Television Director, Producer
Who are you and what do you do?
I am a mentally creatively immersive and over-analytical person who works as a Television Director and Producer, and sometimes scriptwriter, in Malaysia.

What's the first thing you do every morning?
Snooze for almost an hour cos' I hate mornings. When eventually I get myself to the office, I'm checking emails and updating myself on what needs to be followed-up for the project. I do a task checklist to help me through the day.

What do you spend most of your time doing?
During an on-going project, I'm thinking, imagining and visualizing how to execute a script or an idea off a concept paper (an outline with the show's objectives, content and style) to make it interesting enough for the TV audience. In between projects, I would be surfing the Net or reading or talking to people trying to get ideas for a new TV show. Then putting everything down into a concept paper to pitch.

+What is a director's typical shoot day like?
Hectic. Multitasking, multi-thinking is a must. You need to be able to think on your feet and make decisions for all the areas of production. You are the leader of the technical crew (cameraman, audio, lights etc) telling them what you want and need for a specific shot, angle, mood, movement, style; in support of your work, the production team (assistant director/s, production assistant, continuity, production coordinator) are each assigned tasks prior to shoot day to execute and prepare the way for the director to get the right shot, content for the TV programme.

What's the best thing about your job?
Meeting different people in every different project; Trying to come up with something fresh and "out of the box" each time is such a wonderful challenge that doesn't bore me to bits. Every project is new and different from the previous, so the learning curve is steeper and there are new experiences every time.

What's the worst thing about your job?
The long, immersive hours that tends to drain me from everything else outside of work, that sometimes makes it difficult to spend time with family and friends. And even when I try to take myself out of it, I find myself thinking how to solve a problem or drawing more ideas almost like second nature.

What's the department like?
Work is more team based than department based. Depending on the genre of the TV show you work on, your team size vary. Dramas require a large and more complex team, while a magazine show can survive with a skeleton team of a Director, Producer, Unit Production Manager, Writer, Assistant Director and Production Assistant.

How did you get into your current company (what was your 'break')?
The college I went to didn't have the facilities for us to produce a short documentary. I met the Producer at this company, whom a year after helping my group finish our assignment, offered me my first job as Assistant Director. This was almost 6 years ago.

Advice to someone who wants to start in the industry
Don't be afraid to ask questions, & don't be afraid to say you don't know. Remember to always be open to ideas and suggestions, all the time. It doesn't help to have an ego.
If you're interested in becoming a director one day (or part of a production team), you can choose to study Film & Television or Mass Communication. Get a showreel done, or at least a student film for you to use as a "resume".

What's the salary like?
Usually alot of people in the industry start out as a freelancer, moving from project to project with different companies. A college graduate with basic production knowledge can begin earning RM1500 per month on a contract basis. As you gain more experience and confidence with a production house/company, they may hire you as a permanent.