If you haven’t heard of or Pakistani-born and British-raised cinematographer & Filmmaker Arman Khan Achakzai go on Youtube and you’ll see why he is one to watch!
He started Visual effects with an eagerness to share his newly acquired filmmaking knowledge. He launched his career in the industry without any formal training and while he was thoroughly unqualified, this hasn’t stopped him from sharing his personal experience or opinions. In the beginning, he was interested in talking about the products and equipment he used but as he gained more experience and his interest has shifted from the technical elements towards creative processes and thinking.
Producing “Arman khan Achakzai” on YouTube has given him the perfect excuse to practice his skills and collect his thoughts, pushing him to make more content, improve his craft, and question everything while learning. Over the years his team: Mariam Sadat (line producer), Haseeb Satarzai (assistant editor), Fareed Sharzad (copywriter) and (Arman khan Achakzai) have documented lighting challenges with inexpensive equipment, spoken honestly about career mistakes and insecurities, and repeatedly tried to understand what it means to be creative storytellers.
Arman Khan Achakzai
PRODUCER / DIRECTOR / VFX DESIGNER
While growing up, Achakzai often switched between drawing cartoons, playing instruments, or building various creations with cardboard and lots of tape. It was only when he picked up a video camera to make his first short film, that he realized he would found his new and favorite interest.
He currently lives in Berkshire in the United Kingdom and have found that working for himself allows him to combine all his work-related interests – film, music, and analytical writing.
When he is not working, He tries to spend as much time hiking, rewatching British comedy series, playing badminton and having barbecues in the park. Achakzai recently made his documentary himself. The whole project he has made himself during Quarantine, the film has been selected for an online film festival.
He used VFX heavily in the documentary, since we all know khan has graduated in VFX design, so he took the advantages of his VFX skills ,which he has used all the skill to build great VFX in the documentary. The documentary is ten minutes long and Achakzai has used 75% of animation in the documentary. Achakzai has been awarded as a best VFX designer for making this documentary.
Arman khan Achakzai Upcoming work
Currently, Achakzai is working on a future film script which will be based on a true story based a clash between the Ghabizai and Hamadzai tribes in Pakistan. The date and place is not confirmed yet.
Some of the screenshot of his documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evOKuLmJs_4
The story of an Afghan asylum seeker in the UK, showing the struggle in war-torn Afghanistan, how he flees the country to save his life, his dangerous journey to the UK, and his life thereafter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evOKuLmJs_4