The maestro behind the video direction of ‘Hamesha’ sung by the band Soch
His comfort with showbiz world and the excitement to keep going ahead in his ‘chosen’ profession is contagious. He tells me he would rather be average in studies and pursue a successful, promising extra-curricular field as a profession than be an ace student without any ambition at all. An ace photographer, event manager, video director and an aspiring filmmaker, Adnan proves once and for all that passion when pursued rewards in riches far beyond money and gold; it leads to a life of contentment and a reason to wake up everyday.
A Pakistan native, Adnan Qazi’s first foray into creative education began at the renowned Burnhall School in Abbottabad, followed by the regimented discipline of the Batrasi Cadet College. Sensing his creative talent, his parents saw it fit to send him to Filton College for his GCSEs in Bristol, UK where he thrived. From there he went on to get his BSC degree in Business and Film Management from the University of West of England.
“While I was completing my business school, I realised my deep passion for the arts and told my parents about my ideas for myself. I told them that I wanted to move to London, make films and experiment with the camera and video-making. As expected, my parents were not that supportive of me pursuing a career in visual or performing arts. They had always imagined me doing something much more hard-core and all technical behind the desk. But, it was almost as if someone was playing the pied piper. I listened to the inner voice inside me, which kept compelling me to pursue what made me happy and ultimately, I ended up doing exactly that.”
Having formally moved to London by then, Adnan also got his diploma in Filmmaking from the New York Film Academy in London, a long standing passion of his. It was during this time that he got involved in fashion and fashion photography. As a deeply thoughtful young man, he prefers being behind the camera rather than in front of it, for that is where he believes the real magic happens.
“London is the city that changed my life forever. When I first moved to London, my first big break was to choreograph a fashion show, in which designers like Arnab Sengupta etc were participating. Was a challenge for me, but I took it. You see the thing with my life is that nothing was served to me in a silver platter. It was really hard for me at first. I had to make ends meet and in order to keep the clothes on my back, I worked two jobs tirelessly; one for my passion and one for survival. I climbed my way up gradually and started working in the fashion industry as a fashion choreographer and event manager.”
Adnan is one of those people who make fantasy sounds so real and so tangible. Five minutes of talking to him would impress and inspire you to the extent of reviewing your life altogether. I know I did. I actually excused myself for a good 10 minutes, thinking if I was actually pursuing my passion like he was or just living life like a cog in the wheel.
“I remember my very own first camera, that my sister paid for after she realised that I wasn’t fooling around and was in it to win it. I recall going to different salons and asking aspiring models if they would do a shoot with me. A few agreed and I slowly started to get very influential with my photography. The important thing to know is that no matter what I did, I stayed consistent and focused with my passion.”
Adnan is 24 years old, my dear readers, but the amount of strength, focus and acumen he possesses surpasses his age. His ambition seems to be on fire and I can be sure by the determination of his words.
“Photography is my baby, my strength. Back in the day, whenever any Bollywood film that would be shooting in London, I would grab myself a small role in it, be it casting or production assisting, and was just happy being a small part of such a large project. It ultimately gave wings to my dreams.”
In recent times, Adnan has been credited with being an A-class fashion photographer with a unique style, a sought after runway choreographer, events’ organiser and a casting director with an eye for finding the right person for the job. Despite all this, he has not lost his love of the film and occasionally goes back to directing, however, his main focus has always been fashion photography.
Adnan has shot and directed a music video for the band Soch called “Hamesha”. Talking about the band Soch, Adnan says, “Soch is a very talented upcoming band that will shake the industry on their arrival.”
The song “Hamesha”, which is already creating quite a stir, hit the TV screens in October.
Adnan is a regular when it comes to backstage management and runway choreography, which includes choreography and fashion shoots for the likes of Nomi Ansari, Maheen Khan, HSY and Sabyasachi. He then went on to do a number of photoshoots for various make-up artists with a series of top models, which include Kiran Malik and Davinia Hodgson.
When asked what his future plans are, Adnan replied, “Since my passion for films and fashion will always remain, I am planning to move to Mumbai, India soon to pursue a career in filmmaking.”
All the best to this rising star, who continues to be an inspiration for many and ideal for novices in his field.
‘I prefer being behind the camera rather than being in front of it, as I believe that’s where the real magic happens’
‘I listened to the inner voice inside me, which kept compelling me to pursue what made me happy and ultimately, I ended up doing exactly that’
Source: dailytimes.com