NЕW YORK. KazUnite – Interview with Azhar Moldashova.
Journalist: New York is an amazing city. A city of contrasts, a city of great
opportunities, unexpected meetings and surprises. A city that like a magnet attracts
people from different countries and continents. Home to millions of brave and
daring adventurers. A home for the talented and dedicated to their dreams. This is
how I see New York after six months of student life at the New York Film
Academy. I met many talented people from Kazakhstan, which made me very
happy. And in this material I want to share an interview with the famous producer
and journalist Azhar Moldashova. The topic of our conversation can be titled as
follows – the profession of a producer and the world of new technologies.
Journalist: Azhar, for many people, the profession of a producer is still
incomprehensible. It is not clear what they are doing. The doctor is understandable,
the journalist is understandable, the astronaut is understandable, but the producer is
not understandable. How would you explain who a producer is?
Azhar: yes, yes. Exactly. First, you need to understand that producers in different
fields have their own characteristics in their work. So, for example, a film producer
and a television producer and a music industry producer, having one goal – to
implement a successful project and earn money, will approach the goals in
different ways. Methods for transmitting information in each case are different. In
general, I would say that the history of production originated along with
manifestations of social culture. And as we know social culture has always existed.
In the form of traditions, customs, dances, paintings, theatrical performances, etc.
The ancient Greek Amphitheater or any other theater, for example, vividly
demonstrates social life. Each play, performance of any format, required thorough
preparation. Let’s say a play. There must be a writer of the play, someone must find
actors, costume designers, stage decorators, arrange for people to learn about the
upcoming performance, agree with the premises, conduct rehearsals in the end.
After all, someone did it. Often this someone turned out to be the writer of the play
himself. In this case, the well-known Aristophanes or even Aristotle, known to all
of us, were also producers in part. (laughs) Today, of course, the profession of a
producer has transformed, grown from just an organizer into something very
powerful. Today I would say this is a creative businessman. Skills in various fields,
even seemingly existing in parallel dimensions, can bring that very magic and
make the impossible a reality. Therefore, any knowledge, any skills must be
accepted.
Journalist: today there is no separate specialty in producing in Kazakh universities,
but there are courses lasting a whole semester, where students of journalism
faculties can get acquainted with the intricacies of the work of producers. But on
the Internet, the educational business is flourishing. Many online schools for
producing including. For those who would still like to study the profession of a
producer in educational institutions such as the USA, what educational institutions
would you recommend?
Azhar: I think that any US university that trains specialists in this program will
provide the best knowledge in this area, both theoretical and practical. Since in this
understanding of the profession in which we know it today, it originated precisely
here: through the development of the film industry, and after that this concept
began to be actively used on television, in the music industry, and now with the
active introduction of new technologies into people’s everyday lives, such new
ones have also appeared. areas for producers such as creating and promoting media
content on social media, promoting a personal brand, and so on. In general, I
would say the word “producer” is the most fashionable today. It can be applied to
all areas. This is the peculiarity of this profession. You can dive into any
environment and produce anything.
Journalist: What qualities would you call the main ones for a producer?
Azhar: the ability to fantasize, the ability to analyze, plan. And of course,
knowledge of the audience, desires and needs for whom he creates a media
product. You need to hear, see, know more than others.
Journalist: It’s no secret that social networks have changed the entire media
industry. Content is updated at an unprecedented speed. The topics are the most
diverse. The demand for producers is growing, entire teams of professionals are
working to lure a person using the most sophisticated methods. But the quality of
content, namely in online sources, it is still impossible to control. How can a
modern person not get lost in this abundance of information flow.
Azhar: Yes, I agree. The producer is one of the most demanded and key
professions in the global media market today. Yes, the market. It must be clearly
understood that the media industry as a whole has become one of the most
profitable types of business. And when a person watches any content, that is,
consumes it, it means that he buys it. Sometimes for money, sometimes for your
time. Everyone needs to improve information literacy, this is what every person
needs to learn today and this is what children need to be taught from school – to
sort information. After all, we, in some miraculous way, as if on Elon Musk’s highspeed underground train, found ourselves in a new digital reality, where
information in the form of media content is the fuel for the existence of a global
virtual world, which we call the Internet. So this very Internet and new
technologies have become best friends and have learned to literally dictate to
humanity new rules of life on our good old Earth. And literally in a short period of
time, the picture of the human world has changed. His attitude to such basic
concepts as the institution of the family, education and school in particular, food,
beauty, etc. has changed. I think that you and the readers perfectly understand what
I’m talking about. Of course, no one will dispute the fact that this brought many
positive changes in people’s lives in general, but there were also side effects from
such high-speed movement in time.
Journalist: Do you want to say that people did not have time to reorganize?
Azhar: yes, that’s right. From push-button phones for calls and only to pocket
computers with the world library and museums of the world. Despite the fact that
people watched films about the incredible abilities of super smart people who
quickly hit the computer keyboard and created or solved global problems,
prevented disasters, forced someone to obey their will, destroyed or created
something – perhaps someone realized that this was reality, but most simply
enjoyed the plot and the emotions that they received from viewing.
Journalist: Yes, there were times when few people could believe that there would
be robots in human form, and most importantly, that the person himself would
create for him a certain intelligence and the ability to make decisions, like the wellknown terminator movie.
Azhar: yes, that’s right. And the reaction to this film, for example, of a child 20
years ago and a child of the same age today will not be the same. Since the
information field in which these two people were born are very different. And the
role of a producer in this modern reality, where information is everything! I would
say one of the key ones. The United States understood this trick before anyone
else, and this is what gave impetus to the incredible development of the media
industry in this country. And the country is still actively investing in the
development of this profession.
Journalist: as a producer to create media content that everyone will love.
Azhar: you know, even the most brilliant ideas in excellent execution can be
rejected by certain groups of people. If a producer put a piece of his soul into this
product, it can be very painful to hear criticism. But it is important that this is
absolutely normal. Even not everyone likes ice cream (laughs) but in general, what
resonates with the audience? What they understand. What unites them with the plot
of the content. Memories of childhood, smells, first love, any feelings from anxiety
to delight.
Journalist: Azhar, I know you as a successful producer and journalist. I am familiar
with your television projects. My youngest son loves your ABS+ project very
much. At the age of 3, he already repeated the words in English for the program
participants. What is special about producing children’s television content.
Azhar is that his audience is the most honest and authoritative. They won’t watch if
they don’t like it. Not under any pretext. And no one, not even their parents, can
force them to watch what they don’t like. It doesn’t matter to them that it is useful,
that it will teach them to read, write, learn words in English, for example (laughs).
And in most cases they will still force to turn on the content that pleases them.
They know how to convince!
Journalist: oh yes, children can convince. I know this from my own experience
(laughs)
Azhar: so, first you need to attract attention. Of course, this is a beautiful, juicy
picture, musical accompaniment, funny memorable sounds, for example, in
interruptions. And only then through the game form, as if inviting the child to join,
make friends and play together, you can broadcast the idea. Educational material,
for example, in the case of ABC+. After all, we all remember Good Night Kids. As
through music, regular characters, cartoon producers of the program carried out
educational work. And the regularity of the broadcast is also important, people by
nature love reliability, children need constant heroes, reliable friends. And yet it
has not been possible to create a children’s television program of such a format that
would be just as loved and popular by the generation. Good Night Kids, I think – a
legend, an example of successful children’s television content.
Journalist: Yes, this program is a uniquely produced product. You do not think that
it was so popular because there was no Internet and such competition as now.
Azhar – the opportunities provided by the Internet and new technologies are, of
course, incredible. One of the keys to the success of Good Night Kids, and many
other TV programs in general, is that they have succeeded in bringing generations
together. Create something that made them happy, something that brought joy and
carelessness to their homes. Gathered all family members together, that is, the
main content of the TV channel could be watched by everyone. Yes, there were
such times in the history of television. And these memories that they receive in
childhood through media content unite adults according to their interests. What
you can use and create successful content for the same, but grown up kids.
Journalist: what do you think about the statements that television is dying out, and
many do not even want to have a TV at home.
Azhar: let’s start with the fact that TV and television are no longer complementary
concepts. On TV, you can watch not only television content, and television can
broadcast its content not only through TV, but also on Internet sites. A feature of
television is a grid form of information transmission, which is not very convenient
for a modern person. Although there are generations that prefer this form of
television. The methods of transmitting information on television will change
along with new technologies and human needs, but I think it will not disappear
anywhere. We need to develop television through talented producers, this is the
main key to development. And the negative associations with the TV, I think, are
connected with such expressions as “killing time in front of the TV”, a slacker with
a remote control on the couch, or a brainwashing box. Although many people are
doing just that, but not in front of the TV, but in front of the screens of pocket
computers. There has been a slight change in terms. Brainwashing on TV, and
freedom of speech on the Internet. Everything is much more complicated.
Journalist: I see that we can discuss this topic for a very long time. Indeed, the role
of the producer is becoming more significant, and social responsibility is becoming
higher. I want to thank you for this sincere and interesting conversation.
Azhar: I am glad that the first kind of information bridge has appeared connecting
the Kazakhs living in the USA with their historical homeland. It is also a window
for Kazakhs be aware of important events in the life of Kazakhs in America. Many
talented Kazakh youth live in the United States. Each brought here their own path,
dreams, goals. I think it’s a mission that brings people to America. Perhaps hidden
even from the man himself. Because it is in America that all paths intertwine and
new doors open. Understand me correctly, if there are people in the world who
sincerely love Kazakhstan, then I am one of them. I certainly believe in the
wonderful future of Kazakhstan. And I think that it is the youth that our land has
brought up that will create favorable changes for all mankind on the planet. We can
observe all this on the world stage, whether it is IT, creativity, science in various
industries, documentary films, sports, media industry, etc. At this stage, this may
not be so obvious, but it is understandable and quite understandable for people who
can see the global picture and analyze world trends. I wish success to our first
information portal in the USA.
