Student Stories

“Keep up the dedication and consistency, and you’ll get to where you wish to be one day.” – Winston

Could you briefly share with us your current career portfolio as a Director at a media and entertainment company?

Filmmaking has been a great passion of mine and I’m now setting my foot in this field by being a part of the production company, “Cineaste”, right after I finished my course at PSB Academy.

I’ve also started to dabble in commercial shoots as a director of photography (DoP) for brands such as KFC Myanmar, Real Slim Australia, etc.

Winston working as a DoP during one of the commercial shoots.

What are the challenges that you face in your career and how do you overcome them?

As a Director, I must be pro-active and responsible. Shooting on a film set means that not even a single mistake can be made. Preciseness and getting everything right on the day are crucial.

Things can get really hectic for each project during both pre and post-production. Thus, advance planning and solid teamwork are important because knowing the exact outcome will always get you by.

What accomplishments are you most proud of in your life, till now?

This is not really an accomplishment, but the fact that I chose to do what I set out to do in the first place is something I’m proud of.

Taking up the media and communications course at PSB Academy has given me new opportunities. My journey has only begun. If anything, I’m grateful for the knowledge gained and the person I have become today.

We understand that you left your previous job as a radio host to travel to Singapore and study a Diploma in Media and Communications at PSB Academy. What motivated you to take this course with us?

Just a week before I attended my first class at PSB Academy, I was still working as a radio DJ, hosting week-day shows in English from 2 to 5pm during which I felt the need to take it a step further as I was planning to embark on the media industry.

After doing a lot of research, such as making comparisons of the media courses in Singapore, I chose to go with PSB Academy. The media facilities at PSB Academy and its community were the reasons I took the course here. However, I believe what’s more important is to make good use of what you learn in class. And now, I can say that I made the right choice.

In what ways has your education at PSB Academy added value to your career and personal development?

The knowledge I gained from the course was not only eye-opening but also opened many doors for me.

Aside from improving my own pre-existing knowledge in film and radio, I got to learn other areas in the industry such as modern-day marketing and journalism. That’s where I learned that in the media industry, every area is connected and that a media student should look into more than one aspect.

Most importantly, I’ve gained the mindset of a media student, through media literacy. I can now see the “why” behind the media content we consume and create every day and the “how” in breaking them down and communicating the message to the audience. And this noticeably affected the way I produce media content in my career. I would also like to give credit to the notable lecturer of Media and Communications, Mr. Aaron Rao, for all his support and guidance.

Do you have any advice for students who are interested in taking a similar course?

If you are looking to pursue media and communications, chances are that you are joining as you already have an interest in one specific area in media just like how filmmaking was the initial reason for me.

However, not until you join a media course, will you realise that many areas are connected in the media field. So, it’s good to have knowledge in other aspects as well.

A media and communications course will equip you with that, as it sets you on a direction with essential knowledge.

Share a personal quote or mantra you live by.

To get to where others won’t, you have to do what others don’t want to do. Always look at what you have achieved so far; Keep up the dedication and consistency and you’ll get to where you wish to be one day.