From a dream while growing up in Kuwait to being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ahmad Jamal continues to shine and grow with Sony Picture Imageworks. It really is the road less travelled. Not many people are able to drive down the road of achieving their dreams and ambitions because of various reasons, but a select few do and achieve greatness through perseverance, drive and hard work. One of those select few is Ahmad Jamal.

“I always loved animation, I love bringing characters to life and having them emote, react and do impossible things that we can’t physically do. Animation is a reflection on our reality and I love expressing myself and telling stories in that medium.” said Ahmed when asked about what initially piqued his interest in this wonderful and expressive world of animation as a young man growing up in Kuwait.

Ahmad was hired by Sony Picture Imageworks in order to work as a VFX Animator for two main projects, Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, which is one of his many upcoming projects.

During this journey so far at Sony, he has been able to take it as a unique learning experience. One of the main takeaways until now though has been the idea of teamwork. “The team in a large movie production stays together with no ego whatsoever. That’s the key element to making things work. Everyone is there to help each other finish the project successfully.” It sounds simple but having so many different people with different backgrounds come together and work seamlessly on such a major production takes work.

However, as Ahmad embarks on this journey at Sony, he always had another goal in mind. A goal much closer to the country he calls home. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, he co-founded In-visible-inc along with his close friend and partner Bader Al-Moulah. The aim of this is to be able to tell stories using a new medium of 3D Animation and VFX, which is something that has never been seen in Kuwait but is possible. They want to show that the ability to produce Hollywood quality animation and VFX locally in Kuwait.

With everything that he’s been doing, Ahmed definitely has a lot of exciting things on the way. He has been working on a 3D Animated Short over the past three years as well as multiple films, shows and plays that he aims to produce. One of the main upcoming plays is “Fog Al Nakhal”, which is a musical written by his father Najaf Jamal and has a lot of spectacle and social commentary.

“To any Kuwaiti interested in pursuing their passion, go for it! Nothing is impossible and if you put in the time and effort and set your goals then you can not only achieve those goals but also go beyond them!” Ahmad Jamal is living proof of this and knows that it’s definitely possible for everyone to reach for the stars.

TRUTH OR DARE QUESTIONNAIRE

How would your mother describe you in one word?
I’m not sure. Maybe “Driven”

How would you describe her in one word?
I don’t think that one word will do her justice.

What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?
A weekend trip to Hawaii with my best friends!

What is your theme song?
I have never really thought about it. But I think it would be the “Incredibles” theme song.

What word in the English or Arabic language do you wish you had invented?
Amalgam.

Where would you like to live?
New Zealand.

What is your dream retirement location?
New Zealand.

What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind?
“Animation is not a genre, it’s medium” – Guillermo del Toro

Do you miss anything from your childhood life and if so, what was it?
Theme parks in Kuwait such as Showbiz, Shaab Park and Entertainment City.

If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
I wouldn’t change it actually. I like my name.

Who is your favorite historical figure?
Leonardo da Vinci.

What do you think is lacking in the world, which [if there were more of it] would make the world a better place?
Leadership.

Why do you think most people who do, like you?
It’s not really up to me to describe that.

Finish this sentence: “Happiness is…” When I’m around my loved ones. My family and close friends.

You can follow Ahmad and see more of his work on Instagram on @spaces.in.film and @in.visible.inc