RIYADH: Many people want to turn their dreams into reality – and animation director Mahmoud Zaini is doing just that, drawing his own fantasy world inspired by childhood movies and an appreciation of Saudi culture.
As a child, his appreciation for caricatures and comic strips was nurtured by newspapers, Japanese anime series, and movies such as “Finding Nemo,” “Toy Story” and “Monsters, Inc.”
“Every Saudi newspaper had a last-page comic that had some sort of social message,” he recalled in an interview with Arab News. “These comics grew into the famous Saudi YouTube animation series 'Masamir' in 2011.
“As Saudis, we grew up watching foreign cartoons dubbed in Arabic. These shows were mostly Japanese with mixed moral messages and cultural themes. Animation must be localized to tell stories to the younger generation that inspire them to be better human beings with a unique Saudi identity.”
Janie also watched behind-the-scenes clips from Pixar movies, learning as much as she could about the art of animation. By age 10, he was creating his own animated shorts.
“As a little kid I always dreamed of bringing my own stories to life,” he said.
Jaini believes that the great thing about animation is that it is universal and can reach both adults and children.
“It can also interact with other cultures and people around the world because of its abstract stylistic nature. It is a favorite medium for children because it stimulates their senses and expands their imagination,” he said.
After receiving a bachelor's degree in fine arts and animation from the California College of the Arts, San Francisco, USA, Janie began her career in the state in 2017, creating commercials. In 2018 he started Zaini Studios, which has grown due to investment and a lot of hard work.
Between 2021 and the present day, Zaini Studios created two Red Sea Film Festival intros and two Saudi Film Festival intros, featuring local and international talent.
“One of the breakthrough moments in my career as an animation director was when I worked on the introduction to the Red Sea Film Festival in 2021,” he told Arab News. “I – with the help of Faris Godus and Soheb Godus – had to pitch the idea of a high-quality animated promo at the Red Sea Film Festival.”
Once the idea was approved, Zaini approached artists from across the region to work on the project, including Raghad Baydas, Husam Hamed, Riyad Al-Dosari, Youssef Albagshi and Ahmed Shali for the music.
“These artists are the best in their respective fields, and with their dedication we have created this festival introduction in three months. The introduction should represent artistic inspiration and the spirit of following your passion,” he said.
Zaini's work reflects his experiences growing up in the Kingdom and he prides himself on creating animations that celebrate Saudi culture, heritage and lifestyle.
“I like to reflect all these authentic Saudi details in my stories and place the characters I create,” he said. “I hate to see Saudi artists creating characters in foreign environments copied from famous Japanese or American animations.”
He added that art must reflect something real to be unique, which can only happen when it includes one's own stories and memories.
“It (means) you shouldn't always include a Saudi symbol like a palm tree in your work, but you should always build on something that resonates with you and reflect your own experiences without resonating with others,” he told Arab News.
“I like my stories to reflect something authentic within me. I had a very happy and positive upbringing. I shared many great stories with many uncles, aunts and cousins.”
Zaini advises animators to cultivate a genuine passion for the craft and “a sense of what excites you when you aspire to the end result.”
He said: “If this flame is kept burning with constant exercise and commitment to improvement, it will eventually bear beautiful fruit.”
He added that it is paramount for animators to have the stories they want to tell and highlights the importance of new ideas and stories.
“Animation is not only about moving lines and shapes, it is also about imitating life, giving personality to characters, and building new worlds. As an aspiring animator you must love life and have a real thirst for originality to cultivate your artistic sense.
