In the realm of filmmaking, Faisal Rasheed emerges as a seasoned director with a career spanning over two decades. Starting from his roots in satellite channels, he has blossomed into the visionary founder of Shoot At Sight Productions. Faisal’s creative genius shines through in his portfolio of short films, impactful ad campaigns, and acclaimed TV endeavours like “National ka Pakistan.” His production company has not only flourished locally but has also spread its wings to the USA and UAE, showcasing his global reach and innovative spirit. Notably, his co-production of the well-received film ‘Pinky Memsaab’ found a home on Netflix for an impressive five-year run. Join us as we delve into Faisal Rasheed’s journey through the ever-evolving media industry, exploring his past successes and future aspirations in the dynamic landscape of storytelling and production.
Your journey in the media industry is truly inspiring. Can you share how it all began for you?
Faisal: Absolutely! My career kicked off in early 2000 at Indus Music. It all started accidentally. It was my fate that took me to IM. My big break came with the show “I’m Requested,” hosted by the talented VJ Anoushey. It was one of the most popular shows of that time. Those early days were exhilarating. It was a fantastic way to know what I want to continue doing in my life ahead.
It sounds like that was a pivotal time for you. And if I’m not wrong, you joined ARY [Digital Network] after that. How was your time there?
Faisal: After Indus, I did projects for ARY Digital & HUM TV as a freelancer and later on joined ARY Musik, part of the ARY Digital Network. I spent eight wonderful years focusing on developing content and creatives as Assistant Vice President for ARY Musik and ARY Zauq. It was a steep learning curve, and I polished my creative direction and content development skills during that time.
ARY is an industry giant in Pakistan. How does one decide to move on from a place like this, with a such career and position to start all over again, in your case, it was your own production company, Shoot at Sight Productions, which felt risky.
Faisal: Yeah, I was always the guy who would love to create, during my time at ARY. You would mostly find me on the floor or the ground creating, shooting, or editing rather than just enjoying my position at work. I always had an insatiable hunger for the uncharted, always seeking that spark to ignite new paths never tread before. In 2011, I took this leap and started Shoot at Sight. Taking such a big risk having such a position, most people would call me crazy to do so but it felt just so right, and I decided to venture into new territory, that was a significant moment for me and when I look back it was the best thing that could happen to me and I’m very thankful for that. And almost immediately, we gained recognition for producing outstanding work for major brands. One of my proudest accomplishments was co-producing and directing National Ka Pakistan, an award-winning content that created a stir in local industry and became a benchmark in its category. Well praised by the critics, and well received by the audience, a series that we produced for five successful seasons.
You won two PAS Awards (Pakistan advertising awards) for two years straight for National Ka Pakistan. How did you feel about that?
Faisal: Yeah, it was great to be acknowledged for the labour of love, but more than the awards, it was the experience for me, travelling across the country, exploring different foods, telling stories from those far-fetched areas. Bringing the people and putting them on the world map with their creations and delicacies. It was a phenomenal experience. I can’t put it into words.
When did you decide to reach out to the global stage with Shoot at Sight branching out to UAE?
Faisal: So, the expansion of SAS felt organic. The idea of going global was always part of the plan and you always need the right people to grow. I was lucky to have been friends with some amazing individuals, Fahad Shaikh, an amazing guy and, great film-maker, whom I’ve known and worked with on his short films, and Umar Khan, who’s our Creative Producer and another talented guy. We gathered, discussed, planned and went ahead and landed ourselves in UAE.
Everything was just falling into place like a perfect puzzle for you.
Faisal: Our portfolio was vast and attractive enough and we quickly started getting clients and everything just kickstarted over there. We didn’t want to stop. In eight successful years, we’ve worked on multi-million-dollar projects with big names in banking and multinational clients like Mondelez, H&M, Khaadi, Shaukat Khanum, P&G, Shell, etc. We also co-produced our first feature film, Pinky Memsaab, which won the Best Film Audience Choice award at the UK Asian Film Festival in 2018. It had a successful release in UAE, Pakistan, and Texas. It was on Netflix for like 5 years or so, and now it’s on Apple TV. We also line-produced films like Sherdil and Chupan Chupai, telling diverse stories while maintaining quality.
It sounds like you’ve built an incredible portfolio and network. What’s next for you and Shoot at Sight Productions?
Faisal: Exciting times ahead surely. This ever-changing landscape of media and the global reach of OTT platforms present opportunities for content creators like us to showcase our work to a wider audience and we want to make the most of it now. The way forward is to collaborate with individuals and teams to create bigger and more impactful content. We are planning to bring feature films to the US for production from Pakistan and are currently in the process of creating a web series format with renowned platforms strengthening the base in North America and creating a bridge of productions between the US and UAE.
Your journey has been remarkable. As you reflect on it, what stands out to you?
Faisal: As I look back, to me it’s the experiences I have had through collaborating with some great creative minds and working with diverse crews and individuals from places like Thailand, Europe, India, Turkey, UAE etc. It has done wonders for my growth both on personal and professional levels.
