT without it? Nabil and Daryl are both stressed about shooting, but for very different reasons. Join them as they deal with their emotions of pulling the trigger. | |||
7 | "Field Discipline[9]" | August 16, 2010 | |
The instructors tighten up on discipline as they gear the recruits for the rigours of the field camp. Barked at by sergeants under the hot sun and subjected to relentless drills, do Dewei and Kenneth have the mental strength to be soldiers? | |||
8 | "Cover Me[10]" | August 23, 2010 | |
Buddies Qingwei and Justin learn how to cover each other's backs in the fire and movement drill. With section mate Thiaghu as their leader, they put their recently acquired skills to the test in a paintball shoot-off against their rival company. | |||
9 | "Breaking Point[11]" | August 30, 2010 | |
After three days of continuous training in the Tekong jungle, the recruits find a nemesis in the hard ground as they dig in for the first time. Scorched by the sun, challenged by their instructors and mocked by the earth that will not loosen, can buddies Shaoquan and Lemuel survive the day? | |||
10 | "Grenade![12]" | September 6, 2010 | |
Syabil has sweaty palms, but only when he is nervous. He flits between calmness and tension as he waits for his chance to throw a live grenade. In the throwing bay, platoon sergeant Hanafee waits to take Syabil through the paces of a potential life-and-death situation. | |||
11 | "Step Up![13]" | September 13, 2010 | |
Do you have what it takes to be a leader? The Situational Test (SITEST) may provide some answers. Watch Kenneth, Nabil and Thiaghu awake from a fitful night's sleep on muddy ground to a day of fresh challenges. | |||
12 | "The Not-So-Low Wall[14]" | September 20, 2010 | |
SOC and its mere mention can cause unease in many a mind of Singaporean soldiers. Guoquan and Lemuel tackle the course with gusto but find nothing low about the low wall or low rope. | |||
13 | "Too Fast Too Furious[15]" | September 28, 2010 | |
Some things don't seem to change much over the years; recruits still run in circles around the parade square. But with sports science and old-fashioned hard work, Syabil and Qingwei look back and see how far they have come in terms of fitness. | |||
14 | "Book Out![16]" | October 4, 2010 | |
We leave Tekong for a moment and follow Douglas and Dudley on their weekend excursions. Besides their renewed appreciation of non-Army food, they become more aware of the difference between soldier and civilian. | |||
15 | "Personal Triumphs And Defeats[17]" | October 11, 2010 | |
The recruits have one more chance to take the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT). A pass is a pre-requisite for selection to command schools. Watch Dewei, Guoquan and Qingwei give their all to make the cut. | |||
16 | "Island Party[18]" | October 18, 2010 | |
The SAF Music and Drama Company show - a tradition of Basic Military Training (BMT) - comes again to Tekong. But who will emerge as the real stars of the night? Hint: it's not Singapore Idol 2009 winner Sezairi Sezali. | |||
17 | "Brothers In Arms[19]" | October 25, 2010 | |
The recruits rate and speak frankly about one another. Some are stronger, some are funnier and some may be better leaders; but all will end up friends, and brothers. | |||
18 | "We Are Soldiers[20]" | November 1, 2010 | |
24 kilometres - a little more than the distance between Sembawang and Sentosa - is all that stands between the recruits and their ticket out of BMT. It's a time for the recruits to reflect upon and to celebrate their own personal journeys. |
Trivia
- The 18-part series was filmed between 5 February 2010 to 8 April 2010.
- Shawn is the only member who did not finish his BMT.
- All 15 of the recruits were from the BMTC School 2 Orion Company.
References
- "Nomination List 2011". Asian Television Awards 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-11-29. Retrieved December 31, 2011.
- "Winner List 2011". Asian Television Awards 2011. Archived from the original on January 7, 2012. Retrieved December 8, 2011.
- "My Buddy". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
- "Where I Stand". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
- "Strip". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
- "R&R - Run & Rehab". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
- "How Far?". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
- "Sharpshooter". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
- "Field Discipline". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
- "Cover Me". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
- "Breaking Point". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
- "Grenade!". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
- "Step Up!". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
- "The Not-So-Low Wall". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved September 20, 2010.
- "Too Fast Too Furious". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
- "Book Out!". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
- "Personal Triumphs And Defeats". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
- "Island Party". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
- "Brothers In Arms". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
- "We Are Soldiers". CyberpioneerTV. Retrieved November 1, 2010.