By Zohra Alnoor

Halfway through his junior year at GMU, Ali Baluch, realized he didn’t want to be a government drone. He wanted to be Spike Lee.

“I realized that I didn’t have a passion for politics and if I didn’t get out at that point, then I never would,” says Baluch, 22.

What he loved was making movies.  For years he directed, produced, shot and edited short films in his free time. So, the government and international politics major transferred to Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy in Chicago. Now, Baluch is studying Film and Broadcast with a focus in directing.

“It was challenging at first, but leaving all of my friends and family was a step I had to take. I had to abandon that comfort zone in order to grow,” says Baluch.

With a year of film school down, and another year to look forward to, Baluch  hopes to follow in the steps of Darren Aronofosky or Spike Lee, and one day create films that are beautiful works of art that make the viewers think.

But until then, Baluch will take the projects coming his way and build his growing portfolio.

“You’ll learn a lot on each film project and probably make many mistakes,” says Baluch. “To say that Spielberg or Scorsese were perfect from the start would be a lie. Those mistakes that you make will help you evolve into a better film maker…and then you can get super rich.”

 

 

Classic movie director...but NOT Ali Baluch