Journalist + model + actor – he seems to have it all! Grazia Pakistan was super inquisitive to get to know Hyder Syed so, here’s how our interview went!
Grazia: You moved to the UK when you were young, how was it like settling there?
Hyder Syed: The politeness, respect and acceptance came as a pleasant surprise. Not that Pakistan didn’t have all the above mentioned social traits, it’s just that for me it was really good to know that a complete stranger wasn’t feeling unwanted in a completely different country. With time I became more accustomed and integrated into my adopted country’s culture and society. The best part of (I think) growing up in another country is that you learn to adapt quickly because you don’t have a family safety net which you tend to have back home. If you fall ill, for instance, you are on your own and you have to do everything by yourself. This, I think makes you not just highly adaptable but also very independent. I remember that on my graduation ceremony my family couldn’t get there in time because there was a delay in their visa process which isn’t uncommon. Anyway, like every other student I was working a part time job at the local bar and restaurant.
My manager happened to be a Pakistani who had migrated from the US. He was extremely nice to me and gave me days off when I wanted. The night before my grad ceremony I rang him and asked if he was free the next day and he said yes so I said “well tomorrow is my graduation ceremony and I can bring a parent or a family friend, and you always treat me like family. Would you like to come?” He said “yes! I’d love to, I have a really nice suit too!” My second friend/relative was my photo society associate Kaisa Niidas, the tall Estonian not just agreed to come but to take pictures too.
And just like that I had two of my own people smiling, clapping and posing with me at my graduation. And it’s an amazing feeling to have someone by your side when you achieve something. Wherever you move to, the experience depends on the people more than the place. If you are polite and respectful then that’s what you’ll get in return in most parts of the world. I’d love to go back and do it all over again because that’s how good it was growing up here (in the UK).
Grazia: How did broadcast journalism happen for you? Was it always part of the plan?
Hyder Syed: I have always been into writing. It was something that I enjoyed more than any other subject and slowly it became a hobby and something that I was passionate about. I started writing for college and uni publications and did a few local internships as well. While I was working at a local tv station as an intern I realised that I quite liked the broadcast medium because writing for broadcast was something that was not just challenging but it was a skill. So I had to study the field properly and that, in turn, took me to the University of Sheffield on a broadcast journalism degree course. So I think it started with the love of writing and it kept evolving until I ended up in broadcast journalism.
Grazia: How did BBC happen?
Hyder Syed: Ok, so BBC happened when I had actually lost a little bit of hope. As a fresh journalism grad, BBC is a dream job. You see yourself working for the most respected and widely known news organisation on the planet. So, like every other grad, I tried and luckily landed an internship in my summer break. This was at their old building called Bush House in Holborn. After finishing that internship I actually thought that I had cracked the entrance criteria and getting a job wouldn’t be a problem but that was a bad mistake because for the next two years I tried 3 times to get an interview there but all my efforts were in vain. The entry standards are some of the toughest in the news business. On my fourth attempt I managed to clear the entire selection process and got in. I think it was persistence, with every rejection I took the feedback and came back stronger only to face a different hurdle. But during those rejections I think I grew as a journalist and not giving up paid off massively.
Grazia: Did modelling ever cross your mind before? You experimented with a lot of different internships, what drew you to them?
Hyder Syed: Modelling never crossed my mind but I have always had an interest in photography and one of my New Year resolutions was to learn photography. So I was actually assisting a photographer on a local brand’s shoot where the male model couldn’t arrive because he had an accident. After trying for an hour the shoot coordinator came up to me and said that they wanted to test the light before the model arrived and I should be the stand-in model. I innocently but happily agreed. They took some shots and the shoot coordinator and stylist spoke for a few minutes. They later came to me and said that the male model can’t arrive and were running out of time because the studio booking was ending soon. They had to deliver this project the very next day and eventually asked if I would replace the model. They insisted that would save the day and they’ll give me a couple hundred pounds. I hesitated at first but then I thought there was no harm in trying.
I finished the shoot, got paid and saw the results after a week. And I thought if I could do this on the side then I wouldn’t have to to do a part time job. So that’s exactly how it started for me. It’s funny because there were a lot of things happening at the same time. I remember when I started working for a local publisher as a tech journalist (my first job) I used to keep a bag with me which had a change of clothes. I used to change right after my shift ended and run to get to show castings and fashion shows. So I was growing as a journalist and as a model, all at the same time. It was interesting because I would be practising my walk before a fashion show and in my head I would be thinking that this fashion show could be a great feature story, titled: ‘How do models learn to walk?’
I am grateful that I got the chance to learn different things because in the current hyper multi-skilled society the more you can do the higher chance of success you have.
Grazia: Describe your fashion style for us.
Hyder Syed: It depends, if you find me at work in the morning then its checked and block color oxford shirts with chinos or trousers. If I am at a fashion show then I like the rugged look which I think goes with my personality traits too. You’ll see me in high chelsea shoes, zipped leather jacket, skinny fit jeans with aviator shades and a high man bun. If you are having dinner at my house then you will find me in a hoodie and shorts with my hair down and realise that I can go from Clark Kent wardrobe (in the morning) to rock star and finally hobo in a matter of twelve hours.
Grazia: Has acting always been part of the plan or did it just happen?
Hyder Syed: Acting has been a part of an experiment and pushing the boundaries if I am being honest. The fact that most models migrate to acting made me curious because modelling is silent acting sometimes, although the skills of an actor and the difficulty of the craft cannot be compared because any further comparisons beyond that won’t relate. I did a short acting course at Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and that’s when I fully appreciated the craft and my respect increased further. Acting wasn’t on the agenda but the curiosity and complexity of the art has constantly drawn me towards it and I am experimenting and learning for now.
Grazia: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years, ovies/ramp/tv?
Hyder Syed: I don’t know and that’s the hand over heart honest answer. I wanted to be a writer and look where I am right now. This wasn’t part of a plan and I think if I wasn’t so flexible then I wouldn’t have done half of the things I have so far. I am glad that I wasn’t too rigid and that I had opportunities thrown my way and I took the chances. I might end up breaking a massive news story or you might see me in a movie. The possibilities are endless.
Grazia: Who is Hyder Syed? Describe yourself in 5 words.
Hyder Syed: Persistent, Loyal, Conscientious, Personable, ambivert.
Grazia: What advice would you give your teenage self about life?
Hyder Syed: You worry too much and you need to slow down. Some advice for those seeking to pursue careers in journalism. Gain multimedia skills as much as you can and maximise your profile visibility using social media. That’s where the future is!
