Lights, camera, action!

Mohammed Jassim’s big- screen fantasy adventure continues with two new animated movies which he hopes to add to his archive of film successes.

The 32-year-old animator is also in the process of directing a comedy entitled Who is the Best? where he focuses on the conflict of traditional and new media.

However, Mohammed will not stray from his favourite technique ‘stop-motion animation’ whereby clay figures are manipulated to appear to move on their own, in his romantic offering entitled Amilon.

Mohammed, from East Riffa, said: “I hope these new films I am working on will become as successful and popular as my others and I will submit them into festivals once they are ready.

“Who Is the Best is a 3D-animation, made solely on the computer, but Amilon has been more difficult to produce. I love to use stop-motion animation as it is a challenge, so with every frame there is enjoyment.

“My inspiration comes from fantasy movies I have seen. They allow me to use my imagination and help my ideas to flourish. My favourite director, Tim Burton, also inspires me as we share very similar ideas.”

Amilon’s story is set in a village where every man must play his mistress music in order to marry her. The focus is on a young man unable to play an instrument who spends years trying to learn in order to wed the love of his life, Amilon.

Starting his career as an amateur filmmaker, Mohammed’s passion has pushed him to become one of the first Bahrainis to excel in the animation industry.

He said: “My passion grew from a young age as I was always watching movies and would follow film-making. I would also read a lot to familiarise myself with the global understanding of script-writing.

“I have certain messages I want to convey and I like to highlight important issues and events that are occurring in the world.”

Mohammed first taught himself how to draw on the computer in 1998 using digital graphics. These on-screen experiments helped develop his skills and fuel his passion for the art.

He started his professional career working on producing TV advertisements as an editor, graphic designer and director in Bahrain and later signed up to study at the School of Audio and Engineering Institute Australia in 2010 to hone his skills.

The film-lover achieved a milestone in his career when he wrote and directed his first visual effects short film, The Power of Generations, in 2011. It is still one of Mohammed’s proudest achievements and it has been showcased at 11 different film festivals around the world, winning awards for the Best Foreign Mixed Media at the 17th Annual International Family Film Festival in Hollywood and receiving third prize in the Gulf Film Festival 2011.

The film focuses on a man sitting on a bench in the desert. The world around him starts to develop and prosper rapidly. Global war eventually breaks out, encouraging audiences to question their surroundings. Mohammed recently showcased the film at the Gulf Cinema Nights in Cineco, Bahrain City Centre, in an event organised by the Ministry of Culture.

His latest release, The Last Drop of Oil, uses puppetry to highlight the task of ensuring oil excavation continues to benefit future generations.

Mohammed believes his film-making helps to showcase Bahrain as a hub for creativity and will inspire others and encourage financial support towards their efforts.

He said: “My goal is to continue to provide messages through my animated movies and show the world that Bahrainis have dreams and can produce this kind of art.”

And his dreams look set to become a reality. It was recently announced that the Ministry of Culture will provide Bahraini filmmakers a special fund which will reach a maximum of $10,000 for each project, enabling young and new talents to surface.

For those interested, their scripts and film score must be original and Bahrain’s culture and values must be respected. Once submitted to the Ministry of Culture, a jury of local and international experts in the field will oversee the selection process and announce winning entries.