As how Hazarizq has smartly put it, visuals can move our souls towards a direction not known to the brain, but home to the heart. At the age of 20 years young, this young chap already has his own company, Ten Points Up while pursuing his tertiary education. Find out how Hazarizq does it all from today’s Featured Interview!
1. Hi Hazarizq! Please tell us more about yourself to our readers.
Hi, My name is Muhammad Nur Hazarizq Bin Zainal Abidin. Call me RIZQ, and I’m 20 years young! Born and bred in Kuala Lumpur. Currently, I’m studying International Business at a local private university. I’m a photographer, filmmaker and a business owner doing my best to achieve my dreams one step at a time. It is an honour to share my experiences with you.
2. What inspired you to choose photography as well as filmmaking as your main funnels for content creation?
I have always been into visuals since i was young. I used to take my family’s point and shoot camera every time they got a new one and randomly took photos here and there to the point that i break all the cameras. As i grew up being a millennial, a smartphone is somehow a best friend of mine and I will always use it to snap photos and upload it to Instagram. With that, I started to simply upload beautiful (at least to myself) photos and videos that I had taken, which may even be converted from Hi8 to mp4, to share with my followers.
3. We noticed that you’re inclined towards creating travel & lifestyle contents – why is that?
I wanted to be a pilot when i was a little boy because pilots can travel everywhere. Since then, I’ve changed my ambition multiple times, from being economist to being a minister (not kidding). However, things don’t always go your way. Until one day, I was in my uni, busily scrolling YouTube and I saw this video that changed my life. It was from Sam Kolder. He was part of the Beautiful Destinations Team. Both of these names taught me that “hey, you don’t have to be rich to travel. Just do what you love” and so, the journey begins.
4. Between filming a short video and taking aesthetically pleasing photos, which do you prefer best, and why?
To be very honest, both are equally satisfying. Taking photos,editing, and uploading them can be as easy and quick as 1-2-3. On the other hand, Filming videos squeezes all the creative juice in the brain to create something meaningful and inspiring. One thing that creators need to understand is that, everyone can create, but not everyone can deliver stories that move the viewers.
5. Now, tell us more about your latest venture, Ten Points Up.
Ten Points Up is a Travel and Lifestyle Media company that creates immersive social content for Travel & Lifestyle brands while creating huge opportunities for content creators locally and internationally.
6. What is the main push that makes you decided to put together Ten Points Up?
I’ve been receiving calls asking me to film and shoot for them. With classes being a huge obstacle, I had to make a decision. Give it to other people or skip classes? I had to make one choice. At that very moment, Ten Points Up Media was born. Born to be a solution for brands to look no further for high quality unorthodox videos. Because working under my own name, clients will need me to be there every single time; however, under a company, everyone represents one name to make the best content for the clients & viewers.
7. How do you feel about collaborating with brands that have trusted you on your skills and expertise despite having many other experienced content creators in Malaysia?
Of course I feel excited and lucky. I believe that all content creators have their own style and they all want to produce the best content they ever did every single time. I narrow down my niche to travel and lifestyle because narrowing down might not get you the quantity of clients but the quality of the clients. I would rather invest my time creating for clients who understands my style, vision, and plans to make their videos special. Approaching my work this way opened doors for me to work with brands I’ve looked up to for years.
8. Describe your filmmaking style in 3 words.
This is new.
9. What is your go-to filmmaking equipment and filter?
I use my Sony A6300. Recently just sold my lenses, getting a new family of lenses soon. I use my own filters for both photo and videos I produce.
10. What are the biggest challenges you’ve encountered in your journey as a content creator so far?
Not all huge companies are the best “to-work-with” company. From changing plans multiple times to paying late. Although I was quite pissed, but that matter taught me a huge lesson that I will never be able to pay for anywhere.
11. Do you have any big plans coming up soon which you’d like to share with our readers?
Ten Points Up will be filming a music festival in July. Other than that, we are planning a getaway for content creators. Do follow Ten Points Up on Instagram because its gonna be a Fun, Hot and Wet announcement.
12. Who are your favourite filmmakers, and why?
Christopher Nolan due to his roller coaster of emotions in his movies.
Wes Anderson superb talent in making pleasing visuals.
Sam Kolder because of his footages.
Nainoa Langer because of his story telling.
13. Best movie you’ve watched to date, and wished that you can create something as good as it?
I like The Godfather, but if i wish to create something similar to a movie, it will be Interstellar.
14. Best advice which you can give to those who are just starting to dabble into the content creation industry but don’t know how?
Do whatever you know. Say yes to everything. Learn everything. Your brain won’t ever run out of space. Once you are comfortable with the amount of knowledge you have, find something you really love, and push to that niche further with the existing knowledge. The further you dwell in the niche you choose, the more you learn that there are so many things unknown to either you or other creators. What other creators don’t know is your advantage in the market. However, for now, just do everything.
Also, not forgetting to utilize social media, network, and shake hands!
