Produced By - #11 - Nadia Ansari: Videographer’s Exploration Of Craft While Embracing Her Persian Heritage

Starting point is 00:00:03 Nadia Ansari is a London-based videographer and filmmaker who is currently working as a content creator for premier laser and skin clinic. She was born in Iran, where she lived for half of her life before relocating to London with her family. After getting an iPad early on and recording everything she saw, Nadia developed an early interest in filmmaking. Because of this, she decided to study cinema at university in London, where she developed her editing abilities as well as other aspects of film products. film production. Global pandemics impacted her education but she was still able to direct her final project which was partly Persian to reflect Nadia's culture and heritage. After working for a television company as an editor while pursuing her studies, she joined a London-based Laser and Skin Clinic where she works as a content curator for using various

Starting point is 00:00:53 types of video and visual material. In order to fulfill her dream of founding her own production company, Nadia also offers her filmmaking skills on a freelance basis. She aims to grow this aspect of her career while simultaneously exploring other areas of filmmaking and videography. Listen to this episode to discover more about irony in cinema, get some tips regarding content creation as well as social media and catch some intriguing information concerning your skin. Enjoy.

Starting point is 00:01:27 Hello Nadia, thank you for joining us today and welcome to the show. Hi, Thomas. How are you? I'm perfect. Thank you. Can you please introduce yourself? Well, I'm Nadia. I am videographer, filmmaker, editor. You can call me anything in terms of profession. But I recently graduated in 2021 and I'm here now. Multi-talented filmmaker. Yeah, I try. What is the one that you specialize on out of all these areas?

Starting point is 00:01:59 Well, I'm kind of like finding my path at the moment. I'm not really sure what exactly I want to go into, but when I finished uni, I directed the film. So I was more into short films, dramas. I wanted to kind of go into like the field of Iranian filmmaking. But now I don't know anymore. I've branched out too much. I'm in marketing right now, so I am trying out to see what comes out of it.

Starting point is 00:02:37 And you mentioned you were into Iranian film. Why is that? Well, I grew up in Iran, and then I came here when I was 12. And when I was in Iran, I never watched English films. And that's why when I went to uni, it was a bit hard for me. Everyone watched all the English films, and they knew about it. They could, like, talk about it all day. and I just had no idea. Yes, I did watch some English films when I came to London,

Starting point is 00:03:04 but then I didn't watch as much as they have. I've always watched Iranian films. I've always admired how much restrictions they have in there in terms of censorship and everything like that. What can be shown, what can not be shown? Like, in Iranian films, like men and women can't even talk to each other. So to show that these people are in love, It's like 10 times harder than just like a normal English film.

Starting point is 00:03:31 So I've always watched those. I used to be obsessed with it. I used to watch films all day or night. Yeah, I wanted to kind of implement the Iranian style into my work as well. And do you want to introduce us a bit Iranian cinema? For example, I don't remember watching any films or I don't know. So for someone who doesn't know anything? Most people, because in 2012 there was a film that on the

Starting point is 00:03:56 international section of Oscars, an Iranian film won. And that's when kind of the world got introduced to it. And the name of the film was The Separation by Aspar Farhadie. And he's like a big deal now. I don't know if you won a Golden Globe or not for another film. But he got nominated. I don't know. But I know that he won Oscar for one of his films.

Starting point is 00:04:23 And that's when like more people got interested in. to the Iranian cinema. Yeah, Iranian cinema, most of the themes are social and they are regarding people's struggles. Most of the narratives are about a character and something happens to the character and then they need to find a way to deal with it. But those problems are normally because of how the country's rules,

Starting point is 00:04:54 like inflation in there. most of the topics are regarding like real life stuff. So it's not really popular to make sci-fi film in like Iran. Like I was never introduced to it until I came here. But there is this sense of realness into the film. And that's why I think they get so many like nominations on Cannes Film Festival or, yeah, there are a lot of good directors who find their way in the like Hollywood as well.

Starting point is 00:05:28 Yeah, I can imagine when an international academy world is a very big thing. So no surprise, as you said. Yeah, I think especially for people who don't know the struggles of what it's like to live in a third world country, who's like rules and these kind of things are a bit questionable for Western world. It's very interesting for them to see. For us, it's more normal because we've lived there, but for them it's more like, wow, you guys actually have to. Yeah. And what about some your favorite films from there if someone wanted to watch it?

Starting point is 00:06:07 There's a recent film, I think been a year that it's premiered. And I think, I don't know if it won in Cannes Film Festival or not, but it's called Lena's brothers. I'm very, very, like, moved by that film. It's by Saeed Rostai. His films are usually very top hits in Iran and outside Iran. They get quite a lot of recognition. Is it also some social drama? Yeah, it's social.

Starting point is 00:06:38 Yeah, yeah, it's social. It's about family, about the dynamic of how culture, how some obsessive, like, behaviors within the culture affects the family. and it's very interesting. It's very, like, authentic. I've enjoyed it so much watching it. And it touches on so many, like, different things that I definitely recommend.

Starting point is 00:07:05 So was it back then when you used to watch a lot in Iran that you wanted to become a filmmaker? Well, I didn't know that I want to become a filmmaker necessarily. I was, like, obsessed with films. I didn't really do much, like, playing outside or stuff like that, because we lived in a building so we didn't have like big fields to go and run in. So I was always just at home

Starting point is 00:07:28 re-watching, re-watching films that I had. I had like two big drawers full of CDs and I would just re-watch and whatever new film that would come out I would watch it immediately

Starting point is 00:07:40 I was just so obsessed with films and everyone in my family knew that I was obsessed with films. I never thought that I'm going to be a filmmaker. When I was in Iran I went to music school because my whole family, they are into like art and like music and stuff like that. So my mum really wanted me to go to music school. So I went to music school. I was originally playing

Starting point is 00:08:08 piano, but when I went there, they suggested this other instrument. It's the traditional Iranian instrument that they said that it would be good. So this is what happened. If you don't get accepted into the violin or piano course, you go in there and then all of the professors, they have a look at your physique and they suggest what would work best for your physique. So they suggested this instrument that is like a guitar. It's Iranian version. It's called tar. T-A-R.

Starting point is 00:08:41 They suggested that my fingers will do well with that. So, yeah, they ask you a couple of questions and then they give you. your instrument and then you have a few exams to pass to get into the school as well so i got into the school but then a year after it i moved to england so i didn't really carry on with that but then i was still playing the instrument in here as well because i found a teacher who teaches the instrument so i thought i wanted to be a musician but that was my mom then i went to school and then I had an iPad. So on my iPad, I kept on, like, filming stuff and editing it on I movie.

Starting point is 00:09:26 And then I started realizing how good I feel when I do that. I used to, like, film everything. I used to film, get all my friends together and just, like, pretend like we are doing a, I don't know, X factor or stuff like that. And I would go home and I would just, like, edit it religiously. And I would just send it to everyone. Whenever I would go out with my friends, I would make a short film out of that trim going out to the theme part. So then I started realizing this whole world of filmmaking. It wasn't really filmmaking.

Starting point is 00:10:00 It was like videography. Then it came to the point where we finished our DCSEs and then we moved to go to do either A levels or B-Tech because I was never academic like that. I always liked doing physical stuff. So I decided to go to college for media studies by the BTET. Well, obviously, I researched because I wanted to go to university. Sorry, can I ask you? I'm not going to lie. I don't know what is BTEC.

Starting point is 00:10:31 Oh, okay. So in the UK, once you finish your high school, you have two options. You either study A levels or if you don't, A levels are exams mainly. But BTEC is more like coursework type of thing. Yeah, like uni stuff for us. when we did our course, that was like it, but less intense. So yeah, you can either choose BTEC or A-level, and I chose to do BTEC, and I chose media. Then that's when the fun started.

Starting point is 00:11:02 I think my family bought me a camera as well, so I could really have fun with it. And then I was filming, I was doing the course works, it was really fun. and I researched if I can get into university with a V-Tech. Because a lot of universities don't allow you to enroll unless you have certain amount of grade. So I made sure if I get to this grade on my V-Tech, I can get into university. So I finished my V-Tech course, got a good grade, then I went to uni. I went to Middlesex University for film. And what was the reason for Middlesex specifically?

Starting point is 00:11:42 Well, I did done a lot of research. And at the time when I was doing a lot of research, Middlesex was second on that list of best universities for film. Was it in London or in the UK? I think either it was in London or in the UK. I don't really remember much. It was so many years ago. And I've applied to a couple more universities like Ravensbourne.

Starting point is 00:12:08 I got into Ravensbourne as well. And there was another university that that one is like really, really. I don't remember the name now. But that one I didn't get into. Ravensbourne, I got into, it was between Ravensbourne and Middlesex, which I was debating which one I should go to. And then I went to an open day to Ravensbourne.

Starting point is 00:12:31 And I didn't like that it wasn't a campus. It was just a building like my college was. But I decided to go to the Middle Sex. Yeah. And I just wonder coming back, what was the reason for you moving to UK from Iran? Well, most people immigrate from Iran to like other countries because the situation in Iran and everything is better for people's future to come to England.

Starting point is 00:12:59 So my family decided to leave Iran and come to here for mine and my sister's better future. And that's the reason why I really wanted to study because my family wanted me to study. And that's why they left Iran so we can have a better future. So that's why... And is it also come on to move to UK or even other countries? Well, UK is really difficult to go to.

Starting point is 00:13:27 UK is one of the hardest countries to get visa to, especially for Iranians. Most countries are hard, but a lot of Iranians tend to go to Turkey. because it's right next to it. We don't need visa or a lot of Iranians. They immigrate. It's very sad, but they choose to illegally leave the country and go on the boat and very hard.

Starting point is 00:13:53 But they go to Turkey. And I think through Turkey, they go to Germany or Greece, and then they enter Europe and then through Europe they come. But previously we had families in here who my dad knew and everything. So through them we got visas. On the first year that I actually came to England, I went to international school. I got my visa as a student visa. So it was so cute.

Starting point is 00:14:19 It was very international and everyone was like really young, but it was very expensive. But that's how you got visas. But yeah, after that, because we got another visa, I didn't need to go to that school anymore. And did you back then know any English? No. I knew zero. I knew how to say after. That's all.

Starting point is 00:14:39 Yeah, I can imagine it must have been. It was really hard. On the first year that I came to England, I was living with my sister. My mom and dad weren't here, and I was only like 12 years old. And I had to learn English. I didn't know the trains and stuff, and I had to go to school with train alone. It was really hard. But I think that year really, really made me grow up and just realized what it's like to live in London.

Starting point is 00:15:07 Yeah. And then I had just a quick question, if you still play Tahr, if you play still now. So when I was in high school, I was still playing Tahr because my health was really close to the person who used to teach. But I was never practicing. I was always like slacking. And my mom used to shout at me because she would pay for the lessons, but I would not like progress at all because I was never interested. like she wanted me to be interested. So when I finished high school, I just told my mum, I don't want to waste your money anymore. I can play it. I have it actually at home.

Starting point is 00:15:44 I can play it. My mom always says, Nadia, can you please come and play it for us in the parties and stuff like that? I'm like, no, please. I do not know how to play it good, first of all. Second of all, I forgot everything. Yeah, that's understood. Well, just out of curiosity. It's a very difficult instrument.

Starting point is 00:16:02 I'm not going to lie, I think I've never heard of it. Yeah, of course, because it's like very traditional Iranian instrument. So coming back to your time at university, how did you enjoy your time there? Well, my time in university was a bit different to everyone else because everyone else had house shares and accommodations and stuff like that. But I was living at home, so I didn't have quite the experience like everyone else had. So anytime people would go to like pubs and stuff, I would have to like leave early or those kind of things. But in terms of the studies, I think I had a good time.

Starting point is 00:16:43 I'm not a very academic person, but I did manage to finish off well. I got a first class honours. So that was a really big deal for me because I didn't think I would get that at all. So my time was good, but it wasn't as fun. as everyone else's was because I was living at home, not in accommodation. But this positive thing is that you saved on accommodation, which is crazy expensive. Yeah, very expensive, I know, but obviously, through them finance, they would give those people who were living outside home more money than they would give me.

Starting point is 00:17:21 Yeah. But I understood that they had really hard time to, like, manage with food and everything else, with how are they. And when you started at university, did you know what or all you wanted to focus on? I think I always wanted to do directing. I went with one of my friends, one of my really close friends to uni and we both were like doing everything together and she also lived at home as well. So when choosing our majors on the third year, we decided she's more academic. I'm more like doing stuff. physical. So she decided to do producing. I decided to do directing for our majors. And then, yeah, that's how we made our final year. So when was it that COVID happened? In your, which year?

Starting point is 00:18:15 It was the end of our second year. So we didn't manage to finish our second year film. Because you do two big films during your time in uni, at least in my game. And yeah, The second year final film is kind of a practice for what your third year final film is going to be. And yeah, we didn't manage to finish that one. So it was really hard for that. Were you planning to direct that one as well? Yeah, I was direct in that one. Well, we already got into groups and we were already planning everything.

Starting point is 00:18:52 But COVID happened when it was in March, wasn't it? So we were about to film. We even booked our everything. Everything was planned, but then we never got to show next. Yeah. Was there some alternative exercise instead? Yeah, well, for a director, my task was to finish my paperwork or my second year. And then for the third year, it was like really hard because I didn't know if that one went well,

Starting point is 00:19:21 if all my planning went well to know if what I can do better next time. I managed. It was really hard because it was the time on our third year it was the time where it wasn't as strict anymore, but it was still strict. So some of the productions didn't go through in the end. Not even a third year. Yeah, yeah, yes.

Starting point is 00:19:45 I think that was when people were scared to get COVID. So whoever would get COVID, the whole shoot would get canceled. And yeah, mine, thank God it went through. We planned so much. Like for that whole year we were at home. We planned every single day with my producer. But the sad thing was that we couldn't have a lot of people on set to help us. So it was very limited.

Starting point is 00:20:12 Me and my producer ended up doing most of the things. I can imagine that doing the risk assessment was quite fun. Thank God I had no involvement in that. I was the director. So everything regarding risk assessments and stuff were up to my purpose. producer. And how was then the final year? Were you happy with the result? Well, the results I'm happy with but it's just a shame because on your third year usually like it's supposed to be fun. You're supposed to say goodbye to your classmates and stuff like that. We never got that. So everyone was a bit

Starting point is 00:20:47 bummed about that. And also we couldn't use university facilities for anything either. I mean, we could use the cameras and stuff, but it was extra hard to book it. Do test shoots. Test shoots were so hard to organize as well, I remember. And obviously, if someone didn't have fast internet at home, you had to pay extra amounts at home to be able to connect to all the classes and none of that. It took away from the experience, but it had pros and cons.

Starting point is 00:21:22 I enjoyed the fact that we had so much time to plan and we were very, very good in terms of communication because we would have meetings every day. I don't think it would be that possible to do meetings in real life because you get distracted with other things. Yeah, we were very, very on top of our to-do lists and stuff. And I would say considering that some productions didn't even go through, it was good that you still managed at least to film.

Starting point is 00:21:52 Yeah, and the producer, he was really hard on the risk assessments, what can and cannot be done. And obviously, the tutors would choose if your paperwork are good enough to go free with the filming and stuff. So they were so harsh on us with the risk assessment and giving us the equipment, wiping, whatever we did, we had to wipe it. It was very challenging, actually. It was a big task to finish So I don't blame the people who didn't manage to And I think there were I don't know if it was only one group

Starting point is 00:22:30 That didn't manage to go through with the filming Or it was a few I don't really remember But I know it was because someone got COVID Yeah and imagine one person gets it It spreads and suddenly everything can be shut down Even my actress literally was two days before filming And then it wasn't COVID She got tonsilitis

Starting point is 00:22:50 And then she said, I can't do it anymore. We were going back and forth. Maybe she was going to get better, but we didn't know. So two days before it, one of our key actresses just fell out. We had to find a new person. I was messaging people on Instagram. And because my film was half Persian, half English, it was very, very specific. So I couldn't just find Persian actress out of a mug.

Starting point is 00:23:17 Because it's easier to find an English actress throughout your. audition process you meet a lot of people but throughout my audition process I didn't meet that many people so it was a pure lot and did you then go to festivals with your film yeah I did well it was really expensive I didn't know that to enter festivals you actually have to have a lot of budget for it and we already spent so much money on locations and stuff like that as well that in the end that we were left with no money. So I had to take out of my own budget. But I was like, you know what?

Starting point is 00:23:56 It will be worth it. Let me invest. I invested a lot. I entered many, many of the festivals. We won one. It was called Europe Film Festival. It was like a big one. It was Europe, UK film festival.

Starting point is 00:24:14 But I don't know. I think it was a good one. But either way, we won. I was really happy. that I even framed my award and I saw my wall. It was a big achievement for me. Yeah, it was a nice success and reward for all the hard work. There was another one that we got nominated.

Starting point is 00:24:33 Actually, two more that we got nominated. One was list off. I think that was for first time filmmakers. We got nominated, but I think it was vote. People would have to vote. I didn't promote it as much. So we didn't get the votes. and the other one was Farhain Film Festival.

Starting point is 00:24:52 That was Iranian Film Festival, but we got nominated. I guess it was in English language, right? So the Persian parts had English subtitle, but most of it was in English. But it was about an Iranian family. Yeah. So did you decide to mix it with this Persian part because of your background? Yes, as I said, I was always like interested in Iranian films. So I wanted to implement that into my work as well.

Starting point is 00:25:18 and tell a story about an immigrated family who are from Iran, but they live in the UK, some of the challenges that they have to go through. Just a quick one. If you enjoy our podcast, please give us a review on your favorite podcast app, subscribe or share it with your friends. For more information, visit the show notes. Thank you and back to the show. So how did you plan your way into industry?

Starting point is 00:25:45 So when I finished my first year, During the summer, I was looking for a job. I was so desperate to find the job. But I was also looking for like hospitality jobs, retail jobs. But my family were very, very keen that don't go into hospitality or retail, try to find something in the industry. I guess they knew better than me. But yeah, they were very, very keen.

Starting point is 00:26:12 So I applied to so many different things. and I found a job in a TV channel as a freelance editor and obviously they trained me. They had live shows and I was one of the live show editors. So during that summer I worked on that TV channel and then when my second year started I was part-time. Because I was freelance, I would choose my days. So every holiday that I would get, I would work in there.

Starting point is 00:26:44 I wouldn't even go on like any vacation. I would just like go to the shift as much as I could. So my weekends and all my holidays, I would work in there. And then I finished uni. I worked another like six, seven months in that TV channel. Well, that's the thing. I didn't like editing as much. So I wanted to do more practical stuff like filming and planning, all of that.

Starting point is 00:27:12 So I really wanted to go. get out of there. And the stress that you have to go through when you're editing live shows is so much. Because you don't have time. Your deadlines are daily and you have to meet them. If you don't, you're screwed. So I didn't like the high pressure and the intensity of the job. So I decided to find other work. I started applying to many, many, many different places. And then I got an interview with beauty clinic. They deal with like aesthetics and new technologies and stuff like that. And they have nine clinics all over London and Surrey.

Starting point is 00:27:56 They needed a videographer for their marketing. So I applied. I went through the interview stages and I did test shoot for them. And then I got accepted and I've been working there ever since yet. Oh, nice. I wonder, with your first job, how come you manage to get such a job so early? Because it's usually quite hard without experience to get it. And it sounds like you were really lucky to get it so early.

Starting point is 00:28:25 Well, one thing was that even when I was in college, I always used to get approached by different people. Because they knew that I had a camera. They always approached me. Oh, would you edit this for me? Would you come and film this for me? And like even I had a personal trainer at some point. We had the deal. I would do videos for him and he would train me.

Starting point is 00:28:48 So I had his videos that I had like as my portfolio. I had a couple of weddings I went to. I had very, very minor stuff that I had. But with that TV channel, I think one of the reasons why was the fact that I was Iranian because the channel was Iranian as well. But it sounds like it's definitely useful. to start building your portfolio early and getting experience? Yeah, definitely.

Starting point is 00:29:16 And whatever work that you do, I think it's worth putting it on your portfolio. Even some of the stuff that I had on my portfolio were literally just stuff that I did in uni on the first year because we had a lot of little projects that we did. So I would try to do them as best as I can, even though it's teamwork. So you can never get guaranteed with. work but yeah i put them all together and i presented it to the tv channel and can you tell us more about

Starting point is 00:29:48 your growing job is you are videographer or you do kind of everything i am a videographer and i'm a photographer in the company so i'm kind of a producer technically of like the whole thing because i'm one-man team i do everything by myself i do have a marketing manager in our marketing team it's only me and her. So she kind of confirms my ideas. She gives me the ideas and stuff. Sometimes, sometimes I come up. Or with the edits, I send it to her. She just tells me what to correct and stuff. So I work in Premier Laser and Thin clinic. They have nine clinics in London and Surrey. And they have Instagram, YouTube, TikTok accounts and Facebook. But Facebook is a bit irrelevant these days. only good for adverts. So I'm in charge of creating content for them, creating adverts style stuff,

Starting point is 00:30:47 whatever promotions they have. I take care of that, whatever new technologies they buy and they can offer in their clinic I am in charge of. And the clinic concentrates on skin and laser. Laser is just something that people always come in to get. But with skin stuff, people have pigmentation, acne, all sorts of different problems of their skin, which in my clinic we do consultations and then we offer like treatment. So my work, I need to create ways to promote the clinic basically. It has a very different feel to it than what I wanted out of film

Starting point is 00:31:28 because it's not really storytelling. Like I always like how to tell stories and how to create films and stuff like that. But it's definitely a new challenge. I think the past year and a bit, which I've been here, I've definitely managed to find my sheet in there as well. And bring some sort of creativity into the work, even though it's not very creative environment. Yeah, I was going to ask you, how much creativity do you have when it comes to, let's say, coming up with the ideas for videos or social media content? Well, mainly I need to look at what trends there are, because most of the things are, like, regarding what trends are out there.

Starting point is 00:32:10 So a lot of social media content that I create, I need to really, really dig deep into social media to see what are the trending sounds, like on TikTok, for example, or trending, like, challenges or stuff like that. But we can't really implement everything, all the challenges that, like, let's say, influencers bring into their videos.

Starting point is 00:32:34 But we have to stay up to date with, like, most of the things. When you say trends, is it trends in general? What is trending or trends when it comes to the competition of the industry? Yeah. Well, it's both, to be honest. Like, even podcasts like we are doing now, we have a new idea now to do a podcast regarding skin.

Starting point is 00:32:56 Like two of the experts sit there and just talk about like, that's a new trend. Podcasts are a trend right now. Everyone listens to them. so we want to for example bring two of our experts sit them down and just have a discussion about what's the best way to remove double chin let's say like that and they discuss it for like however any time they can yeah and it surprised me a bit that it's even on tic-tok is it like a good place to be in well i personally never had tic-tto before this job i hated the fact that i have to have TikTok with this job because I'm such a like old school person even though I have like

Starting point is 00:33:42 Instagram and all of that I don't really post myself I can to like want to create and just let that like be in the universe and then for TikTok it's too Gen Z for me but then I had to come to a realization that so many people are on TikTok and it's one of the most popular platforms to advertise your work even as like a content creator I know a lot of people get work through TikTok because they put themselves out there I personally fail to do that but for my job obviously because it's my job I do create content a lot for their TikTok yeah and you create videos but do you also create static images that they post yeah yeah well obviously let's say they opened the new clinic and they need Google images to be updated and stuff.

Starting point is 00:34:39 Because you know when you are going to a business, like you Google it and then you see how it looks like, doesn't look clean, does it not? Or you want to look at the team or who is going to be treating you because you need to build that trust. So I'm also in charge of taking pictures of the clinic, treatments that they offer and a lot of the other things. So just mainly social media stuff. And can you say which platform is maybe the most popular or the most effective?

Starting point is 00:35:10 Would it be Instagram? Yeah. Obviously, website is also important because you have to have a good, catchy website. But mainly Instagram is the platform where people message a lot. I'm not in charge of Instagram. My marketing manager manages the Instagram. So I just create the content. So sometimes it's not me with posting because sometimes she tends to post stuff that are not that nice.

Starting point is 00:35:39 Yeah. And I wonder when it comes to, let's say, film in a video for them, do you basically do the whole pre-production process and then submit or show them some kind of proposal and they either accept it or refuse it or what's the process like? So when I went into the job, I didn't have any structure because they said you need to kind of manage yourself. You need to manage your own diary. You need to manage your everything. I work two days from home. But if those days I'm filming, I'm not working from home anymore. I'm out there filming.

Starting point is 00:36:13 And then three days I'm in the office. And if I'm filming again, I won't be in the office. So it really depends on if I'm filming that day or not. Because they didn't have videographer role before, they didn't. know like schedule-wise how to create it so I created like a whole sheet for myself where I put a calendar there put ideas list and then we share it with my manager I put all the ideas we talk about the ideas and then monthly we have a meeting and then we decide what videos I will have to work this month and then next month we'll have a new strategy

Starting point is 00:36:52 And can you say maybe on average, have you got like a one video per month or it depends on how it's needed? So yeah, I aim for at least three to four video, long videos a month. And then two TikToks, which could be posted on Instagram reels as well because Instagram reals are what really catch the viewers eyes on Instagram as well. So that's what's trending right now as I... Instagram rules. Yeah, yeah, Instagram rails are how you get your views and how you get your followers. Yeah, back in the days, you never used to be like that.

Starting point is 00:37:29 But now Instagram has prioritized Instagram reels above pictures and stuff. So I create around two to three TikTok slash Instagram Reels a week and two to three longer videos a month. This is my aim, but if it's a month where I'm filming more, I have to obviously decrease it because I won't get time to edit that much, especially because I hate editing. It's not really fun for me to edit to that extent. But yeah, when you have a longer video, you can extract a lot of short-form videos that are real or tech tops as well.

Starting point is 00:38:11 I'm not sure if you mentioned it, but are you also on YouTube? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So when you create a long-form video, we post on YouTube. And when it comes to YouTube short, Is it also as popular as on Instagram? Recently, YouTube, I think, announced that because back in the days, you couldn't earn money with YouTube shorts. So content creators, like, didn't want to create as much shorts,

Starting point is 00:38:36 but recently YouTube announced that you can earn money with YouTube shorts too. So I think it's becoming a lot more popular than before. So, yeah, now, even I catch myself watching a lot of YouTube shorts. Yeah, me too. go to YouTube. I think it's like the attention spam of the viewers as well, that over the time, we have stopped being able to watch longer stuff. I even tend to put it on fast, like pace when something is long and I want to know the end, I put it on fast, the speed so I can watch it quicker. Yeah, I feel the same because I also heard that YouTube shorts got very popular,

Starting point is 00:39:18 that you can get way more views than from a longer content. When I post on the YouTube shorts of the company, it normally gets way more views than the normal length videos. We get so little views on our normal length ones, but YouTube shorts more than 1, 2K, sometimes like, yeah, even TikTok. TikTok algorithm is so different to, like, other algorithms. You can really blow up with one video.

Starting point is 00:39:47 Yeah, I heard. And what is the target audience? Is there specific demographics, actually? So we technically target everyone, but most of our audience slash clients are females between 25 to 45, because that's when like females tend to really care about their beauty, especially the beauty industry has grown so much in the past like 10 years, let's say. people really want to take care of their skin, take care of their, like, aesthetics and stuff like that. And it's not always changing your aesthetics. It's maintaining certain things.

Starting point is 00:40:30 So anti-aging stuff as well. So mainly females, but also a lot of males do tend to watch our content or be our clients as well. Did you know that males get laser hair over as well? even beard line because you know how another snail they want sharper beard line and you always have to shave and stuff like that so for them it's easier they don't need to shave anymore i mean i guess i would be surprised from what you would say that yeah it's crazy world i never knew that this world existed because i was always so like just in my own little bubble of films and stuff like that and then i came to this industry and i realized well That's a whole new level.

Starting point is 00:41:16 And is it also, for example, when males start balding that they don't have hair, they come there to... Well, we don't have hair transplant, but we do have this thing called PRP, where they take your own blood and then they transfuge it. So your plasma, which is the good bits of your blood, they separate that from the bad bits of your blood. And then they inject that good bit back into your scalp, which generates new. growth. That's crazy. I didn't know that. I learned so much about beauty industry and what you can do to prevent aging, prevent all sorts of different things. I don't think I've ever learned my whole existence. And now when you're doing the videos, you have to know extra, extra amount more than some of the girls who do the treatments because I need to go in detail so I do not make any mistakes

Starting point is 00:42:10 when providing the information through the videos. So I know in detail everything, what it's good for, what it can do to you, what are the people who are not suitable to do it, all sorts of different things. And I guess if it didn't work, you probably cannot really say, but if they do that thing with the hair, was it like the percentage or likelihood that intellectual started growing? Well, it depends on how fit you are. If you are a healthy person, if you work out quite often, you have a good diet, drink lots of water, your plasma tend to be good.

Starting point is 00:42:49 Unless you have some sort of like illness or something that would be not that good. So I don't know about the percentage, but I've heard a lot of good things about it. I've seen a picture, before and after picture actually recently, of someone who was getting face laser. And then they kind of burnt this bit of their hair off. I don't think it was the clinic that I worked for. It was another clinic. So they came to us as like, can you fix this for us? And then they started doing PRP on that area.

Starting point is 00:43:22 And it's so crazy. You can actually see like hair coming out of that circle that was laser. So it does work, definitely. You can't expect to get results with one treatment. Yeah. We have like several treatments. But good to know. You know, when you are older and it happens, that there is still...

Starting point is 00:43:41 It was a great place for me to know that once shit hits the fan, I can fix it out. And do you have any favorite channels or even influencers that you use for inspiration? Well, I watch so much on YouTube, to be honest. I watch all different sorts of content. So I watch comedy, I watch, even sometimes I watch gaming, because I have a lot of friends who are in the gaming industry. I watch gaming. I watch beauty.

Starting point is 00:44:14 I watch podcasts. I watch everything. But one person that I watch and I really like his work is actually a film. He shows how he makes some like adverts. His name is Daniel Giffer. Never heard of it, but we'll have a look. It's S-B-H-I-F-F-I. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:44:36 Yeah. And do you want to tell us a bit more about some projects you did for the company? Maybe something that was exciting or challenging or for some reason worth sharing? So a couple months ago, we decided to do this theory called transformation with the Mara Vive Skin Clinic, because we have two clinics with two different names. And then we decided to do a transformation journey of when a person comes in and then they get seen by our doctor and then what treatment they get recommended. And I basically followed their journey through getting the results that they want. So I followed the journey of three different people, but two of them have not finished their journey yet.

Starting point is 00:45:25 So I'm not finished with those videos. But one of them didn't finish quite yet, but it was a six months mark. So we decided to post it anyways. It was a woman who struggled with some pigmentation on her face and she came to our clinic. I followed her six months when she was coming to our clinic, did a lot of interviews. It went well. In the end of it, we showed before and after. It's like a documentary style.

Starting point is 00:45:54 Obviously, if I was to have a team, it would have been much more high production and much more detailed or like the person who I chose. would have like more engaging personality but nevertheless we finished the project she got great results and it was like a 13 minute documentary style and it actually did relatively well even though i posted it on a channel that just started the channel only has like 80 subscribers but the video got like 1.4000 views so i'm quite proud of that yeah any exciting projects lined up? With my work, not really, because it's the same now. There is not much difference that you can do.

Starting point is 00:46:45 Just have to follow the trends. You have to see what other people are doing in the industry. Copy them but not copy them in the obvious way. In my opinion, that was a no-go in the first few months. I was like, I am not copying anyone. I'm not getting inspired by anyone else. It's my work. But then I came to a realization that everyone does it in big industry.

Starting point is 00:47:08 So just because that my thing doesn't mean that this company or this industry has to go with my type of things. Anyway, so I just have to follow what's new, how we can make everything exciting. The good thing about it is that every month there are new specials that we do, like new special offers. So every month we can focus on a different treatment. Yeah. And where do you see yourself in the future or have you got an idea of your next career? So I want to have a production company. I want to have people who do all the editing for me. No, seriously, I think what I imagine myself is that me having my own studio, like a little warehouse which I turn into a studio, then I rent the studio. but at the same time I can work in that same studio as well

Starting point is 00:48:04 from my own project. And then I can hire different people, different videographer, different editors. And then we work with clients and we work with film or video production companies. And then, yeah, that's my dream. So that's why I want to go into different sectors. So I'm trying marketing.

Starting point is 00:48:25 I try TV. I want to try different things. so I bring up my experience so then one day I could execute myself as well. And would you focus on some specific niche or specific sector? For now, I don't know because, for example, let's say weddings. I don't think I can just do weddings or I don't think I can just do advertisements. But I know for a fact that if you just focus on a niche, it works better for your brand. So I'm trying to find that niche, but that could take a while.

Starting point is 00:49:03 I need to go experience different things for myself to know which one I like more. Yeah, that makes sense. Understand. So from your experience, can you share some advice for people who are starting film, working in film, or any content creators? To be honest, I'm figuring out myself. So I don't know if I'm the best person to give advice. But one thing I would say is try to find a job when you're already in universe if you want to be in the film industry.

Starting point is 00:49:36 Film like whatever that is media related, visual, let's say. Try to find things like even little projects before you exit universities. Because that building up your portfolio and building up that TV is essentially what will get. you your foot to the door. Obviously it's different. If you are trying to work in the film, you have to go through the runner, stage, assistance and all of that. But if you want to work as a videographer, to be honest with you, everyone's path is different. This is what I learned. Not everyone's going to have the same journey as you do. Take people's advice, but at the end of the day, it's your path you're going to choose and tailor make it to your liking.

Starting point is 00:50:29 So I think no matter what path you choose as well, you'll be fine. Yeah, I think from my own experience, I wish I did more film-related work during studies as well because I worked in a pub as most of the people. But when you said that you work there already, it was a great idea because as you build the portfolio, I guess you get more experience, you get more confident, you've got a better CV. Yeah, and when you are in that environment, you are exposed to more people. So like a lot of people just rely on university connections and networks. But it's good to also have networks outside university and outside.

Starting point is 00:51:11 That's why a lot of people find it difficult when they leave university because they're so used to that comfort and those people. But if you only know the people that you go university with and you don't, know anything other than that. Chances are that you're all going to struggle finding jobs because you don't know anyone outside. But you do get those people who do have connections or do have most universities. Lecturers and tutors do tend to share that contacts with you. Yeah, I definitely agree. Finding a job in the industry is so hard. Right now I'm also trying to branch out, but it's not easy at all.

Starting point is 00:51:53 Yeah, I feel like it's been always hard and when there is a COVID it was even harder than people trying to start again after the COVID so it was also hard. Especially if you don't want to do the typical route of going through being a runner, then being an assistant and, you know, climbing up a ladder. Before we finish, do you want to promote yourself or even the work of your company if someone wanted to have a look? Well, my company is my company. It's primary laser and skin. If you know me, you can get some discounts. Other than that, because I am trying to put myself out there more, I have created a website. It's not too well done because I didn't put much time on it, but I just wanted to put my work somewhere. There's so much work that I can present, but they are never in one place. But a person that I know just encouraged me to just, no matter what, just put yourself out there.

Starting point is 00:52:54 It doesn't matter how the website looks like or anything. So I did that. You can visit my website. I try to update there with whatever new work I do. It's called nudgeearts.com. That's just the name I chose for my art Instagram when I was younger. So I just removed that. And yeah, if you have any work, freelance work, let me know.

Starting point is 00:53:16 make sure it's on weekend and I'll be there. Yeah, I will get the links and add them to the show notes if someone wanted to get in touch. So I think if there isn't anything from you, we can finish it for today. Yes, thank you so much for having me on. It was a pleasure speaking to you. And yeah, that's it really. In a few years when we are both like these big industry people, we can come back and actually talk about like hardcore. industry experience.

Starting point is 00:53:48 No, I agree. Yeah, I mean, I will be up for follow-up for sure. And I'm glad you gave me some hope with the hair treatment in case. No, don't worry. Come to our clinic and we will fix everything. All the things that you think is wrong, we'll fix it. Hopefully, with discount promotion, we'll call it. Yes.

Starting point is 00:54:06 If I film you actually, you don't even need to pay because you'll be my model. Yeah, I guess I will keep that in mind. So thank you so much one more time. And have a great extended weekend. Thank you. You too. Thank you for listening to Produced by. Subscribe to our podcast and your favorite podcast app, leave a review or send us your feedback. For more information about the host, links from the episode and ways to connect with us, visit the show notes.

Starting point is 00:54:38 If you know someone who would be an ideal guest for our podcast, please get in touch. Thank you and see you soon.

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