Wong Kai Wing is giving his creative all to crafting visual effects to illustrate a story.
What’s your story?
During my youth, I had no dreams. I didn’t think or aspire to be anyone. I wasn’t the brightest in school, in fact far from it. With borderline academic passing grades and no direction in life, I felt like a failure. However, this all changed when I was admitted to a design school. Throughout this course, I began to take a liking towards well-thought designs, and the stories behind each piece of artwork. It was then that I realised that, maybe there’s something that I can still do, that is art.
My creative journey started rather late at the age of 18. As a beginner in art, I was constantly struggling to keep up with both the technical and creative aspect of being an artist. However, I was fortunate enough to have talented people surrounding me, giving me the motivation and drive to carry on and be just like them. As I continue my journey, my goals became clearer and clearer. At the age of 24, I finally found what I had been preparing myself for, Visual Effects.
I was blown away when I happen to chance upon an after effects tutorial by Andrew Kremer. It was really an eye opener to me in terms of the creative freedom and expression that I was able to get out of a piece of software. Since then, I have dedicated my all into learning the craft of visual effects to create compelling and visually appealing works and stories. It is also this same passion that led me to my humble beginnings in entrepreneurship in the creative industry.
What excites you most about your industry?
How we constantly push the creative boundaries of storytelling to create new experiences for our audience.
What’s your connection to Asia?
I was born and raised in Hong Kong until the age of 4, when my family decided to migrate over to Singapore. I really love the vast amount of cultures in Asia, but being a cantonese, I have always felt a stronger connection with chinese culture.
Favourite city in Asia for business and why?
Although I’ve been to several countries in Asia for travel, I’ve never worked there. However, based on my observations, I would have to choose Singapore because of the politically stable environment and less racial profiling for businesses.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
“It’s not how you start, but how you finish.”
Not everyone gets to start off the way they would like to, but you can choose how you want to finish it.
Who inspires you?
Ash Thorp. He is practically living my dream right now.
What have you just learnt recently that blew you away?
As prepared as you are, misfortune do happen. Embrace it and find your own way to work around it.
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
Maybe try to grow a prettier face, perhaps? Just kidding, as much as I would like to say that I should have started my creative journey earlier, I feel that it’s the sense of catching up with my peers that really groomed me to be who I am today. To be adaptive and a fast learner are qualities that I developed throughout the years and I really liked it. So, I’ll probably not do anything different.
How do you unwind?
YouTube, spotify and video games.
Favourite Asian destination for relaxation? Why?
Japan during the cold weather. It’s a great escape from Singapore’s all year round humid and hot weather. The taste of authentic japanese sushi literally cannot be replicated anywhere else except in Japan!
Everyone in business should read this book:
THINK like a sage. WORK like a fool. ACT like a criminal. By Mark Phooi and Jeannie Chia.
There are some valuable tips and lessons to being a designpreneur that I picked up in this book. Definitely an interesting read for someone keen to run a business especially in the creative industry.
Shameless plug for your business:
We are the specialist in visual effects and animations. We believe in using the right tools and techniques to solve creative challenges. A great story requires great visuals to reach it’s maximum potential, allow us to help unleash your unreached potentials.
Check out our works at wyrefra.me and do follow our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/wyreframe/ for updates that are exclusively only on social media!
How can people connect with you?
Email: [email protected]
Linkedin: https://sg.linkedin.com/in/wingokw
Twitter handle?
@wingokw
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This interview was part of the Callum Connect’s column found on The Asian Entrepreneur:
Callum Laing invests and buys small businesses in a range of industries around Asia. He has previously started, built and sold half a dozen businesses and is the founder & owner of Fitness-Buffet a company delivering employee wellness solutions in 12 countries. He is a Director of, amongst others, Key Person of Influence. A 40 week training program for business owners and executives.
Take the ‘Key Person of Influence’ scorecard <http://www.keypersonofinfluence.com/scorecard/>
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