Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Arrad Rahgoshay. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Arrad, thanks for joining us today. Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?

Appreciate you having me. Here’s a recent example of an idea I recently brought to life:

It was mid-September 2022 when my home country of Iran faced extreme adversity. Innocent lives were lost, innocent civilians were arrested, and global protests broke out.

With a movement coined as “Woman, Life, Freedom” starting to garner international recognition, I felt that as a member of the Iranian diaspora, I was obligated to contribute in spreading awareness and creating an impact to help my people back home. Being overseas away from the civil unrest, I had a deep sense of guilt not being able to physically help my family & friends in need.

Thus, I resorted to a skill that I knew could help: filmmaking. And with this project, it all had to be created from scratch.

My career as a director started in music videos. With these projects, there would already be a track and an artist attached to the project. I’d come with the creative treatment, the client would approve a budget, and we’d be off to the races.

But in this case, there was no client. There was no existing song. I had to treat this like a real film. One that would take a full script, a custom soundtrack, and a pool of incredibly talented performers to help bring this to life.

With each passing day of civil unrest, I felt more and more pressure to put out this film promptly. And thus, we had to move quickly. I began writing the script, the lyrics, and linked up with some talented Iranian musicians to bring the score to life. In the meantime, I began reaching out to my contacts to seek talented Iranian women who would star in this film. I connected with an incredibly talented Iranian Cinematographer and legend Maz Makhani who was instrumental in bringing this film to life.

So let’s look at the timeline here. Protests spark in September. In early October I begin putting together the script and music with our team. Over the course of these next few weeks, we polish the music.

Prep begins for the film. On day 1, we fly out and first shoot the plane footage (shoutout to our incredible stunt woman Mahsa Ahmadi). On day 2, we shoot the bulk of the scenes with the majority of the cast. And finally, on day 3, we hit the desert road for the bike scenes.

I jumped into post production faster than ever. After each day at wrap, I’d jump into my edit bay and begin editing the footage on the timeline. My editing partner added his flare, and we polished the video with a beautiful color pass.

In December, the film comes out. Coincidentally, that same morning, TIME magazine names the Women of Iran Heroes of the Year 2022.

And, well, from there, the rest is history.

Arrad, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Absolutely. Growing up, I was always the kid with the camera. Film was my escape. Today, I’m a film director by trade, and my work initially began in the realm of music video production.

My early career began with a four-letter word: FREE. I’d sneak into concerts and shoot behind the scenes videos for all my favorite artists at the time. There was a group of us from high school who formed a production company and sought out to create content for our favorite rappers. We shot hundreds and hundreds of little-to-no budget projects and reinvested in equipment any way we could.

The most important thing that happened during these initial years was building relationships and planting seeds. We met so many producers, artist managers, and artists themselves. It’s these first relationships that really allowed us to build clients and eventually expand our portfolio over the years. I’ve been lucky enough to have collaborated with some incredible talent, from Tyga to Missy Elliott to Polo G to Nicki Minaj and so forth.

From music videos, things have evolved into film & TV space. I have so many incredible projects in development and can’t wait for you to see them on the big screen!

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Being a creative is extremely unstable in so many ways. For many creatives, we struggle with emotional stability, financial stability, and even creative stability.

Our outlook on life can be unstable, and our thoughts can often be very volatile.

But it’s these feelings and emotions that really drive our creativity. We channel our instability and volatility into our work, transforming these seemingly negative aspects into something beautiful and meaningful. This process isn’t always straightforward or easy to understand for those who haven’t experienced it. There’s a misconception that creativity flows effortlessly, but in reality, it often comes from a place of deep emotional turbulence and introspection.

The journey of a creative involves a continuous cycle of self-doubt and self-discovery. One day, we might feel like we’ve created our masterpiece, and the next, we might feel like everything we’ve done is worthless. This rollercoaster of emotions is not just a side effect of being creative; it’s a fundamental part of the process. It pushes us to explore new ideas, to break boundaries, and to constantly evolve our art.

To someone outside this world, such fluctuations can seem chaotic and unnerving. However, for creatives, it’s a necessary path to innovation and artistic expression. We don’t just create art; we live it, breathe it, and sometimes, we even struggle with it. But it’s through this struggle that we find our unique voice and make our most profound impact.

So, to those who are not creatives, understand that our journey is not just about producing art. It’s about navigating through a complex emotional landscape and using our experiences to fuel our creativity. It’s a journey that’s as rewarding as it is challenging, and it’s what makes our work resonate with others on a deeper level.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Two main factors have been pivotal in building my reputation:

#1: Timeliness with Deliverables: I always prioritize meeting deadlines, often working around the clock to ensure timely delivery of projects.

#2: Presenting Subjects in Their Best Light: I focus on capturing people in a way that truly reflects their essence and character. I want my talent to FEEL GOOD about themselves, even if that comes with some creative compromises.

To share a fun story about timeliness, I once had a project with Polo G where everything happened at breakneck speed. We secured the job on a Monday, were filming on set 2 days later by Wednesday, and the video premiered Thursday night. For those 72 hours, I was virtually a zombie – prepping for the shoot, filming, editing on-site, and managing to deliver the final product in less than 24 hours.

What’s remarkable is that when you watch the video, the rush and chaos behind the scenes are completely invisible. This experience is a testament to my dedication to my craft. It proves that in this industry, nothing is impossible with the right experience, tools, and support. This relentless commitment and ability to deliver under pressure have been key to sustaining my long-lasting reputation in our industry.

Contact Info:

• Website: arradr.com
• Instagram: @arrad
• Youtube: itsarrad

Image Credits
Photos by @cultgabe