Exclusive Interview for “THE SILVERADO” with Mohamed Maged

Mohamed Maged is an Egyptian film and creative director. He is the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of DASH Group Media & Film Production, where he works across film, advertising, branded content, and visual storytelling. With a background in cinema and performance studies, Mohamed studied at the Academy of Arts in Egypt, the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, and the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York. His work combines cinematic craft with emotional, human-centered storytelling, often exploring culture, identity, and the way people are perceived. Directed a wide range of commercial and narrative projects for brands across the Middle East, earning international recognition through multiple awards and festival selections. His approach focuses on creating visually strong stories that feel honest, relatable, and deeply connected to their audience. Mohamed’s recent cinematic advertising project, THE SILVERADOS, received international recognition, winning two Telly Awards for its human-centered storytelling and cinematic approach to branded content.

Synopsis:

THE SILVERADOS is a cinematic advertising film created for Chevrolet Silverado in Kuwait. The project responds to a familiar local stereotype: that Silverado drivers are oPen seen as reckless, aggressive, or intimidating on the road. Instead of changing the vehicle, the film changes the way people see the men behind the wheel. Through a series of human, emotional, and visually restrained moments, the film reveals Silverado drivers as fathers, protectors, workers, and responsible individuals with real lives beyond the stereotype. The story moves from judgment to understanding, reframing strength not as aggression, but as responsibility. It presents the Silverado not only as a powerful machine but as a vehicle connected to family, dignity, loyalty, and everyday life in Kuwait.

https://vimeo.com/1169297686

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• In order to understand the value of your piece, we would like to know more about the mind behind the process. How would you define your personal experience with cinema as a director?

I have never seen cinema as a way to escape reality. To me, it is a way to look at reality more honestly. What attracts me most as a director are the moments that exist beneath

appearances—the emotions people hide, the assumptions we make about one another, and the truths that only reveal themselves when we choose to look a liXle deeper.

Whether I am directing a feature, a short film, or a commercial, my approach is the same. I always begin with people before I think about visuals. Beautiful cinematography may attract the eye, but honest emotion is what stays with an audience long after the screen goes dark. That philosophy has guided my work from the beginning and has become the foundation of THE SILVERADOS.

• Your film has a solid and ingenious story, how did the idea come about? 

The idea started with a simple observation. In Kuwait, almost everyone knows the stereotype surrounding Silverado drivers. It has become part of everyday conversation. What interested me wasn't whether the stereotype was true or false, but how quickly people accept an image without ever questioning it.

Instead of fighting that perception, we decided to use it as part of the storytelling. We first allowed the audience to believe exactly what they expected to see, then gradually revealed another reality hidden behind those same characters.

The film is ultimately less about a vehicle than it is about how easily perception can replace understanding.

• Can you tell us about any difficulties you had during the filming?

First of all was the time, we had to shoot this in one and a half days, so we tried to do pre-production very accurately, and with the amazing team who worked on this project, we did it.

But also, the biggest challenge wasn't just technical; it was emotional.

The audience needed to believe the stereotype before they could experience the emotional shift. If we exaggerated it, the film would feel manipulative. If we softened it too much, the transformation wouldn't have the same impact.

Every decision, from casting to camera movement, performance, and the excellent editing with the music, had to serve that very delicate balance. Directing the film became an exercise in restraint rather than excess.

• How has your team's synergy influenced the project's outcome?

One of the things I'm most proud of is that everyone on the project believed in the same objective. We weren't trying to create a flashy automotive commercial. We wanted to tell a human story.

When every department shares that understanding, collaboration becomes much easier. Starting from the client who believed in the idea and proceeded with us, to the main producer Ahmed Shoeeb, the talented DOP Karim Mohamed, and the Amazing Editor Omar Sherien, Nobody is trying to make their own work stand out. 

Instead, every creative decision supports the same narrative. I believe audiences can feel that kind of unity, even if they don't consciously notice it.

• We would like to know more about the how and why of this interesting approach for this film. If you had to name three key concepts to help everyone understand and enjoy more this film, what would they be?

Perception. Empathy. Perspective.

Perception, because the story begins with assumptions.

Empathy, because it asks the audience to see people before stereotypes.

Perspective, because sometimes changing the way we look at something changes everything else.

• How has the process of creating the characters been? And what was the most valuable thing you learned making this movie?

None of the characters were designed to be extraordinary. They were inspired by ordinary people whose everyday lives are rarely visible to strangers.

I wanted every character to feel authentic enough that the audience could recognize someone they know—a father, a friend, a colleague, or even themselves.

The most valuable lesson I took from this project is that empathy is one of the strongest storytelling tools a filmmaker can have. Once people emotionally connect with a character, they're naturally willing to question their own assumptions.

• Fellini once said that "all art is autobiographical", what was the most valuable thing you learned in your career? And what would you recommend to those who are taking their first steps in the cinema industry?

One lesson has stayed with me throughout my career: never try to impress an audience; try to move them.

Every time I focused on making something visually impressive, the work became less honest. But whenever I concentrated on telling a truthful story, people responded in ways I never expected.

To young filmmakers, I would simply say: observe life before you observe cinema. Cameras, technology, and techniques will continue to evolve, but human nature doesn't. Understanding people will always make you a better director.

• Can you tell us something about your next job?

I'm currently developing new projects that continue exploring the relationship between cinema and advertising in a musical way. I'm increasingly interested in stories that challenge familiar perceptions and uncover the humanity hidden beneath everyday situations.

Whatever form the next project takes, my goal remains the same: to create films that feel emotionally honest, visually cinematic, and capable of leaving audiences with something to think about long after they finish watching.

Follow him and know more about his amazing works!

• IMDb Profile: https://www.imdb.com/es-es/name/nm10095032/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magedart/

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Thank you for giving us the opportunity to speak with you!

We will be attentive to your next jobs! 

MADFA® I Press Team

Madrid Film Awards®

www.madfa.es