The intern who clocks in... and gets knocked out
Behind every hit is a story
by Lester Hio / Video by Rahila Daud
Getting punched isn’t in most job descriptions.
For Cayden Kong, it’s part of the internship.
On a typical day, the third-year communication studies undergraduate might dodge a stray fist, tumble down a flight of stairs, or get hurled against a wall.
And yet, he insists it’s a healthy, non-toxic work environment – one he prefers over a conventional 9-to-5 office job.
At stunt school Sandbox Training Ground, Cayden spends his days in a gym lined with foam mats, where punches are faked, falls are repeated, and fight sequences are choreographed with precision in a tightly controlled, safety-first environment.
He thrives on the physicality of the work and the creativity of putting together an exciting, well-paced action sequence – and the fact that no two days look the same.
“I really need to do something where I’m exposed to different experiences every time, and the film industry is very good for that,” says Cayden. “I’m always meeting new directors, producers and crew members, and each project feels different.”
From sofa to stunt floor
Growing up, Cayden was drawn to the action in anime such as Dragon Ball and Naruto. But he never saw it as a career path until a spontaneous decision changed everything.
In 2021, while serving National Service, he came across an advertisement for a fight choreography class at Sandbox.
“I called up a friend and asked if he wanted to try just one class,” he recalls. “I ended up really enjoying it.” He kept turning up for training. Five years on, he’s still loving it.
Before he joined Sandbox as an intern in January, Cayden was mostly a stunt performer, focused on perfecting his choreography and joining occasional shoots during semester breaks.
Now, as a marketing and production intern, he’s learning about his dream industry faster than ever – in front of and behind the camera.
He helps design fight sequences, supports actors so they can safely pull off stunts, and jumps into crew roles on television shoots or theatre productions as a videographer, lighting assistant or editor.
Armed with a second major in business, he also runs Sandbox’s social media using his know-how from classes such as marketing and consumer insights. Those lessons help him craft content for different audiences and make Sandbox stand out from other gyms.
His internship at Sandbox has also let him meet more people in the industry and expand his network.
Learning across disciplines
One of the biggest advantages of studying at NTU, he says, is its interdisciplinary environment.
Working with students from other courses, especially from the School of Art, Design & Media, has expanded his understanding of filmmaking.
“For instance, on a film project, they taught me how lighting works,” he says. “Now when I’m on set, I can think about how camera angles and lighting can make the actor look better during a stunt.”
That cross-pollination of skills has made him not just a better performer, but a more thoughtful collaborator.
"People think it's just about fighting, but it's not. Good action tells a story."
– Cayden
Storytelling in motion
For Cayden, stunt work is only the beginning. He sees it as a springboard into acting and film production.
“I really enjoy being in front of the camera and playing different characters,” says the aspiring actor.
A scroll through his social media page shows exactly that: clips of him flying through the air on wires, sparring with prop swords, and launching into a flying tackle at a would-be assailant – all carefully choreographed, yet convincingly real.
But behind the spectacle lies something deeper.
“I find a lot of joy in telling stories through action sequences,” he says. “People think it’s just about fighting, but it’s not. Good action tells a story.”
Take the action out of a film, he adds, and something essential is lost. “The story wouldn’t make sense anymore.”
This story was published in the Mar-Apr 2026 issue of HEY!. To read it and other stories from this issue in print, click here.
