In a conversation with Shakeeb Fahad, the director and storyteller shares his experience of running one of the most notable production houses that came into the limelight in recent years. Laughing Elephant is a production company that specializes in making television commercials and documentaries.
“From childhood, I was drawn to movies and the world of cinema,” says Fahad. Reading up on trivia and behind the scene activities of his favourite movies from a very young age had a role to play in shaping him to become the director that he is today. Without being able to comprehend what he wanted to do or pursue as a career; Fahad came back to Dhaka after completing his graduation from Canada and ended up working with Adnan Al Rajeev back in 2010. Adnan Al Rajeev was already quite established in the industry at that point and that enabled Fahad to learn a great deal of working behind the camera while assisting him in making television commercials. “I would say I am still learning the art of film making and it is a constant process of evolution,” he adds.
Having assisted Adnan Al Rajeev till the end of 2014, he started working on small projects as a director under Runout Films. For the next two years, Fahad relentlessly worked and directed television commercials under the same banner. From 1 January 2017, he started his own company naming it Laughing Elephant. “We make films, the advertising kind. We tell stories to the audience to inform them about the message that brands want to communicate.”
Talk about a few notable projects you have worked on
I am not sure if they are notable or not. But we really liked working on Senora sibling campaign where we talked about the open discussion regarding menstruation among family members as it is a very natural thing and an undeniable part of life. Apex Sprint campaign also comes to mind where we attempted to showcase an athletic lifestyle with a trendy treatment.
How is it like to be working in a set?
I would like to describe a shooting set as a place of happy accidents. So many things can go wrong on so many different levels that when we get a perfect shot, it seems like a miracle. On the other hand, the joy of creating a slice of life moment that will be stored in people's memory forever gives you the strength to work hard passionately day and night for getting it right.
What are the challenges of running a production house?
We have an overwhelming number of production houses in Bangladesh. The main challenge I feel is to deliver quality communication. I do not want to bring budget as the main issue. I think we still lack skilled personnel in all the sectors. We do not have a film school where anybody can learn the theoretical side of film making. We have to learn on the job and keep updating ourselves so that one day we can reach the international standard.
How did the pandemic change the dynamics of the situation? How are shootings taking place?
Adversity brings out the best in everyone. Likewise, this pandemic has taught us to work from home. We as an industry have become more digitally inclined. At the beginning of the pandemic, we even experimented with families staying in their own home, shooting themselves and sending us the footages. We compiled and made the communication. It was a great learning experience.
Tell us something about the team that you’re working with.
Filmmaking is a collaborative art. A good film can never be made without great teamwork. I am very fortunate to have Moumita Hussain as my creative producer and collaborative partner in the truest sense. As a team, we have been learning for the last 2 years and as I mentioned, it is an ongoing process. One needs to have the structure in place so that even new members who join can clearly know their job responsibilities.
Any new exciting projects for your audience?
We are planning to make a fiction this year. Long format stories are what we always wanted to tell. We are still in the initial stage and we would announce it as soon as we are ready.
