Justin Yip ’15 describes himself as a visual learner. A resident of Hong Kong, he was raised bi-lingual, and recalls struggling with written instructions. Frequently, he found himself turning to YouTube tutorials to illustrate a lesson instead of the written word. “I was truly inspired by some of the short films I watched. Those films were more beneficial to my learning style than any text book,” he explains.
An epiphany occurred during Yip’s sophomore year at Trinity-Pawling when he received a GoPro for Christmas. “Suddenly I had a camera capable of getting great footage, and I realized I could start telling my own stories.”
A varsity skier, Yip made his first video for the Trinity-Pawling ski team. (He also played for varsity football and varsity golf during his four years at T-P.) Yip taught himself how to edit by watching video tutorials, and he is now highly proficient with film editing software like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, and Adobe After Effects. By the time senior year arrived, Yip had acquired significant skill as both cameraman and editor.
Yip returned to campus in the fall of 2014 with a brand new toy, a DJI Phantom 2 drone. His aerial films on subjects such as golf and skiing quickly gained notice on campus and were featured on the T-P website. During winter term, he enrolled in Trinity-Pawling’s Digital Media elective. Digital Media Instructor Bryn Gillette describes Justin’s videos as, “…defined by a whimsical viewpoint, masterful editing, and set perfectly in rhythm to a carefully chosen mood.” He continues, “This ‘right-brain’ intuitive design is particularly impressive from a student who is also so strong in his articulate and organized ‘left brain’.”
As Yip contemplates the future, his passion for filmmaking is boundless; his enthusiasm, contagious. The enthusiasm he helped generate on campus will continue within the student body and next year’s crop of digital media students. “It was a common occurrence to have Justin answering technical questions or showing us new tips, tricks and techniques he discovered during his work, “ says Gillette. Meanwhile, Yip continues to learn from the films channels he subscribes to on YouTube. When asked what brand does it best, he answers without hesitation and with a smile, “GoPro. I’d definitely like to work for them someday.”