Asalam alikaum,
Alhmdulialh I went through the script and I liked some of the contents. But due to the nature of the situation here in San Antonio and the fact that Brother Yusif, Sadeeq ( check Usamah 2: Where Art thou?) myself and Brother Mahdi are going to be in this short film if possible, I decided to make some changes on the script. This will be just another version of the script. Inshallah It should be done by the end of this weekend. Wa salam alaikum.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
San Antonio: Possible Location for "Going Up North"?
As salaamu `alaikum,
Brother Yusuf and I were talking and he suggested that I shoot "Going Up North" in San Antonio, TX. This location is ideal for several reasons: it has a lot of highways in, around and outside of the city. I have family and many friends there, and the friends there are more than willing to be part of the cast and crew.
I've sent the script out to Sister Kayla and Brother Yusuf and it's currently being read through and edited. If the set location is confirmed, then I need not to really worry about the cast and the crew insha Allah. That's makes the job much easier because we can jump into pre-planning and other important logistical issues.
We shall see insha Allah...
Brother Yusuf and I were talking and he suggested that I shoot "Going Up North" in San Antonio, TX. This location is ideal for several reasons: it has a lot of highways in, around and outside of the city. I have family and many friends there, and the friends there are more than willing to be part of the cast and crew.
I've sent the script out to Sister Kayla and Brother Yusuf and it's currently being read through and edited. If the set location is confirmed, then I need not to really worry about the cast and the crew insha Allah. That's makes the job much easier because we can jump into pre-planning and other important logistical issues.
We shall see insha Allah...
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
SCRIPT FINISHED!
As salaamu `alaikum,
I've finished writing the first draft of the script. I am sending the copy to Sister Kayla and perhaps others for their review and feedback.
Once the editing of the script is finished insha Allah, I will do the storyboarding. With that, we can visualize how the movie is going to be shot.
My style will be unorthodox. I will allow a lot of ad-libbing and how I will shoot will be interesting: it will be most first-person POVs throughout the movie. I am trying to personalize the experience even more so with this type of filming and I believe it will work out insha Allah.
I've finished writing the first draft of the script. I am sending the copy to Sister Kayla and perhaps others for their review and feedback.
Once the editing of the script is finished insha Allah, I will do the storyboarding. With that, we can visualize how the movie is going to be shot.
My style will be unorthodox. I will allow a lot of ad-libbing and how I will shoot will be interesting: it will be most first-person POVs throughout the movie. I am trying to personalize the experience even more so with this type of filming and I believe it will work out insha Allah.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Sneak Preview of the Script
As salaamu `alaikum,
With one scene left, I want to show you all a sneak peak of the script. In this scene, the characters discuss the issue of marriage and racism:
MUHAMMAD
Eric, you know about my cousin right?
ERIC
You mean Bilal, right?
MUHAMMAD
Yeah Bilal. You know he’s trying to get married right?
ERIC
I heard he ain’t getting any luck in that department.
MUHAMMAD
You know why right?
ERIC
Let me guess, racism amongst the Muslims.
Fareeda shakes her head.
FAREEDA
What a shame, subhanallah.
MUHAMMAD
You ever read Muslim marriage ads? Deen is often secondary to education and ethnicity. Paki this, Arab that, degree in this and maybe “religion” might be included in there.
IMAN
Prophet Muhammad (saaws) said people marry for reasons like deen, wealth, status and beauty and the best is deen. I guess many Muslims seem to forget this Hadith.
ERIC
I bet he’s heard every excuse from parents who don’t want him to marry their daughters.
MUHAMMAD
Oh yeah, like he has a Masters in computer science, they tell him they want someone who has a Masters in something else like Engineering. Or even better, they say that he is too religious or on the other end they say he doesn’t know Islam well enough because he wasn’t raised in a Muslim country.
ERIC
Doesn’t he like speak Arabic fluently after spending some time in Egypt?
MUHAMMAD
It doesn’t matter. They will come up with some excuse like his Arabic is not good enough because he has an American accent or something and therefore, he can’t marry their daughter.
FAREEDA
I’ve see Muslim parents go as far as say that you have to be from not only the same country, but the same city and even the same village. In other words, you end up marrying your cousin.
IMAN
Don’t forget about forcing girls to marry without their consent, completing going against the teachings of Islam.
FAREEDA
(shaking her head)
It’s a shame that Muslims are willing to put the traditions before Islam. Submission to desires instead to Allah.
With one scene left, I want to show you all a sneak peak of the script. In this scene, the characters discuss the issue of marriage and racism:
MUHAMMAD
Eric, you know about my cousin right?
ERIC
You mean Bilal, right?
MUHAMMAD
Yeah Bilal. You know he’s trying to get married right?
ERIC
I heard he ain’t getting any luck in that department.
MUHAMMAD
You know why right?
ERIC
Let me guess, racism amongst the Muslims.
Fareeda shakes her head.
FAREEDA
What a shame, subhanallah.
MUHAMMAD
You ever read Muslim marriage ads? Deen is often secondary to education and ethnicity. Paki this, Arab that, degree in this and maybe “religion” might be included in there.
IMAN
Prophet Muhammad (saaws) said people marry for reasons like deen, wealth, status and beauty and the best is deen. I guess many Muslims seem to forget this Hadith.
ERIC
I bet he’s heard every excuse from parents who don’t want him to marry their daughters.
MUHAMMAD
Oh yeah, like he has a Masters in computer science, they tell him they want someone who has a Masters in something else like Engineering. Or even better, they say that he is too religious or on the other end they say he doesn’t know Islam well enough because he wasn’t raised in a Muslim country.
ERIC
Doesn’t he like speak Arabic fluently after spending some time in Egypt?
MUHAMMAD
It doesn’t matter. They will come up with some excuse like his Arabic is not good enough because he has an American accent or something and therefore, he can’t marry their daughter.
FAREEDA
I’ve see Muslim parents go as far as say that you have to be from not only the same country, but the same city and even the same village. In other words, you end up marrying your cousin.
IMAN
Don’t forget about forcing girls to marry without their consent, completing going against the teachings of Islam.
FAREEDA
(shaking her head)
It’s a shame that Muslims are willing to put the traditions before Islam. Submission to desires instead to Allah.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
One More Scene Left!
As-salaamu `alaikum,
One more scene left. So far in the script, I've covered racism, misguided Muslims, Islamophobia, funny incidents with Wudu and how one of the characters met his future wife's parents, and so on. Insha Allah the script will be under 20 pages because I want the movie to be less than 30 minutes.
I will later insha Allah post some previews of the script. Of course it's a rough draft and is subject to change.
One more scene left. So far in the script, I've covered racism, misguided Muslims, Islamophobia, funny incidents with Wudu and how one of the characters met his future wife's parents, and so on. Insha Allah the script will be under 20 pages because I want the movie to be less than 30 minutes.
I will later insha Allah post some previews of the script. Of course it's a rough draft and is subject to change.
Saturday, February 3, 2007
Script Almost Done
As salaamu `alaikum,
There are only a few scenes left in the script. What I did so far was not only write new original material, but I added what me and Baba Ali already had in our original scripts.
Sister Kayla will also be working with us. She is a very talented person masha Allah; and she is also a poet so her contributions will definitely be valuable.
The movie will be someone different than most traditional short movies. I am a huge fan of ad-libbing; although I am writing a script in the typical format of how scripts are written, the script in most (not all) cases will serve just as a guideline to give the actors a feel of what's going on in the scene. As long as the actor follows the true spirit of the scene, he or she can add their own words and even actions to it.
There are only a few scenes left in the script. What I did so far was not only write new original material, but I added what me and Baba Ali already had in our original scripts.
Sister Kayla will also be working with us. She is a very talented person masha Allah; and she is also a poet so her contributions will definitely be valuable.
The movie will be someone different than most traditional short movies. I am a huge fan of ad-libbing; although I am writing a script in the typical format of how scripts are written, the script in most (not all) cases will serve just as a guideline to give the actors a feel of what's going on in the scene. As long as the actor follows the true spirit of the scene, he or she can add their own words and even actions to it.
Welcome to "Going Up North" Blog
As salaamu `alaikum,
Ummah Films has plans to make movies. Actually, it was our plan since Day One. The success of "The Reminder" vlogs kinda sidetracked us, but alhamdulillah, Allah knows best and He is the Best of Planners.
Ali's "Tomorrow Never Comes" has an interesting blog that I also urge everyone to check out.
This blog will chronicle the things that happen leading up to the filming of the movie Insha Allah.
Sit back, enjoy and feel free to contribute.
Ummah Films has plans to make movies. Actually, it was our plan since Day One. The success of "The Reminder" vlogs kinda sidetracked us, but alhamdulillah, Allah knows best and He is the Best of Planners.
Ali's "Tomorrow Never Comes" has an interesting blog that I also urge everyone to check out.
This blog will chronicle the things that happen leading up to the filming of the movie Insha Allah.
Sit back, enjoy and feel free to contribute.
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