When Eyes Meet

When Eyes Meet was my very first experience on a professional film set.

After discovering Kaleido Pictures on Instagram shortly after moving to Dubai, I applied for being Set Experience on their new short film and I got in. Instead of working in a single department, the role allowed me to observe every part of a production and learn how a professional film set operates from the inside.

That experience completely changed the direction of my life. I’d always enjoyed photography and making videos, but this was the project that made me realize filmmaking was what I wanted to pursue long-term.

As part of the Set Experience, I spent time with multiple departments, learning how each one contributed to the production while helping wherever I could.

Watching the different teams work together gave me a much better understanding of how a film is actually made, from camera and lighting to production and art direction. It was my first opportunity to experience the balance between careful planning and the controlled chaos that exists on every film set.

The production was filmed in a café, whose staff were incredibly welcoming despite the challenges of filming in a public space. More importantly, this set introduced me to a community of filmmakers who taught me a huge amount and became friends long after production ended.

When Eyes Meet was the project that introduced me to professional filmmaking, and it completely changed the direction of my life. Watching every department work together gave me an appreciation for how much teamwork goes into even the smallest scenes. More than anything, it confirmed that filmmaking was something I wanted to dedicate myself to.