Farah Idrees On The Power of Work Ethic & Being A Light for Saudi Women

Today we catch up with rising filmmaker Farah Idrees for the latest installment in our 2020 interview series. From Saudi Arabia, Farah moved to New York City in 2015 to attend NYU. Coming from halfway across the world, Farah had a hunger and determination for success. She wanted to infiltrate spaces and let the world know that there is more to Saudi women than what the media stereotypically portrays. There’s complexity, nuance and talent that shouldn’t be underestimated. 

In her 3rd year of college, she started interning at 300 Entertainment where she went from Production Assistant to Associate Producer in a matter of months. She worked on Young Thug’s “Slime Language” Album visualizer, 300 Ent’s 8-episode show “BRKRS” , and more. 

From there, she went over to Cinematic Music Group - where she worked closely with their full service in-house production team ‘CinematicTV’. Farah assisted and associated produced with the team shows such as “Follow My Recipe”, “Trap Trivia” , “Cuffin Season with ABG Neal” and more. She also produced 3 visuals for Abby Jasmine including Groovy featuring Guapdad, Coneheads, and Poland Springs. 

Outside of working with labels, Farah grew her own network and produced visuals with up and coming artists such as Ilham, Halima, VON and more. She also worked with up and coming directors on short-films as well. Last summer she produced Nina Gofur’s experimental short-film “Into the Red” which is currently in post-production and associate produced Emily Gurland’s short-film “Blueberry Island” which is also in post-production. 

Currently, Farah is working on her own script for her debut short film titled “FARASHA”. She hopes to be one of the most prominent Saudi female storytellers as she continues to break boundaries and represent. Learn more of her story in this exclusive interview, where Farah discusses her time at 300 Entertainment and Cinematic Music Group, overcoming adversity, and being a light for Saudi women. Right now and only on Hype Off Life 👊🏾

Photo credit: Callum-Walker-Hutchinson
Makeup: Ruth Black

You moved from Saudi Arabia to NYC to attend NYU in 2015. Why did you settle on NYU out of all the other colleges you could’ve gone to?

I wanted to go to NYU ever since I was in middle school, I was just always gravitated towards it, before even knowing what I wanted to major in. Then my senior year of high school when the reality of everything hit, it quickly became my first choice, primarily because of New York City as a whole. No other city would’ve given me the same opportunities, internships and relationships. It was both prime location and education.

What contrasts and similarities have you noticed about living in Saudi Arabia and the U.S.?

They’re both different and unique in completely different ways. The biggest difference I would say is definitely the cultural difference. It’s difficult to pinpoint a specific similarity though and I think that’s the beauty of life, that despite the differences across countries and cultures we find ‘common ground’ in our everyday routines, basic needs, etc…

What challenges have you had to face during your career so far?

Recently, due to COVID and quarantine - work has been more limited so it’s been a challenge to just stay working and sustain momentum.

How did you overcome them?

Working with friends, staying creative and managing safety for cast and crew on set. The reason it was all a challenge early quarantine is because no one really knew how to maneuver safely and accordingly on set. As the months went by, it’s definitely been a learning experience as standard precautions have been set across the board. 

Who or what inspires you to keep going in the face of challenges?

In the face of challenges, I always remind myself of my ‘why’ and my purpose in doing what I do. I’m inspired and motivated by the fact that women like me, from Saudi Arabia are portrayed in such a one-dimensional way to the rest of the world, and I want to change that. I want to change that through my work and through the way I carry myself as well. I want girls where I’m from to dream those “BIG” dreams and actually believe that they can make them happen. I’m inspired knowing that there’s a girl in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia who has the next big film in her mind, and I want to meet her, produce it, and make it happen. 

What do you attribute to your fast rise at 300 Entertainment, from Production Assistant to Associate Producer in a matter of a few short months?

Definitely my work ethic. I was determined, hungry and passionate about everything that I was learning and doing. My rise to associate producer was a case of hard work meeting opportunity - I was initially set to be a “production assistant” on that set but the associate producer never showed up and I almost naturally took on the role and just kept doing it ever since. Everyone trusted me and saw that I was able to handle it, so I just did it.

Take us back to your time at Cinematic Music Group. What did you love most about working there?

Working with the CinematicTV team overall, they work on a lot of original content and music videos. It was just fun to work with a team that wants to constantly push to create something different and unique.

What lessons did you take away from working at both companies?

To never get too comfortable and constantly work hard. There’s always more to do and more to learn. Every time I’m on set I catch myself making new mistakes and learning new things. I'm always a student, and with that mentality there’s always ample space for growth.

What fuels your drive for success the most?

My community in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. I want to be the person that 12 year old me wishes she saw and had growing up. I always saw women from other countries doing the things I wanted to do, but rarely if ever did I see a Saudi woman do it. I want to be the Saudi woman that does it, but I don’t want to do it alone either, I want to open the door for MORE women to come after me and with me.