Imagine growing up in a hair salon.

Being thrown out of the house and sleeping in an abandoned cupboard.

Being bullied in school and almost failing SPM.

But knowing deep down inside that you love storytelling.

You just… don’t know what that means.

And how to make that dream a reality.

That was Jared Lee - one of Malaysia’s most famous YouTubers and the founder of the award-winning production house, Grim Film.

Jared started his journey in an event company, while also freelancing as a storyboard artist and production assistant.

Being passionate about storytelling, he decided to create a short film called The Long Distance Relationship. A film that, for him, he had to make happen, no matter what.

And it blew up.

✨ Within a day, it hit 10k views.

✨ Within a week, it hit 70k views

✨ Within a month, it hit 1 million views

This short film opened doors and led to the creation of his production house, The Grim Film.

Which has since bagged multiple awards, including Best Drama at America’s Soul 4 Reel International Film Festival 2013 for The Long Distance Relationship and Best Pilot and Best Special Effects at the 2018 Vancouver WebFest in Canada for The Last 7.

His most recent piece of work, Horologist, even won Best Animation at the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) Film Festival 2023 and USA Film Festival! It was also a finalist for Poland's Animator Film Festival (Best Animation & Audience Choice Award) and nominated for the 2024 Eisner Award in the Best Single Issue/One-Shot category.

Proving how Jared’s wild gamble has paid off.

Although… life wasn’t easy.

In 2018, Jared was diagnosed with stage 1 testicular cancer. And he later found out that he could not have children.

But in spite of these challenges, Jared is someone who has always believed in pursuing his dreams and hustling against the odds.

Which is why I’m so thrilled to share his story as the latest guest on STIMY!

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to triumph against all odds and pursue your passion, what it takes to go from being a YouTuber to a legitimate film producer, and the personal struggles with cancer and childlessness, then this episode is for you.

So are you ready?

Let’s go.

Highlights:

2:02: Growing up in a single mum household
3:45 Finding escape in storytelling
5:18 Liking things that other boys don’t like
7:40 Worst year of my life
8:52 Getting kicked out
9:40 Finding his calling
11:13 A Kingdom of Paos
11:55 The Long Distance
13:42 YouTube
14:37 Going viral
17:19 There was no money!
20:16 Burning bridges
21:10 What it’s like to run a production company
24:54 Second-guessing himself
27:02 There is no joy in production?!
29:34 Making the switch & losing fans
32:58 The most successful work Jared’s done
34:30 Diagnosed with cancer
41:34 Do awards matter?
44:34 Any regrets?
45:07 Is your work acknowledged more overseas?
47:20 What kind of work has influenced your style?
50:39 What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?
51:07 What are the most important qualities of a successful person?
51:28 Sharing your private life in public

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📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/151

🍿 YouTube: https://youtu.be/jsbc2xuaj0I

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