A stylized comedy-drama web series exploring identity, immigrant ambition, and modern survival
Wasted Potential
TIMELINE & THE TEAM
Pilot episode filmed; currently in
post-production.
Production Designer: Bahar Goel
Writer: Abdullahi Ali Writer/Director: Baker Al-bach
Director of Photography: Zeyad Abouzeid
Producer: Rosa Riad
Stylist: Bassem
Wasted Potential is a 10-episode comedy-drama web series told through the lens of a recent immigrant navigating the messy friction between cultural identity, family expectations, and survival in a late-stage capitalist landscape. Inspired by shows like Ramy, New Girl, Friends, and Office Movers, the series blends sharp cultural satire with grounded emotional warmth—touching on everything from underground gambling and halal takeout to community politics and Western integration.
As the Production Designer and Art Director on the pilot episode, my goal was to build a lived-in, layered environment that reflects the nuanced reality of young diaspora life. Rather than generic or sparse apartment sets, we layered every corner with specific visual storytelling—balancing pop culture nostalgia, diasporic artifacts, and the organized chaos of a shared living space.
ABOUT & VISUAL DIRECTION
Pilot production still: The central communal living room set, balancing layered coffee table clutter, warm ambient lighting, and lived-in character spaces.
Bedroom set dressing: Curated wall collages (album art, vintage prints) and bespoke dresser styling featuring boxing memorabilia, vintage trophies, and personal artifacts.
Set details: Practical props combining takeout containers, gaming accessories, and pop-culture accents to reflect dynamic character dialogue.
Behind the Scenes
