Today we’d like to introduce you to Conrad Faraj.
Hi Conrad, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Ever since I was little, I was obsessed with films and storytelling. Growing up in Honduras for all of my youth, my greatest form of escape was going to the movies with my family. I became addicted to seeing how filmmakers put incredible stories together on film. During my teenage years, I finally decided to create my very first short film, and it was love at first sight. I started making everything into a movie. Family trips would become movies, field trips would become movies, hanging out with my friends would turn into “let’s make a movie” — overall I made over 60 short films between ages 13 and 16. It wasn’t until my junior and senior year of high school that I really started to examine how movies were put together. I began to analyze editing and cinematography, I started to seek out great films that I’d never seen by master filmmakers. The craft became a total obsession, and it still is to this day. Once I graduated high school, I briefly went to film school but opted to drop out to pursue working on film sets in New York City. When I returned to Cleveland, I went full throttle into making feature films. These full-length movies became my own private film school. I also became connected with like-minded people in Cleveland that shared the same passion for movies. I wanted us to become an eclectic and diverse group of people who created bold narratives and pushed filmmaking forward in the city of Cleveland. Thus, my film company Conrad Studios was formed.
Since those early days of my filmmaking career, I have directed well over 150 short films, 6 feature films, several commercials, fashion films, and music videos. Our most notable works have come in the last 4 years, with the release of our sci-fi film Fighting the Sky, our Harry Potter-themed fan series Mudblood which has more than 2 million views on YouTube, and well over 60 million social media views on TikTok, as well as our award-winning short films Slasherverse, Wedding Runner, Don’t Tell Mama, The Unseen, and Shades of Red.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I think the greatest hurdle artists can face is that not everyone will be rooting for them. I’ve faced every kind of obstacle imaginable to get to where I am today. If you look someone the wrong way in this industry, you can quickly become the villain in someone’s story. Besides social adversity, I’ve also faced false promises. I’ve been pledged multiple million-dollar projects, started working on them and had them fall through. I even started a feature film once that was shut down because the producers didn’t actually have all the funds to make the film. Everyone can say they’re a film producer, and when I was starting out, I was naive enough to believe them. Not anymore.
My other struggle is that sometimes I can’t tell who truly wants to be my friend or who just wants to work or be in films. This is why I like to keep my inner circle small. It’s a small but mighty team of people whose friendship means the world to me, and I know they’ll always have my back whether we are on a film set or not.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am an independent filmmaker specializing in writing, directing, editing, and cinematography. I am known for the Mudblood fan series, Slasherverse fan series, and the feature films Fighting the Sky and The Colours of Desire. I am most proud of all the stories I’ve had the pleasure of telling throughout my career and making some amazing friendships along the way. It’s a fun life when I get to live it by telling stories and going on adventures.
What sets me apart from other filmmakers is my ability to bring together the most skilled artists and strive to get the best work or performances from them. I love directing actors and leading a crew into telling unique, bold, and innovative stories.
How do you define success?
Success is sitting around a dinner table with your friends, with a margarita in hand, and knowing you’ve all created something special together. There’s no greater feeling than knowing you’ve accomplished something amazing with the people that mean the most to you. Anything beyond that is just extra perks.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.conradstudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conradfaraj53/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/conradstudios
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@conradfaraj53
Image Credits
Dominique Murray Photography
Brad Smolinski
Foisy Photography
