ZAKARIAH FIKRI
- SHOOGA BLOOM
- Mar 13, 2021
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 21, 2021
ZAKARIAH FIKRI
FILM MAKER & PHOTOGRAPHER
(MULTIMEDIA CREATOR)
(He/Him)
Website: zakmainemail.wixsite.com/photography
WHO IS ZAK?
Zak Fikri is a filmmaker, photographer, and multimedia creator who has a passion for capturing the world around him. Currently based in the South West, UK.
He studied at Plymouth College of Art and graduated an extended diploma in photography (achieving a distinction). He then started an extended diploma in music production at DBS, but he left, as the course wasn't right for him. Due to the current global situation, in the past year he has spent time doing things that haven't quite correlated with his creative goals and endeavours, instead it has been more a time of reflection and learning.
Zak has worked for and alongside many people and creatives such as: Tom Mackenzie, Abbey Valentina and James Jack.
Other projects and collaborations include spoken word and poetry videos/content for Katy Else - The Unheard Bird, who has been nominated for awards in social work. He also has taken portraits for a multitude of people, and he feels his photography of Yellow Days and Wonky Logic are some of his nicest pieces he has captured thus far.
STYLE AND INSPIRATION
Inspired by things around him he naturally shifts into slightly different styles for different sectors and situations, depending on what he is working on and who he is working with. He likes to adopt a stripped back and desaturated look in his portraiture that highlights the person, forcing them to stand out from the background. He usually shoots digitally, but also has a love for analog and darkroom methods, which can also find its way into final edits of his digital pieces.
'His digital work emulates film' - Abbey Valentina
His live creations, (when he is 'on the fly') has a large element of street-style influence. However, when he is in the creative process he tends not the think about his own style too much, instead he has the idea, executes it and in post tries to make them cohesive, which he finds is a more organic and natural approach. Recently, he has been trying to limit his use of that technique and instead creating individuality within each stand-alone image. This makes me think of the quote/concept:
'But out of limitations comes creativity' - Debbie Allen
Research is at the centre of everything Zak does, especially when he is by himself. For example: after watching a film, he does research on it and if he likes a certain style he will look into it and how it's formed. Constantly reading articles and listening to podcasts, as so many topics interest him.
'I even take inspiration from MMA'.
A part of creative inspiration for him is people and the specific facets of their personality, style or creative style. There are so many people that inspire him, but for film and acting, it would be Tom Hardy as a main inspiration and dream collaboration; although he seems very intimidating.
'I'm sure he's lovely but I think when he's there he's the sort of person, like me, that's like we are here. This is what we are doing. Let's get it done.'
If given the opportunity, he would also like to get the work with Quentin Tarantino and get into his head. 'Just because I think he has some demons'. Although, more recently he has been trying to inspire himself and his own work, not because no-one is inspiring him, but the complete opposite and from so many different areas.
CURRENT PROJECTS
He is currently working on a short film/video that will be pitched to companies for commercial clothes advertisement, based around old-school fashion advertisements and skateboarding aesthetic.
'Its gonna be very fun'
Another project he is working on won't be anything like what he has made before and essentially grows with his work. The fact that he didn't go straight to uni after PCA and instead had a few years of not getting much work out, has helped him figure a few things out, allowing him to have a really clear vision on how he wants this short to be. At the moment, he really wants to do more film work and make and create just as much as he possibly can. There's also a secret music project in the making, so go follow his socials to stay up to date!
What drew you to this career path?
It's as simple as he enjoys it, and like many of us, he doesn't want to work at something that brings no joy. Highlighted further by the time he has spent working at jobs he doesn't enjoy (such as big companies he doesn't like). This drives him to work hard to be able to make a solid yearly wage he can live off, at a job he loves to work hard at. AND that's the dream, as in many creative environments people assume they have to be the biggest thing ever to be able to work a single job. He doesn't think it will be unrealistic to get the basic annual wage to live on.
'The hard part is to not over think it all.'
CREATIVITY IN LOCKDOWN
'To be honest I didn't stay creative at the start of lockdown, I was really focusing on my physical health, which became a bit of an obsession, and like everyone, was quite up and down.'
Since then, he's moved into a different space/environment, where he has had time to genuinely reflect and look to the future. In comparison to home where there is a lot happening all the time because there's so many people in one space.
A message to creatives: 'Just take everything a day at a time... I know it's cheesy but it's the way to do life, have a few big major goals that you wish to achieve in the future, and as long as you're working toward those goals in small steps every day then that is success and that's how growth and progression will happen. If you don't enjoy the process of doing whatever it is that you're doing, then I don't think you should be doing what you're doing.'
GOALS & PLANS
The foreseeable future is 'make make make', and create as much as possible.
University is also on the cards, at the moment photography seems like the most likely route. He wants to have a strict (to an extent) background in one specific niche that would sit well on a resumé, be something that he's genuinely really proud of and collaborate with more creatives. At PCA he did a lot of cinematography that intertwined multiple mediums to create projects, which become more unique and inventive when more minds are thrown together. If he does go, he wants to have a non-stop work ethic to make the most out of the education, equipment and facilities. Not only on the assigned work, but keeping other projects going alongside. He has been making IGTV videos and a recent one mentions a phrase that he likes:
So it's got to be all or nothing!
He expresses that he is a 'very, very motivated person' and therefore he has set goals he wants to achieve for the foreseeable future:
Focus on his Niche.
Make as much money and content as he can.
'We are lucky enough to be able to make these decisions when they come about.'
Soon we will be selling 'Photography Shoots' with Zak on our Shop! We will keep you up to date on what that includes and more information on his and our socials.
So go follow to keep up to date!
Zak's top 4 Albums:
Voodoo-D'Angelo, In Praise of shadows-Puma Blue, Madvillainy-MF Doom & Collapsed in Sunbeams-Arlo Parks.
Thank you for reading! We are aiming to upload a Blog Post every Friday, and introduce you to new and fantastic creatives once a month, also featuring their work in our shop!
So stay tuned!
We hope you have an amazing week and an even better day.
Lots of Love,
Shooga Bloom xx
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