Sources of Inspiration: OPF MUN
Old Lahore, also known as the Walled City, is a treasure trove of history and culture from the artistic influences of empires past. Experiencing its architecture and culture is like taking a walk through time; a journey that will leave you mesmerized by the city's timeless beauty and enduring traditions.
The MUN's slogan was "Wo Subah Kabhi Tou Aaye Gi" written by the famous Urdu poet Sahir Ludhianvi. The MUN revolved around a theme of feminism having their new committee, FPAC (Feminist Participatory Action Committee), to be of a prime focus.
I served as the Media Director for my school's Model United Nations, OPF MUN, in 2023 which gave me an immense amount of creative freedom alongside a competent team of creatives and permits to shoot at locations I could not on my own due to lack of a budget. The shoots I conducted for this event were my primary source of inspiration for my final film opening.
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For the official MUN teaser, I chose Haveli Nau Nihal, now known as Government Victoria Girls' High School, as our filming location. This haveli holds a special significance. While it currently serves as a school for girls, its history is rooted in defiance. Haveli Nau Nihal was originally built by Mumtaz Begum, a courtesan who dared to challenge the societal limitations placed upon women of her time. Courtesans were often viewed as mere possessions but Mumtaz Begum shattered those expectations. Her story of courage and self-determination resonated perfectly with the feminist theme explored by OPF MUN.
I also assisted the photography directors for the Directorate Shoot. Wanting to fit our previous desi-inspired theme, we created an intricate set with meticulously thought out details fitting OPF MUN's aesthetics.
For the secretariat video, we decided to shoot in Shahi Hammam, also known as the Wazir Khan Hammam. This architectural gem, built in 1635 during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan, stands as a testament to the Mughal era's grandeur.
For centuries, the intricate frescoes and calming atmosphere provided a welcome respite from the bustling city life leading it to be a fitting location for our shoot.
Just as the haveli served as a place of defiance for Mumtaz Begum, the Shahi Hammam echoed a similar spirit – a space of social gathering and intellectual discourse throughout history. Filming there solidified the connection between the MUN's theme of empowerment and Lahore's rich heritage.
Our creative freedom extended to the props we used. For instance, we incorporated gajras, traditional South Asian ornaments, to represent the media directorate's role. An Ajrak chadar, a hand-woven cloth with geometric patterns and deep indigo hues, served as a backdrop in some shots. This choice not only complemented our color scheme but also subtly referenced the South Asian feminist themes explored by the MUN. To add a touch of vintage flair, I brought along my Yashica GSN film camera as a prop specifically for photos of the media directorate (I wanted to be quirky 🤪).
I was not directly responsible for the graphics for the page however my fellow director, Mizgan's, digital art for the page was a rather significant source of inspiration for the film opening's poster alongside the title art featured at the end of the opening.
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The MUN's south asian themes alongside Mizgan's impeccably detailed art were a direct source of influence on the typograhy I created finally.
For the event's social, OPF MUN had a cultural night. Whilst I was not the socials director and thus had no hand setting everything up, it did not mean I let go of the opportunity to gather inspiration for my film opening. The delegates' desi outfits comprising of beautifully embellished and embroidered kurtis served as an influence for the final costume of my actor in the film opening. My fellow directors, Mizgan and Huza, set up a stall where they put on mehendi and sold gajray. Their mehendi sparked me to get mehendi last-minute for the film opening to add a sense of depth into the costume design.
This event also offered me the opportunity to broaden my post-production skillset as I pushed myself to learn a software such as Adobe Premiere Pro (2022) to edit the MUN's videos on. I definitely faced a learning curve and had to watch one too many Youtube tutorials for the smallest tools such as cutting and dragging to larger processes such as colour grade and sound design (editing the teaser taught me much about sound design as I had to extract the lyrics out of half the song used, "What's Up Danger?" Yes, I was influenced by Spiderman: Across the Spider-verse lol) but I believe that through the teaser, secretariat and flashback videos, I have gained an upper hand over the software (it was definitely a big jump shifting from Capcut mobile).
This project gave me the opportunity to explore my city's history. It dawned upon me that there is a rather large assortment of culturally diverse locations I can represent in my projects.
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The MUN also equipped me with practical skills. Navigating the process of obtaining permits to shoot at historical properties proved invaluable. This knowledge empowered me to secure the perfect locations for my final film, translating the lessons learned at the Shahi Hammam into the knowledge my A Levels ended up teaching me.
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Getting permits to fly drones for shots in Old Lahore is not an easy task and I could not get a permit to do that for my film opening however having taken drone shots during the MUN's secretariat shoot, it was not much of an issue as I re-used those.
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In conclusion, the experience ignited a passion for exploring Lahore's vibrant history and diverse locations. Beyond inspiration, OPF MUN equipped me with valuable practical skills. From securing permits to mastering video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro, the challenges I tackled during the MUN translated directly to my film's production. Learning how to navigate the process of obtaining permits for historical locations, like the Shahi Hammam and Haveli Nau Nihal, proved invaluable in securing the perfect shots for my film. This newfound awareness became the foundation for my film's opening sequence.