ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
✦ AGAINDT THE LAW
It all began harder than I ever imagined.
My first experience as an assistant director, working with Shady Abdel Salam on the TV series Against the Law —
a 30-episode drama exploring a deep family conflict.
We shot across more than 500 locations,
traveling even to Port Said to weave the story from written words into living images.
Days blurred into nights — 24 hours of filming, no exaggeration.
We worked not just against time, but against exhaustion itself.
Yet, the moment the show aired, and the audience began to talk about it,
all the fatigue vanished.
Every sleepless night became a small victory.
That success was my first step —
the spark that turned effort into direction, and direction into purpose.
✦ SONS OF THE SUN
The second experience came with deeper understanding — and heavier weight.
Once again with Shady Abdel Salam, in the 15-episode series Sons of the Sun.
Half the length of the first,
but twice the emotional and physical challenge.
We filmed during Ramadan,
where time, heat, and exhaustion collided in every single day.
Still, we pushed through.
And when the show became #1 trending across platforms,
when people began to feel and discuss the story,
I knew that pain does not disappear —
it transforms into strength,
into a hunger for more.
✦ THE KEY | Coming Soon
Then came the third experience — unlike anything before.
The Key — my first feature film, and a horror genre debut.
This time with director Mazen Niazi.
It was a different world —
where emotion ruled over logic,
and everything was measured not by scenes,
but by the silence, the fear, and the light between them.
The film hasn’t been released yet,
but I’m already proud of what it represents.
It’s not just another project —
it’s a transition,
a bold step toward the kind of cinema
that lives between reality and imagination.
A step closer to the filmmaker I aspire to become.
✦ DAD's HOME
Bait Baba marked Ahmed Awny’s fourth experience as an Assistant Director — a project that stood out for its unique challenges and demanding nature, pushing his skills into new territory.
Set primarily within a school environment, the project presented a distinct production challenge. Working with a large number of children required constant focus, patience, and precise coordination across long shooting hours. Beyond managing schedules and scenes, the experience demanded creating a safe, supportive atmosphere that allowed young performers to act naturally without disrupting the rhythm of production. It was physically exhausting and mentally demanding, yet deeply rewarding — a different kind of experience that proved some of the most challenging sets can also deliver the most genuine moments on screen.
