Singapore experience fuels intern's passion for documentary making
During her three months in Singapore interning with media production company Beach House Pictures, Melika Lolaki got to try her hand at an array of film-making skills, from writing pitches to "boots-on-the-ground doco fieldwork" and editing. Melika is an up-and-coming filmmaker and Sir Edmund Hillary Scholar at the University of Waikato where she conjointly studies Screen and Media Studies and Computer Science. This internship was jointly provided by the Foundation, Beach House Pictures and Doc Edge.
As a young person with a passion for filmmaking, I believe documentary storytelling yields unfathomable potential in empowering marginalized voices and highlighting meaningful discourses.
Having experienced this first-hand working on an observational documentary series in New Zealand, I was seeking another opportunity to expand on my experience within an international context. This made the internship with Beach House Pictures the perfect fit for me.
Upon arriving at the Beach House HQ in Singapore, I jumped straight into work with the development team.
Life in development is fast-paced and vibrant. With the guidance of my mentor - and head of development - Jessica Lee, I joined brainstorming sessions, conducted research and helped in the writing of documentary pitches and briefs for clients.
Melika: "...I was fortunate to be able to experiment with different creative storytelling approaches..."
Beach House is one of the largest privately owned media companies in Asia and a true pioneer in the region when it comes to unscripted and documentary projects for large international streamers and broadcasters. Their clients include the likes of Netflix, National Geographic, Discovery and Smithsonian.
As the company works with such a diverse clientele, they meticulously tailor pitches with an international audience in mind. Their development approach was vastly different to anything I had previously worked on.
I found my time in development to be creatively stimulating and rewarding. The team was incredibly nurturing so I was fortunate to be able to experiment with different creative storytelling approaches and build an internationally-focused development skillset.
My time with the Labs team reunited me with the boots-on-the-ground doco fieldwork I love dearly.
As part of a wildlife series, I had the opportunity to undertake junior direction by conducting interviews out in the field.
Having the opportunity to learn from wildlife experts and interact with various animals was one of the highlights of my internship experience. What made this project especially rewarding was helping document something that audiences could simultaneously enjoy and increase their environmental knowledge by watching.
Melika: "My time with the Labs team reunited me with the boots-on-the-ground doco fieldwork I love dearly."
Another Labs project I was involved with was the making of an advertisement. This shoot was very stylistic and as a result demanded intricate lighting be used to bring the director's vision to life. I had the opportunity to shadow both the director and cinematographers on set which enhanced my understanding of stylistic lighting within an advertisement context.
Last but certainly not least, I had the opportunity to work in post-production at Space Lion Studios. From learning about their state-of-the-art facilities to being immersed in their highly efficient and streamlined workflow, working in post-production was a real treat.
During this time I was able to extend my adobe suite knowledge and see some of the most cutting-edge post-technology in action.
I particularly enjoyed learning about the Dolby Atmos sound suite. The Dolby spatial audio technology enabled me to experience immersive sound in a way I had never experienced before. This newfound sound knowledge has inspired me to consider how I can better utilise and enhance sounds in my own films and creative projects.
Besides the invaluable work experience, I was also eager to explore the beautiful country of Singapore.
Despite having one of the highest population densities in the world, the advanced green urban planning of the self-proclaimed ‘garden city’ made it a breathtaking sight to behold.
A few of my travelling highlights include evening strolls under the chimerical city lights of Marina Bay Sands, relaxing at the beach on Sentosa Island, braving the rollercoasters at Universal Studios, seeing the beautiful flora at the world-renowned Gardens By the Bay and visiting the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in the heart of Chinatown.
The internship provided Melika with an opportunity to get to know Singapore - its places, food and people
I was also very lucky to taste the diverse and delicious fusion foods at the various local hawker centres. Some of my favourite culinary delights included Nasi Lemak, Shrimp Hokkien Mee and Chwee Kueh. Yum!
It is without a doubt that the knowledge gained from this experience will influence my filmmaking journey as a director. I am eager to make more films with my newfound industry knowledge and look forward to visiting Singapore again in the future!
The Asia New Zealand Foundation provides opportunities for young New Zealanders to intern with companies in Asia and New Zealand companies and organisations working extensively in the region. The internship programme aims to help interns build a better understanding of the people, place and culture of their Asian host country, while developing industry-specific skills that will benefit them as they progress in their careers.
