The Curious Society

08/07/2024

03/04/2024

Earlier this month, our film The Way of the Wing premiered as part of the Toronto Short Film Festival.

And I genuinely don’t know what to write so I’m hoping these pictures express how amazing this was.

08/03/2024

Four and a half years ago, I quit my job and started The Curious Society. I remember there was a moment just before I left my job where I was like “maybe I’ll just ask if I could stay”.

And a million lessons and challenges later, I am so glad I went through with it. Doing your own thing is hard but it’s so rewarding - it’s taken me to places I could only dream of, I got to meet some amazing people, and work on some of the coolest projects.

And now, I’m starting something new. and I are starting a new journey with , a brand that addresses the identity of being brought up with halal values but growing up in the west. And just like before, it’s a little bit scary. But all great things are.

So thank you to those who have been on this journey with me, and stay tuned for some amazing things we got cooking.

31/12/2023

Early on in the year, Salwa had asked a cousin of mine (who is also an artist) what to expect if this year slows down work wise. She responded that it gives you the space to reflect.

2023 was unlike any other year and so many highlight moments happened. But I think this year taught me a lot. And more importantly, it prepared me for next year.

So bring it on 2024.

Also shout out to many people who made this year special. Special shout out to for pretty much everything. And even more special shout out to the best friend a guy could ask for

And even bigger shout out to Wu Tang Clan for being the soundtrack of the year.

27/11/2023

Some BTS from our upcoming short documentary “The Way of the Wing”.

Photo credits: (other than the photo of him, because that would be impossible)

05/10/2023

Who knew a wedding reception could turn into the most interesting tour of a house that gives you ‘murder mystery vibes’.

Taken with the

25/04/2023

We wanted to create something that fit our upbringing and showcased our culture, and, with it being Ramadan at the time, we wanted to follow that theme. With only 4 days of filming and editing, we were able to create this fun Edgar Wright-inspired advertisement that features one of our favourite cultural staples - Bongo Pili Pili hot sauce from Canadian Harvest.

With only 4 days of filming and editing, we were able to create this fun Edgar Wright-inspired Ramadan-themed spec ad that features one of our favourite cultural staples - Bongo Pili Pili hot sauce from Country Harvest. This was our submission for the MusicBed 2023 Challenge

03/04/2023

Came across an article talking about USP vs UPD.

Sounds weird, right? Let me break it down

USP = Unique Selling Proposition = Why is my product/service better than my competitors
UPD = Unique Point of Difference = Why should my product/service matter to you as a consumer

Sadly the article is no longer available, but this is interesting - we’ve always done advertising where we talk about what we offer in comparison to the competition.

What if we advertised on what makes us stand out?

This can come down to your mission, innovation, social values and….

You guessed it - story!

Definitely something to think about!

20/03/2023

A lot of people think "shorter videos are better".

And while I don't fully disagree with that, I think there's a few things we should clarify.

YES, videos don't need to be long for the sake of being a certain length. Videos, like music, need pacing and to be dynamic enough to keep the viewers attention.

But NO, videos don't need to be super short to succeed. Think about it this way - people watch 2-3 hour long movies at home (an environment where they can easily turn off the TV or change the movie) - and the reason is because the movie holds their attention.

People want good, captivating content, and it doesn't come down to length - it comes down to making content that will hook people in, and keep them watching.

So don't sweat the time length - think about the content. How do I start the video so that it hooks people in? How can I keep the attention of the audience? And, most importantly, am I providing them value?

On that note, here's an article (not written by me) about trends in video content consumption. Some really interesting stuff about how people consume content that may give you insight into why people watch certain videos over others.

Video marketing is a key tool in any marketer’s toolbox. From brand storytelling, to direct-response ads to client support assets, it is a key element to leverage when building your brand’s content assets. I am at the tail end of the Gen-X generation and when I hear the word video, I see compute...

01/02/2023

One of my favourite parts about capturing weddings is how I can sink into the background and just capture moments as they are happening.

And it’s in those small moments that you get to really see the couples relationship. The small conversations, the excitement, the inside jokes - they’re just so special.

So here are some of those moments - stills from Rabi and Adnan’s intimate wedding film.

22/09/2022

I’ve been shooting a lot of food related projects, and I’ve come to one conclusion - food brings us together.

I don’t really know how to elaborate on that, but I’ve always noticed how people come together for food. How different flavours build commonality. How people find it crazy that I don’t like chocolate.

But I think that’s the cool thing about food - it’s one thing we all have in common.

These stills are from a project I worked on with and , interviewing Chop from .h.o.p.i.t to talk about her start with food and how it led to her and her sister creating a tight knit online community.

14/09/2022

The very first minute from one of my favourite wedding films.

And here’s why.

Anjali had a little surprise for Kaamil on the wedding day. She wrote a poem in Urdu and had Kaamil’s grandfather recite it.

And this is only an excerpt, but it was such a beautiful moment.

I love moments like these because they are so personal and so memorable. I don’t have the words to describe it, but it’s just beautiful.

19/08/2022

I recently developed all the film I had taken over the last year. And I found this one album.

This is from our trip to Jackson’s Point, this time last year. A kind of anniversary trip.

We were very different people then, compared to now. And I think that’s what I love about my relationship with is that we are constantly growing.

Through all the mistakes, learning and struggles, I’ve found someone who is there with me during all of it. And someone I can be there for during the same.

Happy 5th anniversary, love. I can’t wait to see what the future brings us.

Taken at on Ilford XP2 Super 400

11/08/2022

I’m not the right videographer for everyone.

I know that my style and my approach is not for everyone, and I love that about my work. The people who hire me love me for what I create - and that’s important.

But looking for a videographer can be really tough, especially because you don’t really know where to start.

So I wrote this blog post on what to look for in a wedding videographer. Every couple is unique, and you want your wedding film to be something you cherish for the rest of your lives. So here are some tips on what to consider when looking for the right filmmaker for you!

Wedding planning can be stressful, and, on top of that, finding the right person to document your wedding can be a lot of work. But if you put in the time to find the right videographer, you’ll be so thankful later on. Here are some tips on hiring the right wedding videographer for your special da...

09/08/2022

Wedding videography isn’t always top of mind when it comes to what you need for a wedding.

And rightly so.

A lot goes into weddings, and it takes a lot of time and energy to plan one. So it makes total sense when people hesitate about hiring a wedding videographer or investing in one.

So I wrote this blog post - should you hire a wedding videographer? Here are some reasons why it might be worth it for you.

Should you hire a wedding videographer? There's no straight answer. But we believe that a wedding film is an investment for the future. So we created a blog post giving a few reasons why you should consider hiring a videographer for your wedding!

08/08/2022

Instagram has definitely changed since I wrote this blog post in January 2021.

But I think the main point sticks.

It’s easy to get really focused on the algorithm - like how you should post reels, have each cut be 20 seconds, limit your hashtags. But at the end of the day, it’s all about one thing:

How people respond.

People like your post. People comment on your post. People share your post with their friends. People talk about your post to their families.

At the centre of it is people, and that’s why it’s so important not to lose focus in your audience. Algorithms and metrics can only take you so far - but if you create content that people can enjoy and relate to, that’s all that really matters.

Having time to post to Instagram is hard, but then figuring out what to post is even harder. In this article, I share 5 tips to keep in mind while creating content for your Instagram profile, but more importantly, what you need to focus on: the people.

04/08/2022

This article had some really interesting points that are definitely worth checking out.

But one thing that stood out to me was this one statistic:

“70% of consumers prefer learning about a brand through high-quality content”

People are spending more time online, and they’re using that time to get to know the products and services they are interested in. They want to understand what you stand for and what you believe in.

The key thing is high-quality content. What does that mean? It needs to provide THEM value.

So think about what your customer needs from you and create content around it. Educate them on what you do. Share your story. Think about what your customers are asking you on a constant basis and make content around it.

TLDR: Make valuable content.

We all know branded content and content marketing works. But we also know it is hard to measure their success. These insights will show you that it works. Every year, there comes a point when planning next year’s budget is on the agenda. And that time usually falls somewhere in the late summer or ...

02/08/2022

Customers nowadays want to be informed about what they’re buying. They want to trust you before they buy from you.

So then the question is - how do you build trust, especially over the internet?

This is where content comes in. Content allows potential customers to get to know you and understand who your brand is. By creating content, you’re allowing audiences to become familiar with your brand and your identity, and this is key to trust. They must know you before they can like you, and they need to like you before they can trust you.

This is why it’s so important to share content. Customers are dying to know about you. They want to trust you - you just need to give them the opportunity to do so.

Over the past 10 years, consumers’ posture in terms of brand loyalty and trust has evolved significantly. At its core, the concept of brand loyalty can be quite simple. You build a relationship with a consumer, you prove your value and the value of your product (or service) and the probability tha...

21/06/2022

Trust is important.

That's an obvious statement. Trust is important in every element of our lives, but most especially in business.

Customers nowadays want to make sure they can trust the businesses they deal with. How do they do that? They look at your website. They look at your content. They look at everything.

That's why it's so important to be putting content out there. Content allows your audience to know you and become familiar with you.

That's why I want to share this really great article I stumbled on with you all. It has great tips on what to avoid when creating content, and, if I were to add anything, it's that your content should:

1) Provide some kind of value to your audience
2) Let them get to know you and your business
3) Have a very specific audience (because content made for everyone speaks to no one)

https://buff.ly/3N7yso1

A 2021 survey of 1,000 consumers concluded that more than 80% consider trust a deciding factor in their buying decisions, despite the fact that only 34% trust the brands they use. As trust in institutions diminishes, consumers are increasingly skeptical of where they put their money and receive thei...

20/06/2022

Some behind the scenes from our latest shoot with Sahara Mehdi, an amazing poet and YouTuber. Check out her latest poetry book (or wait to see what we’re working on, because it’s going to be pretty cool!)

16/06/2022

Who are you?

This is a question you’re probably familiar with, but it’s sometimes forgotten when we talk about business.

Having an identity is important for every business out there. It’s important because potential customers are out there looking for businesses they connect to.

It’s important because having a strong identity leads to a strong community.

And identity comes from branding.

I wrote a blog post about why branding is so important to your business and how video is a great tool to share your identity with the world.

No matter what you do, branding is crucial. Although most people equate branding to advertisements and big businesses, the truth is branding is identity. In this post, we talk about why it’s important to develop your brand voice and identity, how brand identity leads to better and more loyal custo...

15/06/2022

Wajiha’s entrance was already so beautiful, but having Mustafa talk about how he admires her so much just makes this clip so much better.

Photographer:

14/06/2022

Last year, I got to capture this gorgeous backyard wedding and document the love story of these two amazing people.

This was one of the first smaller weddings I had been to, but I realized that, no matter how many people you have and no matter how big or small your wedding, it’s still an incredibly special and memorable moment.

And it’s worth celebrating with all your heart.

This wedding was filled with so much love and so many emotions. It felt personal and it felt as though I was invited into their love story.

Honestly, this was such a memorable wedding, and Kaamil and Anjali are such wonderful and amazing people.

You can check it out below

https://buff.ly/397wGVS

Kaamil and Anjali’s love story started in High School, and the love they share is so inspiring and beautiful. Due to COVID-19, they had a small backyard wedd...

13/06/2022

We’re seeing a lot more video content now!

And with video becoming more and more popular, it’s time we talk about something that is easy to forget - subtitles.

Subtitles are important - not only do they make your content more accessible, but more and more people are watching content without sound.

So in this blog post, I talk about the benefit of adding subtitles and what to do (and what not to do) when using subtitles!

Subtitles, or captions, are an important tool to help people understand your video. But are they necessary? We definitely think so. In this post, we talk about why it’s important to include subtitles in your project, and some tips we’ve learnt on using subtitles in video.

02/06/2022

I just uploaded one of my favourite wedding films of last year!

Tahiya and Mohammad’s wedding was something to remember. It took place at the gorgeous Ivy Lane Estate in Smithsville, Ontario, and there was also a heat warning.

But the thing I remember the most is the love. The love that Tahiya and Mohammad shared, but also the love that every who attended had for the couple. This wedding felt so intimate and so personal, it almost felt like I was one of the guests!

Every time I watch this, I get so excited and so happy. So I thought I’d share it with you!

Watch it below:

There’s two things you could definitely feel at this wedding - the heat (we’re talking over 30 degrees) and the love. Tahiya and Mohammad had a beautiful Ben...

17/05/2022

“Playing is like learning for them”

I recently got to work on this heart-warming project with to document her Panjetan Kit.

What I really love about this project was that the kit was a way to help children connect to their religion. Watching the children play with the kit was not only so cute, but you could see they had this fascination and appreciation for what they were doing.

So here are some of my favourite stills from the film.

09/05/2022

It’s been a while since I’ve posted on here. So I guess let’s catch up for a second.

Just before the start of Ramadhan, I wasn’t my best self - I was burnt out and trying to push down things I should’ve been dealing with.

I took Ramadhan for myself and slowed down, and I’m so glad I did. I felt like I walked out of that month with a newfound sense of perspective.

I think that’s the beauty of life is that it’s ever changing and ever evolving. You’re never in one place because you continue to grow.

So anyways, I’m back now and I’ve got some really amazing things planned.

I want to create amazing films, tell beautiful stories and capture real moments and emotions.

So I guess that’s what I’ll be doing.

*photo credits goes to Sam from

04/04/2022

As a content creator, especially one that creates for other people and their businesses, I highly believe in creating evergreen content.

I've seen people create content for the sake of creating content or just to follow trends that they don't fully believe in. And I'm not saying there's anything wrong in that.

But constantly creating content and investing time and money for something that's short-lived can be exhausting.

That's why it's important to think about how every piece of content can either be maximized or made to work for you. Can you make it into a blog post? Can it live on your website? How will this content live in my pipeline and help customers understand me and what I do?

Long story short, it's important to see content as something that isn't just for social media. Content can be an amazing and productive part of your marketing and sales strategy.

So here's a cool article on that:
https://www.gotoast.ca/en/what-is-evergreen-content/?utm_campaign=Newsletter%20EN&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=208868180&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9qQd4DodAM6XdTg1G3SyvdFx3t08F-kFC3uVPrqu4mbV7TkwKC9tA3WHmU5f-eNMoisNScEVzpCH94Ms9VGhcA3J5hXyWB1lvC5EV9UV-weNE0jM0&utm_content=208868180&utm_source=hs_email

Pumping out content on a daily basis is not an easy task. How can you use evergreen content to build a long-term content library? Many brands that come to us seem to have bad habits. A habit of constantly creating new content. With time being limited in many teams, what happens is that in the […]

08/03/2022

I’ve had the chance to work with some amazing women who are doing incredible and inspirational things.

So I thought today being , I would highlight some of the amazing women who I had a chance to document. There’s so many more amazing people that I’ve worked with - but it’s been such an honour to tell their story.