Arab in America -The Movie!

Screenplay: Finished

// January 16th, 2010 // No Comments » // Making Arab

Tim reading the screenplay!

The Final Draft of the Arab in America feature screenplay is now, officially finished! It’s been a long time coming, and I can now say, without a doubt, that it’s perfect.

There’s many people to thank – and there’s no way I’m going to be able to remember them all right now, but if you’re out there – you know who you are. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

We’re now in talks with various parties and I can honestly say that for the first time in a while, things are looking very promising. I can’t go into details for the obvious reasons – but we might have an actual shot at getting this made.

Keep checking back for more updates as they become available! If you’re interested in taking a look at our AWESOME Pitch Packet or the AWESOME Feature Screenplay, don’t hesitate to shoot me an email. Onward!

-Nabil

Tim reading the packet!

My Decade at the Movies

// January 3rd, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Making Arab

This is Colin

At the end of each year most people put together a “Top 10” films of the year list. I do have a 2009 best of list of my own. But I thought, instead of the best film of one year, it would be interesting to try and narrow down the best ten films of the past decade.

This decade was filled with years of learning and growing. I finished both high school and college. Saw loved ones pass on. Moved away from home. Fallen in love. Had my heart broken. Wrote and produced an award-winning short film. Travelled to Europe. Chose my career path, and tried to fulfill my dreams of becoming a writer and filmmaker. And through it all I have experienced great works of art in the film genre.

Here is a list of my favorite films of the past decade. The ones that have moved me, inspired me, and made me love movies even more than I thought possible.

(more…)

Islam in a post-Obama America

// November 23rd, 2009 // 3 Comments » // Everything Else, Making Arab

This is Nabil.

Last week, my thirteen year-old sister’s Middle School received a bomb threat. Thankfully, it was just a prank. During my tenure at Loganville High School, we also received bomb threats.  However, my experiences and my sister’s experiences were totally different.  My school got threatened BEFORE 9/11/2001.  My sister’s school got threatened right after the Fort Hood Shootings.  Bomb threats are nothing new to public schools in America.  They’re very serious, but most of the time they’re just pranks to get out of taking tests or what-have-you.  And that’s exactly how I remember them: nonthreatening.  My sister, on the other hand, felt very different about them.

My thirteen-year-old sister was harassed and made-fun-of by many of the other students at her school.  Their first response to the bomb threat? It must have been my sister because she is Arab and Muslim.  A couple of students even approached her directly, calling her a “Muslim Terrorist” and a “Bitch”.  Okay, so maybe the second name is just something kids do – but the first one is very troubling. My sister came home that night, crying her eyes out, because the negative perceptions of Islam have gotten so mainstream and universally accepted that even school children are spreading them. I really wished my sister hadn’t experienced that ridicule, but it’s something that many American Muslims are experiencing.

(more…)