Name:
Shomi Patwary
Occupation:
Director
Top 3 films of all time:
Chungking Express, Do The Right Thing, Rushmore
How did you first get into filmmaking?
I used to create stop motion animation movies with my cousin when we were teenagers. But in my teenage years, it never even crossed my mind that it could be a career option. I started to film with a cheap Sony Handicam to capture illegal street races in the early 2000s. Being at those street races really started to get me into filming behind the scenes at all sorts of events, from concerts to car shows. I started making connections through my friends that were part of the car community. But even then, I didn't think it would be a realistic career, it was still a hobby. I just knew that I loved capturing people behind the scenes, but never took it seriously enough to think it would be a career till I shot my first super low budget music video in 2005.
"My favorite aspect of filmmaking is getting to be creative with my favorite people on set that are like family to me."
What is your favorite on-set story?
My favorite moments on set are the unplanned and unscripted ones when I was directing the "Yamborghini High" music video with A$AP Rocky, we were knocking down a giant facade of a mansion, we decided to put all of the actual film crew for the music video, everyone was running around all crazy, acting as if the video ended with a disaster as we captured the collapse of a giant background. I love breaking the 4th wall or going super meta with my projects sometimes.
What piece of equipment can you not live without on set?
I have to have a hand held wireless monitor.
"Technical aspects of filmmaking can be mastered overtime, but the close community of filmmakers I bond with all have principles that unite us."
The heart of the Film Pin Society is community and camaraderie. Can you talk a little about that?
Community and camaraderie means everything to me, my favorite aspect of filmmaking is getting to be creative with my favorite people on set that are like family to me. Being an owner of a video production company with my wife, building solid relationships with my co-creators was more important than anything. I believe character is everything, creativity can evolve, technical aspects of filmmaking can be mastered overtime, but the close community of filmmakers I bond with all have principles that unite us. My producers, cinematographers, stylists, and other close collaborators are all people I consider family, we have each other's backs at all times.
What’s the best piece of advice you can give to someone looking into going into your field?
I would say, it's completely ok to be naive when getting into something, dreaming about what you want to create, even if it seems impossible to do, it is still the the most fun part of the filmmaking journey looking back at it.
What pin from our collection speaks to you and why?
I love the 16mm Camera pin, it has a timeless look to it, it's one of favorite type of cameras to film on since a lot of my work deals with mixed media these days. I love mixing the old and the new, filming with a 16mm Arriflex and mixing with the Arri Alexa.
What should we turn into a pin next?
This is a bit silly, but a catering plate, it's my favorite time on set, eating and chillin' with the crew during break.
How can we learn more about you?