Dubai: The UAE's top three-dimensional (3-D) animated television series Freej is set to become one of the first Arab shows of its kind to be put into global syndication.
Its creator Mohammad Hareb and the firm behind the series, Lammtara Productions, are planning a completely new line of animated shows under different names and with different characters that could follow Freej into international air space.
"It's all a bit dreamy for us," Hareb said in an interview with Gulf News, noting that the latest developments are the latest in a new partnership inked by Turner Broadcasting System and Cartoon Network with Lammtara Productions. "To have Freej go international is icing on the cake."
"This will expose people to Arabic culture around the world," Hareb said. "When we set up the show, we never dreamed it would be this big. We really focused on our hometown market."
Teaming up
Turner declined to comment on its plans for the Middle East but in an advertisement announced that it is teaming up with regional production companies to start up a new television channel.
Hareb didn't know when the new channel is set for broadcast but said Lammtara production staff is keen on starting entire new projects that will bring a completely different local perspective to programming.
"We are working on other shows that are suitable for this market and the international market," said Hareb. "We haven't decided what shows we are doing yet but they will be suitable for a younger audience. They will be dedicated for children from preschool to preteen."
Strategy meetings have been scheduled to mull over future programmes, he said.
Hareb said Lammtar is "wrapping up production" for the latest season of Freej which is aimed at a female audience between 18 and 35 years of age.
Named after the Arab word for neighbourhood, Freej has been immensely popular in the Middle East for its portrayal of four elderly women living in a "secluded" corner of Dubai which, as a modern city, is busting at the seams.
Crisply animated characters Um Saloom, Um Khammas, Um Alawi and Um Saleed find themselves often immersed in the social issues of the day, Hareb said, in entertaining story lines that wend their way through the 15-minute episodes.
Each of the 15 shows per season reportedly cost upto Dh500,000 to produce.
"It's a nice way to expose everyone to Arabian culture. It's the way we see our Arabian culture," he said.
The emphasis on real issues facing real people in a Dubai neighbourhood appealed to Turner when the broadcasting company, owned by entertainment mogul Ted Turner, scouted Dubai for new business opportunities.
Serious look
"Turner came to the UAE to study the market. They liked to have a local cartoon example. They liked that it [Freej] was doing really well here," said Hareb. "They took it seriously."
A large degree of interest from outside of the Arab world is proof positive that the show has more to offer than extending Arabic cultural awareness around the globe, he said.
With big business involved in the new TV channel venture and in part banking on Freej, the show's success is evidence that anyone with vision and a willingness to work hard can accomplish their goals in the Middle East, he said.
"It really shows you that there is hope for entrepreneurship and that if you work very hard you will get what you want," Hareb said. "It's a good message of hope for students they can attain their dreams."
Local success
According to www.freej.ae, the official website of the animated series, the popular show was anything but an overnight success:
"Freej started of as a six page study book in 1998 but it never materialised until 2003 when it was adopted by Dubai Media City. A small demo was created to test the concept and shortly after it was given the official go ahead by the Shaikh Mohammad Establishment for Young Business Leaders (SME) who took on the initial funding of the project. On September 2005, Lammtara Pictures was established to overlook the production and a team of almost 500 people were signed up to make this big dream a reality.
The show is now in official association with Dubai Media City, Awraq Publishing, Arab Radio Network, JBM and the Shaikh Mohammad Establishment for Young Business Leaders (SME). The show also benefited from a pool of 100 volunteers from across all national universities who worked hard on the research and development part of it."
Have your say
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