FiLUMS workshop: ‘The key is to be creative within your resources’

Two emerging artists on the national music and film scene held workshops on the second day of the LUMS International Film Festival, FiLUMS on Saturday.

Syed Noor Hussain, a student of architecture at the National College of Arts, gave a workshop on how to produce music videos with limited resources. Hussain produced a music video in 2011 for the single Zameer sung by Wajahat Hussain.

“I took online tutorials to add special effects,” he said.

Hussain said a story-board – the blueprint of a film or video – needs to be elaborate.

“You need to invest time and energy in researching the content for the film,” he said.

Hussain said his video had focused on creating a ‘war-like’ image.

It needed images of destruction. From damaged buildings to old structures, Hussain said he explored every corner of the city till he stumbled upon the right location.

“I remembered that there had been a fire in Shah Aalami which had caused great devastation… as soon as I went there I realised this was the place,” he added.

Given the low budget, Hussain said he had to compromise on equipment.

He went for cheaper alternatives like a 20 year old tripod.

“Twice we almost dropped our camera while balancing it on the tripod,” he said with a laugh.

“The key is to learn to be creative within your resources whether technical or human,” he said.

Nabeel Khan, an actor who starred in Reema Khan’s Love Mein Gum talked about the challenges faced by upcoming actors.

Khan said he was not entirely ready to work in films. He started his acting career in 1999 with a TV commercial while he was in grade 9. Khan, who has been working in a bank since 2007, said he had taken up modelling offers.

“It took me by surprise… I wasn’t ready to work in films,” he said. But as Reeema was producing the film, he said he decided to give it a shot. “Reema is big,” he added.

A song from the movie Kitni Haseen Hai Zindagee was played before Khan spoke. Khan said he was very conscious of the choreography for the song.

Khan said that lack funding and the lack of rules were to blame for the decline. He regretted that Pakistani artists were appreciated in the country only after they went abroad.

Khan said there was a need for the government to step up and support the dying industry. “We need finances, guidance, expertise and… we need the government to help us,” he said.

The young actor proposed that the provincial government set up an institution where new talent could hone its skills. He  insisted that the institute be privatised once it got going.

Nearly 30 movies were screened during the first part of the day. The day ended with the premiere of the film Seedlings which was one of the major highlights of the festival.

The festival concludes on Sunday.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10th, 2013.