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In this interview feature, we explore how Joey is carving out her identity as a filmmaker who sees life through a cinematic lens and leveraging Instagram as a platform for filmmakers.
If you’ve ever visited Joey's Instagram profile @joeysmovie, you know you’ve stepped into a world where everyday life starts to feel cinematic. Different shades of color play their game, light dances in and out like a game of hide and seek, and you find yourself lingering there for the longest time. Her camera knows exactly how to frame those slice-of-life moments so cinematically that you start to wish you could live inside them too. And isn’t that the point of cinema? To make life look so beautiful that you fall in love with it and never want to escape? That’s exactly what Joey does with her unique filmmaking style.
A passionate Bollywood fan, Joey often recreates iconic scenes in collaboration with other content creators, bringing nostalgia back to life while showing how creativity thrives in community. But that’s not where it ends, her flair extends to branded collaborations too. In a world where social media presence often means a stream of brand deals, Joey approaches these with a filmmaker’s sensibility. Yes, she promotes products but with storytelling at the core. A skincare serum becomes a journey through space in search of something perfect.
Also Read: #Filmstagram: Maroof Umar on framing culture and filmmaking in the age of instagram!
Though a filmmaker behind the lens, she isn’t afraid to step in front of it either whether it is acting in her own videos or capturing her creative process. But it’s her vulnerability that truly draws you in. Whether it’s admitting she dislikes hearing her recorded voice or documenting quiet reflections during her travels to Varanasi or Canada,she lets you into her world but always through a cinematic lens. With over 140k followers, it’s clear her narrative binding and unqiue concepts storytelling resonates. She’s the embodiment of the idea that anyone can be a filmmaker. All you need is a lens and a way of seeing the world differently. Even branded content, in her hands, becomes an opportunity to tell a story. In this interview, we explore Joey’s journey as a filmmaker, how she transforms life into cinema on Instagram, how slice-of-life becomes cinematic magic, and how Filmstagram, filmmakers of Instagram are shaping the future of independent filmmaking and storytelling.
Here's what she has to share!
Your profile bio reads “life but cinematically”. Is that your general approach to life or was there a moment that made you start looking at life through a cinematic lens?
As a kid, I’ve always been a bit of a daydreamer (but not in the fairytale, fantasy sense). I’d imagine everyday moments playing out in a certain way, almost like scenes from a film, with a background score or mood attached to them. At the time, I didn’t really understand what that meant. I used to draw a lot back in my school and people liked it. When I got my hands on a phone, I started taking pictures. I used to have an idea of how I wanted an image to look, to feel. It took a while to actually get them to match the vision in my head, but this instinct was always there which I always followed. Over time, I found ways to bring those internal visuals to life. But in truth, this way of seeing the world has been part of me for as long as I can remember.
Lights, color play, experimental framing, and unique concepts seem to be your signature. How did you develop this storytelling style, which we also see reflected in your sponsored and paid content? What’s the process behind building this distinct voice?
It’s not been very long since I’ve stepped into this genre of storytelling but I try to do it in a way that feels true to me. This journey started with watching YouTube video tutorials and I ended up experimenting a lot! Learning from the internet, making mistakes and finding methods that work for me. The process includes lots of execution and experimenting. It sure takes a lot of energy, self doubt to do this but it’s worth it!
While most filmmakers prefer to stay behind the camera, you're not afraid to step in front of it. In fact, you often share deeply personal thoughts like your anxieties, flaws, and inhibitions. What led you to make that choice?
Honestly, being in front of the camera was something I never really liked. I still can’t say that I like it a lot. There’s this anxiety and uncomfortable feeling but I’ve gotten used to it. Doing this has pushed me to develop a tendency of handling uncomfortable situations more efficiently. Moreover, being in front of the camera has helped me to connect with people here on Instagram.
You seem to be a Bollywood fanatic as many of your collaborations recreate iconic film scenes. Out of everything you've done so far, which recreation has been your personal favorite, and why?
I love films in general and Bollywood films have been a major part of how I got to know about movies (especially as a kid). It takes a lot of effort to recreate something that already exists and has set a bar (probably the most effort out of all the things I do) but it teaches me so much about how a visual is done from scratch. If I go for recreations, I tend to do Bollywood more than others because of the accessibility to similar environments and characters. I can’t pick a favourite to be honest out of all the recreations like that but I really like recreations of - Piku with Dolly Singh, Bollywood essence from Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna with Aashi Sahni, Yeh Jawani hai Deewani with Mansi Ugale, Rishabh Chawla, Sakshi Keswani, Hardik Banga.
What are your thoughts on the growing Filmstagram community, with filmmakers using Instagram as a platform to share their work? Anyone else whose work inspires you?
I love the fact that people now are trying to get into films. The fact that Instagram has become a platform that lets you try without high production and still can get you reach the right people to connect with is such a blessing. When it comes to inspiration, there are so many of them! There’s inspiration literally everywhere. It’lol be unfair to name one or a few names in that case
Do you have any advice for budding filmmakers looking to harness Instagram to amplify their own voices and stories?
I think for film enthusiasts starting to create with least expectations is what can change your game. So many people, including me, just thought of ideas and were fascinated by the idea of executing for years. It’s like, you’ll learn what to do / what you like to do when you start.
Have you seen Joey’s work before? What are your thoughts on it and on the rise of the Filmstagram community as a space for filmmakers on Instagram? Tell us in the comments below!
For more conversations, follow us on @socialketchupbinge.