Bloomberg releases new documentary series produced by Heckler Singapore’s Jasmine Tay
Heckler Singapore has announced its first foray into long form storytelling with the release of Momentum, a six-part documentary series commissioned by Bloomberg, part of Bloomberg Originals.
From research and scripting, through to production and post, Heckler worked closely with the team at Bloomberg Originals to bring this series to life.
Produced by Jasmine Tay, Momentum takes viewers on an adventure-filled exploration of Asia’s ever-evolving economic landscape at the intersection of technology, sports, entertainment and culture; diving deep into the heart of markets and stories driving the transformation of the region.
Hosted by Bloomberg’s Chief Correspondent for Southeast Asia, Haslinda Amin, the episodes explore a range of topics from India’s burgeoning role in the international space race to the architectural renaissance that is reshaping Korea, to an AI powered robotic revolution in Japan to how Singapore is shaping up as a future city and how semiconductor technology in Japan is moving into the future.
Filmed across nine cities and over seven months, Tay called on Singaporean director June Cheong for this all-female strong production team. Together, the duo battled typhoons, earthquakes, cancelled flights and crew health issues to bring the whirlwind series to life. Tay’s background in narrative production, coupled with Heckler Singapore’s strong expertise in CG/VFX helped elevate the series, defining a new visual language that aligned with the director’s vision.
Cheong says: “Jasmine is the Dana Scully to my Fox Mulder, the Abed to my Troy, the Samwise Gamgee to my Frodo Baggins. Like all great producers, she tempered my flights of imagination with her voice of reason. She also believed in my directorial vision and came armed with an open mind, a keen eye for logistics and a genuine dedication to making this project the best it could be.
“We encountered many surprises, hiccups and last-minute changes on the shoot, but Jasmine handled all these production setbacks with equanimity.”
Tay said: “This is my first time working with June and it was quite the ride! Her passion for the project was like a caffeine boost for the whole team – impossible to ignore. She’s an extremely hardworking writer/director; always diving into the details and pushing for that extra bit of magic in every episode.
“While she occasionally drove us to the brink with her relentless pursuit of perfection, it was all in the name of making the show shine.”
Tay also highlights the skillset transfer and unique challenges attached to producing both short and long form content, acknowledging that Momentum provided the perfect opportunity to flex her skills across both arenas.
“Producing for short form/TVC projects is a sprint, and long form storytelling is a marathon, and whilst both have their challenges and opportunities, each lean into skills that complement the other. Ultimately, it really comes down to managing people, being economical with your shots, and adhering to tight schedules,” added Tay.
The first three episodes of Momentum are now available to watch here, with more episodes set to air over the coming month.
Credits
Bloomberg
Executive Producers: Neville Gillet, Emma O’Brien, Andrew J. Barden, Kyle Kramer, Tre Shallowhorn
Editorial Supervisor: David E. Rovella
Creative Director: Rubab Shakir
Head of Creative Operations: Regina Dellea
Story Producers: Angus Bennett, Robin Fall, Bruce Einhorn, Stella Ko, Vicky Feng, Jack Wittles, Heejin Kim, Paul van Deventer
Field Producers: Alex Chandler, Abigail Daisy Morgan, Leila Hussain
Presenter: Haslinda Amin
Heckler
Executive Producer: Charu Menon
Director/Writer: June Cheong
Series Producer: Jasmine Tay
Series Assistant Producer: Ooi Hooi Woon
Director of Photography: Kenz Koh
B Camera Operator: Jeff Mah
Post Supervisor: Cody Amos
Offline Editors: Huang Kaini, Nurulhuda Ismail, Danial Razak, Meghan Dwyer
Assistant Editors: Craig Woo, Zackery Wang
Post Producers: Felicia Tan, Lee Miao Wen
CG Team: Kepa Casado, Danielle Melianti
Online Editors: Melvin Chan, Danial Razak, Eugene Seah
Motion Graphics Lead: Chan Xin Yu
Motion Graphics Artists: Liting Yen, King Yu Xin
Audio Mixer: Bertrand Tan
