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Monday, July 30, 2007

Baba Ali's Interview by Islam Online

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,


Asalam alaikum everyone,

Islamonline.net contacted Brother Ali to do an interview about the Reminder Videos. You can listen to the interview here. Insha’Allah this interview will help the Reminder videos to reach their audience.

On other hand we are experiencing some technical problem with the Subtitling Blog. We are still looking for help regarding subtitling & translating the videos. For contact you can reach us through info@ummahfilms.com

Jazakum Allah
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Saturday, July 28, 2007

Need help with Subtitling and Translation

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,

Asalam alaikum everyone,I want to thank Allah then all of you for your great efforts in helping us with this project. You all are doing an excellent job. We are almost done. Our next step will be to double check the scripts and do the subtitling & translation through some software. To get the script contact info@ummahfilms.com

Here are some of my suggestions that you can choose from & if you have another idea please feel free to share:

1. Double check the script.
2. Double check the script and subtitle.
3. Translate the script .
4. Translate the script and subtitle.

Try DivXLand Media Subtitler

Click Here

For Mac you can use Final Cut Pro

Click Here

You can also check Subtitle Workshop

Subtitle Workshop

Jazakum Allah
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Friday, July 27, 2007

Ummah Films shirts are back in stock!

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,



The shirts above come in both short sleeve and long sleeve at no additional charge. All shirts are just $12 and ship worldwide!

Just goto our STORE if you want one. Shipping is a flat fee so no matter how many items you order, its the same price. I send most packages via priority mail InshAllah (at no additional charge)

Alhamdulillah, the Ummah Films shirts have become quite popular. If you like the message behind Ummah Films, please continue to support it InshAllah

JazakAllah khair for your support

Please vote below:










































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Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Volunteers are assigned

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,

Asalam alaikum everyone,

Alhamdulillah we’ve received so many emails regarding help with the Subtitle. We've assigned all of them. For some of you who were not assigned any videos, we really appreciate your contribution & your initiating to help means so much to us.

Insha'Allah we will send an invitation to the entire volunteers, so you all can join our Sub-Blog:
http://muslimvideo.blogspot.com/

After the subtitles are done please send them back to info@ummahfilms.com in word file format.

1 - Seasonal Muslims. (done)
2 - $25k Muslim Weddings. (done)
3 - Haram police. (done)

4 - Arrogant people. (done)
5 - How did you convert. (done)
6 - Muslim character at work. (done)
7 - Funny things at Jummah. (done)
8 - Distraction during salat. (done)

9 - Why Islam. (done)
10 - Who Hijack Islam. (done)
11 - Pursuit of Cleanliness. (done)
12 - Culture vs Islam. (done)
13 - That’s not Hijab. (done)
14 - Ramadan reruns. (done)

15 - Muslim while flying. (done)
16 - Parents negations. (done)
17 - Fisibillah Discount. (done)
18 - Spouse online. (done)

You’re all part of the team. Jazakum Allah.
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Monday, July 23, 2007

Seeking Volunteers to help with the Ummah Films

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,

We often get emails from viewers that see the impact of the Reminder videos and want to help. We often get emails from those who are hearing impaired and want to watch the videos, but since they are deaf and there are no subtitles in English, they a have difficult time watching. I really didn't think these videos would take off the way they did so I didn't keep many of the scripts.

So if there are viewers out there who want to help us get these videos to the hearing impaired community, please email us InshAllah. The process is pretty simple. Just open up notepad. Watch one of the video and type what you hear InshAllah. In order to be consistent, start a new line with each cut so it will make it easy to subtitle InshAllah. Just contact the info@ummahfilms.com and let us know which video you're doing and when you think you can do it by. That way we don't have 10 people doing the same video :)

Many people, including myself, don't realize the gifts that Allah (swt) has given us (hearing, sight, etc.. until we lose it. If you do have the time and would like to help the Muslims and non-Muslims who want to watch these videos, please contact us InshAllah. info@ummahfilms.com

May Allah (swt) reward you for your efforts
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Monday, July 16, 2007

Why Islam - Results

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,

As you know, "Why Islam" had no humor in it and I wasn't sure how the YouTube audience was going to react since the YouTube site is pretty much an entertainment site. I mean they have millions of videos to choose from and everything is watch on a volunteer basis. Since it the Internet, they can be as honest as they want to be. Nevertheless, the stats of the "Why Islam" actually surprised me.

Of course, you'll have ignorant people commenting but that was expected but we have received a lot of emails about people who are interested in this beautiful Deen. Alhamdulillah all the success is only because of Allah (swt). By the way, the reason I mention such results is to inspire others that we can make a difference and we don't have to compromise our beliefs in order to get people to listen. If anything, I think people respect that you're straightforward and honest rather than trying to please them.

Although I film the videos, the real credit for the effort goes to those who aren't recognized. There are the ones who promote the videos, post it up on their websites and blogs, and send it to their email lists. Otherwise, the videos would only reach a small audience. Alhamdulillah with the efforts of all those who have supported the ideas they see from these videos, we have been able to reach nearly 2 million YouTube video views which is purely amazing. This does not include the millions of people who may have viewed them on Islam Channel. Its funny that I use to just get interviews from Muslim newspapers but when I do an article about the impact of Viral Video on YouTube for mainstream media, I know that the videos have reached much farther than I ever expect.

Alhamdulillah
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Saturday, July 14, 2007

Its here! Ummah Films Season 2 Finale - "Why Islam"

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,


I decided to launch the video early :)

If you want to help spread the video to the YouTube viewers, please RATE & COMMENT the video on YouTube, which moves it up the charts. That way, the video reaches more YouTube viewers InshAllah.

Unlike all the rest of the Reminder videos, this is the only one that has no humor in it. The topic is based on a question "Why Islam" so instead of answering many emails on this subject, I decided to answer the question via a video. Now, I didn't laugh my way into this Deen but rather my decision was based on being intellectually convinced so I hope to share somethings that was going through my head and at the same time, explain to the viewers what Islam really is.

The video was based on a lecture that can be found here:

http://www.ummahfilms.com/learningislam.mp3
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Friday, July 13, 2007

The Reminder DVD Cover Design - Please vote

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,

Alhamdulillah we are getting closer to the completing this DVD. I just filmed the Season Finale yesterday. I hope to edit it tonight and have it ready by tomorrow.

Anyways, with the deadline quickly approaching, we need to figure out which DVD cover to go with InshAllah. Keep in mind that the pics have been compressed for the web but the actual cover with be in high resolution. So far, I've been getting different answers on what to go with and honestly, I'm confused. So I figured I should post the different covers here and see what the viewers think InshAllah. Yeah, this whole "let the viewers vote on the design cover" may not be the norm but then again, Ummah Films isn't the norm :)

**** PLEASE VOTE USING THE GRAY POLL BELOW ****

DESIGN #1


DESIGN #2


DESIGN #3
























** Also, I'm not crazy about the quote so if you have a suggestion for quote, please post it in the comments.

JazakAllah khair!
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Tuesday, July 10, 2007

The next Reminder video (written by the viewers) - check it out

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,


A little while ago, I told the viewers that if they write a Reminder video script together, I would film and edit it InshAllah. Well, after 1100 votes later, the results of the voting poll was "Boyfriend/Girlfriend" as the topic. Then the viewers got together on a Facebook group and put together the following script.

Please check it out post your comments (try to post constructive criticism not just criticism :) JazakAllah khair!

********************

How do you boil a frog? Well, if you put a frog in a pot of boiling water, he'll jump out (frogs are good jumpers). (Tarra Young)

What you do is to put the frog in cool water, room temp. Gradually you turn the heat up bit by bit and bye bye froggy. (Halimah bint David)

This just shows how fast things can go towards the wrong direction, even when you think things are going fine. (snaa sagheer) [can you tape this part fast forwarding it quickly in the wrong direction then slowly repeating it almost like you did in 25,000 weddings?)

Gradually we compromise on the very basic aspects of our beliefs, blurring the truth from the false. What is left? Opinions dominate our beliefs and we become overrun with justifications for our deviant actions. (Le-Ann Lue-Fatt aka Mariam)

You know this reminds me of a story of a man called Barsisa.
(Halimah bint David

A man turns from a monk to worshiping Allah (SWT) then to a murderer, subhanallah. Small sparks are what start up a raging fire.
(Snaa Sagheer)

Barsisa a very pious man, 3 brothers who were going to war, trusted Barsisa with the protection of their sister. (Yaseen Hussain)

The three brothers left their sister in his trust without hesitation. (Le-Ann Lue-Fatt)

Shaitan told Barsisa to take responsibility, for if the girl was not with him she would be with some other untrustworthy man.(Adaweya Diab)

She then stayed in a vacant house, apart from the monastery where Barsisa was living and never left it. (Mehnaz Hossain)

Gradually, shaytan leads Barsisa, to talk to the 'lonely' woman and then enter her house until they had committed zina (Reem Masri AKA Reemo Supreemo)

The sister than, became pregnant and Shaytan lead Barsisa to kill the child and the sister out of fear of being caught. (Yu Brother)

The brothers later, learned of the monk’s deed of killing their sister and her baby, they snatched the monk and took him to the leader of the land. Shaitan came to the monk and said, "if you make sujood to me, I will make this all go away." the monk bowed down to shaytan. and the man was immediately killed by the ruler.
(Sabeen Shamail)


Sound familiar to todays news events, talking of lost pregnant woman, only to find them and their babies have been killed?

The world used to look up to the muslims, respect them, copy them and now? Muslims are left with shame on their faces, copying and respecting the west because they have left Islam and do not know tauheed.( (Reem Masri AKA Reemo Supreemo) (Can you do some kind of hand clapping and whistling while acting as a shy muslim in thobe, then alternate it for someone dressed very kuffar and picking their nose (or something)?)

People change their girlfriends and boyfriends all the time like they change their socks! [JOKE!JOKE!] (Yu Brother)

What is this with Muslims thinking its halal to date? It's like they're in denial. You know what I'm saying? (Zainab Khan)

In Eastern societies, people think it is justified to have a 'fiancé' thing going on in front of their parents, when in secret it’s a 'boyfriend-girlfriend' thing.
(Huma Munir)

Upon finding out, Parents so fearful, of being shamed in front of their community practise honor killings. (Monwara Rahman)

Prophet (saw) said "When a man and a woman are in seclusion, the third companion is Shaytan. Shaytan is a open enemy. (khalid hassan)
...
So here’s a question: "What is the purpose of dating?"
all it does is bring us closer to Jahaanam, in the same way the frog is tricked into being slowly boiled,(Amer)

What is the purpose of dating, then breaking up, then finding someone new, then breaking up? Repeat as often as necessary until exhaustion takes over (joke joke) [Actually do and say]. (Noushin Karim)

We should be trying to find a life partner, not going endlessly through a revolving door. (Hanif Demi)

There is a purpose and reason for everything we do Islamically. (Aysha Masood Khan)

Do what Allah's messenger (saw) prescribed, resist the temptations of attraction by lowering your gaze and fasting. (afreen)

Parents, encourage your child to marry as soon as they show interest in the opposite sex, to protect their chastity and honor. Don’t wait for them to be the age of grandparents. (redo scene from 25000, weddings “but I’m your dad!” “Yeah whate ever you say Grandpa!”.(Abu Taimyyah)

This Ali reminding you just in case you forgot, This is Ali reminding you just in case you forgot.

At the end show this written down on piece of paper, maybe?

Allah says "Do not go NEAR Zina"...he doesn’t say don’t DO zina (because many people don’t intend to), but he says dont even go NEAR it!!!
(Zulakha Raja

****************************

806 words with out stage direction and names it’s a little over 700, probably 720 word count.
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Monday, July 02, 2007

Reminding you just in case you forgot

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,


As many of you know, the Reminder videos are free to watch on the web at no cost to the viewer. The only thing we are trying to gain from this project is reward from our Creator if He accepts our intention & our actions InshAllah. Unfortunately, making the Reminders isn't free and there are many costs involved.

We decided to stay away from advertisements on the blog, popups, and even google ads because we didn't want to be accountable if the something haram was marketed. We also stayed away from sponsorships which has allowed to be censor-free (no one to answer to but Allah (swt). We also have shied away from donations because we don't want to be accountable if we accept the funds and we don't deliver.

Although these standards make it nice for the viewer, its becoming harder for us to continue. Many people have asked for the Reminder on DVD set, so that is our current project. We hope the profits from the upcoming DVD set will help us fund our project so we can continue coming out with more videos InshAllah. If you want to support the Reminder videos, please purchase the new DVD set when it comes out InshAllah.

The DVD set will have all 18 episodes of Season 1 and 2 in DVD quality InshAllah. In addition, I have added 2 unreleased episodes, which were completed this weekend. You won't find them on YouTube until Ramadan/Eid time but the topics aren't on Ramadan but rather they deal with the famous Muslim Marriage issues (part of the series) so you know its will be interesting :)

For anyone that has purchased the Mecca to Medina game, you know that I'm not cheap when it comes to production quality. In fact, I like to make things a little unique. Yeah, the easy way out was to make another Triva Based Islamic Game (like we don't have enough of those already), but I wanted to make something different and Alhamdulillah, based on the number of games sold, it looks like there was a lot of people who wanted the same.

Well, now that I'm in the process of coming up with the DVD set for the Reminder, I wanted to once again, give our viewers something more than just another DVD set. First off, I decided to hire a professional design firm (they have made nearly over a million dollars thus far doing design work so I think they're good) to design our DVD cover (quoted us $490.00). Next, I wanted the case to be different so I decided to toss the standard DVD case and go with a 3 panel doublesided full printed DVD case (view sample). This week, I need to hire a writer to help me come with the content to put on the DVD case InshAllah. Finally, I am in the process of buying the Final Cut Studio Pro 2 suite from Apple (rjavascript:void(0)
Publish Postetail price is $1299.00) so I can work on the DVD menu InshAllah. If all this sounds expensive, I haven't even shown you the price of making these DVD yet...hehehe.

In order to sell these DVD sets, I have to go to conferences. ISNA for example, has airfare expenses and hotel expenses, booth rental expense, etc.. Even though, my role is the Reminder is purely voluntary and I don't get paid for it, as you can see there are many expenses (only a few have been mentioned above) just to make a DVD set. The tough part is getting the funds for these items because in order to make money, you need money.

If you notice of our products thus far, it has been very reasonable. We sell long sleeve and XXL Ummah Films shirts for only $12 (try finding a Muslim shirts with those sizes at that price). Plus we print on decent quality shirts and stay away from the super cheap brand because we want the shirt to be good InshAllah. Yeah at $12 our profit margin is less but we don't want price to be a factor when wanting one of the shirts. The same goes for the Season 1 DVD which sells for $12. When was the last time you walked into an Islamic conference and saw a popular DVD for $12? Do you know what I'm sayin' Yeah our profit margin is less, but the goal was for more people to be able to afford it.

Now with the new DVD set (of both Season 1 and 2), we decided to sell them for $24 but we will sell at least the first 100 sets for $19 InshAllah to reward the intial people who support us. In addition, we have 2 additional unreleased videos and between 1 to 2 interviews regarding the Reminder on the DVD set (plenty of extras compared to the first DVD we released). Finally, we are working on giving you a high quality product by getting the best design firm to design it and a professional company to produce them InshAllah. We hope our viewers who have benefit from the Reminder support us InshAllah

JazakAllah khair
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