Ashraf Ghori


Mohammed Ashraf Ghori, is a Dubai-based Indian comic book artist, filmmaker and entrepreneur. He is best known for creating UAE's first CGI science fiction film Xero Error which won recognition at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival. He is the CEO and founder of digital design agency Xpanse CGI. Ghori has produced work for comic book publishers including Dark Horse Comics and IDW Publishing.

Early life & Professional Career

Ghori moved from Hyderabad, India to Dubai, UAE at the age of 2. His first professional work appeared in the pages of magazines published by Khaleej Times. He was a regular illustrator for Young Times from 1989 until 2001.
San Jacinto College in Pasadena Texas had organised a Comic Art Exhibit of Ghori's work in 1993. In 1994, Ghori was a founding member of Tempest Comics in Houston, Texas, and produced a 4-issue mini series 'Tempest Comics Presents'. He was a featured comic artist at Dallas Fantasy Fair, 1994.
Ghori was on the judges panel for the Kuwait Arab Advertising Awards for the years 2006 and 2007.
In 2007, he founded digital creative agency Xpanse CGI in Dubai and started independent film-making with Xero Error in 2008. Xero Error premiered at the 3rd Gulf Film Festival and also played at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival and the 10th edition of Sci-Fi-London. In 2010, Ghori was the Art Director / Production Designer for the first Indo-Emirati film 'Malal'.
In April 2012, Ghori was featured, along with Alvin Lee, Lee Townsend & Yishan Li at the first MEFCC - Middle East Film and Comic Con in Dubai, UAE, and at the Middle East's inaugural IGN Convention In July 2013. Ghori worked as Senior Digital Artist at Bayyinah TV from 2016 to 2017.

Social media influencer

Ghori is ranked as a prominent social media influencer in the UAE. In April 2014 Ghori was the social media ambassador for Ford Middle East's 'Stand Out' campaign for the MENA region and again in 2015 to promote The Ford Mustang 2016 in the #ExperienceFord Social Media Campaign. In April 2016, he was the face of Microsoft's #DoGreatThingsDXB Campaign to promote Windows 10 and launch Microsoft Surface Pro 4 in the Gulf.
He is a frequent speaker at events related to design, film and entrepreneurship in the UAE.

Awards