This project began as a deeply personal exploration of identity and in-betweenness. As the producer and co-writer, I collaborated with a close friend to reflect on the emotional space that multicultural individuals often inhabit. The film draws on our shared experiences as Arab Americans, where we were both perceived as “too American” within our own cultural communities, and “too Arab” in wider American spaces.
"Do You See Me" is a meditation on what it means to exist between two identities. It asks a simple but profound question that many first-generation children carry: if we are not fully seen by either culture, where do we belong? The film unfolds like a dream, one that floats between memory and reality, allowing that question to hang in the air.
This piece is less about finding a concrete answer and more about inviting others to look closer. To see us. To recognize the nuanced beauty of living in the in-between.
As director of photography, my goal was to create a visual language that reflected the quiet duality of our identities. We shot on a Sony A7SIII in SLOG-3 to give ourselves the dynamic range needed for a soft, ethereal color treatment in post. I wanted the imagery to feel like it was suspended in time, with each frame acting as a reflection of the internal journey.
Most of the footage was captured during early morning and golden hour windows. I used available natural light to keep the tone organic and grounded. Scenes were shot using two prime lenses a 24mm and 85mm to offer a mix of intimacy and landscape. The wide shots created breathing room within the frame, often placing the subject against overwhelming skies or open fields to emphasize feelings of solitude.
Compositionally, I leaned into symmetry and negative space to reflect the psychological tension of belonging and alienation. The camera movements were minimal and intentional. Long static shots allowed the viewer to sit with each moment, mirroring the introspective nature of the film.
In post, I handled all editing and color grading to ensure the tone and pacing aligned with the emotional depth of the narrative. I edited in Adobe Premiere Pro, cutting the piece to feel poetic and fluid, almost like a stream of consciousness. I avoided quick transitions in favor of long dissolves and gentle cuts to allow time for reflection between thoughts and scenes.
Audio was recorded using a Tentacle Sync Track E lav mic and processed in Adobe Audition for clarity and tonal balance. The voiceover was mixed with ambient natural sounds, and subtle reverb was added to enhance the dreamlike atmosphere.
For the grade, I worked in DaVinci Resolve and built a soft, muted color palette with hints of earthy greens, deep shadows, and golden highlights. This helped create a visual tone that echoed both the grounding force of nature and the warmth of distant memory. I intentionally lifted the blacks just slightly to remove any harshness and preserve the softness of the world we were creating.
"Do You See Me" gave me the space to explore both visual poetry and emotional truth. It was a full-circle project, allowing me to lead from concept through final color. This piece speaks to those who live between cultures and questions, inviting them to pause, to reflect, and maybe, to feel seen.
Co-Written, Shot, and Edited by myself.
On Camera Talent, Co-Writer, and Voiceover by Yasin Islam.