Syed Owais Ali

Pakistani YouTube creator and filmmaker

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

Syed Owais Ali is an overseas Pakistani YouTube creator and filmmaker who moved to Pakistan on 1 July 2020 after about 18 years in the Gulf. At 23 he had a documentary on Al Jazeera, where he later took a data entry job. He documented his whole transition on YouTube.

Early life and background

In 2002, when he was 10, Ali moved with his family from Pakistan to the UAE. He lived in the Gulf for about 18 years, from age 10 to 28, including in Fujairah, a small town in the UAE. His parents both have roots in Karachi. His father taught in the UAE and retired there. His father also built a house in Pakistan while working in the UAE. [1]

Ali attended a school from kindergarten to grade 4. He completed his schooling in the UAE, from grade 4 through high school. He made an early video on Windows Movie Maker and uploaded it to YouTube. As a high school student he was paid 2,000 riyals or dirhams for a video. [1]

Education

Ali was rejected by every university he applied to, except one. DePaul University accepted him into a digital cinema program. His US visa was delayed for six months. He also considered studying medicine. [1]

Ali was admitted with a 50% scholarship and 50% financial aid at 0% interest. He completed a communications major at a campus in Qatar. He took journalism, communications and film classes. He says choosing his university was one of the best decisions of his life. He wrote a full research paper on Pakistan, for a task in which students had to choose a country. [1]

Al Jazeera

During university Ali received a grant to make a documentary. He documented a man's journey to Dubai, including his first flight from Karachi. An executive producer was shown his student documentary. Al Jazeera completed the documentary, and he owns the rights to the parts he filmed as a student. [1]

The documentary aired on Al Jazeera on 26 April, a few days before Ali graduated. At 23 he had a documentary on Al Jazeera. He applied for jobs but did not get any. He took a data entry job in Al Jazeera's legal department. At Al Jazeera he had to watch documentaries and review their legal side. [1]

Career after Al Jazeera

Ali was called to work for the chairperson of an organisation after his time at Al Jazeera. He worked in that role for about three years. In that role he made social media and video content and travelled widely. He filmed high-level figures at the UN General Assembly. He describes that work as high-risk, with zero room for error. [1]

Between the ages of 23 and 27 Ali travelled to about 29 countries. He did a six-month internship in Chicago. [1]

Move to Pakistan

At 27, Ali had reached the financial stability that let him take the jump. He took a pay cut to pursue contentment. He resigned before COVID began. On 1 April, the day he resigned, he posted his intro. [1]

COVID delayed Ali's plans by three or four months because flights were not running. He moved to Pakistan on 1 July 2020. [1]

YouTube channel

Ali documented his whole transition on YouTube. He made his earlier videos private. He says he started his channel from zero. He posts about once a month and wants to return to weekly posts. He says that for now he is only burning money. [1]

A video Ali made on an AC guide went viral. His first viral video was shared on Facebook. Several of his videos have gone above 300,000. [1]

Ali's content plan starts with Islamabad, which he wants to understand. He wants to travel all of Pakistan through his content. His long-term goal is to create whatever he wants, however he wants. He says that a viewer who finishes a video, however long, should learn at least one new thing. [1]

Views

Ali describes himself as a journalist by training. He says nobody does investigative journalism. He says journalism is meant to be the fourth pillar of the state, checking the government. He says Pakistan's media law is good. [1]

Ali says YouTube lets the creator be their own boss while the market decides. He disagrees that Pakistan's digital media is saturated. He says Pakistan's advantage is that it is always among the last to follow a trend. He says audiences are tired of drama and want plain facts. [1]

Ali predicts China will become the next big economy in the world order. He describes Pakistan's justice system as terrible. He says money cannot bring happiness. He says his goal is financial freedom so that he can create content. He says film is what he has decided to do with his life. [1]

Personal life

Ali plans to live in Pakistan for the long term. He describes himself as a third culture kid. He built a chicken coop himself. He booked a Proton car, which he calls the safest car at an affordable price. [1]

Timeline

2002
Moved with his family from Pakistan to the UAE, aged 10.[1]
2020
Moved to Pakistan on 1 July.[1]

Appearances

DateTitleWhere
2021-10-29 Why Syed Owais Ali moved back to Pakistan at 28 Thought Behind Things

Frequently asked questions

Who is Syed Owais Ali?

Syed Owais Ali is an overseas Pakistani YouTube creator and filmmaker. He lived in the Gulf for about 18 years before moving to Pakistan on 1 July 2020. At 23 he had a documentary on Al Jazeera.[1]

What does Syed Owais Ali do?

Syed Owais Ali makes content for YouTube and describes himself as a journalist by training. He documented his whole transition to Pakistan on YouTube. His content plan starts with Islamabad.[1]

Where did Syed Owais Ali study?

Syed Owais Ali completed a communications major at a campus in Qatar. He took journalism, communications and film classes. He completed his schooling in the UAE, from grade 4 through high school.[1]

Where is Syed Owais Ali from?

Syed Owais Ali's parents both have roots in Karachi. His family moved from Pakistan to the UAE in 2002, when he was 10. He moved to Pakistan on 1 July 2020.[1]

When did Syed Owais Ali move to Pakistan?

Syed Owais Ali moved to Pakistan on 1 July 2020. COVID delayed his plans by three or four months because flights were not running. He resigned from his job before COVID began.[1]

How often does Syed Owais Ali post on YouTube?

Syed Owais Ali posts about once a month and wants to return to weekly posts. He says he started his channel from zero. He wants to travel all of Pakistan through his content.[1]

References

  1. Why Syed Owais Ali moved back to Pakistan at 28 . Thought Behind Things , 2021-10-29.
Show the source passages (71 statements)
  1. He moved with his family from Pakistan to the UAE in 2002, when he was 10. when I was 10, 2002 mein meri family Pakistan se UAE shift hui thi
  2. He lived in the Gulf for about 18 years, from age 10 to 28. from the age of 10 to basically 28, toh that's 18 years I was in the Gulf
  3. He lived in Fujairah, a small town in the UAE. I was in a very small town in UAE in Fujairah
  4. His father taught in the UAE and retired there. he started teaching there in the UAE and I think and he retired as well from there
  5. He completed his schooling in the UAE, from grade 4 through high school. mera maine apna pura grade 4 se leke high school tak wahin khatam kiya hai
  6. He attended a school from kindergarten to grade 4. KG se leke grade 4th tak, divisional public school mein
  7. His parents both have roots in Karachi. ammi Karachi ki hain, baba bhi Karachi
  8. His father built a house in Pakistan while working in the UAE. baba ne jab woh UAE mein the, to unhone yahan pe ghar banwa liya tha
  9. He made an early video on Windows Movie Maker and uploaded it to YouTube. yeh maine ek random si Windows Movie Maker pe video bana ke apne YouTube channel
  10. As a high school student he was paid 2,000 riyals or dirhams for a video. I got paid 2000 Riyals, Dirhams for that. Us waqt as a high school student
  11. He was rejected by every university he applied to, except one. I failed miserably and I got rejected by every single university I applied to. Except ek thi
  12. DePaul University accepted him into a digital cinema program. Ek university ne accept kar liya tha, DePaul University, digital digital cinema ka program tha unka
  13. His US visa was delayed for six months. 6 mahine unhone laga diye US visa ne
  14. He considered studying medicine. option tha yaar maybe this is not for me, film. MBBS soch lete hain thoda bahut
  15. He was admitted with a 50% scholarship and 50% financial aid at 0% interest. I got in with a 50% scholarship and 50% financial aid on 0% interest
  16. He completed a communications major at a campus in Qatar. toh wahin unka Qatar mein campus tha toh I did uh communications major from there
  17. He took journalism, communications and film classes. Journalism classes bhi li hain aur communications bhi li hain, film bhi li hai
  18. He says choosing his university was one of the best decisions of his life. I think that choosing that university was one of the best decisions of my life
  19. During university he received a grant to make a documentary. sophomore year ke end mein I got a grant to make a documentary
  20. He documented a man's journey to Dubai, including his first flight from Karachi. I started documenting uski puri Dubai ki journey, his first flight ever in his life from Karachi to Dubai
  21. An executive producer was shown his student documentary. usne executive producer ko dikhayi ek wahan pe woh documentary meri jo student project tha
  22. Al Jazeera completed the documentary, and he owns the rights to the parts he filmed as a student. I own the rights of the parts where I filmed as a student and then after that it was completed by Al Jazeera
  23. The documentary aired on Al Jazeera on 26 April, a few days before he graduated. woh that documentary went on Al Jazeera on 26th April like two three days before my graduation
  24. At 23 he had a documentary on Al Jazeera. Ab main usmein aa gaya, 23 years old, I have a documentary on Al Jazeera
  25. He applied for jobs but did not get any. Phir job apply ki, nahi tha um nahi mila kuch bhi
  26. He took a data entry job in Al Jazeera's legal department. So I got a data entry job in Al Jazeera. Right. Theek hai in the legal department
  27. At Al Jazeera he had to watch documentaries and review their legal side. I had to watch documentaries and review the legal side of things
  28. He was called to work for the chairperson of an organisation after his time at Al Jazeera. Phir wahan se phir mujhe ek aur call aa gayi uh to work for the chairperson of QF
  29. He worked in that role for about three years. I did that for about three years
  30. In that role he made social media and video content and travelled widely. Social media bhi kiya, video bhi banayi. I had to travel around the world
  31. He filmed high-level figures at the UN General Assembly. Um UN General Assembly bhi gaya, UN Secretary General like us tarah ke Prime Minister of Italy, President of Ghana, is tarah ke unko high level figures ko film karna tha
  32. He describes that work as high-risk, with zero room for error. It was very risky matlab it there is zero room for error usmein
  33. At 27 he had reached the financial stability that let him take the jump. at the age of 27 I reached the woh us tarah se financial stability usmein mere aa gayi thi where I could take the jump
  34. He resigned before COVID began. mera COVID shuru hone se pehle maine resign kar diya tha
  35. COVID delayed his plans by three or four months because flights were not running. woh mere plans thode se teen char mahine delay ho gaye the, because flights hi nahi ho rahi thi
  36. He moved to Pakistan on 1 July 2020. July first, 2020, I moved to Pakistan
  37. He documented his whole transition on YouTube. maine, acha sara YouTube pe document kiya hai, pura transition
  38. He resigned on 1 April and posted his intro the same day. April first, to jis din maine resign kiya hai, us din maine apna intro jo tha
  39. He made his earlier videos private. woh sari maine purani videos private kar di
  40. He says he started his channel from zero. And I started from zero.
  41. He posts about once a month and wants to return to weekly posts. one a month, but I want to slowly come back to yani a once a week
  42. His content plan starts with Islamabad, which he wants to understand. Ab sabse pehle I am going to start with Islamabad, mujhe Islamabad samajhna hai
  43. He wants to travel all of Pakistan through his content. I want to explore Pakistan, I want to travel all of Pakistan
  44. He says that for now he is only burning money. Abhi main bas paisa burn kar raha hoon abhi to
  45. His long-term goal is to create whatever he wants, however he wants. I want to just be able to create whatever I want, and however I want
  46. He says YouTube lets the creator be their own boss while the market decides. your own boss, you have the final say, and you, and the market decides ke is it good or not
  47. He describes himself as a journalist by training. I would call myself a journalist as well, by training meri is tarah se hui hui hai
  48. He says nobody does investigative journalism. nobody does investigative journalism, right?
  49. He says journalism is meant to be the fourth pillar of the state, checking the government. it's supposed to be the fourth pillar of the state, matlab, uh, it's supposed to keep a check on the government
  50. He says Pakistan's media law is good. Pakistani media law is is actually really, really good
  51. He wrote a full research paper on Pakistan, for a task in which students had to choose a country. Maine pura research paper Pakistan ke hi upar, we had to choose a country
  52. He predicts China will become the next big economy in the world order. China is going to be the next big economy in world order jo hai shift hoega
  53. He disagrees that Pakistan's digital media is saturated. I extremely disagree with the fact that Pakistani digital media is saturated
  54. A video he made on an AC guide went viral. Mera ek video viral hui thi AC guide ke upar
  55. Several of his videos have gone above 300,000. aur jo meri multiple videos jo hain 300k se upar gayi hain
  56. He booked a Proton car, which he calls the safest car at an affordable price. Phir maine Proton book ki which is the safest car you can buy in the most affordable price
  57. Between the ages of 23 and 27 he travelled to about 29 countries. 23 se 27 tak I travelled like 29 countries in globally
  58. He did a six-month internship in Chicago. 6 mahine Chicago mein internship bhi ki
  59. He says money cannot bring happiness. paise se aapko khushi nahi mil sakti
  60. He says his goal is financial freedom so that he can create content. I just want to be able to have that financial freedom and be able to create content
  61. He took a pay cut to pursue contentment. Salary mein cut liya, salary khatam hi uda di saari and try to pursue contentment
  62. He describes Pakistan's justice system as terrible. justice system is terrible in Pakistan
  63. He says Pakistan's advantage is that it is always among the last to follow a trend. Pakistan ka advantage yeh hai ke it's always the last one of the last ones to follow the trend
  64. He says audiences are tired of drama and want plain facts. People are really sick of drama. And you know just content which is just like just gives you bare facts
  65. He says that a viewer who finishes a video, however long, should learn at least one new thing. if our goal is ke banda jab zero se shuru karke jitni bhi lambi video hai finish kare, he should learn at least one single thing new
  66. He plans to live in Pakistan for the long term. plan toh mera hai lamba Pakistan mein rukne ka
  67. He describes himself as a third culture kid. kyunke main ek third culture kid hoon
  68. He built a chicken coop himself. gate automation hai, ya murghiyon ka darba banaya maine
  69. His first viral video was shared on Facebook. woh meri pehli viral hui thi video, Facebook pe
  70. He says film is what he has decided to do with his life. film toh maine apna zindagi ka soch liya
  71. He is an overseas Pakistani whose journey to his land involves creating content along the way. Exploring the journey of an oversee Pakistani to his land and creating content along the way