Yap Khai Jing is a movie lover, but his love for movies goes beyond just watching them. He aspires to tell stories through the big screen, in his own style and own way.
Khai Jing has participated in all sorts of production sets since high school and believes that the production process requires different roles of the production team giving their best to create a masterpiece of their own.
“A lecturer once told me that a good gaffer doesn’t just set up light equipment and call it a day, but instead, the gaffer will take hours to coordinate the perfect lighting that goes well with the scene, even if it’s just for one short scene.
“The proper way to create a video is to take every small detail into account,” he said.
Act 1: Getting into video production
Khai Jing’s got his start in video production just like everyone else — with a DSLR camera and a tripod stand. He first started shooting videos for his school clubs and quickly got hooked by the thrill of it.
Inspired by one of his school’s alumni who came back to their town and shot a short film, Khai Jing then decided that he wants to do the same, but bigger.
While waiting for his SPM results, he then started a short film project with another film enthusiast friend of his.
With the help of his older cousin, who is a veteran in the production field, they started their project from scratch. From writing the script and recruiting a team, to seeking investment, sorting out the logistics, and renting necessary equipment, they spent six months preparing before finally producing a complete short film.
“It was an eye-opening and exciting experience that I will remember forever,” he said.
Act 2: Stepping into the scene
After producing his first short film, Khai Jing continued to seek opportunities in different production projects up until his university years.
As a broadcasting student, he made friends with a group of like-minded individuals and together, they founded a production company called Seven Motion Pictures.
Their team has worked on several music videos and dance cover videos, here is one of their videos:
Despite establishing a production company of their own this year, the team is not in a rush to expand their business yet.
“Given the current economy and that we are still newbies navigating through the pandemic, it would be challenging for us if we want to quickly grow our business,”
“Currently, our members are actively looking for chances to be a part of other production projects to gain more experience and connections in the field,” Khai Jing said.
Act 3: Moving forward
According to Khai Jing, his team are aiming to gradually build up their team’s reputation to become an established and prominent production house in the near future.
“Our ultimate goal is to become a production team specialized in producing movies.” Khai Jing said.
One of their visions is to become a team that gets involved in high production projects such as movies, music videos, or advertisements for big brands.
“It would be a dream come true if I get to direct a movie that any movie lover can genuinely enjoy and appreciate”
“When we are producing a play, the lighting, camera work, set design and actors all work hand in hand to portray a convincing story.
“And for me, creating an artistic value in my work is what I seek for,”
When asked what he can advise to those who want to get into the production field, Khai Jing answered that the best way is to get physically involved.
“When I first join a professional production team, I had to run errands, set up equipment, and carry things around.
“Chances are up for grabs as long as you are hardworking and don’t get too fussy about the workload because it isn’t difficult to get a small role in a production team.
“However, it is important that you have passion for what you are doing. Don’t just join for the sake of the fun and excitement.
“Love what you do and always be eager to learn anything.”
Find out more about Khai Jing and his team, Seven Motion Picture by clicking here!
Sources: Khai Jing
Editor: Raymond Chen
Proofreader: Lau Hui Qi