RIYADH: Many people wish they could turn their dreams into reality – and animation director Mahmoud Zaini is doing just that, illustrating his own fantasy world inspired by childhood movies and an admiration for Saudi culture.
As a child, his appreciation for cartoons and cartoons was nurtured by newspapers, Japanese anime series and movies such as “Finding Nemo,” “Toy Story” and “Monsters, Inc.”
“Every Saudi newspaper had a comic on the last page that had some kind of social message,” he recalled in an interview with Arab News. “These series grew into the well-known Saudi YouTube animation series 'Masameer' in 2011.
“As Saudis, we grew up watching foreign cartoons dubbed into Arabic. These shows were mostly Japanese with mixed moral messages and cultural themes. Animation needs to be localized to tell younger generations stories that inspire them to be better people with a unique Saudi identity.”
Zaini would also watch Pixar's behind-the-scenes clips from its films and learn as much as he could about the art of animation. At the age of 10, he created his own animated shorts.
“As a little kid, I always dreamed of making my own stories come to life,” he said.
Zaini believes that 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 because of its abstract stylistic nature. It is the preferred medium for children because it awakens their senses and expands their imagination,” he said.
After receiving his BA in Art and Animation from the 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 has grown thanks to investment and a lot of hard work.
Between 2021 and today, Zaini Studios created two Red Sea Film Festival intros and two Saudi Film Festival intros, involving both local and international talent.
“A breakthrough moment in my career as an animation director was when I worked on the 2021 Red Sea Film Festival intro,” he told Arab News. “I had to – with the help of Faris Godus and Sohayb Godus – present the idea of having a high-quality animated promo for the Red Sea Film Festival.”
Once the idea was accepted, Zaini approached 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 must 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 prides himself on creating animations that celebrate Saudi culture, heritage and lifestyle.
“I love to reflect 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 create characters in foreign environments copied from well-known Japanese or American animations.”
He added that art must reflect something genuine to be unique, which can only happen when it involves your 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 build 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 in 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 that excites you as you strive for the final result.”
He said, “If this flame remains lit with constant practice and a commitment to improvement, it will eventually bear beautiful fruit.”
He added that it was extremely important for an animator to have stories they wanted to tell and highlighted the importance of new ideas and stories.
“Animation isn't just about making lines and shapes move, it's also 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 mind.”
