We chilled at Netflix’s Singapore headquarters | Lifestyle.INQ

OCTOBER 27, 2022

 

I’ve never had throw pillow envy before.

But there I was, in Netflix’s Singapore headquarters, seriously considering running off with two pillows—one that read “Official Netflix Connoisseur” and another printed with the definition of the word “netflixing.” (“The act of watching an entire season of a show in one sitting”; “A totally valid excuse for avoiding social obligations”).

Netflixing has become my favorite verb in the past months, having just marathoned “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” “Better Call Saul,” “Stranger Things” and “Narcos” and so it was hard not to fangirl. “This is our office, it’s been open since March,” said Belle Baldoza.

The office, located in the Marina Bay Financial Centre, is home to Netflix’s 50 employees in Singapore. “And we’re still growing,” Belle said.

Belle, who is Netflix’s Consumer PR Manager for Asia Pacific, said, “In consumer PR, we are in charge of making people love the Netflix brand. We create a lot of stories, we tap into the pulse of pop culture, seasonal stuff, things people can relate to. We educate people on how to use Netflix and how it’s relevant in their daily lives.”

All over their office are bits and pieces of the Netflix brand and the kind of entertainment it has brought to people’s worlds. There’s a beanbag with the word “Netflix” printed all over.  On the walls are posters and images from Netflix shows. Meeting rooms, big and small, are named after Netflix originals.

“The entertainment landscape is ever evolving. Entertainment habits are changing. It’s not about linear watching anymore. You have the liberty of watching the shows at your own pace and you can watch them all in one go. That’s what we’re all about—we’re all about enabling, not only enabling consumer control and enabling people to watch anytime anywhere, letting them fall in love with the shows at their own pace, but at the same time we’re enabling creative freedom for creators because we let the narrative breathe,” said Belle.

For Netflix employees, this means watching their favorite shows even at work.

“People catch up on shows at lunch,” said Lavinia Cheng, Netflix PR coordinator.

Some of them do it at their work stations while others watch at their comfy lounge. “We also watch at Fuller House, that room with the TV which looks like a living room. When we want to watch a show as a team and then talk about it after, we do it there,” said Belle.

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And in case they like snacking while watching (or working), their pantry is fully stocked with all kinds of goodies—from sandwich condiments, cup noodles and cornflakes to chocolates, chips and fruits. The office takes care of lunch too.

“At Netflix, everyone is treated like an adult. Our core values include freedom and responsibility. We can technically work wherever as long as the work gets done. We don’t really have leave days so you can take your vacation time off as long as you’ve handed over your work.”

For just a morning, I got a little taste of life in Netflix.

We sat and watched movie clips and looked at stills of upcoming shows and talked about “Luke Cage” (“He’s not your usual Marvel superhero, he’s a street level hero, he’s not a costumed dude, he has his internal struggle and killer soundtrack,” said Belle), “Girlboss” (“It’s coming out in 2017”), “A Series of Unfortunate Events” (“We have Neil Patrick Harris as Olaf”), “The Crown” and “Santa Clarita Diet,” which will star Drew Barrymore.

A peek at the fridge in the pantry; One of the many cozy spots (love that Netflix beanbag) —PHOTOS BY PAM PASTOR
A peek at the fridge in the pantry; One of the many cozy spots (love that Netflix beanbag) —PHOTOS BY PAM PASTOR

Sure, freedom, food and fun are great things, but for Belle and Lavinia, working at Netflix has even bigger perks.

Lavinia said, “We’re a tech company as much as we’re an entertainment company. It’s a very good environment, we talk about the technology behind how we bring the service to the people.”

Belle said, “I’m excited to be part of bringing the entertainment revolution to the Philippines, to be a part of that team. As a Filipino, I grew up watching a lot of TV and it’s been a huge part of my life. I’m very, very excited to see more Filipinos discovering the wonders of Netflix and all the different stories it has to offer. I just want the people to discover the stories.”

Excerpts from our interview:

What’s the coolest part about working in Netflix?

Lavinia: Definitely getting to see some of the shows first. As a fan of all the shows, being in the know of what’s coming up is very, very exciting. We have so much lined up.

Belle: As a pop culture junkie, it’s the ability to tap into anything that’s relevant. I think our shows right now are so relevant, each of them has a firm place, whether it’s “The Get Down” or “Stranger Things” or “Orange is the New Black.” Everything has a place in pop culture and I love to be part of that on a daily basis.

Which shows are you obsessed with right now?

Belle: For me it’s “Black Mirror.”

Lavinia: Same.

Belle: “Black Mirror” and after I finished “Narcos” season 2, I felt like there was a void in my life. I was like, “So what now?”

If you can force people to watch a show on Netflix, which one would it be?

Belle: This one’s really hard. It’s like picking your favorite album.

Fine, three shows.

Lavinia: “Stranger Things” is definitely one of them just because the storytelling in that show is unbelievable and I love the cast, they’re so adorable. The ’80s throwback is so relevant to our generation. The second one I think is “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” It’s one of those light-hearted things that I love and the third I think would be “Narcos.” It’s a good mix of the serious stuff and the light-hearted stuff.

Belle: “Narcos” is a documentary, a film, a series all rolled into one. That’s my number one. Second would be “Black Mirror,” I’m obsessed with it. Third would be “The Get Down.” It’s full of music and anyone who has been involved in the process of creating music or making art come alive should watch the show because it illustrates that struggle perfectly.

Lavinia: But that was a tough choice. I have so many other shows…

Belle: It’s just so hard.

Do you have a cool office you want us to visit? E-mail [email protected].

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The very chill Netflix office
Stills from the shows adorn the walls (top); the very chill Netflix office
Stills from the shows adorn the walls
Meeting rooms are named after Netflix Originals
Meeting rooms are named after Netflix Originals
Pillow talk
Pillow talk

 

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