Jazz, Organs and Dancing Buildings

This was by far one of the best projects I've gotten the chance to work on. When I was first approached about it and given a sample of the music, I was completely blown away and decided I had to work on it somehow. We started out with an idea from our director, Darine Hotait and set off from there hoping people wouldn't freak out at the sight of a musician's innards. It was also great to finally get the chance to work with one of my best friends, Rafic Saab on the animation. Although we've thrown projects to each other for feedback quite a bit in the past, we had never gotten the chance to actually work on something together before so the timing for this came together nicely. It also didn't hurt that this project got nominated for an Emmy!


Here's a description with credits:


ASHUR is a jazz record by award winning pianist and composer Tarek Yamani on Edict Records. 
The album is available in online stores. 

Tarek Yamani - piano
Goran Krmac- tuba
Kristijan Krajncan - drums

Video credits:
Directed by Darine Hotait 
Illustration & Animation by Fouad Mezher and Rafic Saab 
Produced by Cinephilia Productions 

Track: "Sama'i Yamani"

©2012 Cinephilia Productions


The video is available in better quality here.

AAARGH!

This is an older project from my last year in the Graphic Design program at AUB. It was part of an animation course entitled If Walls Could Talk, instructed by Lina Ghaibeh. Each student worked on a short segment that was later compiled into a longer film entitled Durrafourd Mon Amour.

The animation process on this involved several stop motion techniques that involved painting on the walls of the abandoned East Durrafourd Building as well as using objects found in the location. The film was screened in the Building upon the completion of the course and was subsequently shown in the first edition of the Beirut Animation Festival.

This was one of the most valuable and enjoyable courses I have ever been able to take but it was disappointing that the Durrafourd building was later demolished to be replaced by a parking lot...

Beirut Animated Festival: Part 2

The Beirut Animated Festival held two workshops this year, one of which I got to participate in. It started on April 27th and ended on May 7th. In those ten days, a number of stop motion animation techniques were used to create a short film that was screened at the closing ceremony of the festival.

The other participants I got to work with were Ali Rafei, Huda Adra, Nuha Innab, Sandra Fatte and Rajwa Tohme under the direction of Isabelle Nouzha and Alex Baladi. They're a very nice bunch of people.

Beirut Animated Festival: Part 1

This is the illustration I submitted for the postcard design competition held by the 2nd Beirut Animated Festival. It was selected as one of the five postcards that were available for purchase at the festival this year.

The festival also held two workshops; one of which I was fortunate enough to take part in. More on that in the next post...

"Ya Reyt" by Ashekman

This was one of the best collaborative efforts I have had the chance to work on so far. It was art directed by Michel Karsouny (who I most frequently collaborate with) through The Konstrukt, and David Habchy animated using my illustrations. This was the first project that I have worked on with David and there aren't enough good things that can be said about him.

Thanks go out to Omar and Mohamed Kabbani for choosing animation as the medium for this project, and also to Alain Nasnas for all his help.