This is a video made by Saudi production cast and crew, under management of fullstop ads… I really liked it. Its been dubbed “Saudi Arabia’s first music video”.
Its in Arabic but here’s the video with english subtitles…
Here’s an article from Arab News:(pasted below)
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=21§ion=0&article=99545&d=11&m=8&y=2007
Saudis Feel the Beat of ‘Malak Ghair Allah’
Lulwa Shalhoub | Arab NewsIT was the launching of the first music video with a 100 percent Saudi crew that made Al-Basateen Shopping Center at Al-Tahlia Street and the street itself swarm with crowds of people and cars Tuesday night. The mall had 600 people filling its spaces, waiting to watch the release of the music video that was made for the song “Malak Ghair Allah” (You Only Have God to Count On) sung by Mohammed Al-Haddad.
Kaswara Al-Khatib, founder and director of Full Stop Advertising, is a first time director who worked on bringing out the song in a mini-film as he described it. “At the company, we do public service announcements and this is part of the mission of Full Stop Advertising. Every year we see what ideas we can turn into music videos. Two years ago they were about mothers and backbiting,” he said.
He said that people could listen to the song in their cars. “The song has an emotional direction not between two lovers, but between a young man who feels that he is disobeying God and wasting his time,” he said. “We wanted to do something that would reach youth on their TV screens using their own language and lifestyles in order to direct them positively,” he said. The music video will be aired on MBC, Melody, Rotana, Mazika, Iqra and Al-Resala.
Al-Khatib had the idea of involving motorbikers. His team went out in the streets of Jeddah to find motorbikers and they found the group that performed. “Salah Abuljadayel’s style and looks suited the character; however we found difficulties that he could not master the moves over the motorbike. He rides motorbikes but couldn’t make the move of lifting it up while driving. So we used a stunt double in a few scenes,” he explained.
Al-Khatib said that they placed flyers in Dar Al-Hekma, CBA and Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JCCI) asking for those who would like to nominate themselves to participate as actors and actresses in the music video. Many agreed to do so but then changed their minds when the project was about to start and withdrew. The challenge to find girls to participate was even bigger. “Being on TV still scares some people. But I insisted on Saudi models and that it be shot here to reflect the true picture of the message it carries and also to make it clear that we have the ability to do things locally using local people,” he said. Al-Khatib pointed out that the Ministry of Culture and Information was cooperative and even the traffic police helped them in freeing locations when they were shooting in the streets.
Shooting took place on Jeddah Corniche, King’s Road, Sari Street and inside Full Stop Advertising’s office four weeks ago and took three days. “We want to bring the new talents following the same track that raises awareness among young people. I shoot the music video in a way that looks like a mini-film, focusing on the story and the idea behind the song more than focusing on the singer,” he said.
Al-Khatib suggested the idea to Salah Abuljadayel, who was the leading actor and is a third-year medical student; he liked the opportunity especially playing a role that would help young people. Abuljadayel acted the role of a young man who loves the life of motorbikers. In the music video, he is engaged and is a company employee. He does not pray, smokes hash and lives a reckless life. He stumbles in his life and his fiancée threw her engagement ring back in his face when she saw him flirting with other girls in a mall. He then has a motorbike accident that was a wake up call and a turning point in his life that led him to get back to God and begin praying. The scenes translate the words of the song (Malak Ghair Allah) “You only have God”.
“The music video’s idea tackled people’s lives. They fall in their lives when they disobey God and forget His rights. This is a message that will reach people,” Abuljadayel said. “Kaswara Al-Khatib did a great job especially since this is his first work and we were all very happy to work with him,” he added.
“My friends and I riding motorbikes in the music video make a group of motorbikers and share the interest of making motorbike shows. So making them on TV was a good idea especially that the song is so pertinent,” said Mohammed Al-Fahoum, one of the actors in the music video and the registration executive at the College of Business Administration (CBA). “I felt that the music video was very close to me and other Saudi youth. I hope we delivered a good message to all,” he said.
He said that they spent 18 hours shooting daily but there were no obstacles except for the crowds which gathered to watch them. “The atmosphere of shooting was friendly. We were working as one family. I would love to participate in other work that aims to raise awareness among youth,” he said. This is the only song from Al-Haddad’s album to be done in a music video. The album has not yet been released; however, the Horizons Art Production and Distribution Company, which is a new local company that produced the audio of the song and will produce the future music videos for the singer, plans to shoot music videos for the eight songs in the album that will be released in about two months. “Al-Khatib was a great director as a first timer. I will shoot with other directors for the upcoming works and will make sure to show up more in the video,” Al-Haddad said. “I made some attempts to sing love songs which is the common field of singing but did not find myself in them. I then thought of singing songs that would add to me in my life and afterlife and would satisfy God through being a way to direct youth to move in the right way,” he added. Al-Haddad is the writer, composer and singer of the song.
The work that cost SR700, 000 was sponsored by Lomar, Orange, Elwan Company and Al-Miro Company.
Wassalam
Posted by yaalaitani 
Posted by yaalaitani 
Posted by yaalaitani 