Shivaz Abdulla commonly known as Maaskey (born 6 December 1981) is a Maldivian cinematographer and producer.

Early life and career

Shivaz Abdulla's journey into the entertainment industry was greatly influenced by his family's strong musical background, with his aunt

Shafeeqa Abdul Latheef Shafeeqa Abdul Latheef (1 May 1961) is a Maldivian playback singer. Career Shafeeqa Abdul Latheef comes from a family with a strong musical background, her father, Abdul Latheef, being a notable musician in his prime years. Influenced by Hindust ...

and cousin Mariyam Unoosha being notable figures in the field. His career trajectory began at a local shop called "Chaalee", where he dealt with music rolls and discs, igniting his passion for the industry. After three years there, he transitioned to "Audiomart", a well-known local studio, where he gained valuable experience in the world of filmmaking. During his six-year tenure at Audiomart, Abdulla had the opportunity to connect with various cameramen and producers, forming important relationships within the industry. During this period, he also participated in a workshop organized by

Television Maldives Television Maldives (TVM) is the public service broadcasting TV channel of the Maldives. It was formed on 29 March 1978. History The station started broadcasting on 29 March 1978 to a very limited audience, 90 television sets around the capita ...

, focusing on cinematography and film direction. Encouraged by his newfound knowledge and enthusiasm, he decided to leave his job and venture into the industry. Initially, he started as an assistant to film crews, helping with equipment and setup. Despite facing initial challenges and working in a technician's role, Abdulla persisted, closely observing the work of seasoned cameramen. His breakthrough came when he collaborated with

Abdul Faththaah Abdul Faththaah Abdul Gayyoom (born 6 December 1971), commonly known as Abdul Faththaah is a Maldivians, Maldivian film director, Film producer, producer, Film editing, editor, screenwriter and Choreography, choreographer. One of the most successf ...

on a music album shoot, which garnered recognition within the industry. Abdulla commenced his career by working on smaller projects, including films like '' Dhanthura'' (2008), ''Seedhibe'' (2009), '' Loabeege Ninja'' (2010) and for television series including '' Soora'' (2008), '' Mihithah Loabi Dheyshey'' (2009), '' Sirrun Hithaa Kulhelaafa'' (2010). In 2013, his career took a significant leap when he served as the cameraman for Hussain Munawwar's romantic thriller '' Dhilakani'' earning him a nomination for Best Cinematography at the

Maldives Film Awards The Maldives Film Awards are presented by Maldives Film Association to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Maldivian film industry. The ceremony had been sponsored by various private organizations in the past in ...

. Another notable achievement came with

Ali Seezan Ali Seezan (born 6 February 1977) is a Maldivian film actor, producer, director and editor. He has established a career in Maldives Film Industry and is a recipient of several awards, including two Gaumee Film Awards, and two Maldives Film Award ...

's action film '' Ahsham'' (2014), for which he received the

Gaumee Film Award for Best Cinematography The Gaumee Film Award for Best Cinematography is given as part of the Gaumee Film Awards for Maldivian Films. The award was first given in 1995. Here is a list of the award winners and the nominees of the respective award ceremonies. Winners and ...

. Reviewing the film, Ahmed Nadheem from ''Avas'' praised Abdulla's cinematography, citing it as one of the film's standout features, stating, "It is worth mentioning the young talent in the industry, askeyfor his brilliant and unconventional cinematic effects". Abdulla continued to collaborate with

on '' Andhirikan'', where he not only handled the camera work but also served as a co-producer for the film. The film faced various challenges in the pre-production stage, and after only four screenings due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

Early life and career

Filmography

Feature film

Television

Short film

Accolades

References