Local actor Ian Fang gets candid about his life after leaving Mediacorp and money woes
Local actor opens up about post-Mediacorp challenges and unexpected career shift
Leaving the proverbial nest can be a rocky road and Singapore actor Ian Fang had a taste of it since his departure from Mediacorp in April.
Speaking to 8days recently, the 34-year-old opened up the challenges he faced as a “solo player” in the industry.
“Everything was a blur and I was confused. Right now, I'm not attached to any agency. I don't have managers. I do everything myself,” he reflected of his time after his departure, echoing the complexities of a newfound independence.
His journey through financial struggles and solo ventures
Amid financial turbulence, Fang also recounted an incident where he made an business arrangement with a client to do a social media post but was dropped at the last minute due to “budget constraints”.
For him, this was a learning experience and he realised he would face similar situations in the future.
Acknowledging the monetary strain, he openly admitted that his income was affected and he had to dip into his savings to provide for his mother and pay for his mortgage.
He said, “When I see my bank account, I realise I have to hustle and try different things. If die die no choice, I'm okay to be a delivery man, or go into sales, or become an insurance agent.”
Embracing a new career path as a Mandarin acting teacher
Thankfully, Fang has found a new calling as a teacher and teaches acting classes for children in Mandarin.
He is with a company called First Model and has been teaching for three months, with a new semester starting in January,
Fang initially remained discreet with his new job because he “wasn't sure how it would go” but is now ready to share it with people.
He describes the experience as “heartwarming” and told 8days, “I don't know whether they will choose acting as a future career, but through my lessons, I can actually boost their self esteem and confidence.”
And though he still likes acting, his newfound role as a teacher has matured his approach to life as he’s not afraid that “people will forget about me” and said it’s also “good to disappear for a short time”.
He added, “When I'm with the kids, I see their innocent smiles, their real tears, real laughter, and real tantrums and I can forget about all the superficial stuff in society.”
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