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Jeddah - Yasmine El Tohamy - RIYADH: Many people wish they could turn their dreams into reality — and animation director Mahmoud Zaini is doing just that, illustrating his own imaginary world inspired by childhood films and an admiration for Saudi culture.

As a child, his appreciation for caricatures and comic strips was nurtured by newspapers, Japanese anime series, and films such as “Finding Nemo,” “Toy Story” and “Monsters, Inc.”

“Every Saudi newspaper had a last-page comic that had some kind of social message,” he recalled in an interview with Arab News. “These comics grew into the well-known Saudi YouTube animation series ‘Masameer’ in 2011.

“As Saudis, we grew up watching foreign cartoons that were dubbed into Arabic. These shows were mostly Japanese with mixed moral messages and cultural themes. Animation must be localized to tell younger 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 from its movies, learning as much as he could about the art of animation. By the age of 10, he was creating his own animated shorts.

“As a little kid I always dreamt of making my own stories come to life,” he said.

Zaini believes the great 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 from around the world due to its abstract stylistic nature. It’s the preferred medium for children for 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, US, Zaini kickstarted his career in the Kingdom in 2017, creating commercials. In 2018 he launched Zaini Studios, which has grown thanks to investment and lots of hard work.

Between 2021 and the present day, Zaini Studios created two Red Sea Film Festival intros and two Saudi Film Festival intros, which involved both local and international talent.

“A breakthrough moment in my career as an animation director was when I worked on the Red Sea Film Festival intro in 2021,” he told Arab News. “I had to — with the help of Faris Godus and Sohayb Godus — pitch to the Red Sea Film Festival the idea of having a high quality animated promo.”

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 respective fields, and with their dedication we produced this festival intro from scratch in three months. The intro had to represent a feeling related to artistic inspiration and following your passion,” he said.

Zaini’s work reflects on his experiences growing up in the Kingdom and he takes pride in creating animations that celebrate Saudi culture, heritage and lifestyle.

“I love reflecting all these authentic Saudi details in my stories and in the environments I place the characters I create in,” he said. “I despise seeing Saudi artists creating characters in foreign environments copied from well-known Japanese or American animations.”

He added that art must reflect something genuine in order to be unique, which can only happen when it involves your own stories and memories.

“This does not (mean) you always include a Saudi symbol like a palm tree in your work, but you must always build upon what resonates with you and reflects your own experiences without copying what resonates with others,” he told Arab News.

“I like to have my stories reflect something authentic in me. I had a very happy and positive upbringing. With many uncles, aunts, and cousins that I shared many great stories with.”

Zaini advises animators to cultivate a real passion for the craft and “the feeling it excites in you while aspiring for the final result.”

He said: “If this flame remains lit with constant exercise and a commitment for improvement it will bear beautiful fruits eventually.”

He added it was paramount for an animator to have stories they wished to tell and highlighted the importance of new ideas and stories.

“Animation is not only about making lines and shapes move, it also is about imitating life, giving characters personality, and building new worlds. As an aspiring animator you must love life and have a real thirst for originality to cultivate your artistic sense.”