Ummah Films

New Baba Ali Video! "What will the peopel say?" - Ummah Films

2011-12-07T10:24:00.000-08:00

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It's amazing how we focus more on pleasing the people rather than pleasing our Creator so I decided to make a video about this very subject. If my idea works, the the phase of "what will the people say?" will become so ANNOYING that it will be stuck in our heads so the next time we hear it, we will remember the message behind this video, InshAllah. The reality is that I can't change the world overnight but my hope it to make a positive difference within the Muslim Ummah....one video at a time - Baba Ali

Watch the latest Ummah Films video!

Support Baba Ali's latest project, Muslim Personality

New Ummah Films Video - "Cultural Parents"

2011-06-09T23:41:00.000-07:00

If you like the video, please share it with others.

Support Baba Ali's project by going to http://halfourdeen.com and clicking on the "Like" button (or you can goto http://facebook.com/halfourdeen click on the "Like" button)

Follow Baba Ali's on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ummahfilms

Guess who's back?? Baba Ali's NEW Video!

2011-04-29T09:18:00.000-07:00

Baba Ali is back! - Check out the video!

2011-04-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

Support Baba Ali's project by going to http://halfourdeen.com and clicking on the "Like" button (or you can goto http://facebook.com/halfourdeen click on the "Like" button)

Half Our Deen Offline (Muslim Marriage event hosted by Baba Ali) - **Next event is May 29th in Long Beach, CA (walking distance from RIS convention). For more info goto: http://www.hodofffline.com

Baba Ali's Twitter: http://twitter.com/ummahfilms & http://twitter.com/babaali

Baba Ali's Marriage Project: http://www.halfourdeen.com

Baba Ali Live- http://www.alistandup.com

New Videos are coming soon inshAllah so make sure to subscribe to this YouTube Channel if you want to be notified when they're released. Please continue posting any of the videos on facebook, forums, blogs, etc.... Let's work together to make a positive impact.

Second meeting and mock shoot

2011-02-09T13:43:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday, we did a mock shoot with 2 of the actors. It went well, but the team also realized we need more resources to get it done right. That may be difficult, though we are confident we will get it done right, inshaAllah.

New Ummah Films Movie

2011-02-03T18:04:00.001-08:00

Thanks to all who supported Ummah Films in our attempt to raise $100k to make a feature. Unfortunately, we only raised few hundred dollars and hence this project will be 1-3 minute long.

I met with two of the actors for the next Ummah Films Project. I'm sure most will recognize the familiar faces. We're planning to shoot it in 2 weeks and have it ready within 2 weeks after that, inshaAllah.

Jazak Allah Khair to all those who entrusted us with their money. May Allah put barakah in it, inshaAllah.

Polling the Opposite Sex!

2010-11-08T13:08:00.000-08:00

Assalammu Alaikum,

Just in case you guys don't know, Half Our Deen has its own blog so if you're interested in issues relating to marriage, please subscribe to it. Here is the link to the recent post "Polling the Opposite Sex" - http://blog.halfourdeen.com

Please join me there. Your feedback would be appreciated. JazakAllah Khair

Ali

Baba Ali will be at Emel Booth at GPU

2010-10-20T22:51:00.000-07:00

Muslim Marriage -"Adding spices to conversation" - Muslim Marriage Tips & Advice

2010-10-02T12:22:00.000-07:00

Half Our Deen just reached 1 million page views! Not bad for a Private site that just launched 10 weeks ago huh?

2010-09-28T12:44:00.000-07:00

1 MILLION views, on a private site?

Please subscribe to my new blog: http://blog.halfourdeen.com/feed/

Muslim Marriage-Love and Appreciation - Muslim Marriage Tips & Advice

2010-09-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

Muslim Marriage- "Physical Attraction"

2010-09-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

Muslim Marriage- Female Point System

2010-09-09T21:47:00.000-07:00

**Warning: This video has generalizations. If you are "generalization-sensitive", it would best not to watch this video. In order to make such videos, you need to be general. The reason for my marriage videos is give men and women a better understanding of how the opposite gender communicates. Of course there are exceptions to every rule.

Here is the latest video from my Muslim Marriage series. Btw, if you're single and looking, check out my new Muslim Matchmaking site http://www.halfourdeen.com

Muslim Marriage- Why guys watch sports!?

2010-08-26T23:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry correct link should be working now.

Doctor, Director! DVDs now available

2010-08-26T12:11:00.001-07:00

Special edition dvds of "Doctor, Director!" are available for the low, low price of $5.00, plus shipping and handling

Shipping within Canada, please add $4.00
Shipping to the Continental US, please add $5.00
Shipping overseas, please add $10.00

The profits from the dvd will be reinvested in the next Ummah Films project

AND

As a bonus, a 20% donation from the sale of each dvd will be made to "Islamic Relief Canada" to assist with the flood rescue efforts in Pakistan.

Please send a money order or bank draft to
Exettra Inc
2 Robert Speck Parkway
Suite 750
Mississauga, Ontario
L4Z 1H8 Canada

www.exettra.com

Muslim Marriage - "Why women love shopping" - Baba Ali

2010-08-25T11:17:00.000-07:00

http://www.halfourdeen.com - ***As my disclaimer, these videos are general and there are exceptions to ever rule (I purposely do not use the word "ALL"). If you find them offensive, then please do not watch them. I made these videos with the hopes that men and women can learn more about each other. The better we understand how the opposite sex communicates, the better our relationships will be inshAllah. This video is part of a series of videos that I'm making so if you want to watch the other ones, search for "Muslim Marriage" or "Half Our Deen" on YouTube and they should come up inshAllah. Please feel free to post any of my videos on your blog, forum, facebook, etc... The goal is to help people inshAllah so may Allah (swt) reward you for all those who benefit for your efforts. Unfortunately, these topics are rarely (if ever) discussed in Jummah so I figured I can bring them up here.

Muslim Marriage-"Men are from Mecca, Women are from Medina - PART 2"

2010-08-21T02:10:00.000-07:00

Muslim Marriage- "Men are from Mecca and Women are from Medina - Part 1"

2010-08-17T23:12:00.000-07:00

Muslim Marriage - The Half Our Deen Diffference

2010-08-12T20:46:00.000-07:00

Ramadan

2010-08-10T19:26:00.000-07:00

Muslim Marriage - "Forgive & Forget" - Half Our Deen Video

2010-08-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

My goal is to help couples better understand each other and if you can help me help others, we can make a difference together. This is the latest video in the Muslim Marriage series...(to) "Forgive and Forget" is very hard to do but if you and your spouse learn can be strong enough to do this, it can really help you get through some of the tough times of marriage. Marriage itself, has its up and downs, and at the end of the day, we're all human beings. We should try to be more forgiving so that Allah (swt) can be more forgiving with us on the Day of Judgment. If you're a Muslim Single and looking, please visit halfourdeen.com

If you would like others to benefit from this video, please forward to others, post on FB, Twitter, etc. Let's work together to try to help people make their marriages work InshAllah.

Muslim Marriage - "Direct and Indirect " - Half Our Deen

2010-08-06T19:51:00.000-07:00

The Muslim Divorce rate has reached 31% in US. I decided to dedicate my entire season 5 to issues dealing with marriage, and how to resolve problems between husband & wife. Sometimes its the small things that can make a big difference.

The video deals with some of the differences in the way men and women communicate. Unfortunately, many people assume the opposite sex communicates the same way they do, which often leads to misunderstanding and the person thinking their spouse is "complicated". I hope this video helps us understand each other better. If you like it and feel that it can be help others, please post it on your blog, facebook, etc. May Allah (swt) reward you for anyone this video helps inshAllah.

If you're looking to getting married, try the affordable alternative to current sites out there at halfourdeen.com
Category:

Pics from premiere of Doctor Director

2010-08-01T19:19:00.000-07:00

A crew member sent me some pics taken from the premiere of Doctor Director in Toronto (above) so I wanted to share with you guys.

Watch Ummah Films New Film! "Doctor Director"

2010-07-29T11:59:00.000-07:00

The new Ummah Films movie is done! UF's first film, "Tomorrow Never Comes", was done with humble budget of just $700. We pitched the idea that if we you like what we did with $700, imagine what we can do with $7,000. Alhamdulillah, with your help we raised $7,000 and made our latest film, "Doctor Director!". With a bigger budget, we had access to more and better resources. Our next goal is to raise $100,000 and make a full feature film and we need your help to do it.

The film, "Doctor Director!", tackles one of the common obstacles young Muslims face when dealing with cultural parents. While today's generation are connects back towards the true teachings of Islam, they often have to deal with their parents that are still tied to their culture, and this is especially true when it comes to Muslim Marriages. The message of this film is to judge people by their Deen and Character, rather their title, and their bank account, because success in this life doesn't necessarily guarantee success in the hereafter.

At Ummah Films, we are trying to make quality films with a message. If you would like help us make our next film, please visit ummahfilms.com/movie

For the price of a movie ticket ($10), you can become a producer for our next film, which will help us make more movies that will inshAllah make a positive difference in this world.

Unfortunately, films cost money. We believe we can make quality films if we all come together. Please visit our site for more information: ummahfilms.com/movie

Half Our Deen has launched!

2010-07-17T22:13:00.000-07:00

Alhamdulillah with the tireless efforts of a great team, after several months of planning and development, hundreds of pages of coding, it is my immense pleasure and privilege to announce the launch of the new Muslim Match Making website, Half Our Deen. As many of you know, we have been working hard to provide an effective alternative to the current Muslim matrimonial sites, and InshAllah we hope you'll see the difference with Half Our Deen. Our goal with Half Our Deen is much more than just helping you find your future spouse. More importantly, we want to help you stay together and this is why I have made 10 new reminder videos explaining what to expect when you get married and giving you tips on how to make the marriage last InshAllah.

Half Our Deen is always a work in progress. We will constantly be working on the back end to make the site better InshAllah. We have made it affordable (a fraction of the cost of the competition) and offer you more features than any other Muslim matrimonial site.

It is my pleasure to invite you to the launch of Half Our Deen. Please visit www.halfourdeen.com. On the homepage, we have a video explaining some of the great features of Half Our Deen. Please watch it first so you'll be familiar on how Half Our Deen works. Once you have finished watching the video, please click on the "Start" button. Just like my video blogs, I'll be walking you through, step by step via video explanation.

Whatever I gain from Half Our Deen, I cannot take to my grave. The only currency on the Day of Judgment will be hasanat, so I pray InshAllah that good deeds come out of this project.

JazakAllah Khair for all your patience.

Baba Ali

Doctor, Director! Official Budget Breakdown

2010-07-16T18:19:00.000-07:00

JazakAllah Khair for everyone who contributed with Doctor Director. Many people from all around the world help put together the funds we needed for this project. After showing you what we could do for just $700 (Tomorrow Never Comes) film, we proposed the idea of "imagine what we can do with $7000". Alhamdulillah we came very close to our goal. So this time around we had access to better resources and InshAllah you'll see the difference.

Even though many could not help with the cast & crew aspect, you did help us with funding the movie. The smallest donation we received was $1 and the largest was $1000. All and all we raised a total of $6915.51 (that's pretty close to our $7,000 goal).

Here is the breakdown:
Chipin 1 $5,432.01
Chipin 2 $560.00
Chipin 3 $923.50

Total raised $6,915.51

-Paypal fees $231.51
Funds available $6,684.00

Final budget $4,706.81 (in US dollars)
Additional expenses $200 (Post-production)

Payment to Line Producer, Producer, Sound/Music Editor, Hired Gun aka Director for their efforts: $444.30 x 4 = $1,777.19

The goal with our films is to make something unique with a message in it. We do not want to make films based on parodies but rather we want our story to be unique and original. We believe there are many talented people out there who are in the same line of thought that want to make a positive difference in this world. Our first film was more of a drama. Our new film, Doctor Director, is a comedy and our next film may be totally different but one thing all our films have in it is that there is a message. The entertainment aspect is to pull you in but the goal of the film is to deliver a message.

With your contributions, we have been able to raise the funds we needed for this film and we have tried to keep you in the loop each step of the way with by blogging updates.

For our next film, we are aiming for our first feature film and our goal is to get $100,000. The goal is to compete with what is out there in the mainstrem (as in regards of quality) with the hopes that we can make a difference in this world using the camera lens. Although 100k may sounds impossible to some, the entire Ummah Films project may have sounded pretty crazy but Alhamdulillah....look how far the videos have reached. If Allah (swt) wants something to be come successful, it will. All we need to do is put in the effort. May Allah (swt) reward you all for your effort and support and I hope you all see the fruits of our efforts on the Day of Judgment.

UF Team

"Doctor Director" Movie Trailer

2010-07-15T15:38:00.000-07:00

Finally the trailer has arrived. The movie will be released FREE OF CHARGE on July 18th 2010, InshaAllah!! See you then.

Doctor, Director! ADR In process

2010-07-11T19:53:00.001-07:00

We met today with Shahid aka Jack aka the taxi driver, and completed the ADR needed for his character. Thank you Shahid for letting me drive your toy car, the Impala SS. It was fun.

Doctor, Director! Sound Editing

2010-07-09T21:35:00.000-07:00

We have a picture lock and the movie has moved into the sound editing stage. Due to some bad audio, we have to do some ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement). During this process, the actors are typically called into a recording studio and re-record any dialogue that wasn't recorded properly during the principal shooting.

Doctor, Director! Reshoot Airport scene

2010-06-28T08:46:00.000-07:00

We had to go back to do our airport scene due to security concerns that arose during our initial shoot.

Sad to say, we were busted again, but the security guy was nice enough to give us 10 minutes to do our work. After 3 hours, we were done and left :)

In the pic is Walter, our dedicated DP and our lead actor, Alberto.

Doctor, Director! Editor (DP) meeting

2010-06-16T19:28:00.000-07:00

Last night, I met with our editor, Brenden, who also helped us during the shoot as Camera Assist, Focus Puller, Gaffer, P.A, 2nd A.C and on and on....

A recent graduate of the famed Sheridan College's Media Arts Program, Brenden is trained in Post Production and dreams of becoming a VFX expert. Go Get'em Brenden.

For Doctor, Director, Brenden will be using Final Cut Pro, in conjunction with Adobe After Effects to piece together the footage we shot on June 12/13th.

Thank you Brenden.

That's a wrap!

2010-06-14T16:58:00.004-07:00

Friday - Rental equipment pickup: 3pm-9pm
Saturday - Day 1: Call time: 5am. Wrap up: 9pm
Sunday - Day 2: Call time: 7am. Wrap up: 1AM
Monday - Day 3: Rental equipment return: 8am-12pm.

TOTAL WORK HOURS IN 4 DAYS PERIOD: 44 HOURS

A film that requires all the fancy camera work that we planned for should be shot over a week. However, the Ummah Films team crammed all this work into a weekend!

Thanks to all the amazing people that helped us out. Everyone worked long days under tight deadlines with very little sleep. But it couldn't have been more fun. Everyone keept up the positive energy despite the crummy weather (it rained all day saturday!) and the super-tight shooting schedule.

Our stars
Alberto "el-berr-toh" Tihan
Osama "get ouuuut"
KadiNada "windex" Homsi
Harveen "glam ma'am" Sandhu
Paul "PMT" Tapai
Shahid "no nickname needed" Hadi

Production team
Walter "I ate all the food" Pacifico
Brenden "pin-prick" Cameron
Daniel "RTA-Tango" Scarcelli
Aicha "what shot are we on?" Lasfar
Ryan "Mikeeeeey" Fournier
Tanya "smokey" Mollo
Amanda "superwoman"
Alex "brushy"

Special thanks to
Manny "taxi-man" Singh
Amer "that's my house" Meknas
Fahim "coconut curry chicken" Mirza
Nilofer "don't make a mess" Mirza
Asif "that's my room" Mirza
Irfan "I got weights" Gilani

Pictures from the shoot

2010-06-14T16:40:00.000-07:00

2010-06-11T19:06:00.000-07:00

Our shoot is scheduled for June 12/13rd, inshaAllah. A round of applause for our producers Zebi and Shakera for working 24/7 to get us to this point. Can't wait till tomorrow to turn this idea into reality inshaallah.

Meet the producers of "Doctor, Director!"

2010-06-04T17:50:00.001-07:00

Watch this message from the producers of "Doctor, Director!" and find out what drives us to do, what we're doing right now.

1 week away from the new shoot date!

2010-06-04T14:46:00.000-07:00

We're ONE week away for our new shoot date!

We had to move our original shoot date because of rainy weather in Toronto. Inshallah we're hoping to get our film shot the weekend of June 12th & 13th.

I just got off the phone from a few equipment houses in Toronto where we're getting the rest of our equipment. We need some more lights, a bunch of grip equipment and some camera lenses. Boy, is it expensive!!

We are so close to making this dream project a reality! Please help us out by chipping in:

If you prefer to contribute by paypal you can by donating to the following account: waterlooadnan@gmail.com

New shoot dates

2010-06-04T12:52:00.000-07:00

To accomodate cast/crew availability, we have rescheduled our principal shooting to June 12/13th, inshaAllah.

Shoot rescheduled due to bad weather

2010-05-21T11:16:00.000-07:00

We have to reschedule our shoot due to rain in Toronto area on Saturday. We will be posting the new dates soon inshaAllah.

Camera and Lenses

2010-05-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

Finally, here are the shooters. We will be using a stunning Canon DSLR camera as well as sophisticated Carl Zeiss Lenses along with some L series Canon Lenses.

Grip equipment

2010-05-18T10:37:00.000-07:00

Here is the some of the grip equipment. We will be renting c-clamps and stands locally, but the rest like the 6x6 flags, clamps, reflector boards are all here.

Audio equipment for Doctor, Director!

2010-05-18T10:12:00.001-07:00

Here is a compiled list of audio equipment I just picked up. Zoom H4n, Sennheiser lavs, MKH-60 shotgun and accessories.

Lighting Equipment for our short film

2010-05-18T09:59:00.000-07:00

So I've finally returned from my trip and brought along the necessary equipment for the shoot. Some of the equipment will be rented from several Toronto rental facilities. It's a grueling task to collect the requirement equipment but inshaAllah it will be worth it.

One of you asked…

2010-05-17T22:06:00.000-07:00

Reader question:

You mentioned the movie will be more than just entertainment and there is a message behind it. Can you please let us know what is the message you hope to get across or the message you are portraying?

First off, thank you so much for visiting our blog and taking interest in our project! It is Allah’s Blessing that we are able to make use of technology to tie our ummah together in such a dynamic way online.

Ummah Films is committed to bringing you unlimited access to free entertainment online. We have dedicated ourselves to providing the Halal option in top-notch entertainment for free on the internet. It is our Creator that inspires us, and it is His message that drives us to continue what we are doing. Therefore, each project we undertake aims to deliver a piece of his message to the world in an artistic and engaging manner.

Our first project “Tomorrow Never Comes” was about the importance of seeing the value in “today” and establishing consciousness about every action we undertake in our lives.

Our current project, “Doctor, Director!” explores the theme of materialism and the importance of looking past worldly aspirations to gain a higher level of achievement.

I don’t want to ruin the story for everyone, so I won’t say anymore!

Upon completion, “Doctor, Director!” will be available for viewing for FREE online.

Please do take a moment of your time and help us raise money for this project. Please help us take steps to get closer to conquering the epic mission Allah has set out for us, inshAllah.

Shoot in ONE week!

2010-05-15T22:11:00.000-07:00

Our shoot is less than a week away! And there is still so much left to do...

Right now our director is making a 9 hour drive to New York to pick up a few pieces of equipment that a friend has graciously offerred to lend us.

As we mentioned earlier, the Ummah Films team is trying to create a professional quality product on a miniscule budget. We are Blessed to have many generous people in our lives who have offered their help in many capacities. We are trying to do whatever we can to cut corners and save money.

But we still need your help.

The Ummah Films team is working hard to bring you unlimited access to free entertainment online. Remember, we are your production company committed to providing the Halal option in top-notch entertainment for free on the internet. Not only are our projects entertaining, they have a message behind them. We are working towards our goal in hopes of making a positive difference. But alone, we can’t do much.

We can achieve our goals only if we all work together. Some of us have the filmmaking skills to make the project happen. But we rely on people like you who can help by making a monetary contribution.

Here’s your chance to get up and do something to make a difference.

Please help us out by chipping in:

It’s crunch time…

2010-05-11T19:12:00.000-07:00

Our shoot is less than two weeks away!

Over the past couple of months, the Ummah Films team has been scrambling to pull together all the details. We’ve been cutting corners, putting in volunteer hours and finding help from many generous people to make this project happen.

We have raised a few thousand dollars for this film. What a great step up from our last project for which we only had $700 to work with!

At first glance, a few thousand seems plenty to shoot a short film. But consider all the resources needed to put this project together, and the costs quickly add up.

We are currently sitting over budget, which means we have our work cut out for us. We need to raise more funds to cover the cost of our film.

This is why we need your help.

The Ummah Films team is working hard to bring you unlimited access to free entertainment online.

We are not Hollywood.

Ummah Films is your production company committed to providing the Halal option in top-notch entertainment for free on the internet. Not only are our projects entertaining, they have a message behind them. We are working towards our goal in hopes of making a positive difference. But alone, we can’t do much.

Our ultimate goal is to make a feature film that is of the same calibre as Hollywood. We have the talent, but we need funds to make our dream a reality.

You were there for us when we shot our first project, Tomorrow Never Comes, for which we raised $700. We had no professional working on that project. Despite this, we made a 20 minute film that was viewed over 100 000 times on YouTube.

Not bad for a first try right?

If we can achieve that with only $700, imagine what we can do with $7000!

That is our goal for “Doctor, Director!” We have raised a few thousand dollars, but we are still sitting short. We need your help.

Ummah Films works for you to bring you free entertainment over the internet. We keep you updated every step of the way so you know what your film company is working on.

We can achieve our goals only if we all work together. Some of us have the filmmaking skills to make the project happen. But we rely on people like you who can help by making a monetary contribution.

Here’s your chance to get up and do something to make a difference.

Please help us out by chipping in:

Vote for your favorite video! (link in description)

2010-05-06T23:27:00.000-07:00

Vote for your favorite video at babaaligames.com/contest
- The video with the most votes wins $1000
If you want the game, make sure you use the coupon code "YOUTUBE" to get $5 off

Doctor, Director...Auditions in "Act tion" prt 2

2010-05-04T18:44:00.000-07:00

Doctor, Director....Auditions in "Act tion"

2010-05-04T18:31:00.000-07:00

Salam everyone.....

Well...after a long and fun day at the auditions..things got pretty busy!..

We have a few good actors and actress and we even got those "I'm curious about this audition thing"drop-ins...which we gladly welcomed...

it was fun, interesting and productive by far

Currently we lined up our Cabbie, Jack..and the mother...and the Leila.. of course you probably don't know who these guys are..but pay attention ....and you'll soon find out!

Still have auditions to get a few more actors...but don't worry....we got it under control....

in the mean time take a look at the pics.......of those who auditioned..

Dr. Shak

Meeting with Storyboard artist

2010-05-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,

So yesterday was my meeting with the storyboard artist for Doctor, Director! It's a pleasure to introduce SALMAN SAJUN, conceptual artist extraordinaire! We discuss the project and the best ways to give life to our story in terms of shots.

Salman studies conceptual art at a very exclusive art school in Toronto and I'm happy to have him on-board for this project.

Salams

Doctor, Director...Audition Day T-1

2010-04-30T20:21:00.000-07:00

11:24pm...countdown....T-1

Few hours to go for our auditions..can't wait....

We got a packed schedule tomorrow for our auditions..at least one actor to fill the roles of all the characters! ;o)

NOTE - I completely forgot to mention, the females will be wearing a hijab or scarf for the filming...

What's going to happen you ask?

Well, we got the actors coming in from 11am - 4pm

Sara will be recording their performance for us to review later on...

Adnan and I will ask the questions and observe their acting skills ;o)

Then we wrap up after 4pm....

What's next?

Next week the following will take place, inshallah:

Adnan to meet with an actor downtown and visit Waterloo to conduct a few more auditions (always better to have a picking, as variety is the spice of life...or is it? ;-p
Shakera to House hunt...need to get an external shot of a house....which is 70% confirmed...
Zebi to do the same..
Shakera to have contracts signed once actors are selected for the shoot..

Hmmm what else....well stay tuned...will be updating you after the auditions to let you know how it all went down...

The Doctor is out................

Every Vote Counts! (some really cool videos posted)

2010-04-29T11:33:00.001-07:00

Every Vote Counts!
Some of the videos came out amazing, others were unique, and a few were just strange. We decided to have a video contest and leave the winner in your hands. The videos have been posted so please take a minute and vote for your favorite one. Here is the link: http://www.babaaligames.com/contest

JazakAllah khair!

Doctor, Director! CInematographer (DP) meeting

2010-04-27T22:57:00.001-07:00

Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem,Alhamduillah we are moving closer to bringing the ummah high quality, Islam-friendly entertainment. Yesterday, I met with Walter, one possible DoP for Doctor, Director! He is a great guy, and has lot of experience in feature films, TV shows and commercials.
We discussed shots, locations, camera angles, lenses.....all that juicy stuff! While I plan on meeting 2 other DoPs, I really like Walter for his experience and I think he will do justice with our project.
But since he's a perfectionist, some of the equipment he needs will cost extra and goes over our budget. This is exactly why we need your help. As you know we have established a chip-in account so audiences like yourself can help us raise funds to make this project a reality.
We seek your assistances in making such projects possible. What we establish now will become a source of good entertainment for ourselves and most importantly, for our future generations, inshaAllah.
Salam

Doctor, Director - Audition Time!!

2010-04-27T19:59:00.000-07:00

The doctor is back! yes, I've been out of the loop for a bit...been busy on calls... ;o)

Audition date is set for Sat May 1st at the Etobicoke Civic Centre, main boardroom (for those who wanna drop by)

Contacted a few more agencies, posted a few ads and finally got the schedule set! Got a bit of shifting around with times..it happens.

Its getting close to the date where the excitement builds..till shoot date...

New developments:
Cab and Cab driver 75% confirmed - Thanks to Shahid (one of the actors auditioning...I have to thank him for his contacts and getting us what we need or at least close to it ;o)

Parents - 50% confirmed, got a lead on getting someone to act the mother role, which is like finding a needle in a hay stack! Got the dad, well cross the fingers but I like the selection I found!

Other characters - all booked to audition on Sat

Additional Auditions - potentially held in Waterloo.....Adnan to take the lead on that one. I trust his judgment...

Countdown Starts ....T-4 until Audition day!

Stay tuned....

Dr Shak has left the building...on route to gather more talent

Big budget meeting

2010-04-24T14:11:00.000-07:00

Roll up your sleeves everyone. This is serious business.

The Ummah Films team held our first pre-production meeting for “Doctor, Director!” The script has been finalized and so it is time to kick the planning process into high gear.

First item on the agenda – the budget.

We have raised a few thousand dollars for this film. What a great step up from our last project for which we only had $700 to work with!

At first glance, a few thousand seems plenty to shoot a short film. But consider all the resources needed to put this project together, and the costs quickly add up.

We are currently sitting over budget, which means we have our work cut out for us. We need to raise more funds to cover the cost of our film.

This is why we need your help.

The Ummah Films team is working hard to bring you unlimited access to free entertainment online. Please help us out by chipping in:

Doctor, Director..Search for Talent

2010-04-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

11:59am....

Reviewed 30 applicants...Majority of which are male. Very few females however, the search is still on..
Researching on location for auditions for May 2nd.
Synopsis seems to catch the eye of many....we have many Italians, Scottish, Irish, few Middle Eastern & South Asians but they all get a laugh out of the story line!

Ummah Films in action again!

2010-04-20T20:13:00.000-07:00

Ummah Films is back again!

After the success of our first film "Tomorrow Never Comes", the team is back to work on our second short film, this time in Toronto, Canada!

Conceived by Canadian Ku K. and written by Ken B. "Doctor, Director!" is a hilarious comedic short about a first meeting with the in-laws gone horribly wrong.

Director, Adnan S., is back to lend his artistic eye to yet another Ummah Films project.

Canadian Producers, Zebunnisa Mirza and Shakera Nagil, will be lending their helping hands to tackle logistics, casting, crew, numbers and all the other (albeit boring but oh so important!) production details.

No Ummah Films production is ever complete without the touch of audio genius, Sara Takieddin. Sara is back once again and will be making it all sound good with location and post audio.

Stay tuned to our blog as we get pre-production for "Doctor, Director!" underway!

Check out the new videos!

2010-04-16T21:04:00.000-07:00

The polls of the new contest is open and we have 26 video entries. Please vote for your favorite video. You may choose up to 3 videos. The video with the most votes by May 18th wins $1000 so please check the videos and vote.

JazakAllah Khair. Here is the link: http://www.babaaligames.com/contest

Ummah Film's 2nd Movie

2010-04-12T14:31:00.001-07:00

Asalamualykum Ummah Films Fans,

We're glad to announce that finally we're moving forward with Ummah Films' second film, alhamdulilah We just in the process of finalizing the script and we have begun our search for the cast and crew.

Stay tuned for more details.

Jazakum Allah Khayran

Ummah Film Updates

2010-04-05T10:48:00.000-07:00

A couple of updates:

Ummah Films Movie: A found a great director in Toronto to Direct our next short film. About two weeks ago, I did a show with Boonaa Muhammad and was so impressed by his work, I asked him to come on board and he accepted. Being that he's in Toronto, it works out really well. I met a sister in Ottawa who does editing and she said she wants in so I forwarded her info to the Director and inshAllah they are going to coordinate. As far as casting, Toronto has plenty of talent so we're all good in that dept. The script is almost as in its final draft and we're hoping that pre-production starts next month inshAllah.

Half Our Deen: The project is moving along smoothly. We just got an update the from our programmers and everything is on schedule to launch in June inshAllah.

Kalimaat Video Contest: We have 10 submissions so far (view) and less than 10 days left for submissions. One of these videos is winning $1,000 and that decision is up to the jury...which is you, the viewer.

Ali Standup: I'm still performing basically every weekend. My schedule has been crazy thus far. Check out from Feb till May, I'm living in airports like every weekend....

# Feb 19th Raleigh, NC
# Feb 20th Grand Rapids, MI
# Feb 26th Chicago, IL
# Mar 6th Glendale, CA
# Mar 13th Memphis, TN
# Mar 20th Durham, NC
# Mar 26th Boston, MA
# Mar 27th event link Ottawa, ON
# Apr 4th Phoenix, AZ
# Apr 6th Pennsylvania, PA
# Apr 10th San Diego, CA
# Apr 17th (not available)
# Apr 24th Dallas, TX
# May 1st Stony Brook, NY
# May 2nd Mohegan Lake, NY
# May 7th Little Rock, AR
# May 8th Tulsa, OK

Alhamdulillah as much as I enjoy doing live events and meeting new bros/sis, its makes it almost impossible to make reminder videos. I work during the week and am Baba Ali on the weekend so things can get really busy. Then again, the experience has been amazing Alhamdulillah and the opportunity to see what different communities have been doing has been really interesting.

Recently, I was notified of what the Community in Melbourne were up to and they built an awesome center (far more sophsicated than most of the youth centers I have seen). Then again, its Australia and the communities there are really ahead of the game. When I did the Australia tour, I had to do two shows in Melbourne back to back because they show quickly sold out. I miss Australia...I would a great tour and the communities were amazing.

Here is some more info about the center:
The Hume Islamic Youth Center or HIYC is a first of its kind in the region. The surrounding suburbs boast the largest Muslim population in Victoria.

InshAllah, with the opening of this Youth Center, we are able to engage and educate a key and emerging demographic, the Youth.

- On the weekend of the 9, 10 and 11 of April,

Launch and Grand opening of our Youth Center with a jam packed schedule consisting of fun and educational activities, talks by local and inter-state speakers, famous Muslim personalities, multi-media presentations, entertaining sketches, food and lots more…*Attached flyer has more information

Below is a ‘snapshot’ of the programs and facilities offered at the center.

- Learning and Education

o Quran (beginners, intermediate and memorization) – for all ages groups

o Homework clubs – For Primary and High School students

o Drug education – preventative

o Calligraphy

o Islamic Bookshop and Multimedia

o Kids activity days

o Specific Ladies only Islamic classes

- Sports and Recreational

o Billiards/Snooker

o Table Tennis

o Mixed Martial Arts

o Taekwondo

o Aikido

o Boxing

o Mini Gym

o Movie/Documentary screenings

- Others

o Full time Café with Lounge area

o Separate function hall that can cater for up to 200 people (has projector screen)

o 5 daily prayers and Friday Sermon

Check out the new video submissions! Very cool

2010-03-29T18:09:00.000-07:00

A bunch of new videos just came in for the Kalimaat Video Contest and I must say I'm impressed with the work and creativity. Then again, I'm not choosing the winner...the viewers are! :)

Deadline for Video Submissions is April 14th InshAllah and from April 17th to May 17th, we're the viewers will vote for their favorite video. Originally, I was going to use Google Polls but then I found a flaw in their system (they allow users to vote as many time as they want) and that would be a headache. So I found a better polling company that limits via cookies and IP address inshAllah.

Each video is different and you never know which one the people will choose. I'm looking forward to the voting.

Check out the latest submitted videos here: http://www.babaaligames.com/contest

Kalimaat Video Contest Extension - April 14th 2010

2010-03-26T21:24:00.000-07:00

The submission date for the Kalimaat Video Contest has been extended to April 14th 2010. Use this opportunity to make your final tweaks inshAllah.

The contest winner is chosen by viewer votes (not by me) so let the video with the most votes win. For more information regarding the $1000 Kalimaat Video Contest, please visit http://www.babaaligames.com/contest

My $1000 Marketing Idea

2010-03-25T12:34:00.000-07:00

When it comes to business, I take more risks that anyone I know. The risks I take aren't just random but rather they're actually calculated. Basically, I weigh the risks vs rewards and then I decide to pull the trigger or not (not literally in case the govt officials are reading this). So although Kalimaat has been really good in sales, I wanted to try something new to promote it. I came up with an idea to market the game by having a video contest and to make the contest interesting, I decided to offer a $1000 prize for the winning video. And that all sounded great in my head but in reality, I was wondering where am I going to get $1000 from? haha

So I came up an idea to fund the contest by offering a discount on the game. By giving a $5 discount (coupon code "youtube" in case your interested), customers would be able to buy the game for $20 instead of its normal price of $25 from www.babaaligames.com. The goal was to sell 50 games at $20 each to make the $1000. So I made a video (link)to announcing the contest and posted it up on YouTube. By tracking the number of games bought with the promo code, I was able to account for the number of games bought as in result of the video contest promo. Alhamdulillah we have sold 50 games already.

As far as the marketing side, the contest allowed me to get 50 more games into circulation which means that possible hundreds of more people will be exposed to game when the play it with their friends inshAllah and that often leads to future sales.

The winner of the contest is not chosen by me but rather by viewers. In other words, the video with the most votes wins the $1000. So the second possible benefit from the contest was that people would make videos about Kalimaat and ideally would tell everyone they know to vote for their video, which in turn would get the game even more exposure. The ultimate goal would to have a bunch of Kalimaat videos on YouTube (biggest video site on the net) posted by users.

Next, I decided to have the voting done at www.babaaligames.com site which would bring more traffic to the site as well InshAllah. Thus, with the risk of $1000, I could have a bunch of videos made by customers about Kalimaat, an increase in game sales by offering a sale (discount code), while increasing traffic to the site where I sell the game.

Although we have sold the 50 games we needed to break even, only 1 video has been posted. So I'm not sure if people thought I was joking about giving away the money or if people are waiting till the last minute to submit their videos. Rest assured, if nobody else enters by March 31st at 11:59pm, the current video will win by default and he will receive a check for $1000.

Some of my friends may have thought I was crazy for giving away $1000 but I don't think they think I'm crazy anymore haha. Alhamdulillah now that I've basically broken even, everything from now on is just gravy. If anything, the contest gives people an excuse to pick up a camera and try to do something creative. I did a few years ago and look what happened...Baba Ali was born on the Internet.

Anyways, the contest is just a few days away so I'm interested in seeing what happens next :)

Bball Clothes & the Peeping People on the Plane

2010-03-23T16:22:00.001-07:00

I just realized that I've done 3 shows in North Carolina so far, and each time I keep forgetting to bring my basketball gear. It seems like everyone, including the Imam, plays bball in NC. Anyways, I think I need a privacy filter too for my laptop. Although I'm usually type of scripts or playing games, who knows what the paranoid people on the plane are thinking haha. This week I'm doing two shows. One in Boston (North Eastern University) and one in Ottawa, Canada...eh? (sorry you can't just say Canada without saying eh!)

Half Our Deen - Sign up page is up

2010-03-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

I'm excited with the progress of Half Our Deen so far. About two months ago, we decided to scratch what we had so far and decided to start over. The Half Our Deen project is the biggest budget I have worked on (about $32k) and so far they have programmed over 250 pages of code. Yeah, I could have just paid a few thousand dollars and got a vanilla matchmaking site like everyone else but that would be pointless.

My goal with Half Our Deen was to take what was out there and take it to another level. I basically listed everything I disliked about the other sites and decided to do those things completely differently. If the other sites work for you, then don't waste your time with Half Our Deen, but for those who want something completely different, then InshAllah I think Half Our Deen is going to be nice surprise.

Yesterday, we put up the email notification page up for those who wanted to be notified when the site launches. The link to the site is http://www.halfourdeen.com

We're on track to launch in June InshAllah

Muslim Funnymentalists in Memphis

2010-03-15T12:36:00.001-07:00

Although I do the majority of my touring solo, I sometimes team up with Aman Ali and Asif Ali (no relation) and we tour as The Muslim Funnymentalists (www.funnymentalists.com). Last week, we did a show in Memphis and the event organizers advertised the show on a bunch of billboards. Being that the south hasn't always been non-white friendly (this is where they killed Martin Luther King), we weren't show who was going to show up at the event. Alhamdulillah the event went really well. About 40% non-Muslims showed up and they had a blast (not literally but you know what I mean). The show was oversold and by the crowd's reaction, it looked like everyone had a great time. They sold out early and over 200+ tickets were sold on top of that which made things a little hectic for the organizers.

After the comedy bits, they had a panel discussion where parents/youth were able to bring up issues for discussion. The topics were relative and that made the discussions interesting.

The crowd was amazing and I really enjoyed meeting everyone there. The southern hospitality was awesome. Next week, I'll be in Durham, NC.

Baba Ali on Billboards? Yeah on a bunch of them in memphis!

2010-03-09T07:41:00.001-08:00

I really hope people don't think that I'm on a wanted list or something. Usually when you see "Have you seen these men" on something, you really don't want your pic to be attached to it but in this case, I think its kinda cool :) The organization who is putting this weekend’s event together decided to go all out and put my face and the other two comedians (Asif Ali & Aman Ali) on a bunch of billboards in the city. I really hope we don't get hassled by Memphis police and airport personnel.

During the 1960s, the city was at the center of civil rights issues. I'll be performing with the other two Muslim Funnymentalists this Saturday inshAllah and I just hope that the crowd doesn't confuse Funnymentalist with Fundamentalist. I'm interested in finding out the demographics of the audience for this event. Either way, I think its going to make an interesting blog post.

What happened in Glendale stays in Glendale :)

2010-03-08T11:30:00.000-08:00

I live in LA during the week but almost every weekend I'm traveling to some random city to perform at events. So when I found out that I would be in Glendale this past weekend, I was looking forward of doing a show that was just a freeway away. When I got to the event, I noticed the crowd was about 500 people, mostly dressed in suites. The had a free dinner (the type of food you would get a fancy restaurant) so of course someone asked if the meat was halal since it wasn't your typical fund-raising-biryani-dinner I guess :). They crowd was so noisy that they had to make announcement for the audience to stay quiet and listen to the speakers. By the end of the night, they were able to raise 400k for the new Islamic Center in Glendale. Once the fundraising was done, I was up.

Because the event started on Middle-Eastern standard time (late), it pushed back all the way to nearly 10pm (I was originally schedule for 8:55pm). When the MC was introducing me, most of the crowd was emerged in conversation with one another so when I went up, it was almost like talking to myself. It seemed like the room noise kept getting louder and louder, and I was basically talking to myself. I noticed my table was laughing at me instead of with me which made me laugh. Then a brother walked up to the stage and told me to make an announcement. Apparently, somebody had lost their shoes. Not sure how someone loses their shoes in a formal gathering but hey, with the way things were going that night, I wouldn't be surprised.

So I figured it couldn't get any worse so I told myself let me just try to wing it and then go home but it wasn't that easy because the crowd was just too loud. Then a guy walked up on stage on said "let me put this (wireless) mic on you". Now with two mics, I tried to start again but suddenly there was a loud feedback/interface coming from the mics. Next thing I know the wireless mic drops off my shirt. I tired to walk around the stage but mic the interference wouldn't go away. The brother got on stage again to put the wireless mic on me and the result was once again, interference...loud, uncomfortable interference. Still, I tried to pull off my first joke but the combination of interference and room noise made it almost impossible. At this point, I'm like in boxer about to get knocked out and all I can do is look around in the crowd. As I look down at the table in front of me, I noticed there were people take group pictures. So at this point, I'm not just bombing on stage, but the funny thing that I don't think most of the crowd is even noticing. Next thing I know, I'm laughing at myself on stage. You had to admit, i whole thing was pretty funny. You start to think to yourself, this is a prank. I mean, this is this stuff you see on the candid camera tv shows. You're looking around waiting for someone to say "hey you just got punked" but that wasn't happening either. So I just stood there with an awkward smile.

Finally, one of the speakers of the evening made an announcement and asked everyone to be quiet. It took him a few minutes to get everyone quiet since he had trouble getting everyone attention. He then proceeded by giving them a lecture on being quiet and by the time he was done, the room became strangely quiet. It was almost an uncomfortable silence. The kinda of quiet you feel when people are in trouble. He gave me back the mic and I didn't really know how to start. Usually the crowd is excited and looking forward to laughing but this crowd had just been told that they were not courteous and I almost felt like I was about to perform at a detention. So I did something I don't think I have ever done for a standup comedy event. I started off serious. Very serious. Eventually, I transitioned it into standup comedy but it was just weird. By the time it was all over, the crowd was laughing out loud (with me and not at me). At the end, everyone had a good time. As for me, I grew thicker skin after that event haha. Good times.

Alhamdulillah, the event was well organized and I actually enjoyed the night. The scholar was not just a great fundraiser but he amazing human being as well. More importantly, the event managed to raise a lot of money for the new center so I'm happy to be part of the such a night.

Baba Ali performing in Glendale this Saturday

2010-03-05T12:22:00.000-08:00

I was just invited to speak/perform in Glendale, CA this Saturday night InshAllah. The community is working to build a Masjid in the Glendale area so if you would like to help them, please visit icglendale.org

For details on the event, please check the flyer above.

I use to come out with video almost every weekend but these days I'm working during the week and busy on the weekends performing at various events. My weekend schedule is so crazy that from now till like mid May, I'm touring basically every weekend. In the past, I have been using this blog to just post new videos because I figured that's what people were interested in. I was wondering if the people subscribed to this blog are interested on touring side of things? If so, I can blog about that and that will allow me blog on a much more frequent basis. Anyways, post a comment and let me know what you think.

By the way, you'll find the Baba Ali standup schedule on www.alistandup.com

Kalimaat Review by Musilm Link

2010-03-04T08:25:00.001-08:00

My game was reviewed by The Muslim Link in this week's paper which was kinda of cool. Click on the pic above to read the review. Over 1100+ games have sold and I have only had one return which isn't bad. Alhamdulillah.

Hajj Pics

2010-02-02T23:45:00.000-08:00

My Hajj trip was amazing and here are some pics. I took the trip with Hajj Pros (http://www.hajjpros.com) who offered to give me a discount off their price of their site. They offered to give a discount to my viewers as well. Just tell them that Baba Ali said you would hook them up. In exchange, I ask you to remember me in your duahs when you goto Hajj InshAllah. JazakAllah Khair

Hajj with Baba Ali (New Ummah Films video)

2010-01-29T21:17:00.000-08:00

Hajj is an amazing experience. It has a huge impact on so many people so try to go when you're young. You never know if there will be a "next year" so if you can go sooner than later, then please try to go and don't forget to make du'ah for me when you're there :)

For those interested in the group I went with, you can learn more about Hajj Pros at www.hajjpros.com

Hajj Part 1

Hajj Part 2

Baba Ali's Video Contest ($1000 Prize)

2010-01-15T15:11:00.000-08:00

With over 1000 Kalimaat games sold, I've decided to have a Kalimaat Video Contest and give away $1000. Grab your camera, find someone who has the game, and maybe call a few friends to put a video together. It doesn't cost anything to enter so give it a try.

In the meantime, I'm going to try to gather my thoughts from latest experience (Hajj) so and I hope to put a video together about that.

To get your $5 discount on the Kalimaat, just use the coupon code "YouTube" when purchasing the game from www.babaaligames.com

JazakAllah Khair for everyone's support. The Kalimaat reviews so far have been amazing! Alhamdulillah

Ummah Films Transition

2009-12-18T20:12:00.000-08:00

Back in Early 2006, we started Ummah Films with the hope of making films for the Ummah. The story goes back when I returned from an interview for the Mecca to Medina game and was inspired to start a film company. I contact Mahdi and a few other brothers and pitched them the idea about making a film company. Everyone got excited so I bought all the equipment with my own money, and then handed the equipment to some local brothers to make a film. Unfortunately, after a month, they only had about 8 seconds of footage. I then decided to try to make my own film but I soon realized that it required much more than just inspiration. So with no cameraman, no editor, no director, I basically sat in my chair and voiced my thoughts about issues I felt were being addressed at Jummah. One video let to another then to another....and soon the video blogs became popular. I do not take credit for them since the success is not in my hands but rather in the hands of my creator.

As popular as the films have become, this wasn't Ummah Films. Our initial conversations with the people I called about starting this project was never about video blogs but the blogging was just something to do while everyone else figured out the actual film part. Unfortunately, all of us came to the same conclusion that film making required a certain skill set. Also, after having discussions, we realized that we all different goals (i.e. some of us were trying to reach the Muslim audience while others wanted to reach a broader audience). Thus Ummah Films was on hold and we ended up making no films. Mahdi and I tried making some sample clips and again, we realized that to make something professional it required a team of professionals. We made some practice clips but again, the more we played around with the equipment, the more we realized how complex the world of filmmaking was. In addition, we all had different views. Thus, Mahdi and I, ended up making our own video blogs with issues we each thought were important while the other film bros went on to do their own thing. All of us, for one reason or another, went our own direction and Ummah Films started feeling more like a dream than a reality.

I moved on to do standup and making games while the other brothers started doing their own thing. Then one day at one of my standup gigs, I was approached by a brother about making an actual film. He offered to handle the project on his own and bring volunteers so I handed the equipment over to them and they ended up making Ummah Films first film, Tomorrow Never Comes. I contacted some of the founders of Umamh Films if they wanted to help them with their project but just like me, they were occupied with others things. I can not any credit for the success for that film because I wasn't really involved. The only thing I did was play an extra and that was only because they were short one person (that task could have been done by anyone). Now with over 100k views on YouTube, it looks like their shoestring budget ($700) was well received ($700).

I hope another group of volunteers will come around to make our next film inshAllah. Again, as much as I would like to see positive films out there, I have little or nothing to contribute because I just don't have the background. I realized this a while ago and that have thus moved on to other things (Kalimaat, standup, other projects, etc...) and have left the filming to those who went to school for it.

Although I was one of the people who started Ummah Films, that is where my line of the credit stops. Since TNC, there hasn't been any film projects. This makes it even more clear to me that it will be to Ummah Films best interest to hand over the funds that I have raised to a professional. I have been in talks with the director of TNC to be the new Amir and take over all Ummah Films film projects from now on as I have officially stepped down. Unlike the rest of us, he went to USC film school and has a portfolio of films MashAllah. He was a student when he made TNC and since he has graduated, he has increased experience and knowledge of film. Although I did all the dvd sales and almost all the shirt sales, I never put the money in my own pocket. Ummah Films was never a business for me. I have donated the money I raised to him so he can make the next thought-provoking Ummah Films project. I am happy that I was one of those that were there since Day 1, but it has become time to pass on the torch to those who have the experience and knowledge to make to make the future films. JazakAllah Khair for everyone's support and I would like to especially thank everyone else who was there from Day 1.

Baba Ali at IlmFest this weekend

2009-09-29T14:52:00.000-07:00

I was invited to speak at IlmFest 2009 in Baltimore this Saturday (10/3/2009). I hope to see you guys there InshAllah.

Are you ready?? Kalimaat Tournament this Saturday at ICSGV

2009-09-02T07:54:00.000-07:00

Baba Ali's Kalimaat: Tournament of Champions...only at ICSGV Young Adults Group Qiyam-ul-Layl event on Saturday, Sept 5th, starting at 10pm. See ICSGV.com for details...

I've been asked to host the first Kalimaat Tournament at the ICSGV (flyer). They made the trailer on their own. Pretty cool huh?

NEW Ummah Films video : Agree to Disagree

2009-08-31T08:14:00.000-07:00

After receiving over 100,000 comments to the videos, I decided that it was finally time for me to comment on the troublemakers who use the comment section to start arguments. Unfortunately, many Muslims fall into the trap and end up fighting and even use the same foul language. Islamically, this is not the way we should be acting.

What is happening today isn't much different from 1400 years ago. People lie with the hopes of deceiving people about Islam but at the end they are only deceiving themselves. Actually, their false accusations of Islam has made others investigate, which has resulted in people accepting this beautiful Deen.

Kalimaat "how to play" video

2009-08-22T18:16:00.000-07:00

I often get asked how Kalimaat is played so here the answer.

Ramadan Video (Ummah Films' Ramadan Reruns)

2009-08-20T22:34:00.000-07:00

Ramadan Mubarak! Since most people starting fasting on Saturday, I figure its time to post up Ramadan Reruns video inshAllah.

Allah (swt) gave us another Ramadan so let's try to take advantage of it InshAllah so when the month ends, we stronger Iman and are better examples InshAllah. Remember there are many people who thought they would have another year and they have passed away so don't let the opportunity of gaining good deeds pass you by.

The point of the video is to make people more conscious of these silly actions so they will think twice before they do it. Reminding myself before anyone else, Ramadan is a blessing so let's try not to take it for granted but rather take advantage of it by increasing our Iman (faith) so we can become better Muslims, even after Ramadan is over InshAllah.

Finally, just a reminder for everyone (including myself) "If a person does not avoid false talk & false conduct during Siyam, then Allah does not care if he abstains 4m food & drink" (Bukhari & Muslim)

If you know someone who is fasting, please send them the video. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixN0qhN39k0 Feel free to post the video wherever you want. May we be the generation that makes the positive difference InshAllah.

Kalimaat on sale in UK & Canada

2009-08-20T16:50:00.001-07:00

With Ramadan around the corner, Eid isn't too far away. Kalimaat is now available in Canada and in the UK. Right now, when you order Kalimaat from outside of the United States from www.babaaligames.com, you pay $13.95 for International shipping. The good news is that Kalimaat is now sold in both the UK and Canada and you'll save a lot of money if you directly through these vendors.

In the UK, the game is on sale right now on this site for £16 delivered (savings of $11)

If you're in Canada, get it through this site you can get it $25 Canadian plus shipping (savings of $8)

Another plus is that you'll get your shipment much faster too. I'm all the way in the Los Angeles (that's as west coast as you can get so it takes 6 to 10 business days for international packages to arrive)

The game was launched just a month ago and around 1033 games have been ordered thus far. I've been emailing people who bought the game from me to get their feedback. The reviews have been amazing!

With Ramadan around the corner, Eid isn't just about 30 or so days away.

No more Ummah Films videos until further notice

2009-08-13T14:43:00.000-07:00

Ummah Films videos are on *pause* :(

When I made the Reminder videos, I kept saving money and buying better equipment so I could give the viewers a higher quality video. Although I made the videos for free, I didn't want to take the cheap route and wanted to do things with the same professional quality as if I was getting paid. The fruits of the hereafter are worth far more than whatever anyone can pay me in this dunya.

Anyways, the only drawback with buying high end equipment is that if something fails, its cost more than a few pennies to fix it. Long story short, my wireless mic isn't working anymore and until further notice, the Ummah Films videos are on hold. My goal was to record and edit Season 3 by the end of Ramadan but sometimes things don't work out the way you plan. Either way, we should always say Alhamdulillah.

On the bright side, my game Kalimaat has been doing really well. About 945 games have sold so far (Alhamdulillah) which is great considering the game launched a few weeks ago . Although Kalimaat from the outside looks like just a word game, it does have indirect benefits.

In a nutshell, the game is played like this: You have 60 seconds to give clues to your teammate so they can guess as many of the 10 Kalimaat words on the card. Each time they guess a word, they put a token down on the table. Once the 60 seconds is up, you'll have 30 seconds to remember what those words were. The words you remember, you get a point for...the words you can't recall, the other team will try to steal it by remembering them.

Of the 10 words, there are usually 1 or 2 words that are Islamic or Muslim-related.

So here are some of the benefits:

1. Communication: How many times have you seen a very knowledgeable person put people to sleep during Jummah. Just because one has knowledge doesn't mean that they know how to communicate that knowledge. As you know, there are some eloquent speakers that just speak nonsense but because they know how to communicate, they are able to get their message across while there are some very knowledgeable people that unfortunately do the opposite and don't get the attention they deserve. The game, Kalimaat, forces the clue-giver to speak at a level which the guesser can understand. When the Prophet (saw) spoke to people, he did it in a way so that person listening would understand. The way he spoke to a common person may have been different than the way he spoke to a Bedouin even though he was explaining the same Islam. Although the Prophet (saw) last Khutbah was short, it was effective because it was simple, informative, and to the point. These days, you can listen to a guy speak to the 30 minutes and its hard finding the actual point. Anyways, the game Kalimaat teaches you to communicate words to your partner so they will understand and because you're timed, you have to do it simple and to the point. Plus the pressure of being timed makes the game fun and entertaining (lots of laughs). You quickly learn that communication isn't as easy as you imagined and you have to adjust your words to get the other person to understand you.

2. Memorization. Even before Islam, people use to memorize hundreds of lines of poetry due to the lack of resources. Today, we can't goto the grocery store without a list and we still end up looking at the list a few times. This is because we don't use the memory part of our brain like we use to. If you notice the people who are Hafiz do really good in school because once you use the memory muscle on a consistent basis, you'll find it easier to memorize other things. Kalimaat encourages you to use your memory more and that can be very beneficial InshAllah.

3. Indirect Learning: Last but not least, players can learn indirectly. A little while ago, I was playing Kalimaat in Cleveland with some random brothers and the word "qiyas" came up and i was trying to explain it to my partner, but I ran out of time. Then one of the players from the other team later asked me what the word meant, and lead to a discussion. As you know, there is a Hadith that talks about the person who hangs out with the perfume seller vs the blacksmith. Even if you're just hanging out with the perfume seller, you're going to start smelling nice and if you just hanging out with the blacksmith, you're going to get you're clothes dirty. The idea behind Kalimaat is to provide a halal game that is fun, entertaining, and indirectly educational. Any by making things indirectly educational, people can naturally learn Islamic terms that they wouldn't normally learn.

The younger generation is constantly told this is "haram" and that is "haram" and we have to give them halal alternatives InshAllah instead of just saying every other thing is haram. I hope to make those alternative products like Kalimaat and I hope people will benefit from them as well InshAllah.

I posted some new reviews on Kalimaat from recent customers: http://www.babaaligames.com/reviews.html

New Ummah Films Video: "Muslim Convert"

2009-08-07T22:43:00.000-07:00

More Season 3 videos found at http://www.ummahfilms.com/season3.html

Kalimaat Kids - This is what happens when cute kids try to play a grown up game

2009-07-30T04:47:00.000-07:00

Currently working on Season 3 but I thought I share this with you while you're waiting

**NOTE: This kids is this video do NOT wear hijab. Naturally, some kids try to imitate the older people around them (clothes, talking, etc..) and sometimes they wear it for fun for the sake of imitation (like in this video).

So far I've seen Kalimaat played by mostly people between the ages of 15 to 40. I wanted to see what would happen when a 5 year old and 2 year old tried to play. To make it natural, I left the game on the table, press the record button and left the room :) Its funny when young children try to imitate grown ups.

Anyways, I put together the Season 3 page now on Ummah Films site: http://www.ummahfilms.com/season3.html

The next video for Season 3 will be ready next Friday (8/7/09) InshAllah

New Video! How to play Kalimaat

2009-07-25T19:34:00.000-07:00

Since a lot of people ask me How to play Kalimaat, I figured I just post the animation video up.

I've been taking the game around with me during my travels, and it has been pretty cool watching people's reaction while they've played it. Honestly, I enjoying playing it with people much more than I do selling it. I guess that's why I never reprinted my first game Mecca to Medina. Although we sold thousands of them and we got about 400 order requests afterwords. I never reprinted it. Till this day, I still get phone call orders for it, and each time, I just tell them that its sold out. I much rather make new items rather than just sold old ones. My Muslim friends who deal with business think I'm crazy lol. I told on the bright side my products become like collector items. I use to sell Ummah Films shirts...done...then Ummah Films DVD...done. Mecca to Medina game...done. Now Kalimaat and eventually, I'll be done. Allah Alim.

I started selling Kalimaat a few days ago and Alhamduillah over 700 games are already gone. I hope once people play the game they bought, they'll realize that the game in genuinely very fun. When I made the game, I wasn't trying to compete with many of the dull Muslim games out there but rather I wanted to raise the bar, and compete with the mainstream games. I tried to do that with not just the quality of the packaging but the quality of the game itself. I wanted to make something that wouldn't sit on the shelf but rather would be used. I got one email back already from someone who got the game early (about two weeks ago) and he said they played the game for 8 days straight haha. Anyways, I think its time for Muslims to start making quality products that people will want and more importantly to handle the business side of things Islamically.

Sometimes people ask me what is the "secret". I'm like there is no secret. Just work hard and make things the best you can. Either your product will be "sold" or "bought". If your product is junk, then it will have to be "sold" to the people but if you product is great, then people will buy it. Maybe some people bought the game cuz they thought it sounded good. Maybe others bought it cuz they liked similar games. Maybe some people bought it cuz I made it. Allah Alim. That isn't important. What is important is that when these people play this game with their friends....that is when people don't care about that stuff but rather they care about how good the game is. Once they realize that game is really fun, then they will come back and get their own Kalimaat InshAllah and the only way for me to do that is by making someone that is solid InshAllah. By the way, I can not take ANY credit for ANY of the success of the projects that I have been fortunate enough to work on. As a reminder to myself and everyone reading my blog, all success is because Allah (swt) wills it. All we can do it put in the effort and make du'ah that Allah (swt) brings us to what is good and takes us away from what is bad.

jazakAllah khair for everyone's support.

your brother in Islam,

Baba Ali
www.babaaligames.com

Baba Ali going to MuslimFest 2009

2009-07-24T00:38:00.000-07:00

The first time I performed for a Muslim crowd was at MuslimFest and now I'm going back August 1nd & 2nd InshAllah. I turned on my camera and made this video without any script....just improv. You can tell I'm having fun :)

By the way, after making the video, I realized how much I missed making the Reminder clips so I'm going to try to finish making the Season 3 of The Reminder by end of Ramadan InshAllah.

Anyways, for more info on Muslim Fest, visit www.muslimfest.com

Kalimaat Commercials: Help me decide....

2009-07-22T08:17:00.000-07:00

I asked two USC film students to make me a commercial for my new Kalimaat game. I told them they can do whatever they wanted as long as they followed some basic Islamic guidelines. By the way, the actresses in the video are all non-Muslim hijabies. I can't take credit or critisim for either video because I didn't write, edit, or direct them. Anyways, I wanted to get your feedback on which one (if any) I should go with. Here are the two videos:

Video #1 (made by Ken)
Video #2 (made by Adnan)

By the way, if your interested in learning more about the game, there is cool "How to Play" video on my site: www.babaaligames.com

Kalimaat Game reviewed by Tom Vasel ( leading board game reviewer)

2009-07-20T11:12:00.000-07:00

Tom Vasel is the leading board game reviewer in board game industry. On his website, he has reviewed over 700 games and owns about 1700 games himself. Since my new game, Kalimaat, is a game that can be played by both Muslims and non-Muslims, I figured I send him a game to see what he thinks of it.

In his review, he talks about how his game was more "silent" because people were too busy trying to remember the words. Maybe I should invite him to play with my group of friends. The characters I have played with are anything but quiet and are constantly trying to distract you and make you laugh while your partner is trying to give you clues.

Being that he is a missionary, I wasn't sure what to expect but the review came out pretty good Alhamdulillah.

I hope the game Kalimaat will come out by 7/27/09 InshAllah

Half Our Deen on hold

2009-07-13T12:26:00.000-07:00

Wow! On July 11th, we launched Half Our Deen and we really didn't expect so many people to register. Honestly, it caught us off guard. Once the site launched, we realized that not only do we need a powerful server to support the number of members but we need to correct some of the issues on the backend. The quality of the website is more important to us than the quantity so for the time being, we're putting a temporary hold on the site so we can improve the experience the memebers. For those who have been eagerly waiting for the Half Our Deen, we thank you for your patience.

For those who were able to sign up with Half Our Deen early and have made successful payments, we have FULLY refunded all your money back. As Muslims, we want to be implement Islam even when it comes to business InshAllah and that is why we decided to send every penny paid for the site right back to the members. We want to give you the best possible experience for the price and InshAllah and we're going to go back to the drawing board to restructure the site so we can come back with an even more amazing product for you.

The goal is to launch Half Our Deen again but this time we'll be more prepared InshAllah. Please forgive us for any shortcommings and keep us in your du'ahs.
We apologize for any delays. Your overall experience is more important to us than the number of members we have.

Half Our Deen has launched! Finally :)

2009-07-11T01:58:00.001-07:00

I know many of you have waited a long time for the launch of Half Our Deen and jazakAllah khair for your patience. I am happy to announce that we have just launched the Half Our Deen website Alhamdulillah.

While some may think we are done with the website, we believe we have just begun. There are many more features we want to add to the site, so we’ll be working behind the scenes to make improvements to Half Our Deen, InshAllah.

Unlike the other websites, we refuse to put up fake profiles to pull in an audience. It will take a few days to have a sufficient number of profiles up, InshAllah. From day one, we wanted Half Our Deen to be different from all the other websites, and I have personally put together a special video explaining the many differences and features that makes Half Our Deen so unique.

JazakAllah Khair for all your patience and support.

Please click below to register with Half Our Deen.

www.halfourdeen.com (remember to check out the video on the main page too)

By the way, if you have any feedback, please send it to support@halfourdeen.com

New Video! Baba Ali on the steets asking questions about Islam

2009-07-06T18:46:00.001-07:00

We had some free time before the comedy show so we decided to hit up the streets and ask our non-muslim neighbors what they know about Islam. Here are some of the answers we received.

Camerman and Editor Saad Malik

Hurray for Baba Ali

2009-06-30T18:12:00.000-07:00

Its been a while since my last post. I've been busy working on numerous projects. One of the projects I was asked to help out on was for Milo Productions for a series called "Hurray for Baba Ali". The video series is aimed for kids to teach them the basic things that we learn growing up.

Unlike my normal series, I act like a little kid which was kinda of refreshing. Then again, my friends will tell you that I act like a kid all the time :)

Anyways, the series was put together by a Muslim husband & wife team in Canada and their website is www.hurrayforbabaali.com. For anyone with kids that likes the series, you can purchase the full DVD from their site.

Filing for Facebook Bankruptcy

2009-05-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

With over 1000 emails and nearly 4000 friend requests, I'm officially filing for Facebook Bankruptcy. I've tried answering emails and approving friend requests but the with number of emails/requests that keep coming in, I've accepted the reality that I just can't do it. So I started over on Twitter. Since posting on twitter is quick and easy (you can even do it via your mobile/cell), Twitter is much more realistic for me. You can follow me on twitter by going to this link:
http://www.twitter.com/ummahfilms

Baba Ali's new board game ("Kalimaat")

2009-04-29T08:16:00.000-07:00

BUY KALIMAAT HERE

A few years ago I invented the board game, Mecca to Medina, which was a great success. Thousands of games were made and in short amount of time, the games were sold out. Alhamdulillah. At that time, my Reminder videos had just started to become popular so somehow I transitioned from making games to making videos.

About a month ago, I decided to revisit the world of game development and I figured if I'm going to release a new board game, I might as well release my favorite one :) So I made some phone calls, tweaked the game, and now as I type this blog post, my new game, Kalaimaat is being mass produced in China. I'm really looking forward to Kalimaat because I have seen the reaction of those who have got a chance to play it so far. I have taken it all over the United States, UK, and even Canada and have had nothing but positive responses. Kalimaat arrives here in the US in mid-July InshAllah.

In a nutshell, the game is word game played in teams of two. It's really fun and quite different than anything that is out there. I honestly believe that the best way of marketing is word of mouth and people are only going to tell their friends about quality product that they enjoy (no matter how much you try to advertise it). So in order for this game to be a hit, it really has to be good InshAllah. I have spent countless hours to put this baby together. Just like my first game, Mecca to Medina, the game can be played by both Muslim and non-Muslims and doesn't require previous Islamic knowledge to enjoy it. My problem with other Muslim board games is that they have ALL been the same (trivia-based). I mean there isn't anything wrong with trivia games but if one doesn't have the knowledge of the questions asked, then they have zero possibility of winning. Plus, if you're not Muslim, the game is basically pointless because you don't have the background to answer the questions. The funny thing is that every Muslim game developer has basically made the exact same board game which explains why so many of those games are played just a few times and then sit on the shelf to gather dust.

When I made Mecca to Medina, I wanted to make something different and unique. One of the vendors that played the game said he really liked the game but was doubtful that his customers would buy it because it wasn't trivia based. Not only did they buy it but the game quickly became the number one Muslim board game on the market. At one point, about 1/2 my games were sold to non-Muslims. Alhamdulillah.

I hope to repeat the same success with my new board game Kalimaat InshAllah. I'll keep you guys posted as we get an exact date on the shipment of the game.

Baba Ali in Melbourne (3rd city in Australia Tour)

2009-04-28T10:42:00.001-07:00

Just got back from Atlanta yester and had a great time. Everyone there was awesome Alhamdulillah. Tomorrow, I leave for the land down under InshAllah. I think I'm doing a total of 6 events during my stay in Australia and I think its all going to happen in like 3 days :). Add a 14hr flight each way and you're going to have a very exhausted Baba Ali. It is all good though because this is my first time in Australia so I think the excitement will balance everything out. If you're on twitter, you can follow me by going to http://www.twitter.com/ummahfilms

Baba Ali On Tour! Australia next week (this weekend Atlanta)

2009-04-23T16:31:00.000-07:00

I'm performing for the first time in Atlanta this Sunday at the Islamic Relief Fundraiser inshAllah. Next weekend, I'm doing a 3 city tour in Australia InshAllah (first time in the land down under too). Above are two of the events in Australia that I'll be in (I think I'm doing a total of 5 events there)

At this rate, I think I'm getting burned out. I think by the end of this year, I'm going to retire for doing live events and just stick with the videos. I miss making them. I work during the week and travel basically ever weekend so it leaves little time to make the Reminder clips. At the same time, I'm trying to get the new Half Our Deen site out (ETA 20 days), produce my new board game (ETA 7/14/09), and start writing the short film I've been wanting to do (ETA Allah Alim)

Anyways, here are some of the shows coming up:

04-26-09 | Atlanta, GA
IR Fundraising Dinner for Orphans

05-01-09 | Australia
Baba Ali Australia Tour

05-02-09 | Australia
Baba Ali Australia Tour

05-03-09 | Australia
Baba Ali Australia Tour

05-04-09 | Australia
Baba Ali Australia Tour

05-05-09 | Australia
Baba Ali Australia Tour

05-09-09 | Santa Barbara, CA
UCSB Event

05-16-09 | Columbus, OH
Noor Cultural Center

05-23-09 | Hartford, CT
ICNA-MAS Convention

05-30-09 | Houston, TX
Tour with Zain Bikha

06-06-09 | New Jersey
Tour with Zain Bikha

06-07-09 | New Jersey
Tour with Zain Bikha

06-20-09 | Fredrick, NJ
ISOF (in talks)

08-08-09 | Santa Clara, CA
Great America Theme Park (MUD)

08-15-09 | Tulsa, OK
Fundraiser (Peace Academy)

09-26-09 | Fresno, CA
California State University Fresno (in talks)

Heading to Virgin Islands & Cleveland State University this weekend

2009-04-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

I travel quite a bit doing live events (full schedule can be seen on ww.alistandup.com/shows.php)so I decided to buy a little camera to record these interesting adventures. I'll try to take pics and post them on the blog InshAllah. This week I've been asked to perform in the St. Croix (Virgin Islands) and when I google mapped it, I realized that its really out there :) Check it out!

Baba Ali LIVE in NY this Saturday 4/4/09

2009-03-30T17:04:00.000-07:00

I rarely do a solo show but a good bro MD (Muhammad) from MYIT convinced me to do it. With just 10 minutes left for the show, there was like 20 people and most of them were sitting in the back haha so we prayed Magrib and Alhamdulillah the pray lines were full. By the we finished and walked over to the hall, the event was sold out. Alhamdulillah it was a great crowd and the brothers/sisters were nothing but great hosts MashAllah.

Anyways, this week, I'm heading to Pullman, WA and coming back for another show in NY but this time in Queens. I'll be sharing the stage with many performers so I hope to see you guys there InshAllah.

For future performance dates, please visit this link

Half Our Deen Update

2009-03-19T16:04:00.001-07:00

The launch of HOD (Half Our Deen) got pushed back by a few weeks. The first company we hired from China kept delaying and eventually said it was too hard (joke). Then we tried a company in India and not only did they miss their deadline by nearly 6 weeks, but they programmed the site so poorly and it took forever to load (forever!). Then we decided to try a company here in the US and we found this one really smart got who knew what he was doing. Problem was that after 20hrs into the project, he suddenly got a huge job offer to run a company so he left the project. I guess another company found out how smart he was and wanted him to themselves.

So here's where we are are now: Recently, we decided to divide the workload into two parts (CSS and PHP Integration) so we can speed up the remaining work. As far as the CSS side of things, we need to have 22 pages done and we should be getting a quote and timeframe back by tomorrow for that. As far as the PHP Integration, I put the project out for bids and got about 30 responses so now I'm in the process of trying to find a PHP guru who knows what he is doing, isn't shady :), and can stick with a deadline.

The whole process has beeen quite frustrating because of all the delays. It is truly a test of patience for me so far but khair Allah (swt) knows best.

Ummah Films on Twitter

2009-03-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

You can now follow Ummah Films on Twitter. You will receive snippets of what I'm up to and its an easy way to keep in touch with me as well. All you have to do is go to twitter.com/ummahfilms and sign up as a follower of Ummah Films

"Twitter is a free service that lets you keep in touch with people through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?"
There is a cool little video that explains how Twitter works. Just goto www.twitter.com and click on the "Watch Video" button.

HD Video?

2009-02-20T15:27:00.000-08:00

YouTube now allows account holders to upload videos in High Definition (HD). This gives users a much richer viewing experience.

However, the downside is that not all computers can handle HD, sometimes giving "choppy" playback. In addition, the file size of such videos is much larger, meaning you have to wait a lot longer for the download to complete.

Considering the above, would you watch videos in HD?

* Yes
* No - because my computer cannot handle HD.
* No - because I don't want to download large files.
* No - for both of the above reasons.
* No - other.

Considering the above, would you watch Ummah Films videos in HD?(polls)

Baba Ali's Project updates

2009-01-28T13:30:00.000-08:00

I apologize for disappearing from the scene. I'm been traveling quite a bit doing live events (www.alistandup.com) on weekends and my schedule during the week has been quite busy. My last trip was to Edmonton. The weather was freezing cold but the crowd was very warm.
Here are some updates on the projects:

The HalfOurDeen.com project is in its final stages. I pretty much tried to dissect what the other sites are currently doing and want to make Half Our Deen the alternative. I hope Half Our Deen raises the bar and changes the way Muslim Matchmaking is currently being done. On the main page of the website will be in an introduction of the difference between Half Our Deen and the other sites. Anyways, its currently being tested by the programmers and should be launching in the next few days InshAllah.

We wrote a full feature film but it wasn't exactly what we were looking for so we plan to go back to the drawing board and try it again. I hope to help with the script this time around a little more InshAllah and that process should start in about 2 weeks InshAllah.

On a side note, I have been working on some side projects. One interesting project was for Milo Productions where they wanted me to help them do a show for little kids. 13 epsidoes were recorded and it looks like we may do another 13 more InshAllah. Here is one of the videos (remember its for little kids so I'm acting like a little kid...which felt natural lol)