Seemab Saqib Khan

Coke Studio creative associate

Compiled from 1 recorded interview. Every statement below is drawn from the passage cited beside it.

Seemab Saqib Khan is a photographer who was a creative associate for the whole season of Coke Studio. She has said she was born and raised in Lahore, and her degree is in communication design. She created the Saqib Khan Foundation, which is named after her father.

Early life and background

Khan has said she was born and raised in Lahore. Her father's business was in Akbari Mandi, Lahore. When she was seven, her father was diagnosed with lung cancer. She says it was the last time she saw her mother cry for the next three years. Her father died when she was ten. [1]

After her father died, her mother took over his business because she could not depend on anyone else. Her mother wound up the business over about two years, and some people helped her. Her mother was a single parent and raised and educated the four children on her own. [1]

Khan was the first artist in her family. She liked capturing moments. At her cousins' weddings she would go inside with a camera to photograph their rukhsati. She began taking photographs around age 12, using her mother's phone. She describes herself as emotionally independent and finds depending on others very hard. [1]

Education

As a child, Khan had no interest in studying. She attended Beaconhouse Liberty Campus for school. She was told to repeat a class because her grades were low, and she was told not to take O Levels because her percentage was low. She studied A Levels at LGS Defence, where she entered competitions and says she won prizes in them. [1]

Khan wanted to study film. Her mother said no, because timings cause many problems. Khan chose communication design as the closest she could get to filmmaking. Her degree is in communication design, and her NCA degree was four years long. She graduated at the very start of 2019. [1]

Photography

Khan started photography as a passion, which later became her profession. She saved money to buy her own camera. She started working during her A Levels. She started with product photography and says it paid 5,000. She began earning from photography and paid her own fees. [1]

Her family supported her photography, although at first her mother had concerns about timing. She once covered an event in Islamabad where male photographers told her to step aside. After being pushed aside, she went to cry briefly, then returned and told them who she was. She thinks female photographers learn to take up space. [1]

Khan wrote that she was offering candid photography, and some clients hire her only for candid photography. Her passion was mostly portraits. She says her wedding work is going well now that people know her professional work. [1]

Career

Khan began posting her work on Instagram, and people started liking it. She received messages asking whether she was available for a meeting or a shoot. She felt that helping someone sell clothes was not the purpose of her life. She is open to fashion work again if it is aesthetically or conceptually pleasing. [1]

Khan worked as an assistant director on many films. She knew everyone in fashion but no one in film. She asked to be taken on as a spot boy for a film, saying she would do anything. A senior working at an agency, who knew that she photographed and had seen her work, called her in for a meeting. She wanted to learn before making something of her own. [1]

Coke Studio

A producer on a film she worked on recommended Khan for Coke Studio. She says it was because of the film, not because of Nescafe. She was a creative associate for the whole season of Coke Studio. Her role involved discussing stylist and makeup options and coordinating everything. [1]

The shoot took place in Karachi and took three months, and she was working with the team before it started. She headed production for the whole shoot. She was production head for the season's promo. [1]

Saqib Khan Foundation

The Saqib Khan Foundation is named after Khan's father. She says she created the foundation one to two years before describing it. Many people messaged her asking her to share their requests and saying what they needed. She says everything was very transparent and thinks this may have built people's trust. She describes making a documentary for one person and putting up a post for another. [1]

Recent work and plans

Khan recently started working with an organisation. The organisation asked her to make something for them, which she is working on now. Her wedding photography continues alongside her other work. She hopes to take the Saqib Khan Foundation somewhere further. She hopes to be able to write something and then direct something. [1]

Views

Khan says people now have some creative freedom and are using it. She says everything feels very pretend, and that any good film has far more realness. In her view, the class that was shown, with its very large houses, feels disconnected. She agrees that there is a great lack of writers in this area. She believes writing should take a full year or two. [1]

Khan says several filmmakers have emerged in Lahore over the past two years. She says the Karachi industry is very different from Lahore's, with many professionals. She says she has seen more hard work and efficiency in women than in men. She says things have changed a lot since she started. [1]

With social media, she says, you cannot mess with someone. She says girls now have much more courage. She says she would try to make things better for people who cannot speak out. [1]

Timeline

2019
Graduated at the very start of the year[1]

Appearances

DateTitleWhere
2022-02-23 How Coke Studio happened for Seemab Saqib Khan Thought Behind Things

Frequently asked questions

Who is Seemab Saqib Khan?

Seemab Saqib Khan is a photographer who was a creative associate for the whole season of Coke Studio. Her degree is in communication design. She created the Saqib Khan Foundation, which is named after her father.[1]

What does Seemab Saqib Khan do?

Seemab Saqib Khan works as a photographer, and her wedding photography continues alongside her other work. Her passion was mostly portraits, and some clients hire her only for candid photography. She has also worked as an assistant director on many films.[1]

Where did Seemab Saqib Khan study?

Seemab Saqib Khan attended Beaconhouse Liberty Campus for school and studied A Levels at LGS Defence. Her degree is in communication design. She graduated at the very start of 2019.[1]

Where is Seemab Saqib Khan from?

Seemab Saqib Khan says she was born and raised in Lahore. Her father's business was in Akbari Mandi, Lahore.[1]

What was Seemab Saqib Khan's role in Coke Studio?

Seemab Saqib Khan was a creative associate for the whole season of Coke Studio. Her role involved discussing stylist and makeup options and coordinating everything. She headed production for the whole shoot and was production head for the season's promo.[1]

What is the Saqib Khan Foundation?

The Saqib Khan Foundation is named after the father of Seemab Saqib Khan. She says she created it, and she hopes to take it somewhere further. She describes making a documentary for one person and putting up a post for another.[1]

How did Seemab Saqib Khan start in photography?

Seemab Saqib Khan began taking photographs around age 12, using her mother's phone. She saved money to buy her own camera. She started with product photography and says it paid 5,000.[1]

Why did Seemab Saqib Khan choose communication design?

Seemab Saqib Khan wanted to study film. She chose communication design as the closest she could get to filmmaking.[1]

References

  1. How Coke Studio happened for Seemab Saqib Khan . Thought Behind Things , 2022-02-23.
Show the source passages (86 statements)
  1. She says she was born and raised in Lahore. main bhari hui hoon Lahore mein, paida bhi hui hoon aur bhari bhi hui hoon Lahore mein
  2. Her father was diagnosed with lung cancer when she was seven. I was 7, my father was diagnosed with lung cancer.
  3. She says it was the last time she saw her mother cry for the next three years. that was the last time I saw my amma crying for the next three years
  4. Her father died when she was ten. my father passed away when I was 10
  5. Her father's business was in Akbari Mandi, Lahore. mere abbu ka business tha in Akbari Mandi, Lahore
  6. After her father died, her mother took over his business because she could not depend on anyone else. So my amma went there to, you know, take over his business because obviously she couldn't depend on anyone else
  7. Her mother wound up the business over about two years. She had to wind it up. Do saal lage wind up karne mein.
  8. Some people helped her mother wind up the business. jinhone help ki meri ammi ki you know to wind it up
  9. Her mother was a single parent. kyunki wo single mother thi
  10. Her mother raised and educated the four children on her own. aapki phir mother ne single-handedly charon ko raise kiya, charon ko padhaya
  11. As a child she had no interest in studying. mujhe padhne ka bilkul bhi shauk nahi tha bachpan se
  12. She attended Beaconhouse Liberty Campus for school. So I went to Beaconhouse Liberty Campus.
  13. She was told to repeat a class because her grades were low. aapke grades kam hain and you have to repeat the class
  14. She was told not to take O Levels because her percentage was low. lekin aap O Levels na karo because aapki percentage kam hai
  15. She studied A Levels at LGS Defence. No, so I went to LGS Defence for A Levels.
  16. At LGS Defence she entered competitions and says she won prizes in them. Har competition mein main ja rahi hoon and I am you know I won them, uh, prizes
  17. She wanted to study film. NCA. So I wanted to study film.
  18. Her mother said no, because timings cause many problems. meri amma was like, no, kyunki timings ke bahut masle hote hain
  19. She was the first artist in her family. Um, you were the first artist type. Yeah, haan. Outlier in the family. Bilkul.
  20. She chose communication design as the closest she could get to filmmaking. the closest I can get to filmmaking is communication design
  21. Her degree is in communication design. Communications designer. By degree.
  22. Her NCA degree was four years long. NCA ki ye degree 4 saal ki thi, 5 saal ki thi? 4 saal ki.
  23. She graduated at the very start of 2019. And you graduated in what year? 2019 ka bilkul start.
  24. She started working during her A Levels. Working, working? A Levels.
  25. She started with product photography and says it paid 5,000. Product photography shuru ki thi maine. Kitne paise mile the uske? 5,000.
  26. Her family supported her photography. Unko koi masla nahi hua kabhi aur sab supportive hi the.
  27. At first her mother had concerns about timing. Amma ko bahut ek shuru mein obviously timings ke issue the
  28. She once covered an event in Islamabad where male photographers told her to step aside. Ek dafa I was covering an event aur you know male photographers the wahan pe, poora main Islamabad aayi hui thi us time pe, bilkul hi alag city mein. Aur wo bilkul like you know wo mujhe kehte hain aap side pe hatein
  29. After being pushed aside, she went to cry briefly, then returned and told them who she was. main bathroom gayi, main thoda sa royi hoon. Phir main wapas aayi, main batati hoon unhein ke kya cheez hoon main
  30. She thinks female photographers learn to take up space. Kyunki I think they learn then ke to take that space ke bhai
  31. She says her wedding work is going well now that people know her professional work. Ab to it's amazing. Kyunki ab now people know ke you know ab ek banda hai jo professionally kar raha hai
  32. She wrote that she was offering candid photography. tab maine us pe likha hua tha ke you know offering candid photography
  33. Some clients hire her only for candid photography. kabhi-kabhi log mujhe hire karte hain sirf candid photography ke liye
  34. She liked capturing moments. tab bhi even mujhe pasand tha ke main moments capture karoon
  35. At her cousins' weddings she would go inside with a camera to photograph their rukhsati. mere cousins ki shaadi hoti thi to main ghus jaati thi andar camera leke unki rukhsati pe
  36. She began taking photographs around age 12, using her mother's phone. Wo to main bachpan se 12 saal ki umar se you know main ammi ke phone par ke pictures de rahi thi
  37. She saved money to buy her own camera. Phir galla banaya, paise jama kiye, phir camera liya.
  38. She started photography as a passion, which later became her profession. photography to passion se shuru hui and uske baad wo profession mein badal gayi
  39. She began earning from photography and paid her own fees. then I started earning or I paid my fees
  40. She describes herself as emotionally independent and finds depending on others very hard. main emotionally bhi bahut independent thi you know ke kisi pe depend karna mere liye bahut abhi tak mere liye bahut mushkil hai
  41. She worked as an assistant director on many films. So basically maine, uh, AD kiya kaafi films mein
  42. She knew everyone in fashion but no one in film. So I knew everyone in fashion but I know I knew no one in, you know, film
  43. She asked to be taken on as a spot boy for a film, saying she would do anything. Aap AD beshak na rakhein, aap mujhe ek spot boy rakh lein, apni film ka, main kuch bhi kar loongi
  44. A senior working at an agency, who knew that she photographed and had seen her work, called her in for a meeting. meri senior wahan pe kaam kar rahi thi with Giraffe, the agency. To she knew that I photograph and she has seen my work. She called me up for a meeting.
  45. A producer on a film she worked on recommended her for Coke Studio. wahan pe ek producer tha us film ka he recommended me for Coke Studio
  46. She says it was because of the film, not because of Nescafe. So it wasn't because of Nescafe, it was because of this film.
  47. She was a creative associate for the whole season of Coke Studio. So basically I was a creative associate for the whole season.
  48. Her role involved discussing stylist and makeup options and coordinating everything. phir discussing ke hum hamare paas kaunsi stylist ki options hain, kaunsi makeup ki options hain. So basically coordinating everything.
  49. The shoot took three months, and she was working with the team before it started. Humne shoot toh teen mahine mein kiya but main usse pehle hi inke saath lagi hui thi.
  50. The shoot took place in Karachi. yeh saara shoot Karachi mein hi hua? Karachi mein hua tha
  51. She headed production for the whole shoot. shoot pe I was also heading the production, you know of the whole of the whole shoot
  52. She was production head for the season's promo. the promo of the season was also like I was the production head for
  53. She began posting her work on Instagram, and people started liking it. Insta pe hi maine apna kaam post karna shuru kar diya and people you know started liking it
  54. She received messages asking whether she was available for a meeting or a shoot. mujhe message aata tha ke you know are you available for a meeting, are you available for a shoot
  55. Her passion was mostly portraits. mujhe mera shauq mostly portraits ka tha
  56. She felt that helping someone sell clothes was not the purpose of her life. mujhe laga ke meri zindagi ka maqsad yeh toh nahi hai ke main kisi ke kapde bechne mein madad kar rahi hoon
  57. She is open to fashion work again if it is aesthetically or conceptually pleasing. main karungi agar mujhe koi aesthetically pleasing lagega ya koi conceptually pleasing lagega
  58. She says people now have some creative freedom and are using it. Ab logon ko thoda sa creative freedom bhi mila hai aur log usko use bhi kar rahe hain
  59. She says everything feels very pretend, and that any good film has far more realness. sab kuch bahut pretend ho raha hai mujhe lagta hai aur jaise aap koi bhi film dekho jo achhi ho usmein realness bahut zyada hoti hai
  60. She says the class that was shown, with its very large houses, feels disconnected. jis class ko inhone dikhaya, itna bada ghar aur itne woh. It's so disconnected, right?
  61. She agrees that there is a great lack of writers in this area. mujhe lagta hai ke bilkul sahi baat hai ke writers ka bahut hum lack kar rahe hain ismein
  62. She believes writing should take a full year or two. pura saal do saal lagne chahiye writing pe toh writing toh sabse main kaam hai aapka
  63. She says many celebrated films and TV shows are adapted from books. some of the most famous and celebrated films and TV shows are the ones jo books pe bani
  64. She says some people give 15-minute pitches that are only a sequence of events. ke log pitch de rahe hote hain, woh ek 15 minute ki pitch hoti hai yeh hua phir yeh hua
  65. She describes the writing as sporadic, random and often unreal. hamari writing is very sporadic and very random and it feels unreal often times
  66. She says she and others came in and disrupted photo shoots, and that many people disrupted digital work. photo shoots pehle bade farq hote the, humne aake disrupt kiya. Theek hai? Digital ke upar kaam bada farq hota tha, bade saare logon ne disrupt kiya.
  67. She asks why sponsors should be sought when the work could be put on YouTube, where the whole world can watch. Lekin mera question yeh tha ke hum kyun sponsor dhoondein? Why can't we put it on YouTube jahan pe puri duniya dekhe?
  68. She says several filmmakers have emerged in Lahore over the past two years. Lahore mein pichle do saal mein bahut amazing film makers emerge hue hain
  69. She wanted to learn before making something of her own. I wanted to learn ke main kuch karne se pehle main seekhoon
  70. She says the Karachi industry is very different from Lahore's, with many professionals. Karachi ki industry bilkul different hai Lahore se toh I could see ke kitne professional log hain wahan pe
  71. The Saqib Khan Foundation is named after her father. So it's called Saqib Khan Foundation. It's uh named after my father.
  72. She says she created the foundation one to two years before the time of speaking. Yeh ek do saal pehle ek saal pehle ki baat hai. Tab maine banayi yeh foundation.
  73. Many people messaged her asking her to share their requests and saying what they needed. kafi logon ne surprisingly they messaged me ke you know please aap yeh share kar dein aur humein yeh chahiye
  74. She says everything was very transparent and thinks this may have built people's trust. sab kuch bahut transparent tha. Toh I think that maybe built trust logon ka
  75. She describes making a documentary for one person and putting up a post for another. Ke chalo kisi ke liye documentary bana di, kisi ke liye post laga di
  76. She hopes to take the Saqib Khan Foundation somewhere further. I'll be able to take Saqib Khan Foundation to you know kisi jagah mein leke jaun
  77. She recently started working with an organisation. Abhi recently I started working with SOS.
  78. The organisation asked her to make something for them, which she is working on now. they reached out and they said you know make something for us. So that's what I'm working on right now
  79. Her wedding photography continues alongside her other work. weddings toh saath saath chal hi raha hai
  80. She hopes to be able to write something and then direct something. hopefully I'll be able to write something and then you know direct something
  81. She confirmed that she was 27 years old at the time. you're 27 years old right now. Is that something I can publicly say? Yeah.
  82. She says she has seen more hard work and efficiency in women than in men. jitni hard working aur jitni like you know is tarah efficiency jo maine aurton mein dekhi hai woh maine nahi dekhi mardon mein
  83. She says things have changed a lot since she started. Acha ab toh bahut change ho gaya hai. Jab maine shuru bhi kiya tha na
  84. She says that with social media, you cannot mess with someone. ek toh social media hamare paas hai, you can't mess with someone
  85. She says girls now have much more courage. Main even tools ke ilawa courage bahut zyada aa gaya hai I think ladkiyon mein
  86. She says she would try to make things better for people who cannot speak out. I would also be trying to make things better for the people who can't you know speak out