If you walk down any bazaar at an Islamic event, one thing you are very likely to see is Parodies. Honestly, if you saw a song called "Oh Mahood had a farm" with the exact same melody as "Old MacDonald had a farm" would you really be surprised these days? Unfortunately, not because copy & paste thing has become way too common. I don't understand why so many companies parody their products based on mainstream stuff instead of trying to think outside the box and come up with something original. I mean they just don't copy it but they copy it almost exactly and change just one small thing so it has a Islamic feel to it...but that's about it.
Now, I don't see anything wrong with copying a concept or technique and changing it but you have change it enough so it doesn't look like cheap knock off. If you like the concept of late night talk show, do something like that but with your own flavor to it. In other words, a talk show is a standard concept and each talk show has teir own style which makes them unique. On the other hand, copying the idea of Survivor and doing the exact same show with the same rules and same setup and calling it "Muslim Survior" is just plain chessy. But, if you take the concept of a reality show and people on a Island with different rules and maybe changing up some stuff to make it different enough so it doesn't look like a cheap imitation, then maybe that would work. There are so many talented and creative brothers/sisters out there so there is no reason why we can't come up with original ideas InshAllah. Do you know what I'm sayin'
By what I have been told, the "Evening with Ali" event, that was recorded and broadcast by Islam Channel, had a real positive response with those who attended the event and watched it on the TV (Alhamdulillah). So much so that Islam Channel has decided to show all the current and future Ummah Films Reminder Videos. Alhamdulillah, we have nearly 1.7 million video views on YouTube alone but with Islam Channel, we are able to reach the millions of viewers who have that channel.
With an estimated 1.6 million Muslims in the UK, Islam channel is watched by many of them and about 12 millions across Europe. Overall the channel reaches 133 countries globally. The channel does not yet broadcast in the USA and Canada, but it is available 24/7 online and we get an average of 212,474 hits per day.
The success is only from Allah (swt)
Note: The video promo above was put together by Islam Channel not Ummah Films.
I accepted the invitation from MuslimFest to attend their event this year in Mississauga (near Toronto), Canada InshAllah. Last year, I sent the $25,000 Muslim Wedding video and Alhamdulillah it won first prize in their Film Festival. This year, I have been invited as a guest to MuslimFest so its going to be an interesting event InshAllah so I hope to see you all there on August 11th.
I will be hosting the Ummah Films film screening there InshAllah and I have been asked to hold a special workshop teaching how I make the Reminder videos. I hope to relay everything I have learned thus far. Class size is obviously limited so if you want to be in that workshop, make sure you sign up sooner than later.
The Allah Made me Funny show is going to be there as well and I have been asked to MC their event so that's going to interesting, especially since I have never been an MC before.
Finally, I hope to release the new Ummah Films Double Disk DVD set there InshAllah which will not only feature both Season 1 and Season 2 videos in DVD quality, but it will also have two unreleased Reminder videos, which are not on YouTube, and a special interview I did in the UK about the Reminder videos. Last year, we sold the Season 1 DVD set for $12. This year, there will be two DVDs instead of one with additional unreleased videos all for $24 but at the event there will be a special introductory price of only $19 . Fisibilillah Discount has already been implemented so please save your negotiating skills :)
Note: I don't make a penny from the profits so when you purchase the Reminder DVD set, you're helping the project, not me. My efforts with Ummah Films is done on a volunteer basis but just like any project, there are expenses so the DVD and T-shirt sales help us pay for those expenses.
Since I'm traveling there, I am limited on the quantity of things I will be bringing with me. In other words, the items are limited so if you want something, don't wait till the last minute. In our last event, 165 shirts went in 30 minutes. You can tell who the last minute shoppers are, because they're not wearing the right size. Basically, if you see a larger guy wearing a small Ummah Films shirt, you know he is a last minute shopper.
The Guardian (UK) contacted me last week to do an interview about the Reminder Videos. Alhamdulillah I have had the opportunity to do many interviews from all around the world about the videos but the Guardian was the biggest so far in the UK. According to their traffic stats, they have over 16 million unique users and about 159 million page impression each month on their site. That's crazy!
Anyways, only parts of the interview made it to the final cut (out of my hands since they edit it). I accepted the interview with the hope that it would help get the Reminder videos to their audience. Nevertheless here is the piece.
In other news Taqi fixed the podcast problem so all the iPod viewers should be able to watch the Reminder videos again on their iPods now InshAllah. Apple.com approved the Reminder videos last year and they can be found in the iTunes store by searching for "Ummah Films".
Looking to get married?
Visit Baba Ali's Muslim Marriage site
halfourdeen.com
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Vote for the topic of the new Ummah Films video!
Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,
Something is wrong with the wiki so for the time being, a decision needs to be made for the topic of the upcoming viewer's video. For those who have been MIA, this video will be written by the viewers InshAllah. Once you guys come up with a script, I will film it and post it on the site InshAllah. The first step is to pick the topic of the video (voting ends Friday)
To vote, click on the radio button above the topic you like and then click on the vote now button below to cast your vote.
Remember this video will be written by YOU the viewer (not me) so pick the topic that you guys think you can contribute to InshAllah. Once the topic is decided, then we'll take it the next step: the writing :)
If you viewers can manage to put a script together as a team, I'll do my part by filming and editing it InshAllah.
In the 6th video in Season one, I asked the viewers to take the writer's chair and come up with ideas and concepts for a future Ummah Films video. Eventually, it was decided to go with the issue of business dealings and the final product (Fisibilillah Discount) ended up in Season 2 with about 62,000 views Alhamdulillah.
If you guys can manage to put a script together as a team, I'll do my part by filming and editing it InshAllah. Yes, it will be your words and your script so you guys are in the Director's chair. The only thing is that you have to work together. In order to be organized, you'll be using a WIKI page, which allows a group of people to contribute to the same script. Once again, it best to keep it organized in order to maintain our sanity :)
Follow the link above and you'll get more details about it InshAllah.
**Remember this is a team effort so don't start writing scripts individually and starting emailing to me but rather work on this ONE script together (by going to the above link). I will film the final draft of the script that you guys come up with and launch it on the blog. Try to keep your intention pure and hopefully this video will be beneficial InshAllah.
In the last post, I requested questions that can be answered via video. After reading some of the questions, I realized that my post was not specific so I wanted to clarify today on the reason for the request InshAllah.
Last year, many people wanted a higher quality version of the Reminder videos on DVD so I put together the Season 1 DVD with all the Season 1 videos. This year, I plan to release both Season 1 and Season 2 DVDs InshAllah in ONE special set. Thus, there will be two DVDs (one for each season) in a DVD case. In addition, I wanted to add something extra in the set so this is the reason for the Q&A video. So when I asked for questions, I didn't mean questions about my personal life but more importantly about anything relating to the Reminder series, the topics, the issues, the making of it, or even Ummah Films.
In the upcoming DVD set, I also plan to put a special video that is not released on YouTube InshAllah which be kinda cool for all those who support Ummah Films by purchasing this DVD set.
Alhamdulillah I have done many interviews with various publications. Yesterday, I did one for the Guardian (UK) which comes out next week InshAllah and this past weekend, I was on a middle eastern tv show answering questions from the youth. Today, I received the latest interview from altmuslim.net. Check it out here
Looking to get married?
Visit Baba Ali's Muslim Marriage site
halfourdeen.com
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Interview Baba Ali - Your questions...his answers
Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,
The reminder was launch June 13th 2006 and Alhamdulillah 17 videos have been released since then. During that time span, I have had the opportunity to answer many questions via email and interviews but I often find myself answering the same questions so this I wanted to answer them in a way that all the viewers could view them....via video :)
So here is your opportunity to be the interviewer InshAllah. If you have a question, please post it in the comment section and I will try to answer it via a video response. I want to try to limit the video to 5 minutes so I can't answer all the questions but I will try many of them InshAllah.
This video is about those who spend more time trying to find faults in others rather trying to improve themselves. We should not just give the benefit of the doubt, but rather benefit of the trust InshAllah
Please comment and rate the video on youtube so I know you're watching. JazakAllah khair
Looking to get married?
Visit Baba Ali's Muslim Marriage site
halfourdeen.com
Monday, June 04, 2007
Ummah Films Update
Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,
We are just a few days away from the release of the second to last episode of the Reminder series, "The Haram Police".
I apologize for the lack of posts as I have been traveling to different cities. The first season was much easier because I would turn on the camera and speak my mind whenever something new came up. These days, I find myself traveling to cities all around the world and presenting the Reminder videos which has really taken up my weekends. Thus it has slowed down the speed I make these videos. Unlike other speaker/entertainers, I have a normal life and my free time use to be weekends (key word: use to be). What is amazing is when I come across the Reminder videos in various events which I'm not even part of, including non-Muslim events. I got an email today from an event that was held in Romania by non-Muslims and the clip shows the Reminder videos on the big screen in their event. The email noted that there was a very positive response from the crowd Alhamdulillah. The other day my neighbor came up to me and said "are you famous"...I was like "uh what?"...then they told me "your picture is in the newspaper". Yeah that was strange..especially since I had no idea about the article.
Anyways here are some updates:
1. The status of the Ummah Films shirts is SOLD OUT.... :) In the last event, 165 shirts went in less than 30 minutes! Congratulations for all those who got their hands on one but I'm sorry to say that we have no more shirts for sale. I think the last event that we'll have shirts selling at will be ISNA (Chicago). For all those people who love to bargin with high price sellers, I'm not selling $30 t-shirt but rather the shirts are very reasonable priced and since they seem to be popular, I suggest you get yours the first day instead of the last day. Otherwise, I may not have any left. The last event only had a few hundred people. ISNA has 30,000 people and I'm only thinking about 200 to 300 shirts (if that).
2. As much as I love traveling and meeting brothers/sisters from around the world, it has taken its toll on me. I'm officially burned out. I have plans to visit four more cities and then I'm think I'm completely done InshAllah. This will be the last of the Ummah Films tour.
London, UK (not yet confirmed) Sydney, Australia (not yet confirmed) Chicago, US (confirmed) Toronto, Canada (not yet confirmed)
3. The entire Season 1 & Season 2 will be coming out on a Dual DVD set package in August InshAllah. Just like everything else sold at Ummah Films, it will be reasonable priced.
Sometimes when I'm hanging out with my friends and if all experienced something interesting, I'm picked to "tell the story" because I tell the same story but with sense of humor for the one person who missed it all. With the videos, its the same things. Often times, you can find humor in many things you go through but there isn't comedy in everything. I think the Season Finalle will be more on the serious side.
At the end of the day, I'm not here to make everyone laugh but more importantly its about the message. Sometimes I turn on the camera and I'm in a silly mood while other times, I'm more in a serious mood. Just like everyone else, I'm a human being and have both funny and not-so-funny days :)
I often get asked why did you become Muslim. What triggered you to give up your lifestyle for Islam. In the Season Finale, I will tell you.
Looking to get married?
Visit Baba Ali's Muslim Marriage site
halfourdeen.com
Ummah Films is a Muslim film company that strives to provide Halaal (Islamically permissible) entertainment to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. We are not affiliated with any particular movement, sect, group, etc. We absolutely condemn in the strongest terms terrorism and any extremism done in the name of Islam and we refuse to associate ourselves with those who practice and condone such behavior and thoughts.
