Collaboration highlighted as key to film success at Xposure

The panel, moderated by American film producer Franklin Leonard, included Emirati filmmaker Maitha Alawadi, American writer-actor Travon Free and Indian filmmaker Neel Kumar. They discussed their experiences in screenplay interpretation, guiding actors, and creative collaboration, and also how they maintained artistic integrity while meeting production challenges and developing a personal style.

Maitha Alawadi, award-winning Emirati filmmaker, who is known for her bold, diverse, and culturally authentic storytelling, noted that “every person in the film team is family and every thought they put forward, including kids actors, is valid. Sometimes they might surprise you with an idea and sometimes you should step back and ask what is best for the project.” She said she was a big fan of animation and fantasy works, and found the biggest thrill in finding the right actors for her projects. 

“The people I cast were the perfect blend and helped to convey my reality. My vision is to develop my own methodology and voice to make Emirati culture relatable worldwide. I am into the detailed aspect of things, and it is a collaborative effort that enhances the visual,” she added. According to her the visualisation changed when she saw the actual location, and AI also helped to generate how her characters develop.

Travon Free, award-winning writer, actor, and comedian known for his dynamic presence in the entertainment industry, said he always had a thing for the visual and it helped his transition to film direction and writing. “I try to find something interesting visually so that it feels fresh. I watch a lot of movies in order to understand different directors. The more movies I watch, the better it helps to set the palette; things crystallise and you see the camera clearly. It is also figuring out where the camera doesn’t go,” said Free. He said he was extremely collaborative and followed a democratic policy in decision-making where even the interns had a say.

Neel Kumar, a Dubai-based filmmaker, writer and storyteller, also followed a similar policy of collaboration and took the ego out of his decisions. He added: “When you have a powerful idea, the dots fit in. Every good director has good psychology. If there is enough for me to dig into an idea, there is enough for the actors.” Quoting Michelangelo’s take on the sculpting of David, where the marble that didn’t fit chipped away to create the sculpture, Neel noted that the characters developed naturally in his actors’ hands. 

Organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), Xposure 2025 runs until February 26. To learn more about the global celebration platform for visual storytelling, visit https://xposure.net/.