Freelancer Nation

The Freelance Creative Exchange podcast has a brand new look! We are now the Freelancer Nation podcast, your go-to destination for transforming your freelancing journey. Discover more at freelancernation.asia

Relationships… 02/29/2024

The Hollywood schmooze 02/29/2024

Pivot 02/29/2024

Starting in an industry when there’s no industry… 02/29/2024

So this is my why 12/08/2023

Be Confident. Be Credible. Be Clear 12/08/2023

Unlock your most powerful self 12/08/2023

How To Talk To People to get stuff done 11/10/2023

Uncool: Things To Do This Month 11/03/2023

Decentralising education and the future of on-chain credentials 07/28/2023

Why NFTs are more than a Profile Picture with Yusuf Tigliy 07/14/2023

The Actor’s Space Ep 6: Let’s Talk about Money 05/19/2023

The Actor’s Space Ep 6: Let’s Talk about Money The Actor’s Space is a podcast hosted by Laura Kee, a freelance actor in Singapore. Through conversations with fellow actors, and industry colleagues, we will be talking about the working actor’s life in Singapore – how do we pursue our love for acting, while navigating the business side of the craft? Let’s create more conversations about the challenges of building a sustainable acting career in Singapore. GUEST Edward is a Master's graduate from the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Theatre Studies Programme with 22 years of experience as an actor. He works as an Actor, Host, Model, Voice-Over Artist, and Corporate Trainer for MNCs and foreign governments. He also conducts financial literacy classes for freelancers and graduating students, and wrote and hosted a finance series called #Adulting on Yahoo TV. KEY TAKEAWAYS • Savings = Income – Expenses. To save more, raise your income or lower your expenses! • Invest, or put your money in fixed deposits. Do not leave your money to rot in the bank. • Hide money from yourself so you are not tempted to spend it! • Negotiate your fees & loading. Your skills as an Actor are unique and valuable. • Before you even start investing, make sure you have adequate insurance coverage. QUOTABLE QUOTES ‘We are creatives, we are artists, we offer something that the average person on the street cannot so know your value. … Because otherwise, you're going to show up to work with this niggling feeling in the back of your head that you're being underpaid. And that's going to affect your work.’ – Edward ‘The opportunity costs of leaving your money in the bank is spectacular. … Either you invest for yourself, or you put it into CPF. Otherwise, you're leaving it in the bank to rot.’ – Edward ‘Companies will always lowball you. The first offer you get is always the lowest that they are willing to offer you. So always negotiate, no matter what.’ – Edward Connect with Laura Website: IG: TikTok: Connect with Edward IG: Connect with us! Website: Facebook: Instagram: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: Check out other series on our previous FCE episodes 🎨 Freelance Creative Exchange: /episode/index/show/freelanceexchange/id/26888556

The Actor’s Space Ep 5: Actor Training – yay or nay? 05/14/2023

The Actor’s Space Ep 5: Actor Training – yay or nay? The Actor’s Space is a podcast hosted by Laura Kee, a freelance actor in Singapore. Through conversations with fellow actors, and industry colleagues, we will be talking about the working actor’s life in Singapore – how do we pursue our love for acting, while navigating the business side of the craft? Let’s create more conversations about the challenges of building a sustainable acting career in Singapore. GUEST: Kamil Haque is the founder and Artistic Director of Haque Centre of Acting & Creativity (HCAC), Singapore’s first professional acting studio for everyone. As Asia’s only experienced teacher of the Lee Strasberg Method of Acting, and the creator of The Haque Method, Kamil has coached well over 10,000 students, many of whom have appeared in major award-winning Hollywood films, stage productions, television shows and national commercials around the world. KEY TAKEAWAYS • Focus on a character’s objectives and obstacles, rather than their emotions. • Method acting basically refers to your method, or process, of preparing as an actor. That’s it. • You can suffer for your art, without having to hurt yourself for your art. • Read & watch videos to learn more, but also find ways to practise. • Acting can be a lonely profession. Build your community. QUOTABLE QUOTES ‘It's way more interesting to see a character fight against the emotion than to give into the emotion because we don't do that in life. Why would we want to do that on stage or on TV?’ – Kamil ‘Method acting at no point in time said an actor must suffer, must bleed, must lock themselves in the bedroom for 30 days … And it does not, and it should not ever involve you having to hurt yourself.’ – Kamil ‘The hope for Singapore actors would be that we begin to connect brain to body more, that we allow ourselves to be to embrace failure … that we begin to embrace the inner life of the craft of the work and not just the outer life, the teeth and tits side of the craft.’ – Kamil Connect with Laura Website: IG: TikTok: Connect with Kamil: IG: Connect with us! Website: Facebook: Instagram: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: Check out other series on our previous FCE episodes 🎨 Freelance Creative Exchange: /episode/index/show/freelanceexchange/id/26821110

The Actor’s Space Ep 4: Best Practices – Working as an Actor in Singapore 05/05/2023

The Actor’s Space Ep 4: Best Practices – Working as an Actor in Singapore The Actor’s Space is a podcast hosted by Laura Kee, a freelance actor in Singapore. Through conversations with fellow actors, and industry colleagues, we will be talking about the working actor’s life in Singapore – how do we pursue our love for acting, while navigating the business side of the craft? Let’s create more conversations about the challenges of building a sustainable acting career in Singapore. GUEST: With over 35 years of experience in Singapore’s arts scene and with international experience that ranges from Asia to South Africa and Europe, Jeremiah Choy is a Creative Director, Producer and Curator. He has directed and produced theatre shows, concerts, arts festivals, Singapore and International events. In 2019, Jeremiah was recognised by the Law Society’s Pro Bono Service for his contributions to Legal Awareness. He won the Best Supporting Actor Award at Life! Theatre Award 2019 for his role in Leda and The Rage. KEY TAKEAWAYS • Always put an oral contract into writing, whether email or message form. • Workplace safety is not just physical safety – it includes mental, social, emotional and psychological safety too. • Negotiate your terms, and be bold to speak up if you feel uncomfortable. • Balance your rights against your responsibilities and obligations as an actor. • Include your business costs – preparation time, wardrobe, bonuses etc – in your fees! QUOTABLE QUOTES ‘I've always lived with a mantra that I need to apply the art of business into the business of the arts.’ – Jeremiah ‘First and foremost, it's about putting yourself in other people's shoes. … It's really treating one another as human beings, rather than as machines on set, on stage. … We need to kind of recognise that we're all struggling.’ – Laura ‘I strongly encourage, especially for younger actors whom they feel that they may be blacklisted, and they are accepting things that they are not comfortable with. … you need to negotiate out of it. And if you can't take it, then don't take it because you will get very stressed, you will get very worried and you're not able to give your best.’ – Jeremiah Connect with Laura Website: IG: TikTok: Connect with us! Website: Facebook: Instagram: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: Check out other series on our previous FCE episodes 🎨 Freelance Creative Exchange: /episode/index/show/freelanceexchange/id/26752569

The Actor’s Space Ep 3: Getting Beyond the Casting Jitters 04/28/2023

The Actor’s Space Ep 3: Getting Beyond the Casting Jitters The Actor’s Space is a podcast hosted by Laura Kee, a freelance actor in Singapore. Through conversations with fellow actors, and industry colleagues, we will be talking about the working actor’s life in Singapore – how do we pursue our love for acting while navigating the business side of the craft? Let’s create more conversations about the challenges of building a sustainable acting career in Singapore. GUEST: Casting Director Dorothy Sng is an industry veteran with over 15 years of experience under her belt. Her long-suffering perseverance in a difficult industry has always been driven by a desire to uncover and fulfil potential through her work. Notable productions she has worked on include Long Long Time Ago, Diam Diam Era, Ah Boys To Men 4, Number 1, and Little Women, a Netflix K-drama. KEY TAKEAWAYS • Be remembered by not only your performance, but also having the right attitude on set. • Do your homework! Don’t be afraid to ask valid questions so you can perform better. • Submit clean and clear headshots, without filters. Show your authentic self. • Be flexible and adaptable. Remember that directors have different working styles. • Casting directors are rooting for you to do well! QUOTABLE QUOTES ‘You don't have to be too afraid to ask questions. Things like that are healthy to have. Because it helps you play your character better.’ – Dorothy ‘Social media helps you get seen, perhaps because of the algorithm and all sorts of things. But really, if you do call them in for audition, it's the performance at the end of the day that will seal the deal’ – Laura ‘When I meet those people who come for auditions, I always tell them, don't need to be afraid of me, just be relaxed, we're here to help you, we're not here to harm you in any other way. Because if we are not interested in the first place, we wouldn’t even bother contacting you, right?’ – Dorothy Connect with Laura Website: IG: TikTok: Connect with us! Website: Facebook: Instagram: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: Check out other series on our previous FCE episodes 🎨 Freelance Creative Exchange: /episode/index/show/freelanceexchange/id/26687334

The Actor’s Space Ep 2: Working with a Director 04/21/2023

The Actor’s Space Ep 2: Working with a Director The Actor’s Space is a podcast hosted by Laura Kee, a freelance actor in Singapore. Through conversations with fellow actors, and industry colleagues, we will be talking about the working actor’s life in Singapore – how do we pursue our love for acting, while navigating the business side of the craft? Let’s create more conversations about the challenges of building a sustainable acting career in Singapore. GUEST Sanif Olek is an award-winning, Singapore-based film writer and director since 1996, with a portfolio that ranges from independent films to current affairs. On a drama set, Sanif credits the deep conversations his actors shared with him on their process as the main factor to mine their best performances. His debut independent feature, SAYANG DISAYANG, was Singapore’s official entry to the 2015 Oscars® (Best Foreign Language Film). KEY TAKEAWAYS • Let your authenticity as an actor shine through. • Don’t be too technical in your craft. Allow yourself to adapt to changes. • People talk, on set and off. Your work ethics – being punctual, working well under pressure, being professional – are as important as your work. • Be prepared to work with people who do not get along with you. • Come on set with an open mind. QUOTABLE QUOTES ‘At least in my eyes, right, they just have to be themselves when they act, so they don't have to bear the burden of having to perform.’ – Sanif ‘If they only have like 15 minutes before sunset, how do they perform? Or like, 2am in the morning when everyone is shagged and tired? How do they perform?’ – Sanif ‘You know, not everyone likes you on set. So when everything happens on set, to just sort of like, you know, just take it in and focus on the process.’ – Sanif Connect with Laura Website: IG: TikTok: Connect with Sanif Twitter: IG: Linkedin: Blog: Connect with us! Website: Facebook: Instagram: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: Check out other series on our previous FCE episodes 🎨 Freelance Creative Exchange: /episode/index/show/freelanceexchange/id/26610156

The Actor’s Space Ep 1: Starting an Acting Career in Singapore 04/14/2023

The Actor’s Space Ep 1: Starting an Acting Career in Singapore The Actor’s Space is a brand-new podcast hosted by Laura Kee, a freelance actor in Singapore. Through conversations with fellow actors, and industry colleagues, we will be talking about the working actor’s life in Singapore – how do we pursue our love for acting, while navigating the business side of the craft? Let’s create more conversations about the challenges of building an acting career in Singapore. GUESTS Shannon Zann – emcee, actress & content creator Kimberley Kiew – multidisciplinary performer & yoga instructor KEY TAKEAWAYS Take classes to build your foundation as an actor. Track your income & expenses! Always track who owes you money, if any. Build a community with similar struggles and similar passions, to support and encourage you through the ups and downs. Your acting career is your small business – create an invoice template, know your worth, and negotiate your fees. In Singapore, you may not be able to survive on an acting income alone. Build viable alternative sources of income that may complement your acting work. QUOTABLE QUOTES ‘20% of your time will be on set or on stage. 80% of the time, you're working on yourself, you're working on your skills, you're going for auditions, … you are kind of just doing things that buffer and build your time on set and your time on stage.’ – Kimberley ‘At the heart of it all, this is a business, right? This is not just a passion or something that we’re doing as a hobby. This is really our business and we are all small business owners of our own careers.’ – Laura ‘It’s like YOLO but at the same time, you have a backup plan. Yeah, so we’re not being reckless here okay?’ – Shannon Connect with Laura Website: IG: TikTok: Connect with Shannon TikTok: IG: Youtube: Connect with Kimberley IG: Connect with us! Website: Facebook: Instagram: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: Check out other series on our previous FCE episodes 🎨 Freelance Creative Exchange: /episode/index/show/freelanceexchange/id/26541906