RIYADH: Many people want to turn their dreams into reality – and animation director Mahmoud Zaini is doing just that, illustrating his own imaginary world inspired by childhood movies and an admiration for Saudi culture.
As a child, his appreciation for cartoons and comics was fueled by newspapers, Japanese anime series and movies like “Finding Nemo,” “Toy Story,” and “Monsters, Inc.”
“Every Saudi newspaper had a front-page comic that had some sort of social message,” he recalled in an interview with Arab News. “These comics turned into the well-known Saudi YouTube animated series “Masameer” in 2011.
“As Saudis, we grew up watching foreign cartoons that were dubbed into Arabic. These shows were mostly Japanese, with moral messages and cultural themes mixed in. Animation must be localized to tell young generations stories that inspire them to become better human beings with a unique Saudi identity.”
Zaini would also watch Pixar's behind-the-scenes clips of his films, learning as much as he could about the art of animation. By the age of 10, he was creating his own animated short films.
“As a child I always dreamed of making my own stories come to life,” he said.
Zaini believes that the best thing about animation is that it is universal and can reach both adults and children.
“It can also cross-communicate with other cultures and peoples around the world due to its abstract stylistic nature. It is children's favorite medium because it excites their senses and expands their imagination,” he said.
After receiving his bachelor's degree in fine arts and animation from California College of Arts in San Franciso, USA, Zaini started his career in the Kingdom in 2017, creating commercials. In 2018 he launched Zaini Studios, which grew thanks to investments and a lot of hard work.
Between 2021 and today, Zaini Studios created two entries to the Red Sea Film Festival and two entries to the Saudi Film Festival, which involved both local and international talent.
“A breakthrough moment in my career as an animation director was when I worked on the introduction of the Red Sea Film Festival in 2021,” he told Arab News. “I had to, with the help of Faris Godus and Sohayb Godus, present at the Red Sea Film Festival the idea of having a high-quality animated promotion.”
Once the idea was accepted, Zaini contacted artists from across the region to work on the project, including Raghad Baidas, Husam Hamed, Riyad Al-Dossari, Yousef Albagshi and Ahmad Shawli for the music.
“These artists are the best in their fields and with their dedication we produced this festival intro from scratch in three months. The intro was supposed to represent a sentiment about artistic inspiration and following your passion,” he said.
Zaini's work reflects his experiences growing up in the Kingdom and prides himself on creating animations that celebrate Saudi culture, heritage and lifestyle.
“I like to reflect all these authentic Saudi details in my stories and the environments I place the characters I create,” he said. “I hate to see Saudi artists creating characters in foreign environments copied from well-known Japanese or American animations.”
He added that art must reflect something authentic to be unique, which can only happen when it involves one's own stories and memories.
“This does not (mean) that you always include a Saudi symbol like a palm tree in your work, but you must always rely on what resonates with you and reflect your own experiences without copying what resonates with others,” he told Arab News.
“I like my stories to reflect something authentic about me. I had a very happy and positive upbringing. With many uncles, aunts and cousins with whom I shared many great stories.”
Zaini advises animators to cultivate a real passion for the craft and “the feeling it excites in you as you aspire to the end result.”
He said, “If this flame is kept burning with constant exercise and commitment to improvement, it will bear beautiful fruit in the end.”
He added that it is essential for an animator to have stories they want to tell, and emphasized the importance of new ideas and stories.
“Animation isn't just about making lines and shapes move, it's about imitating life, giving characters personality and building new worlds. As an aspiring animator, you have to love life and have a real thirst for originality to cultivate your artistic sense.”
