After experiencing difficulty as a theatre director in the UK, director Glen Goei taught a course on film at New York University. From this experience, he became interested in directing his own film. After a project failed in London, he wrote his own script and moved back to Singapore to produce it. The Singaporean film industry was not well-established, and Goei had to rely on friends, such as actress Tan Kheng Hua, who served as casting director. To help finance the film, Goei had to mortgage his London apartment. He later described his behavior as naive, as he took major risks, such as licensing expensive pop songs. The songs paid off, however, when Harvey Weinstein of Miramax cited the music as a reason why he connected with the film and picked it up for international distribution.
