Rare kampung spirit caught on camera

IF the omnibus film 7 Letters is a heartfelt SG50 tribute to all things local on the big screen, then Singapore Stories plays like its unofficial companion piece on the tube. The project is part of cable network Discovery Channel's First Time Filmmakers initiative and features five documentaries helmed by aspiring writers and directors.

Topics range from one man's battle against birds which get in the way of shoppers on Orchard Road in last week's opener to modern-day HDB farmers and the discovery of a secret bio-habitat harbouring a diverse range of marine life in upcoming episodes.

This week, first-time documentary filmmakers Mark Chua, 39, and Mark Kwan, 36, train their lenses on Dakota Crescent in their film, Heartland.