Low Wui Chong Colin
Diploma in Creative Writing for TV and New Media (DTVM)
Awards:
Tan Kay Yong Gold Medal
The Humble Visual Storyteller
While most youths today would be busy discussing the latest Instagram or TikTok trends, Low Wui Chong Colin would probably be seen reading up and posting about the latest news on local and global current affairs on his social media platforms.
The Tan Kay Yong Gold Medal recipient fondly recalls his passion for current affairs took root back in secondary school. He enjoyed humanities subjects like History and Geography, as he was fascinated by how historical and geographical events were able to influence and shape current affairs. Owing to his hobby of taking photos and videos on his travels around Singapore, Colin discovered that he enjoyed telling stories through these visual mediums.
Realising that journalism was a possible career path that he could embark on, the Commonwealth Secondary School alumnus decided to further his studies at a polytechnic to pursue this. Although he was not strong in his languages, it did not deter him one single bit. Colin eventually enrolled in Singapore Polytechnic (SP)’s
Diploma in Creative Writing for TV and New Media and has not looked back since.
Throughout his studies, Colin took advantage of several opportunities to showcase his talents. In 2020, he was part of an SP student team that achieved second place in an essay-writing competition organised by the US Embassy in Singapore. The competition required them to share their opinion on a topic entitled, ‘The Importance of Journalists in the Digital Age’.
The enthusiastic visual storyteller also worked with his friends to produce a music video
that highlighted a few measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The video was presented with the bronze award at the prestigious Crowbar Awards 2020 competition.
Eager to push themselves, Colin and his friends also produced a heart-warming documentary film about a Singaporean providing food for blue-collared Malaysians who were stuck in Singapore due to COVID-19. The film received an honourable mention at the Kuala Lumpur International Film Festival in the Sky and was also a finalist at the Crowbar Awards 2021.
Colin’s internship as a visual journalist with Mediacorp’s Chinese News unit further affirmed his decision to pursue journalism as a career. He felt fulfilled with being able to tell and share stories with viewers and helping them to understand news pieces from different perspectives. It also allowed him to reflect on how journalists are often able to amplify ‘the voice of the people’.
After national service, Colin plans to pursue his studies at university. “Be it a journalist or a civil servant, my lifelong ambition is to be in a line of work that makes our society a better place to call home,” he says.
With a keen eye for identifying unique story angles and a penchant for crafting engaging visual narratives, this humble storyteller looks to be on the right path to achieving his dreams!