Q&A with NYFA Filmmaking Alum & Videographer of the President of Kazakhstan, Saparbek Zhaksylyk
Twenty finalists of the Republican Mobilography Festival were awarded the opportunity to hone their skills at the New York Film Academy LA campus. The program was coordinated in conjunction with the Dara Qory organization. Students traveled to LA from Kazakhstan and had the opportunity to participate in NYFA's 1 Week Filmmaking Workshop. During the workshop, each student made a film and participated in classes.
One of those students and finalists was filmmaker Saparbek Zhaksylyk. Saparbek is the personal videographer of the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
NYFA Alumni Network spoke to Saparbek about his experience coming to NYFA, and his career as a videographer to the President of his homeland.
NYFA Alumni Network: Can you tell us a bit about yourself, your career, and where you're from?
S.Z: My name is Saparbek, and I'm 25 years old. I live in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, but I was born in Almaty. It's where I grew up, took my first steps, received my education, made friends, and embarked on my career journey.
In 2017-2018, I participated in an academic exchange program in Poland, where I delved into the realms of camerawork and editing. Upon returning to my homeland with a profound motivation for personal growth, I realized that my love for the art of filmmaking was both eternal and irreversible.
I began my journey with short videos covering various themes, ranging from wedding and promotional videos to commercials, and eventually expanded into the realm of documentary filmmaking. Unexpectedly, this path led me to the TV and Radio Complex of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Akorda. 
NYFA Alumni Network: What type of projects do you work on? Are there any career highlights you'd like to share with us?
S.Z: At the moment, my primary focus is creating high-quality and visually appealing content for the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. You can see this content on various official platforms and social media channels related to the President and Akorda. I take pride in contributing to the coverage of the President's activities. One of the most enjoyable aspects of this job is the opportunity for various business trips.
It is during these trips that I find inspiration, and with each experience, my passion for cinematography continues to grow. These journeys expose us to new challenges, allowing us to learn, enhance our skills, discover new things, create memories, and build a background for the next stage of development.
NYFA Alumni Network: What were your impressions of visiting Los Angeles and participating in the week-long film production workshop at NYFA?
S.Z: My exposure to NYFA helped me to view education from a different perspective. First and foremost, I want to acknowledge the style and approach of the instructors to the learning process and the support they provided to us— their temporary students. Secondly, their professionalism and ability to cover the topic in a short time using the most accessible and understandable language. Thirdly, their unquestionable belief in our abilities.
NYFA Alumni Network: You work as a videographer in the team of the President of Kazakhstan. What is this experience like?
S.Z: This experience is unparalleled. We can consider that we have paved the road of creativity in a state structure. Previously, the approach to video narration for the President was somewhat different, but due to the significant development of video culture, it was decided to create a unique professional and creative team to tell the story most professionally.
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NYFA Alumni Network: What did you learn at NYFA that you will continue to apply in your work?
S.Z: As I emphasized earlier, the learning style and approach to teaching have inspired me even more and my work and skills have improved significantly. This is especially noticed by my colleagues and management, which I am very happy about.
NYFA Alumni Network: Are you currently working on any upcoming projects?
S.Z: My main focus now is on the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. However, in the case of new projects, anyone can visit my official Instagram page @saparbbek.
You can connect with Saparbek or check out his work here:
NYFA congratulates Saparbek on all of his success!
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