Fortune Smiles on Creative Wizard

When Ezreen Dayana Zainuddin submitted an animated video to a local innovation and invention competition last June, she didn’t expect to win anything. But fortune smiled on her, and she won a silver medal for her effort.

Organised by a local university, the Innovative Research, Invention and Application Exhibition 2021 was her first ever competition. Entitled #normabaharu@2021, her winning submission was a public service announcement (PSA) animation on Covid-19 awareness.

This 37-year-old Bachelor of Digital Media Design (BDMD) alumnus was especially thankful to project supervisor and BDMD programme director Nurul Fizah Mohamad Nusran, and husband Syahrom Jumali for the win.

“I’m so excited! The closest I ever got to winning anything was when my final-year project on interior design, which I did for my diploma, was showcased during an exhibition at my college. This meant a lot to me, and I felt fired up to pursue a profession in the creative industry,” Ezreen says.

Ezreen has extensive work experience spanning over 15 years in the creative industry, mainly in event and exhibition planning. Among her notable achievements are designing and constructing the biggest exhibition booth in Asia for Boustead Heavy Industries during the 2015 LIMA Exhibition, and Shell Malaysia for New Shell Fuels Launch 2017.

Tapping into her entrepreneurial spirit, this artsy lady has also founded two companies with her siblings in 2010.

She reveals, “I was approached by an agency recently, and I’ve been invited to work on a three-dimensional animated series. I guess my work did get some attention after all. I’m thrilled about it!”

When it comes to work, she prefers the hands-on approach and particularly excels in practical, rather than theoretical, matters. “People always seek my opinion and guidance, especially when resolving issues related to work. I always believe in practical creativity that can add value to our lives.”

For someone in the creative industry, BDMD was just the right programme for her. She enjoyed the flexibility that OUM has to offer.

“OUM is also just a stone’s throw away from where I live, so I saved a lot on time, and had no headaches or hassle with my study,” says this travel enthusiast, who enjoys extreme activities and has skydived in Gold Coast, swam with dolphins in Bali, and conquered the peak of Mount Kinabalu.

This year, the arrival of her bundle of joy named Rain Aysar has been her biggest blessing. “Things slowed down for me especially due to the pandemic, but my baby boy has changed it all. These days, I’m just really occupied with the little love of my life.”

Over two months ago, her husband became infected with Covid-19. Ezreen is glad that he has recovered, but admits the experience has been an eye-opener.

“I have some ideas for a production to depict life after Covid-19, intended especially to those who are still sick, or have recovered like my husband. I would like to share my experiences and tips to help others cope with life, and perhaps motivate them not to give up the battle,” Ezreen concludes.

By Izyan Diyana Merzuki