#tiger hunter

I would advise them to do it for the art of it, and not any other reason. Don't do it for the pay (well, we all know that takes forever to come by), don't do it for the power, don't do it to become part of a change. Those things may all come, and you can use them wisely, but the reality is that most arts are intensely competitive. You simply won't survive if your art isn't up to par. So, you can have ideals, but you won't be able to pursue them unless you become good at what you do.

4. What are some obstacles that you faced in your journey, and how did you deal/have you dealt with them?

This isn't anything unique to myself, but funding is always an obstacle. I think all artists know that, and that's why the term "starving artist" is so popular. Learning the ins and outs of the business, and figuring out how to get all the financing in place is a daily struggle. For the most part, I've just tried to be smart about it, make as strong a project as possible, and put all of my heart, soul--and time, into it.

5. Did you rely on your Muslim community when you first began? did you ever rely on them? if so, did you gain support? and if you didn’t, why didn’t you?

I didn't rely on them when I first began because I was working in more of the mainstream industry. I had gone to UCLA and then gone on to intern and then work at various production companies. Sometime after, however, my work did catch the eye of the Muslim community and they have been quite supportive ever since. They helped me when I needed extras or people in my music videos, they helped fund some of my smaller projects, and now they are promoting my Kickstarter (online fundraising/crowd-sourcing) campaign for my feature film. They also helped me meet some of my investors, those who were Muslim and those who were not.

6. What inspires you - and do you use that inspiration directly to create a project or do you channel towards something you are already working on?

I think I am inspired by the support of everyone else. Sometimes, when you really get deeper into the film industry, you find that some of the spirit gets lost and the business dominates. In the midst of this, it is so refreshing to get constant support from others who share my dream and support it. It puts the soul back into my work, and gives me energy to plug on. Honestly, I am working about 17 hours a day (I time it) on this Kickstarter campaign and raising money, and the people who are supporting me are how I get the energy.

7. What would people be surprised to learn about you?