To Be or Not to Be a Specialist in Any Creative Skill

At some point in your life as a creative, you will find yourself at a fork in the road: Should you specialize or diversify your skills?

During my school years in Singapore, I faced the age-old dilemma of choosing between Science and Arts. This early specialization didn’t sit well with me, as I enjoyed aspects of both.

This dilemma isn’t limited to education.

In fact, it’s a question that has long plagued the media industry, where I’ve spent much of my career. For years, the industry encouraged specialization. Directors directed, editors edited, and writers wrote.

I was content in my role as a scriptwriter, never considering the need to learn directing or editing.

Then COVID-19 hit.

It upended our traditional ways of working.

Social distancing made collaboration challenging, and suddenly, those with diverse skill sets had a distinct advantage. A director who could also edit had more control over their project than one who relied on a separate editor.

The pandemic made it clear: how we worked had to change.

The mantra shifted from “specialize” to “diversify.”