GurJeevaan Singh Balrose was about to graduate from LASALLE College of the Arts’ Bachelor in Film programme, in April 2020, when the pandemic struck.
Like many of his younger fellow graduates, the 31-year-old watched the situation unfold with a sense of foreboding.
“Some of the video production houses that I had applied to told me they had stopped hiring because of the pandemic,” he says. “I was worried because I was already in my early 30s and I needed to find a job soon. But I did not want to settle for something that was not related to media production.”
Spark of a new passion
GurJeevaan had decided to take up filmmaking as a career only as a young adult. He had already graduated from Singapore Polytechnic (SP) in 2015, where he trained to be an engineer – though he had little intention of becoming one.
“I spent four years studying Computer Engineering at ITE College East before studying at SP for two years. Even at the outset, I was not particularly passionate about engineering; my goal was to simply find a job that paid well,” he says.
The seeds of his passion for filmmaking were planted when he took an elective in storytelling at SP. “We learnt how to present a compelling story around a photograph,” says GurJeevaan. “I took a strong liking to it. And that was when I started toying with the idea of creating other stories through photos or videos.”
After his graduation from SP, GurJeevaan signed up for the Ship For Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Programme (SSEAYP), a cultural exchange trip.
“During the trip, I sailed to various countries, like Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam. I took photos and videos of the 50-day trip and edited them into multiple short films,” he says. “By the time I returned, I found something I really wanted to do, and that was to become a filmmaker.”
Stepping onto a new path
Once ashore, GurJeevaan got his first taste of the media industry experience by interning at various video production houses. He also took up a one-year part-time Diploma in Film and Television (Production) at the Singapore Media Academy (SMA) in June 2016. Over there, he learnt the basics of video production, such as scriptwriting and camera work.
GurJeevaan then enrolled at LASALLE with the goal of acquiring a deeper knowledge of filmmaking.
“It wasn’t just about understanding the technical aspects of filmmaking. Our lecturers taught us to analyse film structures and how to employ different techniques to shape a coherent narrative,” he says.
“The curriculum was rigorous,” says GurJeevaan and students were regularly assigned to make short films. “While my focus was on directing, we could try out different roles throughout the course, such as sound design and cinematography. This helped me to appreciate how each function contributed to making a good film.”
A ray of hope
With nearly 4 years of formal training under his belt – which included internships at two film production houses – GurJeevaan was ready to step into the professional world. But he did not anticipate a pandemic to hit. As the job market took a downturn, he saw his prospects drying up.
Still, GurJeevaan did not stay idle. Through a friend, he picked up three freelance projects directing music videos.
“Yes, I was feeling dejected about the job situation, but I did not want to let that impede my growth as a filmmaker. So, I continued to find ways to practise my skills, and earn some income,” he says.
Then, in November, help arrived in the form of a job alert from his lecturer at LASALLE. It was for a nine-month SGUnited Traineeship (SGUT) position with ATP fitness, a gym chain. The company was looking for a marketing content manager with photography, videography and story-telling skills.
The SGUT programme is a government initiative to help recent graduates develop their professional skills through traineeships while earning a monthly training allowance. These work stints last up to a year. As of December 2020, more than 20,000 companies were offering this programme, and more than 4,700 graduates had signed up.
“My main task is to take professional photos and videos of the gym, the personal trainers and the clients so they can better market their services to prospective customers,” says GurJeevaan.
He says he is grateful for this opportunity because he can apply the skills he learnt in school.
“This job has not only provided me a chance to apply the skills I’d learned at LASALLE, but also given me an added learning opportunity, which is about the art of marketing a brand,” says GurJeevaan. “This is a skill I may not have picked up if I had just gone to a traditional video production house.”
Through his discussions with his managers, GurJeevaan learnt how to create videos that would attract the gym’s potential clientele.
“It isn’t just about taking a camera and shooting a video. You need to understand the target audience, and what will motivate them to share it with their friends or on their social media accounts,” says GurJeevaan. He adds that he has picked up basic social media marketing skills such as creating advertisements on Facebook.
These marketing skills would be vital when he wants to direct and produce feature films in the future, says GurJeevaan.
An optimistic future
Despite the impact of the pandemic on the media industry, GurJeevaan is optimistic about his future as a filmmaker, because of the attendant skills he picked up at his SGUT position.
He says, “To stay attractive to employers, I think it would be necessary to show that you are flexible and are able to handle multiple roles – just like what I’m doing at ATP Fitness. You also need to be willing to pick up new skills beyond your core expertise.”
GurJeevaan also believes he possesses the grit to overcome the obstacles in his path.
“I have already gone through so much in pursuit of my ambition. The pandemic is just another slight bump in the road; it’s not going to alter my goal to become a filmmaker,” he says.
“I am proud of my achievements. Haruwal, a film I shot in India, was screened at the Capitol Theatre in November 2019 and was showcased at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival the following year,” he says.
To those who are facing similar circumstances, GurJeevaan says, “Just take one day at a time and focus on getting better each day. Have faith that the journey will work out.”
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