SAMUEL HE
likes his classrooms to be spaces for curiousity and innovation. He works with students to express all of that in photo essays, documentary films, books, websites, data stories and exhibitions.
TEACHING PORTFOLIO
CS2044 - Photojournalism
Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University
2015 - Present
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Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University
2015 - Present
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This course is run as a practical landing pad for students to learn how to tell stories with photographs. Over 13 weeks, students work on documentary photo projects on issues like sexuality, gig-economy workers and fast-fashion.
We typically end the semester with a community exhibition. A particular memorable one was a two-day exhibition at the void-deck of the soon-to-be-demolished Rochor Centre.
We typically end the semester with a community exhibition. A particular memorable one was a two-day exhibition at the void-deck of the soon-to-be-demolished Rochor Centre.
CS4090 - Going Overseas For Advanced Reporting
Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University
2012 - Present
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Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University
2012 - Present
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Probably the most gruelling journalism course at the school. Every summer, we select 14 students, do two weeks of intense prep, then fly off to work on a collective project on an issue(eg. Post-Tsunami Ishinomaki(2015), or the Ukrainian refugee situation in Germany(2022).
Students work on stories across different mediums. I supervise and lead the visual projects(films, photo essays, infographics, book design).
Our best stories have been published in The Straits Times, South China Morning Post ,Nepali Times and more. Some of the films also do decent runs at topical film festivals.
Co-instructors:
Cherian George(2012), Hedwig Alfred(2013-2024), Tay Kay Chin(2012-2015) & Ian Tan(2025-Present).
Students work on stories across different mediums. I supervise and lead the visual projects(films, photo essays, infographics, book design).
Our best stories have been published in The Straits Times, South China Morning Post ,Nepali Times and more. Some of the films also do decent runs at topical film festivals.
Co-instructors:
Cherian George(2012), Hedwig Alfred(2013-2024), Tay Kay Chin(2012-2015) & Ian Tan(2025-Present).
DP3011 - Documentary Practices
School of Art, Design and Media, Nanyang Technological University
2023 - Present
School of Art, Design and Media, Nanyang Technological University
2023 - Present
DP3011 is my teaching debut in an art school. Students in the course will learn to strike a balance between the ethical and operational boundaries of press-style documentary work and the infinite possibilities and interpretations of documentary practice. Watch this space!
CS4023 - Advanced Photojournalism
Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University
2016 - Present
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Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University
2016 - Present
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One of my favourite courses to teach. We get a small classroom (10+ senior-year students) where we work on journalism/story-telling experiments.
Through the years, we have worked on weird and wonderful things like a VR game that tells a story about the Oxley Road-Lee Family Feud and an NFT project about internet addiction.
The now wildly-popular social media publisher Our Grandfather Story started as a class assignment in the first run of this course.
Through the years, we have worked on weird and wonderful things like a VR game that tells a story about the Oxley Road-Lee Family Feud and an NFT project about internet addiction.
The now wildly-popular social media publisher Our Grandfather Story started as a class assignment in the first run of this course.
Final Year Projects
Nanyang Technological University
2017 - Present
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Nanyang Technological University
2017 - Present
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I have supervised seven final-year journalism and film projects. My students have worked on stories about green architecture, power lifters, gambling addiction and sucide care, etc.
The students produce books, feature journalism articles and documentaries after a year-long journey.
The students produce books, feature journalism articles and documentaries after a year-long journey.
The Astronauts Collective
Non-Profit
2017 - Present
Non-Profit
2017 - Present
SELECTED STUDENT PROJECTS
Fading Frequencies
Documentary Film
2025
In an endeavour to reconnect with nature, a field recordist inadvertently
documents the audible effects of climate change.
This film picked up a Gold in the Individual Multimedia Category at the extremely competitive 79th College Photographer of the Year.
The film was officially selected by the Short Shorts Film Festival in Tokyo.
You can watch the film here.
Directed, Shot & Edited by: Wayne Lim
Supervised by: Samuel He
documents the audible effects of climate change.
This film picked up a Gold in the Individual Multimedia Category at the extremely competitive 79th College Photographer of the Year.
The film was officially selected by the Short Shorts Film Festival in Tokyo.
You can watch the film here.
Directed, Shot & Edited by: Wayne Lim
Supervised by: Samuel He
This observational documentary follows Priscilla, who brings up her two children in a community space rooted in nature -- while embracing the challenges of motherhood, middle-age and marriage.
Watch the film’s trailer here.
The film screened at the Lumina Film Festival in Bangkok.
Producers: Alisa Yeo
Director: Michelle Choo
DP: Eugene Goh
Editor & Co-Producer: Song Yue Rong
Supervised by: Samuel He
Watch the film’s trailer here.
The film screened at the Lumina Film Festival in Bangkok.
Producers: Alisa Yeo
Director: Michelle Choo
DP: Eugene Goh
Editor & Co-Producer: Song Yue Rong
Supervised by: Samuel He
no ragrets
Documentary Film
2022
A skeleton on a skateboard or a fat pigeon farting – Why would anyone get these quirky and ‘doodle’ looking scribbles on their skin forever? A daring new-age tattoo style has been steadily growing popular these past few years, and is starting to make a wave in Singapore. What is the meaning behind these absurd tattoos?
no ragrets is a documentary that explore why youths are so smitten with nonsensical or ‘ignorant’ tattoos. The film was produced as a Final Year Project in 2022.
Watch the film’s trailer here.
The film beat 26 other nominees to pick up the “Best Editing” award at the National Youth Film Awards 2023.
Producers: Nicole Ong &
Nivani Elangovan
Director/Editor: Ryan Goh
DP: Ashley Wong
Supervised by: Samuel He
no ragrets is a documentary that explore why youths are so smitten with nonsensical or ‘ignorant’ tattoos. The film was produced as a Final Year Project in 2022.
Watch the film’s trailer here.
The film beat 26 other nominees to pick up the “Best Editing” award at the National Youth Film Awards 2023.
Producers: Nicole Ong &
Nivani Elangovan
Director/Editor: Ryan Goh
DP: Ashley Wong
Supervised by: Samuel He