From Odd Jobs to Videography: A Filipino Expat’s Journey in Dubai

Early Years in Dubai

Romuel Perey arrived in Dubai in 2011 with no clear vision of his future, only the feeling that he needed a change. He told Gulf News, “I didn’t plan a big move. I didn’t have a dream or a vision. I had a salary I was wasting and a life I wasn’t proud of.” Before moving to the UAE, Perey had completed technical courses in the Philippines and earned a two-year diploma in electromechanics. He began working at age sixteen as a technician after his training, but each job soon felt repetitive. On payday he would cover his bills, give his parents their share, and spend the rest on drinking, often arriving late to work because he was drunk or hungover.

He recognised that he needed to change direction before those habits cost him more opportunities. His father, already living in Dubai, helped him secure a job in furniture sales on a two-year contract. As the eldest son, Perey felt a responsibility to support his parents back home, yet his decision to move was about more than earning money. He said, “I wanted to change my life. Dubai changed how I saw things and it started changing me.”

From Technician to Videographer

Perey’s career did not follow a straight path. In 2013 he returned to the Philippines and accepted a call‑centre job because the salary was good. Around six months later he began to feel restless again, but he remained in the role for two years. It was not until 2015 that he discovered videography as a possible career. With his father’s help once again, he returned to Dubai and found work behind a camera. He moved through three companies, learning about lighting, directing, and audio on real productions.

Rather than following a carefully mapped‑out career plan, Perey discovered his interests through experience. His technical background gave him a starting point, but he taught himself videography by working on projects and learning from his mistakes. He explained, “I never had one calling. I got bored, kept changing direction, and ended up in the one job that never repeats.” That variety became an advantage; instead of focusing on a single specialisation, he developed skills across video production, photography, live streaming, and events.

His work has since taken him to Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. He has also worked on productions involving international names such as Chris Hemsworth, the Black Eyed Peas, Anggun, John Cena, and Christina Aguilera. For someone who once struggled with punctuality and motivation at work, the progress still surprises him.

Freelancing, Pandemic Response and Giving Back

In 2019 Perey took the leap into freelancing. He had been working independently for four months when the Covid‑19 pandemic disrupted events and productions around the world. He recalled, “I had been freelancing for only four months, with no salary and no idea how long the lockdown would last.” The year 2020 became one of the most challenging periods of his career, with work drying up and no certainty about when restrictions would ease, forcing him to find another way to earn an income.

He decided to invest his last backpay in a video switcher, equipment that allows video sources to be managed and switched during a live production. He then started offering live‑streaming services to clients. His first client was a coaching company that needed to run sessions on Zoom. The opportunity helped him keep working at a time when traditional events and face‑to‑face gatherings were difficult or impossible. The experience reinforced the lesson that when one route stops working, it may be necessary to find another.

Perey’s progress did not come with a large salary or immediate financial security. Throughout his full‑time jobs he continued sending money to his family in the Philippines. At one point he lived in a two‑bedroom apartment shared by seventeen people, with even the hall used as living space. He made plenty of beginner mistakes as he learned videography, particularly with lighting, but improved through experience, taking on one job at a time.

Over the years his circumstances changed. He went from sharing cramped accommodation with numerous others to having his own apartment, car, and professional equipment. He exclaimed, “I’m grateful for that.” Those changes represented more than material progress; they reflected the years of work, learning, and difficult decisions that helped him move away from a lifestyle he no longer wanted.

Perey credited the people he met in the UAE with helping him develop a different attitude towards work and life. He stated, “Everyone I met here had their own reason for coming, which was to build a better life. When the people around you think like that, you start thinking like that too.” Professionally, Dubai gave him opportunities to learn from real productions and develop his skills in directing, lighting, and audio. He found a community of freelancers who share work and help one another find opportunities. That support shaped his approach to the industry: he recognised that building a freelance career involves more than technical ability because relationships, collaboration, and a willingness to learn also matter. He advised, “The people around you matter more than you think, so choose them well. Share what you know with the people coming up behind you. Nobody here builds anything alone.”

Perey now makes time to teach others the skills he has developed throughout his career. He created a photography training programme designed around using a mobile phone to take pictures. He first taught it to around twenty hotel staff. He also teaches camera history and basic digital single‑lens reflex (DSLR) photography at schools, and runs free sessions for groups who come together to learn.

His involvement extends to Dubai’s Filipino community, where he remains active. For Perey, teaching is a way to return the support he received when he was starting out. Other freelancers have helped him learn and find his footing, and he wants to offer similar encouragement to people coming into the industry. He believes people should have the opportunity to develop their skills even if they do not have expensive equipment or formal training in photography.

Looking back, Perey does not describe his journey as a search for one perfect career. Instead, it has been a series of decisions, changes in direction, and lessons learned along the way. His advice to people who feel uncertain about their future is not to wait until they have everything figured out. He said, “You don’t have to know what you want right away. I didn’t. Try things, change direction when something stops working, and keep learning.” He has been candid about his own past and does not present himself as someone who always knew what he wanted. He noted, “I’m not special. I was a young man who almost wasted his chances. If you’re in that spot, you can still change. It starts with deciding to stop.” Perey did not arrive in Dubai with a grand plan. He found his direction by making changes, learning from experience, and accepting help along the way.