What I Would Do Differently If I Made Shaam Again

Now that Shaam is complete and out in the world, looking back at the process makes me reflect on what worked and what I’d approach differently if I were to make the film again. While I’m proud of the final product, no film is ever truly “finished” in the mind of a filmmaker, there’s always room for improvement.

1. Tighter Opening Sequence

One of the biggest pieces of feedback I received was that my opening shots needed to be cut down. In retrospect, I agree. While I wanted to establish the film’s atmosphere slowly, I now realize that a more economical use of screen time could have made the beginning more engaging without losing its impact. If I were to remake Shaam, I’d focus on making the opening sequence more concise while maintaining the eerie, surreal tone.

2. More Layered Sound Design

After showing my first cut to my teacher, I was advised to add more sound effects. This made me realize how much sound contributes to tension and immersion. If I had more time, I’d experiment further with ambient noise, subtle echoes, and layered sound textures to enhance the psychological depth of the film.

3. Better Lighting Equipment & Camera Knowledge

While I managed to rent one light, I now realize that I could have benefited from better lighting equipment to improve the visual quality of certain shots. Some scenes relied heavily on natural light, which wasn’t always predictable, leading to inconsistency. If I were to make Shaam again, I’d invest in or rent a more complete lighting setup to ensure controlled and cinematic lighting.

Similarly, I used my own camera and lens for the film, but I borrowed a gimbal and didn’t have extensive knowledge of all the settings. While I made it work, I now know that understanding the full capabilities of my camera, its ISO limits, color profiles, and dynamic range, would have helped me capture cleaner, more controlled shots. In the future, I’d spend more time learning my equipment before shooting.

4. Expanding the Ending’s Visuals

The final scene, where the shadowy figure appears as Aik Alif plays, is deliberately ambiguous but I wonder if I could have made the moment even more visually impactful. Perhaps experimenting with different lighting setups or subtle movement from the figure would have heightened the eeriness.

6. More Promotional Strategies

While I marketed Shaam through social media and a Google Form for feedback, I feel I could have done more in terms of promotion and engagement. For future projects, I’d explore:

Behind-the-scenes content during production

Teasers before the film’s release

A more structured plan for audience interaction

Final Thoughts

Despite these areas for improvement, I’m proud of Shaam and what it represents. Every project is a learning experience, and this one has taught me a lot about editing choices, audience perception, technical aspects, and the small details that make a big difference. If I were to remake Shaam, these are the key aspects I’d refine but at the same time, its imperfections are what make it unique.

Would I change Shaam completely? No. But I’d evolve my approach, and that’s what filmmaking is all about.