Past Career as a TV Producer

 
It's one of those days where you met some new friends and start talking about life and career. And one of the thing that always crop up in conversation is what I've done previously. After all, at 40, I have started to fall into the category of people who has been there, done that. Sounds amazing but also looking back, start to realize that the people I meet are getting younger and younger.
 
As a career, after graduating from Art school, there was only 1 direction I wanted to take, to be part of the TV industry. At that time, being 21, young and gung-ho with a few years experience of working in a Production House while I was still studying, made me feel I could take on the world! And at time, the biggest and hippest place to be at is ASTRO. Yup, never cross my mind to join TV3 or RTM after my team got merged with NTV7 and I decide to forge my own path elsewhere. 


And I would say it's one of those decisions I did not regret, ASTRO in those days was modern, taking on the digital technology and merging the old with the new so I got to learn all over again. Learning about some of the tools and tricks that is employed with older technology while putting in my own fair share of experience with the newer technology that I've picked up over the years shooting music videos and fashion shows.
 
It was a steep learning curve too! I've to start writing scripts, do my own research, edit footage and montages as well as learn to put a show together as a Producer. It was not easy but it was very exciting. I've also got to know a lot of new acquaintances that I still call friends today. Meeting international celebrities and working with them, you'd also realize, they are human after all. In a way, it made me a bit muted when it comes to celebrities cause we've worked with them, that glam around them was also shattered because of our close dealings too.


 
It wasn't easy parting ways in 2002 after I've been with the same company from 1996 but sometimes, we just have to move on when we realize that there is only that much that we can do and we've hit that limit. For me, I got burnt out, working Monday to Sunday since I started working without taking a proper break took a good toll on me.

I ended up in Mediacorp's Channel 5 though when some crappy thing happened in my personal life and I decide to leave for greener pasture in Singapore. But despite how much I try to find other work, I still end up working in the TV industry because of my experience. I have to say that the knowledge I've gained when I was doing my own shows as well as what I learn from ASTRO days was invaluable. Despite being new, I could jump straight into work and start producing stuff from the 1st day.
 
 
The past 6 years though, my career has shifted to a different direction but in terms of growth and experience, what I've learn in those 2 companies helped me a lot especially when it comes to managing projects and teams.  Only difference is, instead of dealing with a different team on a weekly basis for Live shows, I now do the same but with different projects. The juggle is similar, it's just a different environment and type of work I do.

Do I miss the TV life? Yes and No, Yes because I used to be able to travel around for quite a bit at the company's expenses covering glamorous events and stuff.   No because despite us producing the Live shows, we can never watch it LIVE ourselves but  get stuck staring at multiple monitors  and making sure graphics are ready, scripts are scrolling and VTs are marked for playback.

Ah.. .sometimes, it's nice to look back at life. Don't you agree?


Michael Yip

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