Dreamer

The Dream Job.

A new creation, Cheng Hui Shan. She’s intelligent, strong willed, proud, a career woman, but also stupidly blind when she’s in love.

Not my favourite kind of woman. She’s real, in that world, but I keep to my own reality in my own world.

There were many beautiful moments for me while working on this project, moments where I saw the good in people.

My health wasn’t in the best state when I took on this project. Being burnt out from The Dream Makers 2 is probably an understatement. The mental and physical struggles were tough. Back to back projects with no breather in between just really wore me out. I had a real serious case of food poisoning over the new year, and the most annoying cough that wouldn’t go away and I lost my voice several times. It hindered my job and I lost more weight.

Under such circumstances, we would usually be asked to “help” and just carry on filming because there were too many conditions to fulfill. But the Executive Producer actually granted my medical leave and told me to rest. It’s rare for this to happen, but it did. It moved me greatly and I’m thankful for this genuine concern and for this key person to value my health over production.

Team Actors also came to me with all sorts of remedies: Manuka honey, throat remedies from Shanghai, suggestions of what to eat, even sharing my lines so I didn’t have to talk too much. Grateful, truly grateful.

Travelling to Perth for filming was an additional perk. The schedule was relaxed (in my opinion) and it was a great getaway. Perth is a beautiful place, and I have many good memories from my last trip there many years ago.

It’s also definitely a plus when the production team knows what you love and add that into your character. Drawing was incorporated and so, I had the chance to do a little of that in the drama on this trip to Fremantle. I did an additional sketch as well, so look out for it.

Back to nature… need I say more? Definitely this over the hustle and bustle of the city. Definitely this over shopping.

My leave was finally approved while working on this project. The anticipation for that day’s arrival was tremendous and I was thrilled when it was finally a wrap for The Dream Job.

Back to character…

In a way, I wished Cheng Hui Shan was a little more ambitious, a little more shrewd, a little more demanding, that would have given her a different dimension and a little more colour.

That said and done, I’m glad I’m back to being me.