Today we’d like to introduce you to Ejaz Mehedi.
Hi Ejaz, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up in the 90s in the bustling capital of Dhaka, Bangladesh, I was exposed to the Western pop culture of the time with the simple press of a button, thanks to cable TV at home. Between school, homework, and playing football, I was able to immerse myself in shows like Swat Kats on Cartoon Network and Samurai X on AXN. As I grew older, my interests shifted toward movies. The Green Mile, The Matrix, and School of Rock all left an impression on me, but none more so than Rob Reiner’s Stand By Me. That film sparked an abyss of curiosity and awe in me the first time I watched it, transporting me to the Lake Britton bridge, experiencing the adrenaline rush of running to get off the rail tracks to dodge an incoming train alongside Chris, Gordy, Vern, and Teddy.
In 2007, I discovered the world of photography through Flickr and began spending hours every day looking at landscape photographs from various photographers. As a hobby, I started taking photos with my mom’s Samsung or my dad’s Nokia N series phones. Fast forward a few years to 2012, after finishing school, I decided to take my hobby more seriously and enrolled in a year-long advanced photography course equipped with a Nikon D90.
During a trip to the countryside with friends, I remembered that my camera could also shoot 720p videos, so I filmed our trip. That same week, I stumbled upon Vimeo while searching for other films shot on the same camera for editing inspiration, and simultaneously began learning to edit videos on YouTube. The process was so intriguing that I fell in love with it.
I showed the trip video to one of my senior batch mates and he asked if I’d be interested in shooting a documentary video with him for Ocean Conservancy. That was my first of many work trips as a documentary videographer. For the next two years, I worked on many documentary projects as an assistant videographer, videographer, and editor, I was trying out everything I was learning on Youtube. I befriended some like-minded folks who were also starting out and we made a short film and participated in an inter-university short film competition where we won an award.
This exercise and practice steadily made me aware of the role of a cinematographer in a film, commercial, or documentary. I started paying more attention to the story, lighting, framing, depth, texture, movement, and many other aspects that contribute to composing a shot or a scene in a film. Learning while earning, eventually, some of my early works led me to work as a cinematographer and sometimes director and editor on many short films, music videos, branded content, and web and tv spots for local and global artists and brands over the years.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
A road less traveled is never smooth. In South-Asian families, usually, there are preconceived expectations for the kids to become doctors, engineers, lawyers, etc. It wasn’t much different in my case, there were concerns from my mom and dad as I gravitated towards investing my time and energy in the audio-visual industry during my formative years.
“You can’t expect to make a living with a camera, your friends aren’t doing it…look at them” my parents expressed. Despite their reservations, my passion for the craft did not waver, and I am grateful that they eventually trusted me after I showed them some of the work I had produced, which was showcased online and sometimes on television. Over time, they began to recognize that with persistence and hard work, a career in the visual arts was feasible.
Looking back, I realize that their concerns were not entirely unfounded. Filmmaking is a very challenging profession that demands sheer passion, persistence, and hard work.
Additionally, a lack of support systems for emerging filmmakers in the industry makes it difficult for newcomers to enter the video production industry in Bangladesh. The absence of dedicated training, workshops, and mentorship initiatives can be a significant obstacle. Nevertheless, this obstacle also proved to be a blessing in disguise. I’ve had the time and freedom to gain some foundational knowledge online on YouTube, Vimeo, filmmaking blogs, etc.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a cinematographer and occasionally a director working in the narrative, commercial, and branded content space for over seven years now.
My current specialization and interest in the narrative filmmaking world are working on projects with genre storytelling, Asian identity politics, and the migrant worker diaspora that blends with drama – horror-mystery genres. Having said that, my interest isn’t restricted at all, I am open to collaborating on any script that I can personally connect with.
In the commercial and branded content space, I specialize in working for sports, automotive, sustainable lifestyle, banking, telecommunication, and many other brands and sectors.
Recently I’m known for and most proud of working on a horror short called MOSHARI as a cinematographer. Set in the ruins of Dhaka, Bangladesh the film follows two sisters with strained relationships navigating a post-apocalyptic world overrun by unknown blood-sucking creatures. Equipped with the only tool of survival a mosquito net (Moshari), they have to fight for survival while trying to survive one another.
Our multi-Oscar qualifying short won 11 awards from over 20 festivals globally in 2022, including the 2022 SXSW Jury award, best horror short at HollyShorts, best Asian short at Fantasia, best short Atlanta, best short at Melbourne and best short Short Shorts and Asia and more. Currently, Oscar-winning filmmakers Jordan Peele with MonkeyPaw Productions and Riz Ahmed with Left Handed Films serve as executive producers on the film.
FOREIGNERS ONLY is another short I shot recently for Hulu and Disney+ for their Bite-Size Halloween Season 3 Show (Episode 9), aired on Halloween 2022.
Personally, apart from my sheer passion, curiosity, and dedication to the craft what sets me apart as a cinematographer and filmmaker is the ability to view the world through different lenses. The west as an outsider but with sensibilities and an understanding of western values. The south as a local with homegrown values and customaries but with the ability to introduce the seemingly prevalent western influences and approaches.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My fondest childhood memory is when I witnessed the Bay of Bengal for the very first time, I was seven when I went on a trip with my family to Cox’s Bazaar, a town on the southeast coast of Bangladesh. It was dusk on an overcast evening and it was drizzling and we had gone to the seashore. I remember witnessing the sea, the sound of gigantic waves crashing onto the shore and receding instantly. The sky was decorated with crimson, fiery clouds. In front of me was an abyss, fierce and roaring, announcing the might of nature. It was an unforgettable experience.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ejazmehedi.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ejazmehedi
- Twitter: https://www.instagram.com/EjazMehedi
- Other: www.vimeo.com/ejazmehedi/
Image Credits
Feature headshot photo – Photographer: Amir Hamja BTS feature photo 1) Photographer: ProDip 2) Photographer: Partho Khalifa 3) Photographer: Partho Khalifa 4) Photographer: Mulook Al Balushi
