This project came together swiftly and efficiently. Our producer met with director Haitham Hassan a week prior to filming to develop a fast-track plan of attack. Given the project’s scope, pre-production was crucial, starting with location scouting and permitting from day one. The next step was assembling the right team, followed by casting, wardrobe selection, treatment writing, insurance coverage, and props acquisition. The seamless coordination of our producer and the early involvement of assistant director JD Fordyce and our in-house cinematographer Mauricio Tapia brought everything together.
On the first day, we had to cover three locations, requiring our team to work with utmost efficiency and precision. We were happy to have an exceptional team, with some members going above and beyond their call sheet roles. JD, Mauricio, and Haitham were joined by Ryan Gibson as the AC, Leonard McLeod as Key Grip, Alisha Baijounas as the makeup artist, and the highly capable PA, Rhiana Mitchell. Our talented group of four dancers delivered an incredible freestyle dance performance, perfectly complementing our artist Adham Haitham. The locations, including a rooftop, a programmable “dynamic studio”, and the bustling streets, were all fantastic choices.
On the second day, we tackled the El Agaza shoot, starting at a townhome near the Sunset Strip in Hollywood. Once again, JD and Mauricio assumed their roles as AD and DP, supported by Ryan as the AC, Alisha as the makeup artist, and Rhiana as the PA. Additionally, we had the pleasure of working with Piotr Niemczewki as the Grip and Cristina Romero as our stylist. We then embarked on a 90-minute trip to the Camarillo Airport. Similar to the previous day, the talent we worked with was incredibly cooperative, and our stylist and makeup artist made them look exceptional.
Shahbaz Khan captured behind-the-scenes footage for both videos, and we were delighted to include a substantial portion of it in the credits. The entire crew blended together well, creating an enjoyable atmosphere throughout the two days. We extend our gratitude to director Haitham Hassan and the emerging artist Adham Haitham for letting us bring to life their ideas.
