Benjamin Seniroqa still remembers the years when he and his bandmates would spend hours creating music videos before taking the stage at Traps Bar in Suva.
What began as a creative hobby has since evolved into Only Idea Studios, a Fijian production company specialising in filmmaking, animation, visual effects and 360-degree videography, with clients reaching far beyond Fiji’s shores.
Originally from Moce in Lau with maternal links to Kadavu through his mother’s family, Ben, as he is commonly known, described himself first and foremost as a musician.
But alongside his lifelong love of music has always been an equally strong passion for visual storytelling.
Music has been part of his life since the age of seven, when he first played drums in church.
Growing up in a family surrounded by musicians, creativity came naturally.
His uncle, Johnny Ram, guitarist who has performed alongside icon Seru Serevi, introduced him and his siblings to music at an early age, while his cousins and younger brother all played instruments, creating an environment where performing became second nature.
Although he completed a Diploma in Networking through USP’s TAFE programme and built a career in information technology with Greymouse and later Telecom Fiji, the pull of the creative industries never disappeared.
After leaving the IT sector, he returned to full-time music, performing locally and overseas, including in Guam and Australia, before gradually expanding his interest in photography and videography into a business.
Only Idea Studios officially registered in 2019, although the team had already spent years producing music videos and experimenting with visual effects.
In many ways, he shared that the company grew directly out of the band, with several former members becoming part of the studio before eventually establishing successful careers and businesses of their own.
Today, the company has carved out a niche by combining 360-degree videography with advanced visual effects, attracting overseas clients seeking expertise rarely available elsewhere in the region.
- FULL STORY in The Sunday Times this weekend.
