Interview with Issam Akel
ACTOR & FILMMAKER
As a filmmaker, please introduce yourself?
My name is Issam Akel(Sam), I’m 42 years old Jordanian National with Palestinian Origins born in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Why you became a filmmaker as director and producer and actor?
Ever since I finished my BFA in Atlanta, Georgia I had a thing for Hollywood & The Film Industry. However growing back in the 80 & 90s, kids knew little about following dreams & being passionate. It was mainly get an education, find a job & start a family.
By 2016 after achieving almost everything I set for myself, I realized that it wasn’t enough. I was 38 years old, married & a father of two but I didn’t let that stop me; so I started looking deep inside figuring out what I’m passionate about which eventually prompted to a lot of travels to North America. Did a lot of stunts straining, met people in the film industry and fell in love with Stunts & Acting.
However not having the proper papers to live & work in North America, I did my level best to gain the skills needed, taking more stunts classes, taking part in small shorts & commercials, learning more about acting, shooting videos, creating content, becoming a social influencer plus being part of some indie movies.
Give some more information about yourself and the films you have made so far, about your experience?
I started with doing small action reels in Los Angeles, and my first minor acting role as an indie movie Zombie with A ShotGun in New York.I was also hired for TV & Online Commercials, for clients such as Renault Cars, Saudi Telecom Company, Jebel Jais Zipline.
I also became a content creator & an influencer doing storyboards, acting & shooting for clients. I’m also a producer on Code8 Film shot in Canada and was recently a stuntman on Jackie Chan recent movie called Vanguard shot in Dubai. I did small shorts such as ‘Entitled to Dream’ that every kid is actually entitled to dream and few others mainly inspirational films.
I was most recently hired by Abu Dhabi Culture & Tourism in doing a small film for an Arts Gallery about a beautiful but cursed girl back in the 1950s which I called ‘Curse & Temptation’. In addition of course to my main short ‘To You, Me & The Next Generation.’
