Full Transcript for Why the World Needs Global South Animation | Marwa Jamil

facing in the global south when it comes to animation and production. 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:28.879 Um, for example, the limited access to training, capacity building, technology, software, uh, and the rest of the key capacity building uh skills that we need for the animation and production. 00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:31.439 So, what are the key challenges that you face? 00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:33.680 You do produce animation in your company. 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:38.560 So, what are the key uh challenges that you face uh in your company as well? 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:52.560 Uh I think um one of the challenges um is to um uh, as you said regarding the training, um, especially when it comes to the art style, think about animation. 00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:57.600 Animation is not just producing um uh any movie or any episode. 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:01.279 Uh it allows you to produce an artistic piece. 00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:16.720 So, in order to have artistic piece, you should have a well-trained artist who can um make your uh ideas um come through on um uh either on screen or uh even uh while drawing it. 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:22.240 Uh so I strongly believe that we need more training when it comes to these kind of things. 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:29.199 And uh also the artist or the animator uh should have um uh knowledge. 00:07:29.759 --> 00:08:08.319 They should read more about uh, for example, if we want to produce authentic uh styles uh related to our culture, we should first of all read about our culture and to uh to know how things are uh should be drawing in a proper way to represent what, for example, if uh the animation talk is talking about um uh let's say uh 20 uh 20 years back or 10 years back, we should uh mimic the uh environment design um based on that uh period of time. 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:23.279 So I think uh one of the challenges is uh the art, the uh the art training and then the animation training, because um of course we we are producing animation, but animation is not uh the key, the main key. 00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:26.720 Um you should focus first, as I said, on the story. 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:38.159 So the plot that the dramatic plot should be should be written and should be created uh in order to uh to let uh people um and especially targeted audience. 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:41.759 Uh my targeted audience is kids, so it's a bit challenge. 00:08:41.919 --> 00:08:50.080 You should create a dramatic plot which uh will uh enable them and encourage them to be engaged. 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:54.480 Uh and also uh you should focus on um on art. 00:08:55.120 --> 00:08:58.000 Um, so I think the training mainly. 00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:06.240 But here, don't you think that we will be facing the struggle between having good equality animation and affordability as well? 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:09.360 So, how can we balance this or at least manage this? 00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:12.240 This is a difficult question. 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:22.879 Um when you talk about balancing between the uh affordability and equality, uh it's not about it's not just about uh affordability and equality. 00:09:23.039 --> 00:09:27.279 Actually, you should uh balance between uh the customer need as well. 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:32.480 Some of uh the customers when they come, uh they know exactly what they want. 00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:37.679 So uh to give you like a brief about animation, there are different styles of animation. 00:09:37.840 --> 00:09:41.679 And each uh style um costs different price. 00:09:41.919 --> 00:10:03.519 For example, if you if you are producing 2D, it's different than 3D, it's different than stop motion, it's different than mixed animation because some of the projects you can uh use 2D uh and you can mix it with stop motion, which is uh very very um challenging, very challenging, but very beautiful as well. 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:08.480 Uh so um I think it's a it's a formula at the end of the day. 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:26.000 First of all, number one, you should uh satisfy your customer, and number two, you you should um um you should find ways and techniques in order to uh to cut costs or to just um uh make the costs affordable. 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:28.960 Um and also it depends on the time itself. 00:10:29.200 --> 00:10:36.000 Uh for example, uh we charge per uh per minute and sometimes per less than minutes. 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:42.639 It depends it depends on um it depends on the uh details that you want in your project. 00:10:42.960 --> 00:10:48.159 So um you should um you should focus on all of these uh elements here. 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:48.639 Yes. 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:48.879 Yeah. 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:53.120 Speaking of your client, uh Marua, you work with the government as well. 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:57.120 I mean, you are doing animation for um governmental you know projects. 00:10:57.360 --> 00:11:03.279 Do you see any collaboration uh between government and the creative sector? 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:05.679 In the recent years, yes. 00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:15.120 Um uh but I can say um there are uh limited people who uh who know about animation. 00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:33.120 For example, um sometimes when when I talk to a client or when I talk to um um any uh any person from uh specific uh organizations, uh some of the uh people think that uh animation is done like this. 00:11:33.519 --> 00:11:34.399 I wish. 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:37.440 But um it's a long process. 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:44.159 Uh thank God to AI now, uh it cut it is cutting costs and it is cutting time. 00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:48.080 Uh but at the end of the day, uh you want to produce something authentic. 00:11:48.320 --> 00:12:01.360 For example, if you go to just chat Chat GPT or um I don't know, perplexity, and you you just uh ask the uh the AI to create um animation for you, they will create animation for you. 00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:04.480 But the point is uh it's stolen.

00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:09.039 Yeah, yeah, it's stolen from other uh other uh people. 00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:13.840 So um uh we don't work this way, we work in a professional way. 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:25.039 So we we create things uh from scratch, we might use it for only like for example, uh brainstorming uh or uh editing based on our work. 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:35.600 Uh so um I believe um most of the people they don't uh get the amount of work and the amount of energy that we put in in order to produce. 00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:45.519 And also uh when you produce animation um and you are an animation director, basically you are um responsible for a whole team. 00:12:45.759 --> 00:12:55.919 Team of artists, team of animators, and the person who is doing the character design is different than the person who is doing the uh the environmental uh design. 00:12:56.240 --> 00:13:00.559 Scenarios, the scenarios, the views, yeah, the music. 00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:07.440 And sometimes even you uh need to build a library, an audio library from scratch. 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:13.840 For example, even the the sound of the knock, of the door knock, you need to uh record it. 00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:17.519 Um so um it's a whole process. 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:21.200 Uh we cannot uh do it in uh in only minutes. 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:30.879 But uh these kind of uh processes, uh the length of the length of it, uh different uh it is different between uh project to project. 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:41.759 For example, if I'm uh producing uh only uh shorts for TikTok or YouTube, it's different than um producing uh YouTube episodes, for example. 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:48.159 So yeah, uh I think uh many people they don't know uh what is happening behind the scenes. 00:13:48.320 --> 00:14:00.320 They just uh see, for example, a few seconds or a few minutes uh and um just um animation or uh picture which is moving, but they don't know how we create it actually. 00:14:00.559 --> 00:14:10.799 For us to increase the awareness of what you just said, what's happening behind the scene, do you think that we need to do more when it comes to the formal education, especially for the new generation? 00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:13.039 Starting with the school, even. 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:14.000 Yeah, yeah. 00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:25.919 I believe um even in Bahrain two years uh ago, um uh uh I believe two universities uh started uh a bachelor's degree in film and animation. 00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:32.320 So uh I think uh the market is changing now and the awareness is raising. 00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:37.519 Um also um I think we should promote more for animation. 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:50.080 For example, many customers um they might have the question, why should I produce um animation when I can just uh produce an advertisement, a regular one. 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:57.440 Um I think animation um it doesn't talk about the story itself, it represents the art. 00:14:58.000 --> 00:14:59.679

It tells more than a story. 00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:04.720 It tells a lot about uh our culture and our society and our region. 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:09.360 We have many things to represent and to showcase in animation. 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:14.240 Um so um I believe we should promote for animation more. 00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:33.759 But thinking here, even if we are going to spend more in terms of human resources, money, uh capacity building, software, knowledge, yeah, technology and animation, still we are, I mean, um having animation as existing and emerging production or a sector uh among a very competitive environment. 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:38.799 I mean, thinking of animation itself and Netflix, for example, as one platform. 00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:39.360 Yeah. 00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:42.000 Do you find it really competitive? 00:15:42.080 --> 00:16:00.639 I mean, to exist in such a world where people would rather prefer to watch a movie on Netflix or on Shahid in the Arab world, uh, Hollywood, rather than going for animation just to um sort of like uh um understand the art behind the animation? 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:16.559 Uh the good point is um is that Netflix is approaching uh animators from different uh countries in order to produce uh content, um like animation content, whether it's a movie or series. 00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:30.240 Uh I think the world is changing, and um when we talk about Netflix or uh any other platform, international platform, uh these kind of platforms care about the story, not the medium that you're using. 00:16:30.480 --> 00:16:45.519 And uh and uh I think they appreciate art because at the end of the day, you are not just uh producing uh episode or film, you are telling more stories in one um in one production. 00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:53.440 So I believe uh yeah, there's there is a potential and there's opportunity, and many people uh are getting uh benefit from it now. 00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:59.840 So, this is in terms of the producers of animation, as you say, Netflix is reaching out, um, animators. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:03.600 What about the international buyers, especially buyers from the global south? 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:11.599 Once the production is over, it's going, I mean, um, everywhere, do we have enough buyers, especially from the global south? 00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:15.359 It depends on the type of animation that you are producing. 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:31.359 For example, um when it comes to, for example, documentaries, documentary films, um different uh international organizations um want to uh produce something unique and uh new styles. 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:38.720 So um uh I've seen a lot of uh documentaries which combines uh reality uh to animation. 00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:49.279 For example, they use it for uh graphs, they use it sometimes to um to illustrate what uh they cannot uh actually uh take a photo of. 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:55.599 Um so I believe uh it depends uh on the type of animation that uh you are producing. 00:17:55.839 --> 00:18:04.880 For example, you can produce uh kids' content and you can produce movies and you can produce production uh such as uh documentaries. 00:18:05.039 --> 00:18:15.200 And also um I think uh some of the organizations now are producing uh explanational videos uh for other organizations. 00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:39.039 So, for example, if you have a factory and you need to um to explain certain process uh and how the machine is working, you can just um mimic that in an animation uh of uh one to two minutes and uh to guide uh the audience on how to use that um uh that machine or how that machine is working. 00:18:39.359 --> 00:18:44.079 So it depends on the type of producing and the type of production that you're produced. 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:47.440 What about the storytelling here from the global south? 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:59.359 I mean, can we produce more of like rooted uh storytelling from the global south, but having more of a global you know influence and the global spread of these animations? 00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:01.519 Yeah, yeah, absolutely. 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:18.319 Um once you are focusing on um uh having um let's say uh universal story, yes, which has um morals that everyone uh agrees on, uh I think you can you can easily market for it. 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:35.119 For example, uh if you are watching Disney movies, yeah, um uh although uh they are talking about uh a story which uh which are not happening, for example, in Arab region or in GCC, but at the end of the story, you you just feel that we are all connected because this is the truth. 00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:35.599 Yes. 00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:59.119 So uh if you are going to teach a kid um how um how to be a good a good kid or how um how to behave, or uh if you are going to teach uh them um about values such as honesty or friendship or um uh these kind of things, I believe um um it's a universal language at the end of the day. 00:19:59.359 --> 00:20:05.359 So yeah, we can um using this approach um we can reach the globe. 00:20:05.599 --> 00:20:06.240 Interesting. 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:07.759 What about uh the shift? 00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:13.359 I mean, in the world that we are witnessing right now, the move from short to reals, even. 00:20:13.519 --> 00:20:25.839 Yeah, I mean the the the speed of the social media and how we are getting very used to having very quick, short, you know, uh videos rather than two minutes any animation um production. 00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:39.599 So do you find it very challenging with people be patient and especially as you said, kids, be patient to watch, let's say two minutes rather than having or getting used to the the reels on Instagram for like less than 10 seconds, you know? 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:41.839 Yes, yeah, how challenging it is. 00:20:42.079 --> 00:21:26.000 Um I do think it's challenging, to be honest with you, because uh when you when you are comparing

producing 10 minutes video of animation to uh producing reels or uh shorts um using YouTube or TikTok or Instagram, um I think this kind of uh media approach uh is the life of animator, believe me, because at the end of the day, uh you just want to um um to leave um uh to leave uh a good a good message at the end of the day and to uh to just make the audience, whether a kid or even adult, to remember your content. 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:37.680 So it's not it's not uh about your um production length or duration, uh it's about the the effect and the uh the influence that you are giving to the society. 00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:48.640 And uh I think this approach uh also enables the animator and even studios to focus uh on more than one uh one project uh per year. 00:21:49.039 --> 00:22:02.240 So, for example, if you if you uh uh if you have six months and you want to produce um um uh let's say uh two to three uh projects of animation using this style which This length, I think it's possible. 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:10.640 Uh, the point is just about how to uh how to manage the time uh to tell the thing that you want to tell. 00:22:10.799 --> 00:22:12.640 This is the only thing, yeah. 00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:18.799 Yeah, so I think um uh animation becomes easier now, easier than before. 00:22:19.039 --> 00:22:21.200 What about the cultural depth here? 00:22:21.359 --> 00:22:21.680 Yeah. 00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:33.279 Do you find animators are taking care of this element, or are they, I mean, much controlled by the um, let's say the idea of having very nice art? 00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:41.680 Um actually I believe uh this job is not the animator job, it's the artist's job. 00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:44.799 Uh, because at the end of the day, we all work together. 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:48.799 So uh, and also the storyteller uh or the writer. 00:22:49.039 --> 00:23:11.519 So when a story when the story uh is deep and when the art, even the background, even if you have only, for example, one reel, which consists of uh one character, but you have a background, and you are uh you are using uh the background uh artistically uh in a wise way uh and you are putting the the elements. 00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:19.599 Uh I think um uh yes, you can um you can deliver a good uh and uh deep uh messages. 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:24.000 Do we have enough creative freedom in animation or not yet? 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:25.279 What do you think? 00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:29.119 Uh are you still controlled? 00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:40.880 I mean, because you are reached out by clients who are who have certain messages, you know, to to promote uh to the audience, whether it's something public or certain project for let's say a school or so. 00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:47.039 So you are somehow controlled by what they need exactly, their needs because you have to serve your clients at the end of the day. 00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:47.359 Yes. 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:54.319 So do you find yourself sometimes struggling to push for more of uh a creative freedom for you as an animator? 00:23:54.880 --> 00:23:58.799 I think it depends on the client, personality. 00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:01.200 Yes, if you are tough with them or not. 00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:08.640 Yeah, sometimes um I and I um uh like agree with them uh at the end of the day. 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:32.640 Uh when uh when your client is in you and uh he or she doesn't know about you and about your work, uh absolutely during this the first meeting, um they will they there there will be some hesitation, even if you're from your side, because you don't know if uh he if he will uh uh agree to your ideas or to what extent uh they will agree. 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:51.279 Um but uh once they see the uh the let's say the the initial storyboard and you are just uh building on the story itself and uh you are building the communication between between you and the uh customer, I think they start trusting you and your work. 00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:56.720 But at the end of the day, yes, as you said, uh absolutely there will be uh limitation. 00:24:56.880 --> 00:25:08.000 Uh for example, if um the limitation of uh educational uh projects is different than the uh the limitation of entertainment uh um um content. 00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:12.799 And also um um I like sometimes limitations, let's be honest. 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:18.720 Um it's a responsibility producing something to a kid or to a teenager or even to an adult. 00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:19.839 It's a responsibility. 00:25:19.920 --> 00:25:26.880 At the end of the day, you you don't want to build something and uh at the end of uh and at the end of the day you destroy something else. 00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:31.680 So um I do I will not say most of it is uh limitation. 00:25:31.920 --> 00:25:33.680 I will say it's a responsibility. 00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:34.480 I see. 00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:41.759 Speaking of limitations, we can also think of collaborations here that would emerge out of limitations. 00:25:42.160 --> 00:25:51.599 Um around 2% only for the uh global funding for animation goes for Africa, Latin America, and South Asia. 00:25:51.839 --> 00:25:55.519 So we are, I mean, facing a very limited funding here. 00:25:55.680 --> 00:26:04.400 So, how do you think we in the global south can maybe collaborate more to manage this and maybe produce more with a very limited access to fund? 00:26:05.519 --> 00:26:10.720 Um I can say thanks to uh internet now. 00:26:11.519 --> 00:26:15.920 Um, as you know, um animation production is expensive. 00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:21.039 And uh not only expensive when it comes to money, it's expensive to when it comes to time. 00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:25.519 Um sometimes the deadlines are very tight. 00:26:25.680 --> 00:26:30.799 And sometimes the deadlines are uh related to specific uh topics. 00:26:31.039 --> 00:26:36.960 For example, in 2021, we were producing uh animation for the government uh regarding COVID.

00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:44.160 So we needed we needed to finish that um uh project before the pandemic ends, at the end of the day. 00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:50.319 So we we were we were just running, we were running uh to in order to uh to finish. 00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:52.559 Maybe hoping for the pandemic to end. 00:26:52.799 --> 00:26:53.920 Yeah, in that scenario. 00:26:54.480 --> 00:26:55.519 No, no, yeah, yeah. 00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:57.759 But we want to finish at the end of the day. 00:26:58.000 --> 00:27:05.680 So um uh I mean using the internet you can approach um international animators, not just local. 00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:13.839 And uh I think this is beneficial because you will be um uh exposed to different skills, different people. 00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:29.920 Um so um I think it's not a limited um, but maybe the animators should promote more for uh their work so uh the producers in our region can see their work and they they can easily collaborate with them. 00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:32.000 What about the co-production here? 00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:33.839 Would it be a solution? 00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:44.079 It is a solution, um but uh but it I think it depends on the project itself. 00:27:44.240 --> 00:27:57.920 Um, I mean when you have a tight time, uh yes, uh I I would prefer producing in in my country and uh having uh fully access to to the animator and to the to the team. 00:27:58.079 --> 00:28:03.359 I can meet them at any time uh rather than uh contacting someone from outside. 00:28:03.680 --> 00:28:12.960 Because um when you are contacting or working with someone from uh uh for example, let's say uh outside GCC, you are struggling with the time. 00:28:13.119 --> 00:28:13.359 Yes. 00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:24.240 For example, uh when you have uh when when is time difference, yes, and time difference and uh maybe the culture, the understanding, even yeah, even even uh even the holidays. 00:28:24.319 --> 00:28:27.599 Yeah, sometimes you don't have holidays and they have holiday. 00:28:28.160 --> 00:28:35.839 So uh yeah, and sometimes even when it comes to the legal part, because at the end at the end of the day you want to protect yourself as well. 00:28:36.319 --> 00:28:45.839 So uh depending on the uh country of that, uh of the animator, um uh it contributes to the whole thing as well. 00:28:46.160 --> 00:28:51.519 So um I can't say there's um uh one way which is right. 00:28:51.920 --> 00:28:56.880 Um it depends on um on the circumstances and on the animation project itself. 00:28:57.200 --> 00:29:03.759 Parua, if you would propose a reform here and the animation production within the global south, what would it be? 00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:08.720 Um a minor reform. 00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:15.200 Given that it's an emerging you know uh production line in the global south. 00:29:15.599 --> 00:29:20.319 I think I would uh focus more on um the culture and the language. 00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:20.799 Okay. 00:29:20.960 --> 00:29:39.039 I

think uh we all have beautiful languages, and sometimes even the even in conferences or in uh in in uh public events, when you uh talk about when you talk to someone uh in a different uh language and you you see their their accent and their language, it's very beautiful. 00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:54.160 And um uh I don't know if you if you notice this or uh or not, our kids uh because they they are watching YouTube most of the time, uh even if he's from UAE or Bahrain, he starts uh talking like Saudi Arabia. 00:29:54.319 --> 00:29:54.559 Yes. 00:29:54.720 --> 00:30:00.400 So he tends to say or marra or awa. 00:30:01.119 --> 00:30:13.759 Uh I think it's very interesting, and uh we should we should apply this more in our animation to get uh our kids involved, and um I think this improves even their language, their language skills. 00:30:13.920 --> 00:30:14.960 Yeah, so why not? 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:16.079 It's very beautiful. 00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:18.079 So we spoke about kids here. 00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:19.920 What about the youth engagement? 00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:28.319 You know, I mean the youth uh for the future they will be the largest consumers and the largest producers as well of animation production. 00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:36.480 How promising do you find it for the youth to be engaged now, right now, given that the animation production is emerging in the global south? 00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:38.799 I think they are already engaged. 00:30:39.119 --> 00:30:43.599 Because uh when we were kids, we were we were watching uh animation. 00:30:43.920 --> 00:31:08.880 And even if you notice that um in the cinema, when uh when we have any uh animation movie that uh we tend to uh to watch um or we used to watch uh when when we were kids, uh we have this passion uh to to re-watch it again, even if we if we know this the the story itself at the end of the day, what uh what will happen? 00:31:09.039 --> 00:31:15.599 For example, uh Centrella or uh Paca Hantas, for example. 00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:21.759 Um although we know the story, but we have this kind of attachment. 00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:23.279 Yeah we do. 00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:39.759 Yeah, so uh I think we are already engaged, uh uh, but now um as I said, for example, um uh when it comes to documentaries, some of the documentary content um I believe is a bit boring if you are if you are not using different mediums. 00:31:40.079 --> 00:31:49.759 So um animation now is playing a um I mean a vital role there in um in documentaries and even in movies. 00:31:50.240 --> 00:32:06.000 Um uh even if uh there is um uh cinematic um festival or film festival, uh we have um uh good amount or good number of uh animation movies which uh which are showcased. 00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:09.279 And uh many people uh like to watch it. 00:32:09.440 --> 00:32:11.279 And it depends on the story. 00:32:11.440 --> 00:32:14.559 Uh if the story is targeting kids, the kids will watch it. 00:32:14.640 --> 00:32:22.799 But if the

story is uh social and it is targeting uh audience, adults, uh of course they will they will watch it. 00:32:23.119 --> 00:32:35.039 What about the stereotyping here, given that animation plays a very vital role, as you just said, can animation challenge at least the stereotypes in the global south, in the Middle East where you come from? 00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:42.400 Can we promote more of a positive identity here of the global south within, I mean, the animation sector? 00:32:42.720 --> 00:32:43.119 Yes. 00:32:43.279 --> 00:32:43.839 Yes. 00:32:44.160 --> 00:32:48.240 Um think about animation as imagination, as a magic word. 00:32:48.880 --> 00:32:57.279 Uh sometimes there there are some scenes that we cannot produce um as a human, we cannot act on it. 00:32:57.599 --> 00:33:04.160 But when we are using animation, uh we can um we can represent our emotions. 00:33:04.240 --> 00:33:04.559 Yes. 00:33:04.720 --> 00:33:10.559 And we can represent our story, and we can represent uh uh the people, the places. 00:33:10.880 --> 00:33:13.440 So um I think it's a good tool. 00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:15.119 Okay, what about women here? 00:33:15.279 --> 00:33:17.279 You are a lady producing animation. 00:33:17.440 --> 00:33:24.559 I think that we are still, as women, we are still imbalanced in the animation production, especially in the global south. 00:33:24.720 --> 00:33:27.440 So, what's what's your perspective on this? 00:33:28.720 --> 00:33:32.000 Um I think that the things are changing now. 00:33:32.079 --> 00:33:36.160 Uh or or they are starting to change. 00:33:36.400 --> 00:33:36.960 Yes. 00:33:37.279 --> 00:33:52.079 Um I believe uh now, for example, in Bahrain we have uh many uh ladies uh who are working as directors, and um I think women are good uh when it comes to telling a story. 00:33:52.799 --> 00:34:02.799 Uh I mean it's um uh it's our uh instinct to to tell a story and to explain things and to work on details. 00:34:03.200 --> 00:34:15.840 To be honest with you, uh I always like to work with uh female animators because sometimes when you are uh reviewing and re-reviewing and re-reviewing for fifth and sixth time. 00:34:16.159 --> 00:34:34.079 Women are more patient and even uh with the scenes, uh if you are re-watching it again and again, sometimes you you just forget things, and when you put it together during the editing, and you're you just realize that okay, we should remove that or we should remove this. 00:34:34.239 --> 00:34:42.239 But I think ladies are um very focused on details and and they don't get bored of it. 00:34:42.559 --> 00:34:51.840 Another aspect of the animation production is the intellectual property and the legal frameworks that are regulating the animation production. 00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:54.960 What challenges um we are facing? 00:34:55.119 --> 00:35:00.800 Because we are still under you know developed when it comes to this aspect of the animation sector in the global south. 00:35:00.880 --> 00:35:01.920 What do you think? 00:35:02.480 --> 00:35:19.679 Uh I think um we are still having a limited uh number of uh research papers which are uh when it comes to the academic part, which are produced in order to um to evaluate the uh the influence of animation on kids. 00:35:19.920 --> 00:35:23.679 Um this is my uh let's say my main concern. 00:35:24.159 --> 00:35:26.960 Uh it's been uh four years now. 00:35:27.119 --> 00:35:35.280 Um I'm trying to uh produce a research paper in order to uh assess and to evaluate the effect of what we are doing. 00:35:36.079 --> 00:36:02.480 Um I think we we should have a collaboration between uh content creators and media organizations, um, along with uh the academic organizations uh in order to uh to create our own uh uh studies and research paper assessing uh the the um the influence or the effect of uh uh the content that we are producing on our kids. 00:36:02.639 --> 00:36:30.559 Um at the end of the day, if you have um uh let's say a project or uh series or content and you are not uh studying it and analyzing uh the effect of it on the audience, um of course you will you will entertain them, of course you will create uh good content, but you don't know uh if it has uh a side effect on um on the audience or not. 00:36:30.800 --> 00:36:31.039 Yes. 00:36:31.199 --> 00:36:36.800 It's it's maybe it's a bit weird that uh I'm a content creator, but I'm talking I'm I'm uh saying this. 00:36:37.119 --> 00:36:58.639 Uh but I've studied uh a masters in uh uh in media and uh I've read about um the effect of um different uh different platforms, not only animation when it comes to animation, different different uh platforms or content um on people, whether it's good or bad. 00:36:58.960 --> 00:37:06.719 When I say uh effect or influence, I'm not talking um or I'm not saying that uh it must be bad. 00:37:06.880 --> 00:37:11.599 It must it's uh it might be good, but we don't know to which extent it's good. 00:37:11.760 --> 00:37:21.119 So we focus more on the good part, or to what uh to what extent it's uh it needs to be improved or to uh to have a twist. 00:37:21.679 --> 00:37:23.920 Um I think assessment. 00:37:24.480 --> 00:37:26.400 So we will summarize this assessment. 00:37:26.719 --> 00:37:38.480 So what about you as a content creator, as an animator, are you protected, especially when it comes to right management, to when it comes to um content theft as well? 00:37:38.639 --> 00:37:40.320 So are you protected? 00:37:40.960 --> 00:38:01.280 Um of course you uh there are uh there are challenges when it comes to this part, but at the end of the day, you should um um you should protect yourself legally because you are uh you are just producing media which will be uh spreaded uh in the internet. 00:38:01.840 --> 00:38:09.840 So you should have uh let's say legal protection, especially when when it comes to the copywriting. 00:38:11.119 --> 00:38:18.960 So yeah, um any studio or any animator should uh should take care of this point.

00:38:19.360 --> 00:38:20.159 Interesting. 00:38:20.320 --> 00:38:26.960 Uh we just touched upon uh the issue of funding, which is a very key discussion to have it here during this episode. 00:38:27.119 --> 00:38:41.679 Yeah, I mean, um funders in the in the global south, uh thinking of, for example, uh Africa or the Arab region, they get less than 5% of the you know fund development um according to Creative Africa Report 2023. 00:38:42.000 --> 00:38:50.400 So, what new models we need for us to attract more funders um to shift their attention at least to the animational production? 00:38:50.880 --> 00:38:54.159 As I said uh before, uh we need awareness. 00:38:54.400 --> 00:39:08.079 We need awareness of uh what are the possibilities that uh animation can create and uh what are the uh the messages that we can uh deliver using this medium. 00:39:08.320 --> 00:39:30.159 Um so I think uh when uh when the funding uh communities or the funding uh organizations know about the the importance of uh of animation and uh um the possibilities that we can uh reach using animation, um I think uh we can reach places. 00:39:30.320 --> 00:39:39.920 And also uh some of the companies, some of the companies and even some of uh countries, uh they are promoting some uh media events where you can showcase your skills. 00:39:40.000 --> 00:40:01.679 For example, you can just uh yes, you can just create um uh or deliver uh an elevator pitch to uh to the to the funders and uh even to investors uh in order to convince them or to showcase your work and uh to show to show them uh the importance of uh of animation. 00:40:01.840 --> 00:40:05.199 So I think we need to increase these kinds of events as well. 00:40:05.599 --> 00:40:11.280 The last uh perspective that I would like to touch upon is the future of animation, especially in the global south. 00:40:11.440 --> 00:40:16.320 Yes, despite all challenges, we have still it is growing, it is promising. 00:40:16.400 --> 00:40:20.559 Yeah, um the the awareness is increasing in the in the global south. 00:40:20.719 --> 00:40:25.360 So, how do you view the the future of animation sector in the global south? 00:40:25.679 --> 00:40:28.400 I think the future is very promising, to be honest. 00:40:28.719 --> 00:40:55.599 And um using um uh uh AI uh applications such as uh nowadays chatbots, for example, uh or metaverse, um it all depends on uh part of what we are doing in animation, whether uh in character design, for example, or uh when it cre uh when it comes to creating environment or when it comes to movement or creating even avatars. 00:40:56.000 --> 00:41:07.599 Uh so I think the the traditional way of seeing animation as uh producting uh as sorry, producing only uh animation series uh now is changing. 00:41:07.840 --> 00:41:16.960 For example, the graduate who will who will study Bachelor of Animation and Film, I think they have different um resources. 00:41:17.119 --> 00:41:24.400 They will have different resources, resources of uh skills and of knowledge to create more than what we are creating now. 00:41:24.719 --> 00:41:28.159 More just than just uh animation series or animation video. 00:41:28.559 --> 00:41:33.280 Uh so um uh I I think the the future is very, very promising. 00:41:33.440 --> 00:41:34.239 Hopefully, hopefully. 00:41:34.639 --> 00:41:41.679 Thank you so much, Miss Mara, for being with us and maybe for simplifying some of the complicated technicalities in animation. 00:41:41.920 --> 00:41:45.360 It was also very informing for me to understand how things are going. 00:41:45.519 --> 00:41:49.360 Yeah, thank you so much, Najla, and uh thank you for interviewing me. 00:41:50.159 --> 00:41:53.920 Uh you've been listening to Global Southern Podcast.