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five or seven to seven, so it’s a bit hectic. HBO Asia is
not as big as HBO, we don’t have series as big as The
Game of Thrones, but we will get there!”
tell you rather than leading you on, making you think
that you have a chance working with them. I think that
not being direct is a waste of energy and time.”
“I am surprised at how much of what I learned at
Webster is used at my work. All the hands on classes
that I had including Photoshop, photography, and
video production classes, have helped a lot in terms
of the technicality, the way to handle things and how
to draw storyboards.”
Dream job
“I love my job at HBO Asia, but at some point I really
want to incorporate media with animals. Then I can
get the best of both worlds. I would like to edit
videos about animals, which would be the perfect
combination! After HBO I
am considering going over
“It’s a start and
to National Geographic. In
I’m so excited!”
April I will start to volunteer at the Singapore zoo, I applied and got accepted
for Wild life educator. It is a start and I am so excited!
I have so many things I want to do; I really need an
agenda, I need to plan things. I can no longer just
pack my bags, book a one way ticket and go somewhere anymore. Although, I cannot stay anywhere for
too long so my next plan is to move to Japan. Currently
I’m learning Japanese, I am determined to learn the
language well. That’s my goal for now.”
Webster feels like home
“When I think of Webster it still feels like home.
Webster always had their lights on and the curtains
open, it looked so cozy and welcoming. When I had
evening classes I would
walk through the beau“The best part
tiful city of Leiden and
of Webster
could see Webster from a
is the diversity”
distance. I always looked
forward to the upcoming lesson because the teachers
really cared about their students and this showed in
their teaching.”
“Amanda Lim, Production
Assistant at HBO Asia
and Webster Alumna”
After her graduation in May 2014, Amanda booked a one way flight back home to Singapore because of a job
interview at HBO Asia. Fortunately for Amanda, she was hired and began working right away. Singapore is 7 hours
ahead of the Netherlands so we meet via Skype after her work day at HBO is finished and mine is just beginning.
When she answers the video call a happy face pops up, it was definitely not another day at the office.
Working at HBO Asia
environment. We are always writing scripts; then we
film and when that is all done we edit them. I deal
with everything regarding production. For example,
if we have HBO Asia original series that are going to
be filmed, then we are on the set all day, just running
around. Usually we work 12 hour days from five to
“Every day I go to work with a big smile on my face
and I finish the same way. It is so much fun at HBO
Asia, they do so many awesome things. I am a production assistant in the programming department. I get
to do so much stuff and it is a very hands on working
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Webster University Alumni in the Spotlight • issue 2, 2015
“My advice for Webster students is to get to know everyone. I think it is so important to network as much
as you can during your study stage. This way, by the
time you are ready to enter the workforce you are
one step ahead of everyone else. And finally: ‘Go big
or go home!’”
“The best part of Webster would be the diversity.
At Webster you meet so many different people from
different cultures. It has been a real eye opener in
terms of how to adapt and to learn how to talk to
people from cultures other than my own. I do not
think I would be as open minded as I am now if I had
not studied at Webster.”
By: Tania Pescador & Laura Weijers
Connecting is the key
“While working towards my BA in Media and Communications I went to many different kinds of events,
because it is very important to network. You have
to go to events and you have to start talking to the
attendees, even if it is outside of your comfort zone.
I’m not a very naturally social person, I do not like to
talk to people I do not know. You have to force yourself to go out there and mingle, and things will start
to come easier.”
“You can learn a lot from international people, all
cultures are unique in different ways. For example,
from the Dutch I learned to be straight forward. In the
beginning I was afraid to talk to Dutch people, it is
just so scary when they just say everything that they
are thinking. Eventually you will learn that this can be
a good thing. If a company does not like you they will
www.webster.nl
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Webster University Alumni in the Spotlight • issue 2, 2015
Interview Amanda Lim
Interview Production Assistant at HBO Asia and Webster Alumna
Webster Alumni in the Spotlight