OKJ is a Singapore-based documentary storyteller. He is working on his biggest and most ambitious feature documentary yet, "The Feeling of Music Playing". He is embarking on this project as an independent documentary filmmaker, self funding the production in its entirety.

I speak to him about his recent projects, including a series on Tiktok, the business of a documentary filmmaker, the risk he's taking on this latest and biggest project, and why the risk of regret ultimately outweighs everything.

OKJ Telegram Channel: @okjworks
Learning Mandarin Docu-Series on Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@okjworks
Why Monkey Bars Started Disappearing from Playgrounds?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zITMym7IOIQ&t=5s

Timestamps
0:00 Starting a Tiktok Docu-series on him Learning Mandarin Again
5:33 Learning Mother Tongue vs. Picking up a Third Language Debate
10:43 Why was Tiktok the Chosen Platform
14:00 Producing what the Audience Wants vs. Exercising our Creative Freedom
18:02 Working On Screen
21:00 Motivation to be On Screen
23:16 Appeal of Video Podcasting for JJ
26:37 What does it Mean to do Justice to the Story?
29:23 How does he Reflect Upon whether he has done Justice to his Work?
30:53 On Commercial Success & Innate Talent
33:24 Aspiration in Life (To Replicate what his Parents Gave him for his Children)
35:53 What is the Business of a Documentary Filmmaker in Singapore?
39:01 "Life is not a Finite Multiple-choice"
42:44 Carving our Life's Destiny/Recognising our Blessings in Life
46:56 Risk Taking/Money Philosophy as an Independent Film Maker
49:29 The Risk of Regrets
52:56 Giving Himself a 10 Years Checkpoint in his Career/Setting Multiple Checkpoints in Life
1:00:19 JJ Dropping A Maths/Experience in Ngee Ann Poly School of Film & Media Studies
1:01:46 Producing & Funding his Upcoming Feature Documentary
1:05:58 How does he Plan to Sell this Feature Documentary
1:10:23 Going on the Film Festivals Circuit
1:11:21 How has the Documentary Industry Evolved in the last 10 Years
1:13:29 What is this Documentary "The Feeling of Music Playing" About?
1:20:01 What does the Film Hope to Achieve?
1:22:25 The Choice of Instruments Featured/Challenges of Making the Documentary
1:25:13 When will "The Feeling of Music Playing" be Available to Screen?
1:28:20 The Difficulty & Complexities of Capturing the Essence of Music
1:29:39 Innate Talent is not a Prerequisite to Succeed at or Enjoy doing Something
1:32:45 Work Smart or Work Hard? (Why not both?!)
1:35:28 What Made him Take this Leap of Faith to Self Fund this Documentary
1:37:59 The Role of Luck/Embracing the Serendipities of Life
1:42:00 Connecting the Dots Backwards/Reflecting upon his Journey
1:46:08 Getting in Touch with OKJ
1:47:44 Outro

Watch the Video Podcast on Youtube!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCORhVKcas-PmIfjtv0_Xh3w/videos

Follow OKJ his Social Media!
OKJ Work's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/OKJWorks
OKJ's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/okjworks/
OKJ's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/okjworks/
OKJ's Twitter: https://twitter.com/OKJWorks
OKJ's Tiktok (The Chinese Docu-series): https://www.tiktok.com/@okjworks