Joey Leong - Video Producer

Chapter 3: A Test of Experience, Bandwidth, and Growth

60 videos over three months, and then 120 over four.

Working at FirstCom Solutions was a chapter in understanding my personal bandwidth and limitations.

I left Maxima Creatives because I wanted to work with larger teams and get a pay bump. I still wanted to write and produce videos; maybe this time, focus on churning out video scripts.

FirstComs Solutions found me on LinkedIn, and I felt confident enough to enter the field of video production for advertising, since Marketing was a concept I had become familiar with over the preceding two years.

As local businesses struggled through the pandemic, there was a need for them to digitise and automate their operations (think cashless payments) and to market their products and services to entice consumers to patronise them (Which, in turn, stimulates the economy and boosts cash flow).

As Account Managers meet these business owners to understand their business objectives on their journey to digitisation, Digital Accounts Content Managers/Video Producers like me are sent in tandem to propose video ideas to meet their marketing objectives.

I was given a team: A dedicated videographer, a photographer, and a video editor to produce digital content for these clients. The Video Producers were also given a pool of talent (short-term influencers or actors) to book and manage.

In the macro, the year was filled with the routine of meeting clients, managing their expectations, understanding their Unique Selling Points (USPs), and proposing script outlines to best market their products or services before arranging for shoot dates and booking talent where applicable.

At the micro level, being on a team has allowed me to refine my video production skills, master lighting fundamentals and videography, and develop acumen for sound video scripts.

Due to the volume of projects, video scripts are rarely written before the shoot; they are usually drafted on the spot upon the video production team's arrival. Yes, that means the year was filled with me meeting the production team early in the morning on-site, reviewing what the client had to offer to shoot that day, and drafting a script on the spot for the talent to perform in front of the camera.

Rinse and repeat for two cycles: once for a total of 60 videos over three months, and the second time for 120 videos over four.

If the math has not been apparent, that means averaging 2 videos a day and ensuring the off-site video editor completes at least one by the next day.

It was a tough season, with my schedule comprising 2 video shoots in four-hour blocks during work hours, going home for dinner, laying the groundwork for future shoots, such as booking talent or drafting script alternatives, and entertaining client calls about their imminent production days after 12 AM.

Still, working at Firstcom Solutions was no doubt a fulfilling and fun experience, as being on a team means learning from and depending on each other's strengths.

What is FirstCom Solutions?

FirstCom Solutions Pte. Ltd. was a digital agency that helps Small-to-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) grow their business through digital marketing. They have served over 200 SMEs, mainly through initiatives like the Productivity Support Grant (PSG).

Today, they market themselves as a training institute for Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) courses and call themselves Skills Development Academy (SDA) (formerly called FirstCom Academy).

How Was I Involved?

Video Producer and Digital Accounts Content Manager

2021 - 2022

I helped over 150 SMEs achieve their digital marketing objectives by producing digital content, such as high-definition photos and short-form advertising videos for social media.

I also led a team of editors, photographers, and videographers, managing and directing talent, producing video scripts, and working closely with clients to ensure the creative product aligns with the Unique Selling Points of their products or services.

PSG-DM Video Samples

The following videos are just a handful of the 180 we successfully produced with my team. Unlike my previous chapters, you will notice that food is not the only medium that has been advertised. We have worked in various settings, including retail, professional services, and even the electrical appliance industry.

Luggage was one of the first product shoots I conducted. We were tasked with featuring a pair of then-unreleased sets of VOX luggage for a distributed Marvid International. These two pieces of luggage were sustainably made from recycled materials, such as plastic bottles, and despite being made from used materials, they were sturdy and stylish, making them unique.

The client was clear in communicating that they would like their video to be as professionally made as possible - No frills, no comedy- and with the idea that purchasing this luggage would help reduce ocean waste.

Every shot was accomplished at the studio, in-house, with two talents available, thankfully, within a day.

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Working with talent means opportunities to explore their eccentricities and to see whether they can play caricatures, as seen in the video above.

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Sometimes, you get to bring these caricatures to meet children, which makes the entire day just a tad more enjoyable.

In all seriousness, I was initially sceptical about completing this video due to concerns that children would be non-compliant with instructions, but if you are willing to allow them the space to explore the set and feel comfortable, the shoot can proceed pretty smoothly.

The mothers were a great help too.

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It was challenging to conceptualise a video about selling the PSG-DM grant, as the reason you are creating videos in the first place is the PSG-DM grant.

Brainstorming the psyche of a business owner and how corporate services like audits and the PSG-DM grant helped draft a reasonable and successful script. The idea of "before" and "after" was explored here too.

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