Student Life Radio
This is your community, but have you ever wondered who's in it?
Each month on Student Life Radio we’ll delve into the lives of our community members as we hear stories about you--the students, staff, and local community --that make UEL come alive. Each episode also comes with a playlist created by our featured guests that represents who they are, what they love, and where they want to go.
So tune in, learn about each other, and come closer together as we learn, explore, and hopefully grow with Student Life Radio.
Cover Artwork: https://mrudulak.co.uk
Student Life Radio
Ali, Ikigai, and Finding Your Purpose
On Volume 2 of Student Life Radio, you'll hear from Ali Alajeeli, a recent graduate of UEL who is currently working as a Stage Manager as part of the UEL Graduate Employment Scheme, and Milo Osun-Benjamin, this episode's host. Ali and Milo will discuss Ali's journey, the concept of Ikigai, and how they've found and nurtured their sense of purpose.
Ali is a London-based photographer, cinematographer and writer-director for film. His juxtaposition between light and shadow in film style punctuates his signature style. Ali believes photos are metaphors, making the abstract concrete and mystifying the mundane. Learn more about Ali on his website.
Check out Ali's Playlist.
Hello and welcome to episode two of Student Life radio. My name is Milo Osen Benjamin. I'm an alumni of the University of East London, and I'm currently in a graduate role within the Student Life team as a project manager for start of year. So our motto within the Student Life team is learn, explore, grow. And the purpose of this podcast is to discuss the relationship between all these elements whilst incorporating the unique perspectives of people who make up our community at Uel, I'm joined today by Ali alijili, who is, by my definition, a cinematographer and a filmmaker. We met as students at UEL. So we met as students at Uel, and I wanted to bring Ali on today because I have a admiration for people who incorporate their purpose and their passions into their everyday life. And I used to see Elliot su all the time with his camera out, [Chuckle] so I knew he'd be a perfect person to get this started with her, dude, you want to say a couple words about
Ali Alajeeli:yourself? Yeah, you said it all. Man, great.[Chuckles] You know, no, it's good. I used to be in that around this you with a camera all the time. You know, 100% but yeah, most pleasure to meet you here. Thank you for having me.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Of course!
Ali Alajeeli:It's a beautiful time to catch up and just share the journey. What happened and what did not happen. There's a lot of things they shouldn't say, but yeah, yeah, first, thank you, you know, for hosting me here for this episode. It's literally a pleasure to talk and share the experience, share the different side of the journey, because I believe that your journey, as well, was really it was there, you know,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:it was turbulent, yeah, 100% [uneasy chuckle]
Ali Alajeeli:but yeah, Ali, as you said, he's a filmmaker. Can be a cinematographer. Actually, here's a cinematographer. You know, not can be but as I said, artist is the, is the word that we start from, okay, yeah, create, go to a creative, sorry, yeah, creative. And then we go, artist, filmmaker, and then can be a cinematographer.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Okay, perfect. Thank you for being here today,
Ali Alajeeli:Absolutely!
Milo Osun-Benjamin:So what led you to becoming a cinematographer creative, I guess, like, what was your journey up until the point you began using that medium? I guess,
Ali Alajeeli:I think this runs back to before lockdown. You know, it wasn't you to understand that I do like the visual picture, because I used to kind of break the rule of not going around in lockdown. You might know me, I always carry that pocket camera with me. I shoot like an old camera.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:su shooting, yeah, I remember. I remember.
Ali Alajeeli:yeah, I always preferred those old cameras that shoot an actual film the 35
Milo Osun-Benjamin:okay!
Ali Alajeeli:I remember one day I was shooting in dealer or underground, and there was this older man. He was like, Why do you prefer to shoot with these cameras? You know, like, there is much easier process because, you know, it's kind of difficult to shoot with them, and that's why I just like to tell a story in one frame.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Oh, wow!
Ali Alajeeli:yeah. I like the picture has a meaning behind it. You know, it's obviously every, every picture I take that has a meaning, but I want the viewer as well to have their own version. Yeah, exactly, definition. And then he was like, Why did you make it so difficult? So why don't you just make films?
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah, right, tell a story in multiple programs, yeah?
Ali Alajeeli:And then we came to UEL, and then yeah, just chose to do film.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Okay, so you're a very visual person. Would you say?
Ali Alajeeli:I would say, Yeah, I prefer visuals, because from what you see, you can literally understand what's happening without hearing it. Yeah,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Okay, that's interesting. So that you'd say that sort of came naturally to you.
Ali Alajeeli:Yes, it became more like a fingerprint, you know, yeah, whenever you go, you start seeing things with, not with your eye actually, but with the lens you have in your camera. Yeah, there is a lot of pictures I take, people like, Oh, why are you sticking this kind of picture from this angle, you know, obviously it looks weird, but from, let's say, the point of view of the viewfinder is a whole story. Is a whole different story.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah, it's sort of interesting that you say that, because I was talking at the weekend more about because my my interest is more like music and stuff like that. And I was talking about the underground scene, like independent artists and stuff like that. And I guess process of documenting that the side of that culture, and I always found it quite interesting how, more recently I felt that shows and events and stuff like that are sort of more saturated with people looking to document it. So I thought it was interesting that sometimes people that are like photographers that might be in the crowd and stuff, that what they capture is like a perspective of something that loads of people experience, but it's not any one person's sort of experience. If you know what I mean, I get you. I get you. Yeah, that perspective, yeah,
Ali Alajeeli:because it's literally like when you say music or photography or, let's say art. You know, paint and stuff like that represents a lot, represents culture, represents time and environments, you know, stuff like that. So they all relate at the end of the day.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:So just to introduce ourselves, just a little bit deeper, I'm an alumni of UEL, as you are. I'm here doing a graduate role within the Student Life team, and my role is around start of year. So that's like orientations, and that's for September, January and May. So that's throughout the year in terms of who I am. Outside of that, as I said, I'm really enthused by music culture in the UK, specifically the UK. And then I launched a page, SoundCloud page, where I'd post unreleased music for UK rappers, and that I actually started in my room on campus when I lived in Wessels. Yeah. So what, what I love about that, or what I what draws me to that is something so small and something so so niche, being able to grow into being recognized, like across the nation. So that's sort of what drew me into music. Hopefully one day I can take that, that passion, and turn it into something maybe more academic or more in a documentarian style,
Ali Alajeeli:absolutely!
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah, so that's the plan for me one day. But what really made me want to take up this particular project as well with the Student Life radio, is obviously my interest in music, my interest in the environment around me, and I just feel that there's always more to know, more to learn, more to explore. So that's part of the reason why I wanted to do this and sort of shine a light more on the peripheral parts of people that people I've met at Uel, but there's so much more to them besides that, so that's a big part of why I wanted to get involved in that. So is there anything else you want to add about, maybe about yourself or your craft?
Ali Alajeeli:Yeah, sure. So as you said, we both alumni UEL. We shared the days, you know, back then, the good and the bad, this was, it was great journey, right? Yeah, that's a beautiful journey, man, just thinking about it, pictures everything in there. [chuckle] Yeah, I'm like, so my role as a graduate here, I'm a stage manager in USS helping students from acting for stage on screen, so we give them the noise about film learn as well about theater, you know, because it's very related when it comes to films, literally about storytelling, you know, but we focus more on the performance of actors.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Okay!
Ali Alajeeli:yeah, so it's a great thing to learn from it and teach people things, you know, they might be kind of interested in, because acting is the way we tell the stories. An actor is a tool to tell the story. That's what we say, yeah. But outside of the work, you know, I mean, yeah, it's literally just about discovering. Because literally discovery leads to achievements. They say, you know, music is a huge thing, man, yeah. I think to everyone at the moment, when you go outside, like, everyone is this, and there's definitely universal, yeah, exactly. It represents a lot about your personalities. That shows a lot about you. But yeah, with music, I always say, if I'm being, like, kinda disconnected from around the environment, you know, kind of depressed, if that's a big word, only three, four things, my legs, headphones, a camera and a playlist, and just walk around and just do what you love.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:yeah? So you say that sort of like a remedy for you,
Ali Alajeeli:yeah? Just it's more like a therapy, though. Yeah,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:that's a beautiful thing to happen. So definitely, it's essential.
Ali Alajeeli:Absolutely!
Milo Osun-Benjamin:So just to turn to the theme of the episode today, ikigai, just for anyone that doesn't know, obviously, I'm not an expert, but I started reading a book recently on it by Hector Garcia. Ikigai, generally, is described as your reason for being. It was written on the Japanese government's website that it refers to that which brings value and joy to life. The more westernized version of that concept incorporates four elements, which is what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. And the idea of that is, if you're able to combine before you've essentially found your purpose. So I did want to ask you, what is it that you love?
Ali Alajeeli:There is a lot. There's a huge, huge things to love. But if we're going to formulate love in the theme of the episode of what we're talking about, creativity and stuff like that, I do love the idea of storytelling, like sending a message, you know, that you want to showcase and people have to understand, because storytelling, it could be in huge different ways. You know, there's film, there's music, there's photos, there is actual stand ups for us, I love films, yeah, like films gives a huge, huge amount of point of views, reflections, messages, you know, to to the whole world. You know, like, it doesn't really target a whole, like a main person, or anything like that.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Is it this is, this is universal as music?
Ali Alajeeli:Yeah, exactly. So I'm saying because they live for long. They do live, yeah.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:They do. They do.
Ali Alajeeli:Like, who would say me as a three year old, just my my dad, like, just just hearing in his car, and just growing up until I was 12, having just the thing of, like, as soon as you get in the car, play the song that I love, which is redemption song by Bob Marley.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Oh, yeah.
Ali Alajeeli:You know who would say that little kid knows Bob Marley? Yeah, while he is, yeah,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:it's crazy when you put it like that, yeah. How wide reaching things could be. Because did you grow up in the bill? Yeah, yeah. And when did you come to the UK? So,
Ali Alajeeli:so I came to UK quite lately, though, like, too far. 17, okay, my first steps in the UK, yeah, yeah. Crazy.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:How was that? How was it coming from? How was it coming from your life there to your new life here?
Ali Alajeeli:It's literally just tipping in a whole different room, yeah, yeah, where you felt like it was so comfortable in the other room that you were in? Yeah, you know the people, you know, all the angles, everything in there, you're familiar with everything. And then at some point you just in a blink, you find yourself in a whole different environment.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Everything's upside down.
Ali Alajeeli:Different language, different kind of Yeah, it's a whole different but this one, it comes the beauty of it, though, as a human you, I think you should experience a whole different cultures and environment. Try to make yourself fit in there.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Okay!
Ali Alajeeli:It makes you literally experience more shows you a huge part of life that a lot of people don't see. But you know, it's just, it was great, you know, because coming here and then you always find the difficulties, you know, like learning and getting along with the weather. Of course,[laughter]
Milo Osun-Benjamin:that's the main thing, yeah, so
Ali Alajeeli:that's the main thing. But, yeah, man, it was a journey. It was good.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah, I can imagine, I can only imagine, to be honest with you, so would you say that's where you think the value in traveling is like that, of that sort of opportunity for discovery?
Ali Alajeeli:Yeah, it's good to discover, though it's such a beautiful thing. You know, I think discovery is such an underrated word that we always say when you go to caves or underwater or something like that. But life is discovery, though, yeah, if I go to different places, I'm gonna discover someone new today. You know? Yeah, the whole similarity. An environment plays a huge part in this? Yeah,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:In terms of your capturing and you're telling a story and things like that, would you say that it's more motivated by your environment or just because you have something that you feel you need to share with the world? If let's be clear in that, you know, maybe I would say, maybe I you know what I mean, is it like, sort of an intrinsic motivation or? Yeah.
Ali Alajeeli:They understand me, you know. They know what I
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Me! So, yeah, it's true. It's true. I'm want, very comfortable, very cozy with them. So I don't have won't say, 100% where I grew up first, I was a very close guilty, yeah.
Ali Alajeeli:How do you find being social that were you being the energy just to meet someone. You're like, Hey, this is me. minded, not close mind, but I only had these, okay, 10 people Know this and all that I don't. I didn't want this, but, and then when I just as I said, in a blink, I found myself here. There was no one around apart from the family, you know, and then, no, we have to, I guess. So that's why the society plays that I don't want to pass. I don't want to add that 11th one. the part, you know, which makes you wanted to be social, okay, yeah, like, it's more that you have to be social, though, to continue. You can't stay as you are, but you're gonna miss a lot. And then I start being social is such a great thing to I have those people that's enough for me. do, but keep you circle, you know, tight, [uneasy chuckles] keep it, yeah, they see. What about you? Then you're social person. like this since day one? Or
Milo Osun-Benjamin:I think I've always had some kind of sense of who I am, sort of mattering or having, having value just because I exist, if you know what I mean. So I think I've no, never really felt, I've never like comfortable in the background, like I enjoy being upfront and enjoying being around people. I enjoy being at the center of things. I love it.[giddy laugh] I'm not gonna lie. I laugh it up. So I feel, I feel like, in a sense, I've always been that way, but my, I guess, my ability to socialize in different ways has changed a lot as I've got older. As I say, I still like love Well, I love being around people that I love being around, for sure. But I think as I got older, I'm more sensitive to, I guess, energies and stuff that I'm not necessarily used to, but I would definitely say I'm energized by meeting new people. Is part of what drives me. I hope one day I can meet a million people.[laughter] I just love the idea of that many paths crossing. I think that's something that really fascinates me. So I would. Say I'm a social person, but definitely depends on how you're defining social
Ali Alajeeli:Good, social, social. You know!
Milo Osun-Benjamin:So, as I mentioned, one of the other concepts that come under ikigai is doing what you're good at. So obviously, I know that you're good, you're good behind the camera. But how did you get to being that good behind the
Ali Alajeeli:Well, how's it being good? At least your camera? practice? You know, one of the first lecturers we had at UEL obviously had a few knowledge about cameras when it comes to the film one, not the photography one. And then shout out to my man. Julian Alexander, pretty sure if a lot of people from UEL know his name, he literally said, this is such a simple thing to say, but when you literally hold on to that word that he says, and then you go home, you think about it. Now, it pays off. Yeah, he's just saying. It's literally, it's all about practice. You have the access to grab cameras from the university and just take it home. Play with just keep doing it and play with it, instead of, I don't know, just going through Instagram or just watching the whole thing, and just play with the camera. Okay, don't break it. [both laugh] Just go home and play with it. Just cover the camera. Don't make the camera. Just cover you, like, yeah, make her work for you. Make the camera work for you, yeah, you know. And I start doing this every week, different camera, every camera, different week. You know that. So
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Would you say, the way that you view the art form change in that period where you were, I guess, more intentional with.
Ali Alajeeli:yeah, I was more practical, as well as doing a research. Watching a Lot, you know, if I'm watching a film, and this what gets crazy, and then it gives you the mood of when you watch a film with someone, and then they start talking the middle of the film like, Nah, you see it from a whole different point of view. You see a whole different set behind what's happened in the screen. So every move has a mean, every angle told a story. Every choice intention. You start taking notes. And why is this? Why is that so? Yeah, the why becomes the main word that you use all the time. Why?
Milo Osun-Benjamin:I feel like that's kind of on fume as well with finding purpose. I think the why is the I think there's no purpose without the why.
Ali Alajeeli:Because the wire to like leads you to how, yeah, when you start with the way, it leads you
Milo Osun-Benjamin:to how, yeah, some free game there. Yeah, that's powerful. Man, definitely. Okay, so was there, like, any, besides, obviously, your uni course, was there anything else you did, maybe, sort of extracurricularly, any courses or anything that helped you get that so
Ali Alajeeli:In terms of courses, no, I wouldn't say outside the university, but I'll say experience, actual experience. Okay,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:what do you mean by that?
Ali Alajeeli:I means working in short films, music videos, supporting artists, you know, headshots for actors and performance just reaching out to people who looks great on camera, like, Hey, what are you saying this day? Like, yeah, let's go in and then just, you know, do it. But I think once it's really start to reach the level of being professional, is when you actually be called by a call sheet, which leads you to a production. A production leads you to producer. A producer leads you to a different kind of a project. Yeah, and it goes from there network, because the key they say, you know,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:I'm curious when, when would you say you became good at it? Like, how far into your journey would you, by your own definition, say you became good at it?
Ali Alajeeli:I feel like good is still to be common. Oh, yeah, such a word. That's perfect, you know, like, maybe, maybe good that now. But
Milo Osun-Benjamin:so hearing that, it sounds like, would you say you're satisfied with the work you've done so far?
Ali Alajeeli:I'm happy from the where I started. Okay, no, yeah, to what I have right now, but I want to definitely achieve more. Yeah, 100% hungry. Yeah. [giddy laugh]
Milo Osun-Benjamin:I see you, man, I see you. Hungry. I was speaking of, actually, I did want to ask. So you've traveled recently, yes, snagged a few awards. Do you want to talk a little bit about that?
Ali Alajeeli:Yes, yes, yes. What do you know? What happened?
Milo Osun-Benjamin:I don't know. I actually don't know. I was saving it for this.
Ali Alajeeli:So my last BA, in my last year, ba, I did a film called "we are different". Yeah. Shout out to all the, you know, the crew, the actors, the teachers in this who pushed me, you know, for nine months writing a script. Man, it's crazy. Yeah, and yeah, we did the film at one, at UEL. Then I kinda updated the film to the next level. I added a few bits from here, a few bits from there. Crazy that everything from in this film generated from UEL. Wow, that the fund was from UEL. Oh, yeah, the same you. Shout out to UEL. Yeah. Great producer. Had early rose. Shout out to the Early Rose, shout out to the music guy in that film, basil. He's a student at UEL here.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Oh yeah. Oh yeah.
Ali Alajeeli:He got a song a beautiful day that we add to the film that really kind of pushed the film through. So yeah. And after 23 kinda laid down, then I started giving it to film festivals. First we got accepted in the States, the Egyptian, Egyptian American first film festival. Yeah, that was good. And then, um, I read about this post saying that the first short, uh, Film Festival in Libya history, yeah, there is no Wow, before then I applied. I was like, Okay, let me just wait. And then they got back, reached into me. Were like, hey, you know, we'd love to have you film, yeah, but what we'd love more is that, if you come! I was like, damn, haven't been home for quite a long time.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:That must have been a feeling!
Ali Alajeeli:Yeah, it was great. And I only had a week, oh, from work, yeah. So I was like, You know what, I'm taking this step. So I flew to there. It was a great network, obviously, because they see you as a little kid, you know, just done everything like that. It's crazy. But it was a great hospitality, man. They get me from the airport, you know, drove all the way to hotels and stuff like that. But, yeah, it was a great time in there, until, you know, we screened the film, great feedback, lot of questions about who Ali is. And, you know, pretty sure you guys all know who Ali is right now. And then, we don't have any knowledge about who were the film that got the had the awards, you know. Oh,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:so at the time you flew out, you didn't know he was winning. No, no.
Ali Alajeeli:But we all all invited, yeah, to that day. And on that day, they gave, like, kind of the first awards about the documentaries, and then came to a drama. It's funny that I know when I got on award is in the middle of the show, that one was happening, I kind of want to go to the toilet, yeah. So I was sitting in the first floor, you know, I stood up, and then the security just came, like, Ali, no. [laughing] So, yeah, from there I was kinda, glad to have the best the award for the Best Screenplay, yeah. So we got award from there. We just brought it back to England. You know,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:First ever Libyan Film Festival. Yeah, screenplay went on short film festival. Short Film Festival, yeah.
Ali Alajeeli:So, it became here. I feel like everyone that was with me in the course or the journey really felt happy that we achieved something like that.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah, it's really nice to have that all that work validated as well. Yeah, it was a powerful film.
Ali Alajeeli:It was great, though. The story was perfect.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah, it was really good. It was really good. How long was it was quite it's, yeah, 12 minutes or something.
Ali Alajeeli:It is short, yeah, it's 14, minutes.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah, to be able to tell so much of a story in that amount of time is really, really powerful as well.
Ali Alajeeli:Is more powerful that people tells much stronger stories in shorter time, though,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:would you say?
Ali Alajeeli:Yeah, three minutes is the main like, let's say length of a short film. Oh, yeah, this one day creativity comes in. This one, the vision comes in, yeah, if you got a story in three minutes, that's three minutes.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:you're getting it all out.
Ali Alajeeli:That's a title for the new film. You know, the story. [laughing]
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Is there anything you're working on at the moment?
Ali Alajeeli:Um, scripts, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay. Kind of want to step to the future. Oh, wow, yeah, yeah, yeah. I have, I have two scripts are ready, but I'm writing a third one. You know, when you have some a really good piece, they just want to hold on to it. I don't want to give away.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Wow!
Ali Alajeeli:yeah.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:So when you're able to do something with
Ali Alajeeli:Even if I had what I need from, like, let's say, it, it'll be.. from the funding material and stuff like that, I would stay Hold on, yeah, yeah. Because these kind of story they I feel like you need to experience more than anything.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Experience in what sense?
Ali Alajeeli:So and in life, just in life, and in the field that you're working in, filmmaking, directing, whatever this is.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:okay! So you're you feel more that you need more you as a, as the creator, yeah,
Ali Alajeeli:you need more time. Especially that these stories I'm writing, they're actually true stories. Oh, wow, yeah, okay. It was great that I even met one of the families that was writing about, you know, then you just learn a lot.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah, I think once you're once you have that extra emotional investment as well.
Ali Alajeeli:Yeah, because someone, someone has also story, man, you want to tell it in the most perfect way.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:You have to do it justice. Yeah, you have to do it justice, for sure, for sure. So that sort of leads into the concept of what, what the world needs. So what would you say the world needs?
Ali Alajeeli:Peace!
Milo Osun-Benjamin:right now?
Ali Alajeeli:Peace. Hundred Percent! I was the first word I would say, Yeah, and he's Peace. Peace. These leads you to love. Love leads to friendships. Friendships, I don't know, these love, you know, feel like. This is what it needs. Man,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Is there a way that you can see your sort of craft getting us closer to that?
Ali Alajeeli:Absolutely, yeah, yeah. What's, what's stopping me in the way? Man, okay, I had the much bigger things that stopped me too. Just get a certificate from a university. Just jump in here as a little kid that no not knowing how to spell his surname. You know, that was, yeah, one of the biggest problems. You know that things that you ever see in front of you, and then you just in one, in one blink or two, you just find yourself, damn, a whole different,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:really, as well. It is really a blink of an eye.
Ali Alajeeli:Yeah! cause what's stopping you? I don't think anything that might be stopping you, just apart from being lazy[uneasy laugh] or giving up, yeah, if you give up, then that's on you. Yes, what's around you, you know,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:I think when you really, when you find what you love, that drive is is natural. It doesn't feel like work,
Ali Alajeeli:yeah, it's when you find you love. But how to find what you love, though? Yeah,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:that's the, that's, that's the, that's the million dollar question.
Ali Alajeeli:No, I love, you know, I love a quote says, love what you do to do what you love.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Love what you do to do what you love.
Ali Alajeeli:Yeah, I had to love what I've been doing before, even I didn't like it, but I have to, yeah, just to keep doing it. And then was
Milo Osun-Benjamin:that, because you felt that there was more to come? Yeah, 100% Yeah. I
Ali Alajeeli:knew that there was just a amount of time.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:A reason.
Ali Alajeeli:Yeah. Think it was thing, like many people doing jobs they technically don't like, yeah, you know,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:I mean, I think that's the standard.
Ali Alajeeli:yeah, absolutely. So I think to mentally something that lead you to what's going to come. Let's just love what you do, because it's literally just a matter of time.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Okay, so you mentioned that you had to sort of learn, learn to love the things you didn't like. What? What helped you with that?
Ali Alajeeli:Looking at the bigger picture, yeah, yeah, because you do this. You know, when you play a game, let's say PlayStation, COVID. You something like that. When there is a mission, you don't look to that mission. You literally look at like the final thing. There's only this character you know that you want to have them by the end of the game.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Stepping Stone, I guess.
Ali Alajeeli:Yeah. Baby steps at first. Okay, yeah. Baby steps.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:You mentioned your craft pulling you out of a dark place. And I imagine there's plenty of people that are in their stepping stone era that are looking for a way to love what they do. Do you have any advice on that, or are there any thoughts that come to mind?
Ali Alajeeli:Yeah, sure. I wouldn't say a dark place. No, no. I wouldn't say dark places is a huge word,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:too powerful, crazy, [uneasy laugh] yeah.
Ali Alajeeli:What? There is some dark places, yeah, that people go to, you know, which is crazy, like sometimes when you watch a clip or something like that, if you imagine yourself in that character possession, you would go mentally in a dark place, which is the matter a few seconds, if that happens to me, damn crazy. But things that could help people, you know, achieving where they want to be. You said,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah, well, I guess feeling like, for example, there was a like, I used to work at a bar, which was fun at first, but obviously, at a bar, there's alcohol, so I was drinking loads, and got to a point where I sort of felt like I was stuck at this job because I can't get another job, but it's not helping me get to where I want to be. More generally, I just wondered if you had any sort of advice on where where to look in those sort of times. And there's so many stories of, sort of
Ali Alajeeli:Having a trust in yourself is a must. It's way any important man. It's so necessary. Yeah, it's really I worked in places that I hated, you know, not just, not just that disliked. I hate it, yeah, but I know that giving up on them, it's just gonna make you delay your train to the next stop. You know that just not feeling lazy and not giving up, though? Yeah, how many stories like, how many really well achieved people just start from the bottom, yeah, and go at the top. So crazy! getting a million dollars before that one. Yes, that changes everything. So does the Washington said a really nice thing. He's like, fall down seven time, get up eight.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah. You know, that's what it's about.
Ali Alajeeli:Yeah!
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Honestly,
Ali Alajeeli:it's crazy.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:I think, from my experience anyway, that that particular time in my life where I felt that I didn't know how I could change my circumstance, it was very, very demotivating, where I felt like, oh, well, I'm tied up at work, so I can't do music, I can't do a show, yeah, I can't I can't do this, I can't do that, because I'm stuck in this, and I know not everyone is is able to do this, but I, at that time, I just had to quit the job and just take all the other whatever, whatever that comes with it, because it was something that I felt was blocking my purpose. And then from there, I ended up working here, and now I'm living the dream. Assume. So I think it definitely is about Holding faith, able
Ali Alajeeli:Absolutely! What's, what do you think is more? Bigger, losing or failing?
Milo Osun-Benjamin:losing or failing, what's, what's the difference in this context?
Ali Alajeeli:like just losing or failing.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:losing or failing.
Ali Alajeeli:yeah, what's the what's, the one that leads you to the finish line? Makes you like, done, not even starting again.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Do you know, I think failure seems like, boom, the end. But I would say losing for me personally, because sometimes it's just getting knocked back each time that actually just wears you away. Yeah, at least sometimes with failure, you can be like, Well, that was, that was my shot, and it's gone. Yeah, but that the losing as losing in the present tense as a continuous I guess, because.
Ali Alajeeli:I heard, I heard the guy saying it, I just want to ask you, I wanted to know which one is more bigger, yeah, it was obviously in different language. He formulate the difference between losing and failing. So let's say that failing is the final thing. You know, it's crazy. He says, let's say, if there is a, if there is a, you know, I don't know, whatever offense in front of you and you just want to jump, okay? Every time you climb, you just fail, again, fail, again, failure. That means you haven't lost, yeah, okay, because the idea in your hand you haven't literally gave it up!
Milo Osun-Benjamin:okay, yeah, you lose. When you stop, okay, you lose, okay, yeah,
Ali Alajeeli:you try again, yeah, you fail again, you try again. But the moment you turn your back and you be like, Nah, I'm not doing it, this is when you lost.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Okay, that's powerful. I sort of thought I imagined the losing to be the continuous version of failing. But I guess failing
Ali Alajeeli:No, failing is fine, because he literally can try again. Yeah.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Failing is yeah, okay, fair enough. Teach me something new. [Joyful laugh] Okay, so the final sort of sphere of ikigai is what you can be paid for, or it's also been described as what you can be rewarded for, but I think you know, in the western capitalist world that we live in is have to be what what you can be paid for. So I mentioned to you before we started this, that vocation is all about what you were called to do in service of the world, and your profession is what we do in the world of work. So how would you say you're able to maintain the balance between your profession, I guess working here, and your vocation as a creative?
Ali Alajeeli:I'm still discovering how to manage, to be honest, I would have, I would lie to you for say how I know it's I'm still discovering how,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Still learning.
Ali Alajeeli:Because outside of here, I'm a messy, like, I'm the kind of guy that takes notes and everywhere, yeah, okay, right in my arm or writing, okay. So I'm not really, like, I want some clumsy in this kind of stuff, but I'm trying to know how I can manage all this.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah, I think with creative stuff as well, when you come from a place of just doing it, because it's your nature, having to find a way to systemize all of that is very, very difficult without guidance. Yeah, definitely is something that I've found. But I wanted to ask so your work here as a stage manager, would How would you how would you say that's different to your film work? If you know what I mean, like in the day to day, how are the two different for you?
Ali Alajeeli:It's so different, you know, because you learn a whole dirty hole, but just learn about again, it's theater. Is it is similar to different to film, yeah, in terms of, like, a storytelling and stuff like that. And there is a lot of plays that turn to be film and end of the day, but working as a stage manager is a whole different chapter for me. I wouldn't say a chapter. It's literally a powerful chapter,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Paragraph.
Ali Alajeeli:A little paragraph, you know, because, yeah, there's a lot of achievement in the chapter, but yeah, it's a whole different thing I learned a lot, obviously. First network, great network, you learn with, you meet with people that really influence your knowledge and updates your point of views, and you find a lot of similarity between you and them. Yeah, they want to know about film. You want to know about theater. It's just crazy. Yeah, to
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Eat and feed each other.
Ali Alajeeli:Yeah, exactly!
Milo Osun-Benjamin:yeah. That's the word that reminded me what you said earlier, before we started recording this, about the five chapters, yeah, of life, yeah, you know,
Ali Alajeeli:no, the five chapters, yeah. I don't know if I can name them all. The fives, yeah, I had them in my head this morning. That's why I should take note, yeah, yeah. For like, life, it, it should not should, sorry to me, I can put it in five chapters. You. Whole Life, a whole journey. We might, as I said, we literally, we're still in the first maybe we're just about to get the first dance woman up, the second, yeah, for like, the second. Do you know when it starts, when you find your life partner? Okay, yeah, yeah. This is when the second comes in, yeah? Because being very self from the childhood, the days you know, you start work, start hustle and discover who you are, that deserves to be a chapter itself.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah, that's definitely a chapter in it, yeah? And I think once you start incorporating someone else's needs into your day to day, that is, that is a way that's a new challenge.
Ali Alajeeli:So, yeah, you have to learn it. It is. yeah, [nervous laugh] it's crazy!
Milo Osun-Benjamin:yeah, interesting that you put it like that, to be honest. So would the third be when you have kids? Maybe?
Ali Alajeeli:Maybe!
Milo Osun-Benjamin:oh, we don't know yet, inconclusive.
Ali Alajeeli:Don't be greedy.[laugh]
Milo Osun-Benjamin:So do you? Do you see your role now as a stage manager sort of eventually contributing to your storytelling journey, if you know what I mean. Or do you feel that sort of film and cinematography is your your
Ali Alajeeli:Yeah, stage manager is literally, is more stage? like a production work, you know? So you don't, you're not in charge of what's been told and what. Yeah, you obviously know what's gonna happen, what's the story and stuff like that. But you're not entitled to, like, be like, Oh no. Like, change this one. Yeah, because there is a way that stage manager worked since day one, until now. And me, I'm just super junior in this, yeah? Very, super junior. I'm just learning on the practical eyes, yeah, but in terms of the general side, I don't think stage manager has something to do with storytelling or creativity.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Okay, so it's dev you would say it's definitely, yeah.
Ali Alajeeli:So stage manager is more like a first ad, which is known as the direct assistant, like first, Oh, assistant director. You're
Milo Osun-Benjamin:gonna have to use layman terms, yeah, it's going over my head already.
Ali Alajeeli:no, it's literally, like the first assistant for the director, which gives the director What's it needs, or what's he or she needs. It's like a third arm,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:okay. All right. All right. All right, okay, okay, okay, yeah, okay. So they're two very different, oh, yeah, different parts of your life than in your eyes.
Ali Alajeeli:Yeah, like the filmmaking and being a stage manager. Yeah, 100% but the beauty in this, being a stage manager doesn't stops you from being a filmmaker. It doesn't. It's just maybe pushes you, you know,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:tell him, tell me how that motivates you,
Ali Alajeeli:because he makes you discover theater from theater. Start reading plays from plays. You get ideas,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:okay, everything's inspiration,
Ali Alajeeli:ideas. You get words from words. You get script. Scripts leads you to a production and film, okay, yeah. And then you start pulling things together. It's like a logo game, you know, like a Lego game,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:all right? So you just layer and layering, yeah,
Ali Alajeeli:and there is a story in every place you look at. Man, definitely. It's just a matter of how much the story is worth the telling.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:So we've, I think we've covered all of the elements of ikigai now, just to remind you what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs and what you can be rewarded for, sure. So given this, what would you say your purposes?
Ali Alajeeli:What did we do? What can be rewarded for? Say, let them I did what we can be rewarded for.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:We can be what you can be paid for. That's Well, that was why I brought in the stuff about your work. But did you have anything to add to that?
Ali Alajeeli:I finished be get paid to do podcast? [both laughing] Yeah.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:I'll pass it on. Yeah. So given that, what would you say your purposes?
Ali Alajeeli:From?
Milo Osun-Benjamin:From giving these these, if we're using ikigai to define purpose, having discussed like these elements, great of ikigai,
Ali Alajeeli:yeah.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:How would you summarize your ikigai or your purpose?
Ali Alajeeli:from telling all the stuff, though, really, yeah, just,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:and it doesn't have to be like to do with your cinematography, or anything like just any aspect of your life that you feel you sort of ticks all of those boxes for you.
Ali Alajeeli:Teaching!
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Teaching, yeah, okay.
Ali Alajeeli:I think teaching is a big word, but I feel like sharing.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Sharing! Okay, okay, okay, okay!
Ali Alajeeli:It's great. You know, having a child with someone is really nice, because you make you give them, like a lot of stuff about yourself. You don't teach them, but you share the thoughts, the experience, what you know and what they know. You know, sharing is a great thing, but I said teaching because I just love it, man, yeah, because I get, I get the feeling of having someone that that will happen in the festival there is, as you said, You love to be the spotlight. No one hates. [laugh] It great to be the spotlight. It's beautiful feeling. You know, when you feel like everyone is literally listening to what you're saying, and that event, they invite me to give a speech. And any kind of like, I won't say anybody, like, normally, a producer or director will write something before you know, because they don't know they might get nominated. Yeah? But I didn't wrote anything in purpose though. Oh, I just wanted the words just to come to be authentic, straight, natural, yeah, organic, Yeah, very. And then when I got there, it's great to see, like, all eyes on me. [both chukles] Seriously, yeah, it's beautiful. But what's more beautiful is that people are really interested in what you want to say. They know that you have something. Yeah, they know they can get something from you. And as much as they learn it doesn't comes nothing next to how happy you are just by seeing people like, wanted to hear what you're saying, share your experience, learn from you. Want to say so, yeah, I feel like teaching and sharing is great. Teaching and sharing the right word?
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Teaching! Is that what you're talking about? Yeah, yeah. I'd say so. I'd say so. I mean, it doesn't always have to be, like, formal or not the way that we know teaching to be, but definitely I feel that sentiment as well, to be honest with you, especially when you feel that you have something of value that you can give to someone else, that will provide them value. It's a nice feeling. I think it's human nature. I think very to want to have something valuable to give to the people around you. So each episode, we have two recurring questions you've already answered, one which is, what do you love?
Ali Alajeeli:Good!
Milo Osun-Benjamin:The next question is a bit more forward thinking. Just put it simply, who do you hope to be?
Ali Alajeeli:It's beautiful to see yourself and a lot of people's characters. You know it's great, don't get me wrong, but you don't know what you're gonna be in, in time 3040, something that those people wish. Yeah, exactly. So definitely I'm, I'm looking to be me. Okay? And
Milo Osun-Benjamin:when you say you help, help me define that what is, what does the you want to be? Look like?
Ali Alajeeli:I don't want to look like. I feel like one of the biggest, biggest man dreams that I ever want to a goal I want to achieve. Yeah, you leave something that gonna mention your name even after long.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:After your gone. Yeah? That legacy, yeah, yeah, that's,
Ali Alajeeli:That's a huge achievement. That's what I want to be.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:And you want to be, be remembered for the stories that you told.
Ali Alajeeli:Yes!
Milo Osun-Benjamin:yeah?
Ali Alajeeli:yes. I want to. I want to like, I want to be like, they have my story, Oh, he did this. I'm gonna do better than him. Don't, yeah, I don't want to. I don't want no one do same as me, but I want to do better than me.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah, definitely!
Ali Alajeeli:He did it. He started from there, and now he's here. I'm gonna do better.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah? It's like, it's like setting a new caliber for the different generations.
Ali Alajeeli:That's why I mentioned Bob Marley at the beginning. Yeah, yeah. The Bob is a huge part of the way I understood what pieces, okay, culture, yeah, great man. It's just the way he, he pitched those songs and when he, when he, when he talk in an interview about the Bob literally have a great message to tell. You know, even though there's a lot of arguments with him, that disagreements. But until nowadays, he's alive.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah, yeah, those messages have outlived them.
Ali Alajeeli:yeah, until now. Yeah, Get up, stand up. It's still, you know, yeah, until now.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:And you feel it's, it's really, it's such a beautiful thing that something that someone created with, maybe not with the entire world in mind, is now enjoyed mutually by everyone in the world. So
Ali Alajeeli:yeah, and look from where they started. You know, Trench Town, man, yeah, yeah, a whole world. And I was just listening to you. It's great doing movies about you,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:I just want to talk a bit about community hosting you. that let's want to know what sort of impact community has had on your ability to do what what you feel your purpose is
Ali Alajeeli:Community!
Milo Osun-Benjamin:And that community can be defined anyway that is appropriate to you.
Ali Alajeeli:They can show you, like a whole different side of a story. You know, that's how it plays. For example, growing back as a kid in North Africa, there is nothing. Such a word of racism, okay? Yeah, my word, yeah, there was nothing. My cousin was black, yeah, I'm white. Oh, here's his brown. You know, it's all good. There wasn't nothing about this. But, and then we see him films like we see films about, oh, why they treat the. Each other like this. Why is this like that? What? There's a lot of whys, yeah, but we didn't understand why? I didn't understand why! Coming to a whole different community or society, I would say it, it shows you a little bit of that question, you know, it just, it shows you that, oh, there is an answer for what you're looking form, but I'm not gonna say the answer, you know, you need to discover it. That's what the story says. You know, the community says, like, oh, there is an answer. Just look for it. And then within the time, yeah, there was a kind of discovered, okay, what kind of, what, what racism is, how it began, and how it's going? Yeah, is it finished or not?
Milo Osun-Benjamin:It's a question. [Awkward laugh]
Ali Alajeeli:Yeah, there's not, there's, there isn't, there isn't a full stop in this. Man, yeah. So this why it leads, you know, to that kind of film that I did, okay, yeah, that one influenced me, you know, to do it because, yeah, it was a whole different it was a new thing for me. Okay, I didn't know that exists, yeah?
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Oh, wow. So you really had no, nope, no experiences, sort of even racial differences or anything, before you came out. That's,
Ali Alajeeli:It wasn't literally the same, because it was as simple as that. Yeah, you're a human. I'm a human.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:It can't end that way. Exactly. That'll be better than me. Do you think I'm better than you? All right, I'll be better than you how I'll get a better certificate. I will do master, I'll do PhD. Now I'm an owner of something like this. I'm gonna be better than your life. I'm gonna work on myself. But for you to be born better than me doesn't work.
Ali Alajeeli:No, doesn't. It doesn't 100% so yeah, this how community, like, I feel like, gave me this side of a picture that I didn't see.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Do you want to just give a quick, like, synopsis about your film? You saw people have an idea? Yeah?
Ali Alajeeli:Sure. So the main influence of my film. It came from a film called wonder, starred by Julia Roberts. Is the film that talks about bullying in the school because her little child has been bullied for the way he looks after an operation in his face. Auggie, and this one, I understood that children or kids or minors, I would say they have a huge emotional impact on us as an adult, once it comes to storytelling, yeah, yeah, it does. Man, I cried on that end of the film.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Really!
Ali Alajeeli:I'm not sure I cried. Yeah, it's great because the film ended up with with an award of the best student of the of the school. Oh yeah, and it came to Augie for being the best student. But the way the guys gave the speech is absolutely remarkable. So I was like, yeah, let me just do a story showcase, showcases this kind of issue in the society, but from a point of view of younger age, you know, there is a lot of films about racism. Until now, I feel like next year is going to be a new one, and the day after, hopefully not. But yeah,
Milo Osun-Benjamin:I think, until there starts being race stories to tell the race stories never ends.
Ali Alajeeli:you know? So, yeah, I wanted to give it from this. So it's basically about a little girl that she finds comfort, happiness, trust, with the with the boy from her, from her school, but that girl lives with a single mom that she can't distill in the mindset of being racist, but you know, people trying to hide it now, even though it's a see through thing, yeah, you can't see it from a mile away. The boy and the girl get trapped in the mother inviting them both for dinner, forcing the dinner to happen, and the dinner leads to the arguments, where the girl either had to choose if she's gonna live with her mom mentality and just continue the legacy, yeah, of the family we are racist, or she gonna, you know, step up and decide that she's gonna, she's gonna be different. That's why I call that we are different.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Okay!
Ali Alajeeli:Yeah!
Milo Osun-Benjamin:So it's not so, oh, wow. [laughter] So it's not about we are different as in, the boy and the girl are different. We are different as in, she's different her mom.
Ali Alajeeli:Yes, I'm just talking about a whole generation, yeah. But are we different? That's the question that leads to the end. Man, it's crazy.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Okay, okay, wow, yeah, I can't lie when the when the boy got, got up and left. I was feeling through man, my test was aching for both of them to be honest with you.
Ali Alajeeli:That's what I'm saying, Man, I wrote this script at the beginning. Yeah, that the girl gonna choose the boy. Okay, this how I wrote at the beginning. Everyone loves. Happy end. Yeah, everyone loves it. But, and then I got a person that came to me and asked me, Is that gonna happen in reality? I will leave you that question. Is that gonna happen in reality? Man? I left home like, Wow. I was like, I don't think so.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Do you know what,
Ali Alajeeli:this age? At the age of 13?
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah, no, yeah!
Ali Alajeeli:Someone gonna give up their home, the mom for someone that they feel comfortable with?
Milo Osun-Benjamin:I'm glad that question was asked, because I think part of why it resonated with me so much the ending of it is because it was very it's just very raw, and it's very like, it's almost like a helpless feeling where you wish things were not this way, yeah, but that's the way things are.
Ali Alajeeli:That's the way. Yeah, the reality I'm here to tell Yeah. I'm not here to fake that exactly. I'm not getting paid to fake it. Yeah, doesn't matter for me. So yeah!
Milo Osun-Benjamin:There's something I wanted to ask you as well. I don't know if we might have to cut this out if it's out, if it's a spoiler or whatever, but there was a part with I think it was the girl who was writing on a post it note, yes, but you never see it, yes. What was that about?
Ali Alajeeli:What the one if the mirror? Yes, yes. I got asked this question a lot. Yeah. So Yeah. Let me show you this first. I love when people ask me about things they didn't understand. Yeah, because that, that meant they they actually left the cinema or the film, or the laptop, or they closed it, and the film starts, kept spinning their mind. Why is this is happening? Why is this? Why is this? And when I see people argue like, oh, he left her because of this, she left him because of that. This, this, me, this one's the film's one, you know. But that was we chose this to show that the girl was controlled in her life. Oh, she comes out in a certain time, okay, and she comes back in a certain time, and she have to write, yeah, she's been out. She was like, Yeah. Man, it was a story that, like, it was, it
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Rushing home and stuff, yeah, okay. I didn't know if it was because I can't remember exactly what they said. I watched it a few weeks ago now. But I couldn't tell if it was like she was writing, like appointments or something for needs a bit more time. But we know we kind of just cut it down the mom, when it was sort of given a vibe that she sort of has these sort of caring or something responsibilities, or more responsibilities than she should have at her age. Yeah. So as sure as we can. I thought even either way, that's interesting dynamic to add. Oh, really, yeah, how, like, what was it like? What was the length of it due to be?
Ali Alajeeli:I would love to do this in a 30 40, yeah, minutes. I can't make it fit in there, because I will add a lot. I want to show why.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Why the mum is like that, yeah, she said, Don't you want to know why she's like, Yeah,
Ali Alajeeli:I want to show why the girl so different.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:Yeah!
Ali Alajeeli:These are all questions that need to be answered.
Milo Osun-Benjamin:There's more to be told. But definitely credit to you for the fact that in your eyes, maybe it would have been a lot longer, maybe three, four times a length, yeah, but it still touched me, and I still carry a part of that story with me, yeah. So you've done, you've done what you needed to do with that one, for sure. So thank you all for listening. I hope you've enjoyed this episode of Student Life radio, thank you for joining me. Really nice to catch up and get a little insight on what goes on in your head. Is a pleasure, though.
