These two gorgeous and talented young ladies seem to know how to do it all. They write their own lyrics, compose their own music and even animate their own videos! Gotta love multifaceted artists.
Yes, I know, I'm a little late to follow up on my first GeekFest post as I had initially intended and promised. But in my defense, my life has been hijacked by the cutest yet loudest and a little-lot demanding terrorists. They may be tiny, squeezably adorable and a blessing; and as much as I adore them, I need to say it loudly: I am allowed a quarter of a personal life now. The rest is theirs. And gladly so. It is my choice and I love it and I am thankful for it. But that also means I am left with only that quarter of a life to pile up whatever it is I need to for myself like, I don't know, eat, sleep and sometimes (thank God) shower. But I digress. If you're interested in more mommy-madness, this is the place to go. Because until further notice, this space here is going Geeky, and Geeky only, all the way!
Maya Metni | Le Geek, C’est Chic! How to dress like a Geek? A practical guide @mayametni
Maya Metni kicked off the night with a fun and informative presentation on how geeks turned from geeky-losers to popular idols. And because Maya is an image consultant, she also revealed a few interesting fashion tips on how to master the ultimate Geek-Chic look.
Photo Credit: R. Abouzeid
Toni Yammine | Crowdsourcing Music Videos – Meen the Band | Toni is a Lebanese musician/director @toniyammine
Now that presentation, I was actually looking forward to because I had followed that crowdsourcing video project by Meen and I found it really interesting at the time. Toni Yammine revealed how fans of the band grabbed the opportunity to get involved in Meen's creative work by showcasing their personal talents and producing low/no-budget videos for their favorite songs. That was actually a brilliant idea because who would be better than hardcore fans to come up with authentic music videos produced with heart and passion? Everything was structured within a competition frame which gave an additional incentive and entertaining side to the whole project. That is also probably why so many others, fans of the band or not, took the time to watch those video entries. Crowdsourcing is gaining popularity in the Arab world and it's always intriguing to see how professionals will use this technique and how their audiences will respond. This one I believe, was quite successful in achieving the goals at stake (despite the expected negative critiques of some).
Photo Credit: R. Abouzeid
Hind Hobeika | Smart/tech clothing and where that’s all heading? | Hind is an engineer, swimmer and a self-tracking geek @hindhobeika
When they first introduced Hind, I could not help but be intrigued by her presence and the product she came to present. A swimmer and numbers addict, she developed her very own swimming self-tracking device which is pretty awesome to say the least and super impressive! Especially for someone her age. Then again, when it comes to geeks, you can always expect the most creative ones to impress you at an early age.
I already knew about Sawt.com and I was actually excited to see their new interface. This is such a smart site and Beshr gave an interesting insight on the positive outcomes and potential it brings to the music industry in the Arab world. When the mainstream artists look like they are all coming out from the same "kheshik beshik" factory and as it clearly appears the only way to make it is to become a clone of those existing performers, it is always a breath of fresh air to get to know people who are actually working on bringing a different breed of talent into the light.
Photo Credit: R. Abouzeid
Bassam Jalgha | Live Demo How to Build an Audio Synthesizer in 10 minutes Using Open Source Information @BassamJalgha
Now this guy brought it! His presentation was by far the geekiest and although I did not understand one word of his Do It Yourself demo (yes, I know, I have a long way to go) the result of what he literally built in front of our eyes was outstanding! He actually made sounds, turned them into some sort of musical composition, using no instrument but his nerdy equipment and hands! Geek power at its best!
Photo Credit: R. Abouzeid
Elie Habib | Tools that allow developers to build Social features on top of Music | Elie is the co-founder of Anghami @anghami@elie_h
Another interesting Geek-up for the music industry: Elie presented Anghami and how it proposes to revolutionize the way we listen to music by making it possible to have access to top sounds, legally, on the move. Basically, with Anghami, it will be possible to listen to the latest music, with excellent sound quality, on our mobile phones, wherever we go. The real added value is that it does not require an internet connection to work.
This is probably the reason why I made the effort to find a way to leave the kids at home and make it to GeekFest! I knew Loryne but I did not really know Loryne. We had met online and although we regularly communicate since Bras For A Cause Middle East, we have never had the chance to actually meet in person. Finally, I can proudly say: we now know each other! I will not go into the details of Loryne's presentation as she covered Bras For A Cause Middle East which you can read all about in my coverage of the event. I was also very happy to find a stand where I could buy another special edition t-shirt by the super talented Rana Al-Basri Mouawad.
Photo Credit: R. Abouzeid
The presentations were followed by the now famous Fashion Show which featured:
REAL PEOPLE and GEEKS AS MODELS
Fashion for fundraising – Bras for a Cause by One Wig Stand
Up and Coming Lebanese and Middle Eastern Geeky/Urban fashion Designers stages by Fishy Nation
An Online Collaborative line designed by our own Joseph Maalouf
I am sure the third part of the evening dedicated to Music was equally fun but unfortunately, I could not stay long enough to enjoy it as I had to return to my tyrant baby-bosses ;) So I will keep this focused on what I personally saw and I hope I could convey a little of the impressive discoveries I made that night.
Looking forward to the sixth edition of GeekFest! ;)
This, here, is the first of a series of posts on GeekFest Beirut 5.0: I had a good time, there are many things I would love to share with you guys, but I do not want this one blog post to turn into a phonebook-size novel. So I will introduce my two-cents on the event in several reviews hoping it will make it easier on your eye. I know you appreciate the thought (which was actually a request/order from my sister. ahem).
The hot temperature and extreme humidity did not deter me. I bravely dumped my kids on my mom (Parenting 101) and ran as fast as I could (Mommy Survival Manual Lesson 149) towards Gemmayze, before grand-ma started pulling her hair and pulling me back home in the process.
I am not what you would call a geek although I do spend a lot of time using technology (does that count? I mean babies are born with that skill now, so that cannot be the only criteria) but I have a few friends in the Geek community and I was looking forward to seeing them in the flesh. Facebook and Twitter are fun enough but it is always reassuring to know your tweeps are not some computer-generated modern Imaginary Friends.
So we all gathered in The Alleyway in Gemmayze, on the über-popular Gouraud Street(I still cannot believe it has a page on Wikipedia) with our unintentionally sophisticated frizzed up hair flowing in Beirut's tragic wet breeze. The summer has started and over here, it equals excessively high temperatures and toxic humidity. Granted, we all looked like we had just been groomed by Cyndi Lauper's stylist but it was a happy crowd nonetheless that mingled and snapped photos and twitted and facebooked and... Danced. Apparently, geeks dance too.
Do not get me wrong, I love my geeks. I grew up with one and I am married to one. Not the same one (for those of you out there, keen on getting into specifics). But honestly, I was surprised by the look of this event and the attitude of everyone there: geeks are actually pretty cool! They are not your usual nerdy stereotyped losers Hollywood loves to mock so much.
Geek is truly the new cool(thank you Steve Jobs, I guess).
And because I do not just babble, I present you the indisputable evidence that geeks do rock indeed, on video!
And this is when I realized one of my favorite online people is also the bravest geek ever. Lynn, you rocked that red carpet!
It was also a pleasure finally meeting face to face one of the most active young women on the blogosphere and the founder of One Wig Stand, the stunning Loryne who gave a presentation on Bras For A Cause and brought t-shirts and bras with her so we could grab one of the last limited edition pieces that are now off the market.
But I will leave my "talk on the talks" for another post.
Right now I will just leave you free to loop that video over and over again, because geeks are as addictive as the internet and it is so much fun to watch them nerd that red carpet! Yes, I did just use the word "nerd" as a verb and synonym of "rock". After what I experienced last night, I believe it is well-deserved.
Oh, and no internet all over Lebanon on GeekFest day. A coincidence? I think not.
To the conspirators who tried to ruin GeekFest by annihilating the internet yesterday, just know that you may "break" the connection but you cannot break a geek's spirit! Your evil plan will not ever discourage them. If anything, you only gave them more reason to come up with new ways to drive you crazy! And to those of you out there who think I am just another conspiracy theory freak, I have one word for you: "hack". If you remember, many Lebanese government sites were recently hacked by Anonymous Lebanon... Aha! Busted! ;)
A few weeks ago, I was approached by ABL Digital to discover their latest release: a CGI simulator that allows viewers to unveil the behind-the-scene computer animations behind TV commercials. Naturally, I was intrigued as most post-production companies would rather keep the "magic" hidden and the "tricks" top secret. So when they offered me the opportunity to share with you their simulator, I could not resist! This is the commercial they had originally created for STC's QITAF:
Without further ado, I leave you with ABL's latest discovery. Note that you can watch a video of how the simulator works but also operate the simulator yourself by checking their web application. Enjoy!
Have you ever wondered how TV commercials are done?
ABL is about to launch an interactive video that unveils the secrets and techniques of the making.
Humans and curiosity: They go way back.
Come on, let’s admit it, we always want to know
How? What? Who? And when?
Well, we can shed some light and help uncover some of life's mysteries.
How would you like to know how "Qitaf diamonds", one of our latest TVCs,
came to life?
Promise! We won't be wasting your time with the usual making of, a
Director saying "Action", or people running around trying to look busy on
set.
Come along with us to the world of pure CGI, where we uncover the detail
behind what your eye is seeing...
Lazy? Choose our "auto pilot mode":
For those more curious and compelled, experience the "full interactivity
mode" via our web app where you can move the cursor and choose which part of the frame you want
to unveil and know exactly "how it was made"!
Enjoy the ride into our virtual fascinating 3D world!
About the Contributor/Author:ABL DIGITAL is a post-production facility based in Athens, Greece and with offices in Beirut, Lebanon. It's the meeting place for filmmakers and producers, from TV commercials, feature films, short films, documentaries, TV series and music video. It offers superior, professional service and follow up, experienced team and creative artists. ABL Digital Beirut created the TV commercial featured in this post, as well as the Computer Generated Imagery simulator, a breakthrough in the Middle East.
For more information on the author, company and/or content of this blog post, kindly contact the contributor directly (see Bookmarks section above).
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions expressed by the contributors in the herein article are those of the authors and/or sponsor company, and do not necessarily represent and/or reflect the views of this blog, those who link to this website and/or the blog owner/author.
After "Jagal El USEK" went viral, Michelle teamed up with her sister Noel to create their first album, "Bel Ghalat" a musical satire of Lebanese society which has been widely covered in the local media.
Since then, they've been working hard at bringing us their very first music video, and seriously, who could possibly resist sharing it?
Following up on Metel Ma Shelta, meet Lama Shehadeh, one of the three designers behind this brilliant campaign which has now made the local news.
If you have been hibernating in some faraway cave or accidentally slipped in a coma for the past few days, allow me to assist you and get you up to speed. To learn more about the campaign, how it came to life, what is to be expected and get to know Lama's two best friends and Metel Ma Shelta co-creators, jump to Cleaning Up Our Streets... And Minds.
And now finally, introducing Lama Shehadeh, a graphic design student also minoring in business administration at the American University of Beirut. Growing up, she was immersed in the world of visual arts and from an early age she knew she would become a designer one day.
Lama Shehadeh
"I come from a family that has an insight on arts. Both my parents are architects and my mom draws with coal and chalk."
What drove you to study graphic design?
I just had it in me ever since I was 6. Whenever I had a group project I wanted to be the one who's responsible for the design part. I took a personality test when I was 15 and since then I knew that I was meant to become a graphic designer.
Where do you get inspired for your projects?
Basically it's design books. I usually flip through and random things that are happening with design can sometimes inspire me to create something new.
What is your most inspired project? Why do you consider it to be your favorite?
I think it is a book jacket I did for the story "Alice in Wonderland". I created the illusion of hole inside the book. I had to cut every page, it was like a stack of 70 sheets. I also had to come up with techniques to make it look deeper. I put a lot of effort and thought to it.
What areas of design interest you the most? Print? Multimedia? Etc. and why?
I lean more towards print (Corporate Identity and Publication). Print is so precious to me. I enjoy doing it, thinking about it, and applying it. What smells better than a book? A book that you got to design yourself.
What in your opinions are your best qualities as a designer?
I would like to think it is originality and the ability to respond well to criticism.
Your worst?
Not enough patience.
If you hadn't been a designer, what profession would you have chosen?
Architecture.
If you were stranded on a desert island with only one item, what would it be?
My phone.
What design softwares you cannot possibly survive without?
Adobe Illustrator.
Are you a MAC or a PC and why?
MAC it's really practical.
If you were a font, which would you be and why? Helvetica Neue. It's elegant and clear. It also comes with a variety of weights (light, ultra light, bold…)
Outside of design and visual arts, what are your hobbies?
Swimming and traveling.
You are one of the creators behind the Metel Ma Shelta campaign. Why do you feel it is important for you, as a designer, to use your professional skills for social work?
Sometimes we might all have the urge to change and tackle certain social issues. As designers we learn to come up with original ideas that draw attention. It also teaches us the right way to communicate with our audience in order to achieve maximum effectiveness.
Metel Ma Shelta has allowed you to meet your audience up close and personal. How does it feel having your work touch your audience directly and be part of this direct interaction? Do you enjoy it or do you prefer the creative side of your work, when it is just you and your computer?
Of course I'd prefer the interaction especially when it comes to awareness campaigns because the whole point is to affect your audience.
How do you think this campaign changed you as a designer? Did all the exposure you got affect the way you plan to pursue your career? Did you learn new skills and qualities about yourself which you would like to focus on?
This campaign gave me a huge responsibility as a designer. Now that we've set certain goals in this campaign we can not stop here. This has inspired me to pursue this type of campaigns throughout my career instead of being purely corporate. Of course now that it is more interactive I would have to focus more on social skills.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I would want to open my own design studio. Hopefully I would've launched by then (or be a part of) a campaign that works on achieving women's rights in Lebanon and the Arab World.
Social, environmental, political, you name it; there have been campaigns of any form and shape, all over the place these past few years.
Some popular, some less. Some effective, some not as much. Others, unfortunately and despite the best of intentions, got twisted and turned into jokes. Very popular ones. But jokes nonetheless as Brofessional Review rightfully noted, such as the whole "Shu we2fet 3layeh" campaign by Bank Med(here, here and here) parodied so many times (here is one of those times) or even "Cheyef 7alak". These are only two of so many issues tackled in the media to raise awareness on various subjects including driving and road safety, women's rights, children's rights, racism and even tourism with the now notorious "Don't Vote For Me, Vote For Jeita Grotto" tag line.
In any case, the purpose of this post is not to assess these awareness campaigns, but just to note that successful or not, these were led by organized activists, NGOs, private companies, or even the government.
But I have to say, I have not seen any campaign launched by unknown, independent students go viral as quickly as Metel Ma Shelta (متل ما شلتا)!
Please, understand, it was not the work of a university department, a club or even a class project. It was this idea that three young people started, and which unravelled into a nation-wide phenomenon! Well, nation-wide on social media so far.
But Metel Ma Shelta (متل ما شلتا) could take the whole country, if not the whole Arab world by storm. At least this is what Mohamed Olaymi, Nadine Razzouk and Lama Shehadeh hope for.
These three best friends are the brains behind Metel Ma Shelta (متل ما شلتا). We had a little chat with Mohamed and Nadine as they let us in on everything, and a tad more.
It all starts in Beirut, where these students study and live.
Meet Mohamed Olaymi, a third year graphic design student at the American University of Beirut. Born and raised in Riyadh, this Syrian national then moved to Lebanon to pursue his education at the AUB. Originally from a "business oriented family" as he says, he considers himself to be the "odd artist in this equation", however clarifying his family is "very supportive" of what he does and remains his "biggest fans".
His best friend and classmate at AUB is Nadine Razzouk. This middle child has "no history of artists or designers in the family" either, and just like Mohamed, somehow, she ended up studying graphic design at one of the most prominent universities in the region.
So how did they come up with this unusual campaign?
"As we were strolling along the streets of Hamra we have encountered people littering. This came as a shock to us, in a beautiful country such as Lebanon that is considered to be the citadel of modernism in the Middle East, to still encounter such mess" explains Mohamed. "We perceive that as a horrific crime and our objective is to spread awareness throughout Lebanon and to initiate a law that prohibits people from littering. We're hoping the government can take a serious look at this problem and design a solution for it" he adds.
"Our main objective is for people to think twice before littering again" continues Nadine; "on the long term, our campaign's goal is for a law to be implemented to fine people who litter".
Needless to say, these young activists are strong-minded and very determined to see their campaign succeed.
Their plan was simple: They "didn't want to print papers and stick them all over the streets because we knew people have become immune to this type of campaigning" explains Mohamed, "nor did we want to distribute flyers which will eventually be trashed. We wanted to bring something new to the table, something no one can turn his head away from. It hit us like a lightning bolt, MONEY!".
Both agree that interactive campaigns which engage their audience directly in an active form are more effective. "We wanted to raise awareness about littering but we wanted our campaign to be different in the sense that it tackles the lebanese citizen on a microlevel. The person is interacting with our campaign so we are hoping it triggers something in each one of us" notes Nadine.
Mohamed proceeds to clarify how Metel Ma Shelta (متل ما شلتا) goes that extra mile: "Distributing phony money on the street was the perfect solution. It requires the target to bend down, pick it up, flip it, and read it. All this probably takes 30 seconds. Most awareness campaigns lose their audience after 5 seconds, we're being able to captivate them for approximately 30 seconds which is an achievement on its own!"
The concept is quite simple really; a fake 10,000 Lebanese Pounds bill with a note on the back: "Just like you picked up this money, you can pick up garbage on the street".
But fake money costs real money and it came as no surprise that Mohamed, Nadine and Lama were financing and executing this project themselves, with the help of their families.
Apparently, it was all worth it since faculty and peers at AUB, as well as relatives "were all ecstatic to hear we were doing something this genuine" reveals Mohamed.
"After we had printed our first 100 copies, we wanted to ask our peers and friends and of course our teachers about it so we tried it in our department at AUB and it caught everyone's attention. Everyone has been so supportive! We are truly thankful because if it weren't for their excitement we probably wouldn't have gotten this much attention" continues Nadine.
The campaign went viral in a matter of days, and the three friends are still "in a state of shock". They did not expect such a massive reaction from the public and of course, they are hoping to keep the momentum going until a law is drafted. "We hope that with the help of the media we can get our politicians to finally implement this law against littering" says Nadine.
Their enthusiasm is utterly contagious and they plan to tackle other issues close to their hearts once this one comes to term.
So what is next?
Beirut was the first city targeted simply because it is where they live and spend most of their time but these tenacious designers have already reached Tripoli, Bhamdoun and Kaslik, and they hope to cover the entire Lebanese territory soon. Mohamed even plans to cross the border and export this campaign to Syria as well.
Usually when a movement becomes that popular among students, it catches on quickly in other countries and when asked if they had plans to collaborate with students abroad and expand the campaign's outreach, both were open to the idea.
So can we expect money-rain to pour on all Arab streets soon? Who knows.
In the meantime, "it's raining cash over Beirut City" laughs Mohamed. "Most of the reactions were extremely positive and encouraging. A few critics have exclaimed that we are littering by distributing flyers on the floor.
We respond: We have created a campaign that is attractive enough to be surely picked off the floor. We're not worried about that at all! We never find our flyers on the floor, they're picked up seconds after we distribute them. Some decide to throw them in the trash. Many decide to keep them and distribute them in another street, and a few place them back on the ground for someone else to stumble upon them. We're currently putting a video together that sums up the different reactions we have encountered. So stay tuned for that".
"Some other critics said 'we're not obliged to remove the trash off the street, we should promote not throwing it in the first place'. Our reply is that not only do we mean to literally pick up the trash, but also symbolically. We ask people to obliterate the trash through spreading awareness".
Nadine goes on to explain that they "have studied the campaign and know that it is strong enough for it to not be ignored so the flyers are not staying on the floor".
So who are these young creators, really?
We took them on a one-on-one interview, just to pick their brains a little.
Mohamed
"We are three witty designers eagerly trying to change the world making it a better place. This is our responsibility as the future generation".
Mohamed Olaymi
What drove you to study graphic design?
I always had a passion towards arts, I'm a painter myself, and I realized graphic design integrates so many forms of art that I intended to explore. I also wanted to master the art of visual expression.
Do you have any mentors (professors or others) and did they influence you in any way when you came up with this campaign?
Of course, almost every teacher has put us one step closer to this campaign. I would like to add that in AUB a course is given, "design in the community", as part of the graphic design program in order to teach students how to create awareness campaigns. So every little angle of our campaign is actually planned thoroughly and not coincidentally.
Who is your favorite designer or visual artist? Andy Warhol.
Where do you get inspired for your projects?
We were actually inspired by the streets of Hamra.
If you hadn't been a designer, what profession would you have chosen?
Painter.
If you were stranded on a desert island with only one item, what would it be?
My phone.
What design softwares you cannot possibly survive without?
Adobe Photoshop.
Are you a MAC or a PC?
MAC, it understands my language.
Outside of design and visual arts, what are your hobbies?
Singing along to every song played on the radio.
So you do realize you guys are becoming more and more famous now. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years I'm hoping to be an established designer that changes the world. And of course, Hollywood. (laughs)
"We are full of life, happy and want to make a difference. And most of all we are best friends".
Nadine Razzouk
What drove you to study graphic design?
I was actually a psychology student but i didn't find myself there. i wanted something where i could interact with people and not just on a personal level.
Do you have any mentors (professors or others) and did they influence you in any way when you came up with this campaign?
Our teachers were so supportive, and if it weren't for their constructive feedback throughout this campaign and our courses we wouldn't have made this much of an impact.
Who is your favorite designer or visual artist? Man Ray.
Where do you get inspired for your projects?
I usually go to bookstores on Saturdays and just lurk there and flip through books.
If you hadn't been a designer, what profession would you have chosen?
I would probably be a psychologist.
If you were stranded on a desert island with only one item, what would it be?
My laptop.
What design softwares you cannot possibly survive without?
Adobe Illustrator.
Are you a MAC or a PC?
MAC, it's so much practical.
Outside of design and visual arts, what are your hobbies?
Traveling and hula hooping.
So you do realize you guys are becoming more and more famous now. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I see myself as the next Oprah Winfrey of Graphic design!
The campaign features prominent international figures and politicians, calling them to unhate.
Considering the political climate in Lebanon, it is not surprising Made In Lebanonmimics of the campaign quickly emerged:
I am not sure who is behind these posters so if you know, please do drop a line in the comments section below so I can credit the designer.
With all the buzz surrounding the fight between Mustafa Alloush and Fayez Cheker caught live on MTV Lebanon's BiMawdouiye , I'm surprised no one has featured them unhating yet ;)
