Today we’d like to introduce you to Ghasan Alesayi
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started out in theatre school, primarily looking to be an actor. Filmmaking or even directing as a whole were completely out of my scope — I didn’t believe I had it in me to lead a project effectively.
It was in my third and final year of theatre school where I volunteered to be one of four co-directors in our final year show. At the time, I did it as a way to escape the chaos of acting in our own written and directed show. What started out as escapism became a vehicle for guided collaboration and thoughtful discussions. When the show ended, I was surprised to learn that most (if not, all) of my classmates shared with the faculty how much they enjoyed me in a leadership position.
Once I graduated and began working in the industry, I teamed up with a trio of fellow film actors who wanted to create their own thing. What again, started out as a noncommittal trial became an obsession.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth is what I was wishing during the time, but I’m glad it wasn’t. It was pain. It was torture. Pure self-doubt and self-destruction. I had moments that I felt were going to skyrocket me to work only for them to go to someone else. I lived life like a bum. I worked long nights and did tons of free work that went nowhere when I was promised something else.
That pain is what made me who I am today. I am now so comfortable in my work, in myself, and in what I put out there to the world, that I’ve developed a ‘take it or leave it’ creative approach. I once did everything I could to please everyone and be a talented generalist. Now, I’m incredibly sure of who I am and I’m not afraid to polarize. Love me or hate me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a comedic-dramatic filmmaker who specializes in confrontational subject matter. The art that resonates with me is always the stuff that splits the room. If people are still talking about it long after we fade to black, then I’ve done my job.
Right now, I’m incredibly proud of the work I’ve put into my mini-documentary, Uncanceled, which navigates one of my most difficult personal journeys and failures on camera for everyone to see. Check it out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXHBC-_ifRY
How do you define success?
If we’re keeping it about just me, my goals are process-based and my success comes from being able to hit those milestones. I don’t like quantifying my goals in metrics like dollars or numbers. That’s not important to me. What’s important is I’m doing something outside of my comfort zone. Every opportunity to run through my own mental hurdles or walls is a win, regardless of what comes from it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.samalesai.ca
Image Credits
David Leyes
Mikelle Virey