A new beginning for a young filmmaker

Director Raka Noshin Nower has been an ad-film director for the past ten years, formerly associated with Applebox Films. She made a name for herself with her debut tele-fiction, which was aired on Valentine's Day—"Aar Theko Na Durey", one of the stories of "Closeup Kachhe Ashar Didhahin Golpo" this year.

Raka recently began a new journey with her own company, Studio Yellow Something Limited, which she announced in June. In conversation with The Daily Star, the director shared her thoughts about the limitations of working in the creative field, her inspirations and future plans.

What was the idea behind Studio Yellow Something Limited?

The colour yellow has always been a symbol of happiness to me. While, 'something' always pushes me to think out of the box and look for the new and creative ideas. Studio Yellow Something Limited is not just about thinking big, but executing it well.

I want to produce multi-dimensional projects under the banner of my company. We will eventually produce television commercials, documentaries, fiction, non-fiction, OVC, and a variety of other content. We also want to host acting workshops at some point in the future.

Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Who inspired you the most to take this step?

I would credit eminent theatre personality, Syed Jamil Ahmed sir for helping me transform into the person I am today. I did four workshops on theatre studies with him, and was able to learn many things. As a result, my vision for life and work was completely changed.

What are the limitations of filmmakers in our country?

We create our own limitations. In most of the cases, lack of courage to take risks is one of those factors that still holds us back. We do face a lot of hurdles, as we don't have enough support or even resources. Yet, our productions are receiving international acclaim, which means that we are on the right track.

Our country does not have proper institutes for filmmaking, so we tend to take technical support from outside the country. What are your thoughts on this?

It is true, yet I believe, very soon we will reach the stage where our productions will be 100 percent locally made. I want my company to be one of those to takes this initiative.

Photo: Taken from Facebook

Could you tell us about your upcoming projects?

I am in the talks with Chorki about a web-film. The script for the project is almost ready and we are planning to begin shooting in August. Also, I will keep working on ad films, which is my area of expertise. Simultaneously, I also want to keep collaborating with Children's Film Society (CFS). These kids amaze me with their innovative thoughts and their clear vision for their ambitions.

What are your future plans and where do you see your company in the next five years?

See, I consciously kept myself away from making beauty product ads, because there is this conventional idea that female ad-filmmakers can only work with feminine products. This sort of stereotyping does not sit right with me. I was one of those directors who brought changes in the sanitary napkin advertisements by showing red liquid instead of blue. This is one way in which I tried breaking the bias.

In the next five years, I want to take my company to an international level. At the same time, I want my company to be associated with each and every sector in Bangladesh. I want to highlight the banner of Studio Yellow Something Limited, under which the dreams of many youngsters will come true.