Afran Sayed

Afran Sayed is a 22 year old media and culture entrepreneur, an aspiring Creative Director, a full time Creative Lead and Strategist and a Freelance Director. He presently chairs a cross-platform community of 2000+ young and aspiring artists from across the country called ‘CRIO’. Using multiple imperative online and offline tools, he curates content, events and workshops that aid the members in boosting their knowledge in certain areas and provides them with the required push to grow as an artist.

His dedication to work and motivation to grow has led him to exceptional projects and experiences. He has worked with many big media houses before starting ‘CRIO’. He worked as an intern cinematographer for a Netflix Original production entitled ‘Betal’. He also worked as a Head Cinematographer for Sunburn Campus Pune, an Outreach Ambassador for Casa Bacardi (Homegrown) and for various other agencies as a director and scriptwriter.

In a brief tete-a-tete with Its Goa, Afran shared a lot of insights into his life, his career, the journey of ‘Crio Connect’, and lots more…

Tell us a bit about yourself...

I am Afran Sayed. I am 22 years old. I live in MarlemBorda. I am a media and culture entrepreneur. I have done my BBA in Communication and Media Studies from Ajeenkya D. Y Patil University in Pune.

What was that one moment that changed everything?

I was doing my BBA in Pune which felt like a natural hub of artists to me. It was a place where I could meet and interact with people from various backgrounds and art fields. It was like an art and culture house. When I came back to Goa in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I was devastated to not know many artists in Goa or even find a community of artists as such. The coronavirus pandemic had changed the way everyone in the world was working and living their daily lives. Artists too were learning to adapt to a “new normal”. That's when I decided to form a small group for artists from Goa to learn, connect and grow with the help of each other. On our first day, we had just 20 people, most of them being close friends.

However, the next day, after I shared it on my social media handles, we grew from 20 people to 260 people in a span of just 48 hours. Today, we have grown to more than 2000 artists and creators from different fields across India. It’s no surprise that artists are getting creative with new ways to support themselves in these tough times. Many people from different parts of India have relocated to Goa to pursue their careers. However, Goa has yet to explore several verticals. Because the state is rich with talent, Crio Connect would be very beneficial to the Goan community, allowing them to connect with like-minded people from all over the world.

Who are your role models? The ones you seek inspiration from? I seek a lot of inspiration for design and innovation from the Late Steve Jobs. I also look up with great admiration to my mother, Adv. Ashma Sayed, for her dedication and commitment towards long-term goals.

What role did family and friends play? Any stories of support you recall? My family expected me to get a job or continue my education because I had recently graduated. But I was so immersed in the process of helping others and growing the Crio Connect community that I decided to keep my career on the sidelines in order to proceed with Crio Connect. They were cautious at first, but once they saw the results of our work and how others recognised it, they were very supportive of what I was doing.

What advice would you give yourself if you went back in time?

“Don’t attach yourself to an idea or a project and hold yourself back. Keep moving forward and look for more opportunities to grow.”

Anyone from the past or present you'd want to meet? Why?

I'd like to meet Steve Jobs. To think outside the box and not let the noise of other people's opinions drown out your own inner voice and vision is something I've always admired about him.

What's the biggest challenge when pursuing this full time?

Because the majority of our work is done for free, itis difficult to manage time and routine. We've been working non-stop without taking a dime from any artist. And I won't be able to do or manage all of this on my own; I have a team of four people who work with me to help us achieve our goals. Getting people to work with you and convincing them of your vision has been a difficult journey. Even when no one would move a finger without charging you, I have people who believe in my vision, and it is only because of this team that I am motivated to do more and help more people join the community.There are times when most of your efforts go unnoticed, which can have an impact on your mental health and make you feel unmotivated to help others. However, there are also times when people reach out to you and tell you that you've been doing amazing work and have helped them to grow better as individuals, which motivates you to do even more for them.

What is the legacy you want to leave behind? Any advice for your followers ...

Even after presenting themselves on a global level innumerable times, Goans are portrayed as “susegad''. The country is unaware of the potential Goans possess. I want to be remembered for the work I do in the field of the creator economy. I want to make sure that we build the largest self-sufficient community, where you can learn, connect and grow with fellow artists and creators.

My advice to others would be to keep your creative brain active and healthy. Take care of yourself to be in a headspace where you will be able to work and create. Make sure that despite the craziness around us, that you are kind to yourself and that you are making sure your needs are met. Do not give up and trust the process. Soon, everyone will acknowledge you and your work.