Social Media Production

2023

27 Sep, 2023

Filming With A Japanese Masterchef

Content Producer

It was my last shoot with Pan Pacific. Among their many planned promos was the new menu launch of their Japanese restaurant, Keyaki. I was responsible for liaising with the client, developing the content plan, and organising the production schedule.

With no specific featured dishes, I proposed a cooking montage to showcase the culinary cornerstones of Japanese cuisine. The variety of shots would also prove useful in serving a more dynamic and visually engaging picture.

This deliverable was amended to a shorter runtime; leaving the original proposed content to be reconceptualized. Instead of playing up the menu’s variety, the focus was shifted to the dedicated and refined artistry of Head Chef, Kawakami Hiroaki. We had the narration limited to a simple few sentences to allow for more freedom during the editing process.

Chef Hiroaki was a delight to work alongside! To ensure an authentic depiction of expert Japanese cooking, we periodically consulted him regarding set dressing throughout the shoot. His playful charisma and impeccable sense of professionalism made this one of the most enjoyable shoots of my career.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyubdHGMANg/

14 Sep, 2023

Collaborating With One Of The Best Clients I've Ever Worked With

Content Producer

Here was a fresh opportunity outside the retainer accounts I’d been working with. Here came my second reel for Pan Pacific. We aimed to highlight the fine dining brunch menu from one of the hotel’s signature restaurants, Hai Tien Lo.

I was responsible for communicating with the client, suggesting content ideas, handling prop logistics, and supervising the shoot. The assigned deadline was demanding, set at a week and a half. Like the previous deliverable, its contents were focused on the client’s products so much of the logistics would be provided by them.

With limited details provided, I had to conduct extensive independent research. I searched through libraries for an appropriate soundtrack while developing the content plan and storyboard. Thus, ensuring the tone and pacing would align with the planned concept.

In anticipation for the volatile nature of a kitchen environment, we prepared for many shots to be readapted. There were camera angles around the stove scenes that needed adjustment. Particularly, the truffle shaving scene needed the prop substitution of a microplane for a more visually captivating shot.

Executive Chef Ricky was an absolute delight to work with. While experimenting with extra shots, he was extremely sporting and proactive in sharing his culinary insights. He was even insistent on feeding our crew the dishes that were already shot.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cx4aMqzNLw8/

14 Sep, 2023

Leading My Own Social Media Production

Content Producer

Prop Master

Art direction

I was assigned to spearhead a project as the lead producer with a seasonal client. This deliverable was a shoutout to their premium mooncake box set for the season’s end.

I was charged with corresponding with the client, proposing content, managing props and logistics, and overseeing the shoot itself. The deadline was a tight week and a half.

As mooncakes are often indistinguishable by their exterior alone, I went in a creative direction that would highlight the cross-sections – showcasing the colourful design and unique flavours. I constructed a narrative demonstrating the entire customer experience of buying the mooncake box; featuring the free leatherette bag, tea set and overall packaging.

Both the baked and snow-skin mooncakes were manageable in terms of styling. I requested the snow-skin mooncakes be provided frozen to better maintain their appearance as they’d melt at room temperature.

One notable challenge was the inability to use the actual tea set as the only units available were meant for sale. To circumvent this, I prepared near-identical teacups while having the tea-pouring scene off-camera with a different teapot.

All in all, it was a good shoot. Everything was wrapped on time and the client was pleased with the final deliverables. Props to the client for their incredible hospitality and cooperation.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxriN7mNBZr/

12 Sep, 2023

Sides & Garnishes: Our Unsung Heroes

Food Stylist

Prop Master

There’s versatility in employing high-key food photography techniques; to minimise distractions and direct the viewer’s attention to specific details. However, there’s something to be said about the value of styling with sides and garnishes.

For this post, we were set to do a GIF to showcase a frozen fried Chicken Karaage from the client’s new Japanese series. To align with the theme and save on the budget, I brought two Japanese-style plates from home. Following thorough research of classic serving styles, I decided to present the chicken with lemon wedges and julienned cucumbers.

Drawing on my experience as a seasoned home cook, I took on the challenge of authentically preparing the cucumbers. Although it required some practice and an early start on the shoot day, I successfully achieved my desired results.

It's important to note that this product was just one component of many recipes, and fried chicken, in particular, tends to have a singular colour and texture. Thus, the addition of sides and garnish is integral to the visual storytelling – not just for aesthetics but cultural context.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CyAuW9ES_An/

12 Sep, 2023

Prepping Alternates: The Magic Behind Filming Food

Food Stylist

Prop Master

Food is a delicately decaying subject that requires planning contingencies. Whether it involves backup ingredients, dishware, or complete dishes, everything must be ready to be alternated. In the context of this shoot, the primary focus was on the prep process.

Given that the medium was an Instagram reel, the recipe needed to be quick and simple. This aligned with the strategic perpetuation of this frozen food product's “convenience” unique selling point. I hired a hand talent for this shoot; so we needed to balance off-camera preparations and on-camera segments.

The bowl of water for the sliced cabbage needed an alternate as each redo take needed to be neatly reset – especially with the literal transparency of the glass. I prepared the finished dish ready for substitution with some oil on hand to revitalize the chicken’s shine. The sauce was the only constant maintained on camera: from the assembly to the final plating.

In addition to these efforts behind the scenes, omitting redundant steps keeps content quick and focused. Consumers could reference the packet instructions for the product. Similarly, the simplicity of slicing lemon wedges rendered the process redundant on camera. It’s this kind of thoughtful editing that prioritizes relevant on-camera action.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyfp0dgyHUz/

07 Sep, 2023

Aesthetics VS Realism: The Balance of Food Styling

Food Stylist

Prop Master

I’d always felt a deep divide between styling for aesthetics and styling for realism. It wasn’t until my experience working with F&B outlets that I truly understood the delicate balance.

This was a case where the proposed content did not accurately represent the product. The original GIF was meant to showcase how the client's croissant filling flowed and oozed – almost to the calibre of food porn. However, upon slicing into its cross section, we were met with a lacklustre supply and consistency of filling.

My colleague and I quickly concured to readapt the concept to showcasing the tantalizing smoothness of the filling; rather than the abundance of it. Per standard practise, I sliced open the chosen display croissant and 2 deformed backup croissants to consolidate more filling. Then, it was just a matter of dilution for a smoother consistency.

Embellishing and beatuifying food had always been a bit of a dilemma for me. However, I this experience gave me a better understanding of the limitations and the purpose of this practise to begin with. What are your thoughts on how we augment the illustration of food?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CykBiasiQ-A/

30 Aug, 2023

Overcoming One Of My Most Challenging Productions

Food Stylist

Prop Master

Whether it’s cooking or styling, a test run is always invaluable when filming food. Putting together this Instagram reel, we were performing a combination of both.

This was a more absurd but whimsical post on “hacking” the restaurant dishes. As assembling the dishes on camera wasn’t intimidating enough, sourcing the large mug turned out to be an even more daunting challenge.

This irreplaceable mug made overseas online sources too unreliable with uncertain shipping dates. To my dismay, there were no local online sellers either. I found that my regular vendor had it stocked but wouldn’t allow single-unit purchases. Eventually, I was able to track down another local vendor with the same mug available in single units, and for cheaper too!

The pandan chiffon dipped in curry was simple enough – with only the curry’s adherence to the cake being a concern. Consequentially, the XXL yuan yang drink required the most trials to get the right pour angle for the tricky dual streams.

The nasi lemak ingredients for the drop shots were a lot more stable than expected. I even finessed the process with a fastened toothpick behind the egg to impale the top slice of bread for better security and presentation.

Despite spills and stress, it gave us the needed practice to catch up when behind schedule on shoot day. I’m still grateful for the overall experience and the many more ahead!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CxzUmIxS9eh/

30 Aug, 2023

Styling With Ice: Planning Ahead Of The Melt

Prop Master

Food Stylist

Working with ice is an indisputable pain. From the moment it’s brought to the set, there’s a ticking time bomb. In this case, the struggle was mostly upon the dilution caused by the ice.

I conducted a test shoot the week prior – using the studio’s cups and the office milk carton as stand-ins to experiment with its composition alongside the selected props. I even used a bed sheet from a prior shoot of the same account as the coloured matched exactly. Thus, eliminating the need to buy another fabric backdrop.

As this was a GIF instead of a static post, the race against the melting beverage was only intensified. We had our account executive on standby to have replacement beverages ready when needed; which is why I’m happy to report that this only took 2 attempts. It was just a matter of smoothing the pour.

All that being said, food styling and planning with a test shoot is always advantageous for refining those little details: ice or no ice. That is as long as you have the time!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CyAMDhwNhVX/

24 Aug, 2023

Prop-posing Contingency Content

Food Stylist

Prop Master

Content Producer

On this account, content inspiration would be typically drawn from viral trends or seasonal promotions. However, when our client extended their mooncake promo, there was only so much content left to produce without appearing too repetitive.

It was then that my proposed contingency content came to our aid. Interestingly, the inspiration for this post centred around a unique prop I had procured for more oriental client content. After many posts on mooncake fillings, came this opportunity to showcase more of the whole exterior.

The prop was a basket constructed as a deep ceramic plate with a bamboo handle. Typical brown rattan baskets would blend into the mooncakes. While the dark ceramic basket brought an enriching texture and contrasting colour. Inspired by afternoon tea stands, I also decked the basket with white paper dollies to add more dimension and polish.

While marketing traditional confections, it was refreshing to collaborate with a client so embracing of modern and whimsical concepts.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cxef8UlPa-Y/

18 Jul, 2023

The Proof Is In The Test Cook

Food Stylist

Prop Master

I was excited about this shoot because it was my first time producing recipe content. My colleague came to me about pitching a recipe that involved unconventionally remodelling the product. Despite doubts from various parties, we set out to prove this concept with a test cook.

The product was a readymade beef patty to be cooked as is. The apprehension pertained to the feasibility of remoulding the frozen patty after a complete thaw. I conducted a successful test cook, accomplishing the proof of concept required for client approval.

I had conducted a few trial runs playing with different patty temperatures and cook times. With each attempt, I would observe more nuances and tips handy for me to advise our hired hand talent. I experimented with a few variations to portion each component and the specific melt of the cheese before settling on the final presentation.

There’s always an adjustment when cooking in the kitchen of another so practice and familiarisation was key for me. Overall, I was pleased with the final result and would call it a success. What are your thoughts?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CvrYOe-y-E3/

18 Jul, 2023

Boss Level Food Styling: The Floss Bun Tower

Food Stylist

Prop Master

I’ll never forget the chaos surrounding this floss bun tower. This was my first official shoot for this client with my new team. There couldn't have been a more challenging time to confront one of my most demanding food styling assignments to date. It made my initial nerves around fashioning the yellow curtain backdrop amusing in hindsight.

I faced two main obstacles: getting the floss to adhere and managing the buns' softness. Any handling would cause inevitable shedding and patches. Hence, a bag of excess floss is always included in our logistics for such needed touch ups.

However, the disfigurement from stacking the buns was a more complex issue. There was absolutely no structural integrity for even one bun to stack onto another, much less three.

With the buns being displayed on their long side, I carved a crater into the bottom bun’s back that was out of camera view. I placed a block for weight support but quickly realised this would only remedy a situation with a single tier. Eventually, I had to carve a deeper crater with each bun to lighten the weight and delicately install cut skewers for balance.

Arduous as the journey was, we ultimately managed to produce the set standard of quality. More importantly, it served as a turning point for me and my team. From that day onward, morale, teamwork and communication flowed smoothly.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CvdwMXdN1yz/

12 Jul, 2023

Top-Down Shots: The Staple Of Visual Storytelling

Food Stylist

Prop Master

I’m always pleased and excited to execute top-down angled shots. There’s minimal distortion, greater control in focus and added opportunities to offer a unique perspective on your subject. One such instance was this mooncake post.

The client’s mooncake was a more traditional variation that involved an exceedingly fragile puff pastry. Moreover, the client’s request to showcase the variety of fillings posed the additional challenge of slicing and presenting clean cross-sections. Each slicing attempt had no guarantee that the given batch would be presentable or irreparably distorted.

Besides the artificial jasmine flowers I procured, a majority of the props were already available in the studio. As we were shooting two posts concurrently, my colleague and I coordinated to execute the set-up and set styling seamlessly. Special attention was placed on the tilt of the cross-section and the symmetrical aesthetic we were aiming for.

It’s no surprise that top-down shots are among the most versatile angles in visual media. Case in point: the original crop was considerably wider but per the client’s request, it was tightened. I’d love more perspectives on this. Would this have benefited from a wider view?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CwEsuENs8JJ/

10 Jul, 2023

Teamwork Improvisation In A GIF-fy

Prop Master

Food Stylist

I was excited about preparing for this post. The props, composition, and aesthetic were to my liking. Comparatively, it was among the more executable mooncake posts as well.

The logistics were arranged by the client: their premium mooncake box and its offerings. I used the existing wooden platform and teapot from our studio. I was pleased to feature the new tile backdrop I’d procured; much to my team’s approving gazes.

My main challenge was the Chinese tearaway calendar. Being new to Singapore, I wasn’t familiar with any local mom-and-pop stores yet. Even after asking my local colleagues, I remained mystified. Time was limited, especially for online orders to ship. It was thanks to the support of my account executive that we succeeded.

On the shoot, I had fun with our creative moving the mooncakes frame by frame to create the final stop-motion effect. Interestingly, the final frames were improvised to leave the crumbs – realising it added a charm to the narrative as a clean dining experience is rarely left crumbless.

It just goes to show the incredible value and fulfilment to be found in teamwork. Without it, we may never discover unexpected improvisations that could improve our work.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CwJvdN5NWln/

29 Jun, 2023

My First Stint In Professional Food Styling

Food Stylist

This account stood out as my favourite; being the only one where I was actively involved in developing the foundational brand content pillars from scratch. With other clients, core branding elements were pre-established when I joined.

Under these circumstances, I felt more decisive and confident in my food styling and set dressing. Shoots were mainly on location, with needed logistics sent to the client site. I provided instructions on ingredient prep as well. With the post spotlighting a single dish against a clean backdrop, it was imperative that the food styling be polished.

I piled the chee chong fun into a stable mount, ensuring a small heap would be visible above the soup level. This proved advantageous when plating the toppings afterwards. All seemed well until oil separated from the soup - easily fixed by stirring before pouring.

Overall, a great first on-site food styling experience, made possible by my supportive team: our creative, our account manager and executive, and our content strategist.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cu8fmAhpB0f/