I'm Coming Up (2016)

Ting’s first feature is a monumental documentation of a large-scale HDB (Housing and Development Board) flat in Jurong by portrayal of its corridors and interior balconies. The film seamlessly scales the building from bottom to top, traversing every available 'public' space in its ascent. Shot just before sunrise with few inhabitants to be seen, the film becomes solely occupied with the interplay between camera and architecture – the shifting tones, lights and shapes that emerge from movement. The soundtrack is derived from a live performance by Balbalab during the world premiere of the film at the Singapore International Film Festival on 28 November 2016. Balbalab is a collective of experimental musicians from Singapore exploring a variety of strategies toward electroacoustic improvisation. Their sonorous response uses field recordings mined from the same HDB block and then cut up, processed, and reassembled.