Growing up Lebanese in a predominantly immigrant community, Sami spent his life learning how to connect with people of all backgrounds. He did more than learn. He fell in love with it.

That instinct, the ability to sit with anyone, from any background, and get them to open up, is seen throughout his work. It’s made him an Emmy nominated director with 16 years in documentaries, branded films, and unscripted television, directing and producing for Netflix, Vice, Discovery+, A&E, MTV, and MSNBC. He’s created, sold, and executive produced original projects for networks and has worked with brands ranging from fashion to lifestyle, tech to non-profit, and more recently healthcare.

Most of the people Sami films have never been on camera before. They’re not performers. They’re everyday people with raw, emotional stories they don’t always know how to tell. He finds a way in. He accesses what makes them remarkable and shapes it into something powerful that millions of people feel.

Whether it’s a brand campaign or an independent documentary, the approach is the same: connect first, then point the camera.