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The Honour Film Initiative provides a modest production grant for the making of short films that revolve around the value of honour.

Here’s what you need to know about pitching your story idea to Honour Film Initiative.

Intent & Narrative

1. Your story must be anchored upon honouring the value of someone or something, with traits such as integrity, respect, perseverance, thrift, hard work and/or the spirit of doing our best.

Your intent must be to honour something or someone. That’s what makes a film an Honour film.

Pitch Deck

2. To be considered for a pitch slot, submit your pitch deck (synopsis / storyline, timeline and budget) via email to admin@honour.sg.

A pitch slot will be assigned to you if your pitch deck meets the criteria, which is that the story must be about Honour in one form or another.

Pitch Format

3. Pitches are conducted periodically, either at Ngee Ann Polytechnic or another partner institution. 

You will have 10 minutes to present, and the pitch format is as follows:

  • 5 minutes self-introduction
  • 5 minutes concept
  • 10 minutes Q&A
Openness to Advice

4. If your story has potential, the pitch panel is likely to ask that you revise or refine your idea before commissioning it.

Hence do not embark on the pitch process unless you and your team are open and receptive to having your original idea shaped by the panel’s advice. 

TIPS FROM OUR PITCH PANEL

Members of our pitch panel shed light on what qualifies as a promising Honour short film, and how you can ace your pitch.

“I must say I am very impressed with what Honour Singapore and Ngee Ann Polytechnic have been doing over the past several years.

The Honour Film Initiative is a very powerful platform, and the investment it makes into young filmmakers is quite profound.

I have worked in the advertising industry for over 25 years, and we produce many films, documentaries, manifestos and a large amount of content for industry giants and world-class clients.
But what the Honour Film Initiative brings to the table is touching the core of what I feel lacks today in our progressive society. A reminder as to what is really important in life.

What the initiative helps to create is film-makers who have heart. To be able to tell their story and to do it so publicly is a very brave thing to do.

Because of all these, it was easy for us to make a decision for TBWA to be an Official Partner for the Honour Film Initiative.

My heartfelt thanks to Honour Singapore and Ngee Ann Polytechnic for this unique and ground-breaking initiative.”

Alrick Dorett
Chief Pricing Officer, Asia & Chief Operating Officer, Singapore & Malaysia,
TBWA\ The Disruption® Company

“As the pitch panel, we are looking to understand three things:

  • In what way is your story about Honour?
  • Who will relate to your story?
  • And how will it be experienced visually as a film?

Honour is a theme that embraces many topics, so you will need to find that focus, and be able to answer these key questions.”

Juan Foo
independent producer

“We look for stories that have what I call ‘the Honour verve’. It’s more than just film-making for film-making’s sake. It’s got to honour someone or an experience that matters to you greatly. Very often, the story is inspired by your life, but is told in such a way that is compelling for audiences to watch. That’s what we are looking for.”

Leonard Yip
Senior Lecturer, Ngee Ann Polytechnic

“As a pitch panel, we are here not just to critique your idea, but to value add to it. The filmmakers who are most open to advice are the ones most likely to succeed. So seize the opportunity to get input, because we are here to help you succeed.”

Michael Chua
Executive Director/Producer, Upside Down Concepts

“Stories from the heart are the best. So keep it simple.

Many young filmmakers like to veer towards melodrama, or indulge in multiple unneeded plot twists, which tend to trip them up. So, keep it simple, with the value of honour as the core of your story.”

Vincent Lim
CEO, Fanfare

WHAT FILMMAKERS SAY

Here’s a tip: Before you pitch your story, learn from these filmmakers who have successfully pitched and screened their Honour film. You’ll glean plenty from their inspiration, challenges and creative journeys.

Michelle Choo on “Ah Ma Number 1”

Lester Lim on “Two-sided Leaf”

Seah Zi Keane on “Ashton”

Amelia, Aisyah, and Yong Peng on “Housewives”

Anna and Ambrose on “Go Beyond the Flaws”

Lionel Seah on “Tomorrow”

Kathleen Bu on “Lady E’s Wedding Revenge Plan”

Kevin and Thea on “Handprint”

GurJeevaan Singh on “Haruwal”

Sherlyn and Pamela on “Ah Ma Flippa Ball”

Honour Filmmakers Journey (Season 8)

Jolyn Liauw on “Plesent”

Desyre and Inge on “Boundless”

Keesha and Gwyneth on “She Risks to Save”

Raphael Lim on “One Last Time”

Hidayah, Kate and Mardina on “Final Goodbye”

Brenda Er on “Trapped Memories”

Jackson Ho on “My Father, the Karang Guni”

Kathleen Bu on “An Elephant Ate A Goldfish”

D Naveen Raj on “The Chair”

Abegail Arendayen on “Tagalabas”

Joshua Poh on “Strike”

Seng Wee Chuan on “1276”

Brenda Er on “Katherine’s Story”

Eileen Chong On “Being a Mother”

Zulkifli Halim on “Uncle John’s Story”

Ashvin Segar on “Son of”

Brenda Er on “Until the End”

Sabrina Abu Bakar on Carik Bulu Ayam

Sabrina, Royce and Mirza on “Carik Bulu Ayam”

Eileen Chong on “The Boy Who Ran”

Joshua & Seha on “Gift”

Eileen Chong on Ah Leong's Story

Eileen Chong on “Ah Leong’s Story”

Laavania Krishna on “Thaiyal” (Stitches)

David Liem on “Rescued”

Thomas Franks on “The Man Who Saved LKY”

Gina Tan on Pencil

Gina, Joanna & Kenneth on “Pencil”

Brenda Er

Brenda Er on “When the Stars Align”

Ye Feng and Wei Lun on “Ubin”

Thomas Franks on “Sarah Means Princess”

Eileen Chong on “The Making of a Champion”

Amirah and Miranda on “Kafan, the Undertaker”

David Liem on “Unbankable”

Saraniya Saravanan on “Dinner”

Nur Khairah and Amelia Sai on “Ayah”

Eysham Ali on “A Better Life” 

Zulkifli Halim on “Firefighter”

Lena Goh on “Where a Dream Begins”

Ethel Yap & Ronald Wong on “Connected”

David Liem on “Sacrifice”

Thomas Franks on “Sohel’s Story”

Get in touch to pitch your short film!