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DUBAI: Ukrainian content creator and producer Vlada Bulhakova, who has lived in Dubai for eight years, built a following with short-form comedy skits before moving into longer productions. She is currently working on a feature film.<\/p>\n
She studied theater in South Africa. She said acting was her first passion, but Hollywood-style productions were out of reach from her hometown there. After moving to Dubai, she worked a regular job before turning to social media. \u201cI used social as a bridge, because I could do the same thing I always wanted to do \u2014 acting, creating my own skits, my own scenarios and stories. This is how I found my path into producing,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Best TV show you\u2019ve ever seen?<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cGame of Thrones.\u201d I like the way it starts \u2014 very eerie and supernatural \u2014 so the beginning immediately hooks you in. Then, as it progresses, it grounds itself in politics, human connection and human choices. I think that\u2019s so interesting and intelligent.<\/p>\n Worst TV show or film you\u2019ve ever seen?<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cEuphoria.\u201d A lot of people wouldn\u2019t agree, and I respect its boldness and how real it is about life, but it just didn\u2019t fit the genre I like to watch. It didn\u2019t hit home.<\/p>\n Best job you\u2019ve ever had?<\/strong><\/p>\n The one I\u2019m doing now, which is content creation and production. I like the creative process, following an idea all the way through to the final product.<\/p>\n Worst job you\u2019ve ever had?<\/strong><\/p>\n I worked in hospitality and in sales. They weren\u2019t jobs I was passionate about or saw myself doing for a long time, but I can\u2019t say they were bad. Each one taught me something I still use today.<\/p>\n Best advice you\u2019ve ever been given?<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cSetbacks aren\u2019t punishments, they are redirections.\u201d When I first heard it, I felt a bit threatened, because every time you have a setback you feel like your whole world is crashing down. But once it settles and you keep going, you see there was a bigger reason why it happened. I\u2019ve experienced it \u2014 it\u2019s truly a redirection for the better.<\/p>\n Worst advice you\u2019ve ever been given?<\/strong><\/p>\n When I first had the concept for my feature film, I was attending a lot of meetings, and one investor told me: \u201cDon\u2019t make a move until everything is perfect.\u201d Movement is what makes progress. When you wait for every box to be ticked, that\u2019s when you wait the longest. You can\u2019t always be fully ready. You have to take that step.<\/p>\n Best book you\u2019ve ever read?<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe Alchemist.\u201d It\u2019s about following your own path. You could have many directions, but you should always stay true to yourself and what you desire in your heart. I still apply that book to my life.<\/p>\n Worst book you\u2019ve ever read?<\/strong><\/p>\n A book on spirituality by Vadim Zeland. The topic of the mind, the body and how we see the outer world interested me, but it was all over the place. The author would talk about how to overcome obstacles and then switch to a completely different topic. The idea was there, but it was very hard to read, so I stopped.<\/p>\n Best thing to do when you\u2019re feeling low?<\/strong><\/p>\n I take some quiet space for myself, away from any noise, and analyze why I feel that way and what I can do about it.<\/p>\n Worst thing to do when you\u2019re feeling good?<\/strong><\/p>\n This is a toxic trait I\u2019m working on: When I feel very high, I get so excited that I say yes to things before thinking about the outcome or the plan.<\/p>\n Best holiday destination?<\/strong><\/p>\n Chernobyl. It\u2019s a weird one, but it was the best experience I\u2019ve had. The whole city was evacuated overnight after the nuclear disaster, and seeing nature take over, how peaceful and quiet it was, and how people left their homes and everything just remained untouched \u2014 it was like something out of a movie. I still think about it.<\/p>\n Worst holiday destination?<\/strong><\/p>\n M\u00e1laga, Spain. Living in Dubai, we get very spoiled, and I felt completely out of my element. The sea was too cold to swim in and I couldn\u2019t get on with the food.<\/p>\n Best subject at school?<\/strong><\/p>\n History. I enjoyed learning about what happened before and why, writing essays and debating. It isn\u2019t just reading something and that\u2019s the answer \u2014 there\u2019s a lot of critical thinking involved.<\/p>\n Worst subject at school?<\/strong><\/p>\n Math. As soon as I got the gist of an equation, it would get longer, and I was back at square one.<\/p>\n Best thing to do to ensure you have a productive day?<\/strong><\/p>\n Start small. We don\u2019t always wake up in the best mood or with full energy, so I force myself to do a small task for at least 10 minutes. After that, my brain doesn\u2019t see it as forced. Completing one task motivates me to do more.<\/p>\n Worst thing to do when you\u2019re trying to have a productive day?<\/strong><\/p>\n Pick up my phone and go on TikTok or Instagram. You see one video, then another, and two hours pass while you\u2019re still sitting in the same position.<\/p>\n Best musician or band?<\/strong><\/p>\n Britney Spears. I like girl pop \u2014 something energizing and empowering. Her songs give me a buzz and put me in a feminine mood.<\/p>\n Worst musician or band?<\/strong><\/p>\n Rap artists such as Drake. The beats are nice, but if you actually sit and listen to the lyrics, they\u2019re very off-putting.<\/p>\n Best fashion trend of this year so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n Feathers \u2014 on dresses, shirts and heels. It adds a very feminine look to any piece of clothing.<\/p>\n Worst fashion trend of this year so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n Wearing underwear as outerwear. I do not like this trend at all.<\/p>\n Best accessory for a little black dress?<\/strong><\/p>\n Powerful shoes, like sparkly or statement heels, so the attention goes to the shoes.<\/p>\n Worst accessory for a little black dress?<\/strong><\/p>\n Anything bulky around the neck. If it\u2019s already a short dress and you\u2019re putting all the attention on the neck, it shortens the whole look.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n