March AOTM Winner
Andrew Cheng
- @Drewcjc -
1) Q: Give us an introduction about yourself?
A: My name is Drew. I’m 24. I’m a creative director, videographer, and video editor. I’ve been doing this for the past year and a half.
2) Q: Where are you from?
A: I’m originally from Taipei, Taiwan. I lived in Long Island, New York, and I also spent a few years in LA.
3) Q: Where do you live now?
A: Taipei, Taiwan
4) Q: How did you get to where you are today?
A: I am who I am because I have the courage to dream, and the willingness to put in the work to accomplish a dream. On a day to day level it is being aware that I’m a work in progress, and being a sponge. There is always something that I can learn from the people around me. I feel like only by doing that was I able to learn the things I wanted to learn, and advance the way I wanted to. Last but not least, being good to the people around me.
5) Q: Is there anything notable that happened while growing up that shaped you into the person you are today?
A: Growing up in Asia I spent a lot of time learning what I should be doing. That led to me being accustomed to navigating my life around what I should do to be successful, what I should do to be a good person, what I should do to have a good career, and what I should do to have a fulfilling life. During the transition out of college & after a break-up I started realizing that I hadn’t really thought about what I wanted in this life. I had been following the guideline of this life, and trying to do what I was supposed to do instead of thinking about what I want. By that point I realized at the end of the day it is your life, and you should do what makes you happy. That is literally the key to having a fulfilling life, and how you merge that with reality is a different story. Having been accustomed to think about what I should do has actually pushed me to learn more about who I actually am. That gradual positive way of discovering my true self led me to become the person I am today.
6) Q: If you could live anywhere in the world for free, where would you choose?
A: I would love to live in Hawaii, but if you asked me right now I would say LA.
7) Q: What are your talents?
A: First of all that is a question I think about every single day. I think on the surface my talent is storytelling, and capturing emotions through my camera. I can tell a story though video editing very well. That is what I think on the surface, but there is more when I think about my real talent. I never went to school for video, and I only started a year & a half ago. Which is why I never considered that my true talent. If I had to say something it is having the ability to learn things quickly, and being empathetic. Overall, I’m a videographer, an editor, and a director.
8) Q: Are you naturally talented, or did you acquire your skills?
A: Probably a little bit of both. I think people over glorify the concept of being naturally talented. I also feel like you have to have something to begin with, but you have to put in the work that is required to learn new skills. I actually think when I look at my art it is a culmination of my experiences. My experiences, simulations, and feelings to be exact. Instead of me just saying I just have a flat out natural born gift of a talent that I was inherently born with.
9) Q: How do you develop your skillset & improve your talents?
A: I think this is two different things. In terms of hard skills it is just taking it one step at a time. Constantly staying curious, and going after what you want to learn. Realizing what you have to do to learn that skill, and then executing on it by being realistic with the steps it takes to learn that skill. The other thing is to learn more about yourself. I think with my creativity in general it is a reflection of myself, and the better you know yourself the easier it is to make creative decisions in the process. The better the work will be as a result.
10) Q: How do you leverage your talents in your professional career?
A: It’s understanding that content is king in this day & age. Also, understanding that brands need content to tell their story. In order to practically leverage that you can’t be afraid to put out your work. You have to let other people know of where you’re at with your skillset, and showcase what you can do for them. A huge part of our career in this industry is putting yourself out there on social media, and constantly connecting with people. If you’re good to them, and they see your potential then you can be rewarded with something.
11) Q: What are some opportunities you have gained because of your talents?
A: I started off with GQ a few years ago, and it was all from a connection through a fashion editor I contacted at a company called Coffee Chat. Fortunately, that led me to the opportunity at GQ, which also led me to working at Paris fashion week. After I left GQ I flew to Malaysia to shoot for this amazing actor named Godfrey Gao. Unfortunately, he passed away last year. RIP GG. I shot for him & his fashion brand. I also shot for a whiskey brand called Kavalan. I shot for some of the artists in Jay Chou’s record label. He’s basically like the Michael Jackson of Mandarin speaking countries, so that was a big deal for me. I was supposed to shoot for Ferrari last week, but it got cancelled because of the virus unfortunately. I think that opportunity will come again in the future hopefully, but I established a great relationship with that team.
12) Q: What do you do for work in the industries you are experienced in?
A: I provide avenue to relaying emotion & a story behind a brand. From what we can see, they’re videos that make you learn about a brand’s story better. They make you feel an emotion that you can connect to a brand with.
13) Q: Who, or what, inspired you to get started in your career?
Q: This guy is a little bit distant, but I read an article on Jerry Lorenzo about his founding of Fear of God. The reason he intrigued me so much is because he has always been outwardly spoken about his faith in christianity. I was never able to tie together his concept of streetwear with christianity. Two things that would come together in an unnatural way, but he did it so well. When I read his story he inspired me because he showed me to unapologetically be yourself. I was also raised in a christian family, and he showed me that as long as you know who you are & you’re not afraid of being yourself then people will respect you. Inspiration from a far he was definitely my first.
14) Q: Do you enjoy the work you do?
A: I love it
15) Q: What is something you have failed at, and did you learn from it?
A: Plenty of things. Where do I begin. I’m just gonna list things out. When I first went to college I rushed my business frat twice. The first six interviews I went for to get an internship I failed miserably. I took the LSAT 3 times, and I’ve applied to law school twice. All that contributed to where I am, and who I am today. Every failure is an opportunity to rise. Quoting the legend himself, Blake (Kobe actually said this, and I told Drew this on our last phone call), every failure is an opportunity to rise, and that is just how I look at it now. I welcome failure if we’re on that topic. It’s actually exciting to fail, and know what you’re lacking. It puts everything into perspective, and provides clarity on what can be improved on.
16) Q: What are some of the biggest myths about the work you do?
A: The biggest myth is that our lifestyles are always about having fun. They are not always as extraordinary as the general audience may perceive them to be. Parts of our lives are definitely like that, but that is what we are working for. Behind the scenes though, there are a lot of sacrifices that we must make to accomplish these circumstances. Given our priorities for that, it is worth it.
17) Q: What are some recommendations for others just getting started in your field of work?
A: Don’t get intimidated by the lack of knowledge, or the amount of things you have to learn. Take it one step at a time, and enjoy the process.
18) Q: What is your opinion on social media?
A: I think it’s cool. One thing that has pleasantly surprised me is the ability to meet & connect with people on these platforms. It was never really a thing thing years ago. Even our connection here is from social media. To this day we haven’t been able to meet. It all started on social media, and made possible because of it. Being able to connect with like-minded people without being effected by geographical factors is dope. There is always a down side to it, but it comes down to how you approach it. Social media itself is inherently not a bad thing, but I think the way it is used in negative ways can be a problem. Such as people clout chasing, and going after superficial fame. That is your intention that is off, and not social media that made you be that way.
19) Q: What are you most passionate about?
A: I am most passionate about inspiring people to live, to laugh, and to love.
20) Q: Whats your top 3 goals in life?
A: First is to live a meaningful life on my own terms. Second is lifting up & cherishing the people around me. Lastly, is to direct a movie.
21) Q: What motivates you daily to achieve your goals?
A: This might sound a little bit sad, but if I am nearing the end of my life then I want to know that I spent it in a meaningful & fulfilling way. That is literally why I do what I do every single day.
22) Q: Best advice for increasing productivity?
A: Remembering the why. Your intentions. Knowing why you’re doing what you’re doing. There is no reason why you wouldn’t want to be productive. On a day to day level creating to-do lists are huge. Creating long-term goals, and short-term goals. Both on a micro & macro scale. Breaking down those goals into individual tasks so that they can actually be accomplished.
23) Q: What is your philosophy on life?
A: As cliche as it sounds, it is to live every day like it is my last. Life is fleeting. The biggest opportunity we have been given is to experience moments. It’s all about enjoying the process, and gaining as much as you can. Enjoying yourself, being happy, and finding fulfillment. I remember Kobe being asked what his basketball career means to him during an interview. AN average person would be content with a legendary basketball career, but Kobe said if those were his best years then he has failed at life. What that really struck me for is how much he enjoyed the process, and how much it meant to him. I think what is most important is the people you touch, the people we interact with, the experiences we have, and the perspectives that we have gained. Your perspective that has been challenged is the most valuable through the whole process. As long as we are learning new things, and enjoying the process then that is all you need in this life.
24) Q: If you could be any animal, what would you choose?
A: wolf because I always thought a wolf to be majestic & a silent killer type of feel. That really speaks to how I feel about myself, and about things in general. Plus, they move in packs, and that is something that I have always been situated in.
25) Q: What is a fun fact that no one knows about you? // or // a fun story that you would like to share?
A: I take the longest dumps, and I take like four or five a day. The reason I share is because my best thoughts happen when I’m on the throne. I always end up on the toilet for like a half hour just thinking about things.
