indieactivity: How would you describe your experience with JOHN doing a great festival run?
Babar Ali (BA): Having a global audience giving love to our film John brings me immense pleasure. It is my first feature and as it is going around the world in major film festivals and being appreciated, I feel motivated for my future projects.
Why JOHN? It seems necessary, but why and how did you arrive at this choice?
Babar Ali (BA): I feel very deeply about religious discrimination and violence because of my first-hand experiences. The idea behind John was to start a dialogue about these important issues but without compromising on the entertainment factor.
It is a high quality film that you have shot. How did you secure the cast, location and gear? What went into the process?
Babar Ali (BA): We initially started the project with a very indie approach but luckily we found partners and supporters along the way and kept on improving the scale of the project.
We got enough funds to rent out high-quality equipment and with the support of the team we did not compromise on the post-production either hiring the best in the business from Pakistan and India for various roles. The casting was quite time-consuming but we got a good mix of veteran actors and some influencer-turned-actors who had great potential, that showed in the film.
Without giving anything away, tell us a little bit about the production, how did you structure, or schedule production?
Babar Ali (BA): The production was quite challenging as we were filming in crowded real locations as we wanted to keep the film as close to real as possible. Credit must be given to our producer Faiza Khanum who planned and made sure everything went smoothly. Despite the planning there were always unseen challenges but we were mentally prepared to improvise. Luckily all the improvisation went in our favour as we were always satisfied with each tough production day.
Who is “JOHN” for? Who do you think would it suit the least or not suit at all?
Babar Ali (BA): John is more like a 90s film where it takes time to set up, to make a strong emotional connection with the characters. You care and feel about the characters only if you have invested enough time with them. It still has some comedy and action elements spread across so it is not too artsy.
I think everyone can enjoy watching John as it has elements that people can relate to but it could be a different film altogether for people who do not have an appetite for foreign language films, or who are into fast-paced action flicks – as John is real and dark to a certain extent.
How long did it take to shoot and edit “JOHN” together?
Babar Ali (BA): We shot the film with different spells spread over a year. There were multiple challenges that stretched the gaps along with financial challenges. The post-production was also stretched over a year as we were not ready to compromise and had to raise more funds after each step.
Tell us about the post-production process? How did you achieve the look and feel of the film?
Babar Ali (BA): The look and feel is not something you can achieve in the post-production or with color grading. The look and feel was carefully designed in the pre-production and we followed the color palette rigorously. The lighting choices, make up, and costumes all played an important role too as the environment does feel real. Our colorist Wahab Danka did a great job creating the look we were aiming for and the elements we placed during the production gave him enough room to play with.
The film had a lot of talent working behind the scenes. Why is diversity important both in front of and behind the camera?
Babar Ali (BA): We had a crew from different regions and religious backgrounds. It gave us an opportunity to bring experiences of different individuals into the soul of John. Film is a collaborative art and the more diverse the team the more authentic it feels. We had some great Indian artists who worked on the sound design and music of the film from India. We only met via zoom calls but their experience and artistic choices really elevated the project.
What were your goals with “JOHN”?
Babar Ali (BA): The goal was simple. I wanted to make a film that speaks to a global audience and tells the story I really wanted to tell to the world.
What’s next for you? What are you working on right now?
Babar Ali (BA): I’m working on a TV Series currently and looking for inspiration for my next feature as well.
What would you recommend to a director at the beginning of his/her journey?
Babar Ali (BA): I would recommend to keep making films no matter how small or how bad it might look but keep on making those shorts. There’s so much to learn that you can only learn when you are in the process.
What’s your favorite topic? Why?
Babar Ali (BA): Can’t really say for sure. Topics that interest me keep on changing. I’m currently invested in time-travel for instance.
What advice would you give directors around the world?
Babar Ali (BA): My advice after making John would be to be fearless in your approach. Making a film can get super frustrating if you do not have enough resources. It takes a lot of patience and sacrifice. Be fearless in asking for help from the people around you and everyone in the crew who are invested in the project. I got a lot of support from my team members and friends as I was not ashamed to ask. This is true for other things too, whatever you want to achieve you will have to depend on others too and there is no harm in finding a support system.
Tell us what you think of the interview with Babar Ali. What do you think of it? What ideas did you get? Do you have any suggestions? Or did it help you? Let’s have your comments below and/or on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
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