Media Fundamentals alum to direct short film

STORY BY PALWASHA TEMOR

Sheridan Media Fundamentals grad Aref Mahabadi has been keeping busy since producing his first music video Seduce.

“I worked on a music video this summer and we finished it around two months ago,” the 25-year-old Mahabadi said.

“We’re just waiting for the managers for these artists. They’re trying to shop it around to whoever wants to release it.”

On top of that, Mahabadi is also working on directing a short film called Day Players.

MORE RELATED TO THIS STORY:

• Media Fundamentals student hopes to seduce with music video
• Dundas studio aims to capture bands’ live energy with new video series
• Walking through the life of Kubrick at TIFF

“It’s something like Entourage, but before the actors became famous,” said Mahabadi.

“It’s pretty much about the struggles of four to five actors, all with different traits and issues that they come up with in their careers like being typecast.”

The idea for the film came from Farid Yazdani, 24, who is Mahabadi’s cousin as well as co-producer and owner of FYI Productions.

“Day Players began as a small improv skit I created in college,” Yazdani said.

“It then became a concept for a web series as I began to create characters with the help of Sheridan alumni Jake Eakley. We then approached Chris D’alessandro, another Sheridan alumni and former editor-in-chief of The Circuit, to help create the story and before we knew it we had a full script.”

Yazdani took the reins and created an opportunity for ethnic actors to have a chance to be something more than an extra on-screen and to have a lead role.

“As a visible minority, it is very hard to break into this industry as a lead,” Yazdani said.

“When someone asks what you do for a living and you respond with ‘I’m an actor’, in many cases they think ‘Hollywood’ which has an association with wealth, success and happiness. I feel it is important for viewers to see the struggles and hardships that come along with the art.”

Mahabadi has a full crew ready to work on the project and the support he’s receiving is positive.

Canadian production company Landed Entertainments is also part of the crew for Day Players along with people Mahabadi has been working with since the beginning.

The short film is set to begin shooting in January.