Behind The Scenes of MACH

Actions
Behind The Scenes of MACH

We’ve recently released our first ever RSAF short film, MACH, and we hope you’ve caught it!

MACH follows main character Ansel Wan as he goes through his training to become an RSAF fighter pilot. He meets with challenges as he undergoes his tough training, but as he approaches his first solo flight in the F-16 Fighting Falcon, he looks back upon his journey and realises that he had the support of his family, friends and fellow airmen and women as he overcame his hurdles. 

Let’s hear from some of the cast and crew who have participated in the making of this film!

What was your role for MACH?

SHAUN: I played Ansel Wan, callsign “MACH”, in the RSAF short film.

ASHLEY: I was part of the team from Air Force Information Centre that was behind the conceptualisation of the film.

CPT STELLA: In this film, I played an Air Traffic Controller, which is my actual vocation in the RSAF.

ERIC: I was the director and scriptwriter of this film, and was in charge of bringing our vision of MACH to life. 
 

 

Shaun rehearsing for a scene where Ansel is practicing his flight visualisation.

How did the idea for MACH come about?

A: The idea was first dreamt up by a member from my team. We’re always looking for unique ways to showcase the RSAF and how it works, things that the average person won’t get to see. This short film allowed us to bring out in a narrative format the ties between the team of airmen and women from different vocations, and how they all come together to achieve their mission.

What were some challenges you faced during the making of MACH?

E: There were a lot of planning that had to be done behind the scenes as we wanted the film to be as true to our airmen and women’s journey as possible. We drew storyboards for better visualisation, and we went through the script multiple times to make sure that all the details were accurate. 

A: The film had to reflect our airmen and women’s daily lives accurately, so we went down to the tiniest details such as the scripting of the actual take-off and landing instructions our controllers give daily, as well as the uniforms that Ansel was wearing at different stages of his training. We couldn’t fly to Perth to film the Basic Wings Course portion, so we needed a lot of creative camerawork and framing from the production crew to showcase that part believably.

Actual footage of the Basic Wings Course training in Perth was utilised in the film.

S: The toughest part for me was trying to understand Ansel’s training difficulties and the challenges he faced during that period, as an actor and civilian. In order to identify with his mindset as a pilot trainee, I had to do a lot of imagining to try to get as close to the character as I can. A pilot has to be swift and decisive, and as I can be a bit slow and indecisive sometimes, I had to overcome that to portray the character convincingly.

What were some memorable experiences during the making of the film?

E: It was an honour to have been a part of this short film. We got to interact with different aspects of the air force that people usually don’t get to see. Not just the pilots, but we also got to see how the Air Force Engineers and Air Traffic Controllers work and see how they link up behind the scenes.

ST: As I am an Air Traffic Controller in real life, my role in the film mirrors what I do operationally on a daily basis. So everything during the filming actually came naturally to me which was pretty meaningful that I got to show others what I do in real life.

S: I got to sit fully geared in the cockpit of a fighter jet, which is impossible anywhere else. Going around seeing all the bases, places which I wouldn’t be able to see in normal life, was pretty fun as well. 

While filming the scene where Ansel trains for his IPPT, I also got a little too carried away and I didn’t fall properly, so I sustained real injuries on my palms. But I guess as long as it makes it more convincing it was worth it!

Shaun and Stella rehearsing for the IPPT training scene.

What are exciting portions viewers should look out for in MACH?

E: The audience can look forward to see some exciting action. You can see some cool aircraft definitely. The cool factor of this film is like no other.

ST: Fighter pilots, I guess they have a reputation for having that swag. Shaun actually does have that factor and he also put his best into acting, so audiences can get to see him play that part very convincingly!

What do you hope the audience will take away after watching the film?

E: I was amazed by how large and united the RSAF family is. Through this film, I realised that the Air Force family is more than just the fighter pilots. I definitely feel very appreciative of how our skies are being defended.

S: What the public may see is the aircraft in the sky, but to get to that point, it takes the involvement of lots of people. Our controllers, air force engineers, even the people that just keep our airbase safe, it requires a whole team to achieve mission success.

A: The key thing we wanted audiences to take away is to realise that not one member of the RSAF is able to do what they do alone. No man is an island, and their responsibilities all tie in together to achieve a single mission. No matter the challenges you face, there are always people to help and support you in your journey.