Interview: Mahyad Tousi

We interview Mahyad Tousi, a visionary in producing and promoting Middle East-centric media in North America.  Along with scholar and close friend Reza Aslan, he founded the ambitious entertainment venture BoomGen Studios.  We talk to Mahyad about this project and more.

First we need to address an issue on the minds of half our viewers: Is Reza Aslan single and available?

I am afraid I am bound by a corporate gag order and cannot answer that question!

On a serious note, can you provide the inspiration and thought process behind the conception of BoomGen Studios?

I had just come back from Tibet and was prepping my first feature film in 2005 when a producer called to ask if I wanted to write and direct a doc about Iran. Essentially, he had gathered a team, including Reza (Aslan) and Iason Athansiadis, to work on the project. Collectively we agreed that the most important and explosive dynamic in Iran was the three post revolutionary generations that make up 80% of Iran’s population. We spent a good bit of time on R&D. Soon after the producer began taking the project to the usual suspects, i.e. BBC, UK Channel 4, Discovery, Nat Geo, Arte, PBS, etc, he started getting pressure from the top to change the documentary to focus on the Nuclear issue and in the looming war. This was in 2005/2006, mind you. This led to frictions with the producer and we abandoned the project due to creative differences. Two things came out of this: Reza and I became good friends and decided we wanted to work together, and the seed for BoomGen was sown.

What is it specifically that you do at BoomGen Studios?

What was the initial industry response to such a bold venture? Was it an uphill climb from the start?

There are a few different projects that I would love to tell you about, but as we are still in the negotiation stage or have yet to make the official announcements I am unable to do so at this time. Suffice to say that this year we will be making upwards of five announcements that are equally exciting and will you make you very happy.

How has the election fallout in Iran impacted your work?

I think the fallout has effected me in much the same way that it effected most Iranian natives living outside of Iran. For years many of us have been talking about the remarkable dynamic that exists inside of Iran, the younger generations, and the impact they will soon have on Iranian society at large. Still, last year took everyone by surprise. Given Reza’s position in the media, and the connections I had with news producers and bloggers, naturally we were sucked in. We launched BoomGenTV – Iran Edition, as a source of news and information in English about Iran for non-Iranians. The site is now being reworked by a fantastic team of volunteers, to expand to represent news about the entire region from the unique perspective of the region’s younger generations–the ‘BoomGen’.

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Do you see the diaspora, and specifically organizations like BoomGen Studios, playing an integral role in providing a voice for the oppressed inside Iran?

I think this question has already been answered by the Iranian Diaspora in the incredible way we were able to organize both in the online space, as well as in cities across the world. The question is whether our voice, our influence, can rise above the cacophony coming from all the international players whose interests are not in line with that of the Iranian people and their quest for a truly representative government which has been going on for over a century.

It appears the election fallout has also dramatically altered the Western perception of Iran and specifically its people. Moving forward, does this create an untapped market for Iranian-American film/studio ventures with a Western audience in mind?

The entertainment business, like many other businesses, is reliant on historical data to inform how it makes decisions. Not to say that changes in perception doesn’t help, but it is up to us to make a convincing case from a business perspective as to why such projects should be financed. The reality is that much more will be dictated by how well the projects that have been financed perform in the market place. It is absolutely essential that such projects are embraced by audiences and are able to make money. We live in a consumer capitalist world and the only way we will see more representative and entertaining stories from Iranians, and other peoples across this incredible region, is for those interested to speak their desire with their wallets. And if you have seen it and liked it, then say it. Contribute to the buzz by joining online conversations and spread the word.

As a filmmaker, you’ve had the opportunity to traverse the globe working in 26 countries on various projects. Through your travels to Iran and elsewhere, what have you been able to take away from these trips? Any universal wisdom acquired that you’d like to share as a parting thought?

I have seen that regardless of where we come from we are 90% the same and only 10% different. Unfortunately 90% of our energy is focused on what separates us and not nearly enough on what we share.

© View from Damavand 2010.  All rights reserved.

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   alex says:

   August 20, 2010 at 10:57 AM

   “I have seen that regardless of where we come from we are 90% the same and only 10% different. Unfortunately 90% of our energy is focused on what separates us and not nearly enough on what we share.”

   very nice. he is a very inspirational person.

   reply