Reading time: 5 – 8 minutes

:: Secret #1 – Build off the Shoulders of Giants

Why do more work then needed if someone has done most of the hardwork for you?

This is a shout out to Cassidy Bisher of DropDrop.com for the AWESOME Adobe After Effects templates that he produces as well Andrew Kramer of VideoCopilot.net for the equally awesome After Effects training and tutorials he’s laid out.

One of the stepping stones to developing your skills as a master of your craft is to start by mimicking and learning exactly how the master does it. Once you get a hang of it, mix and match appropriately for your own projects.

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:: Secret #2 – Understand Fundamental Principles & Tools

Learn the the basic functions of Adobe After Effects and learn the basics of design. Master the basics and you’ll learn to manipulate the advanced stuff quickly. Yes, its difficult to make the flashy attractive stuff in these early stages, but its a good stage to start playing with already completed project templates to get you moving along the way.

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:: Secret #3 – Develop a Work Flow Process

Know that processes lead to the development of procedures which lend you and your project the ability to be duplicated so that others can carry forth your work.

I’ve discussed the concept of work flow process in one of the sessions over at MessageMastery.com titled: Eight Pass Process of Post Production

The basic process of work flow and tools I’ve used for the trailers is as follows:

• Gather Ideas
• Develop Concept
• Research template options which can house the concept being communicated

• Mold the template in Adobe After Effects to carry the message visually
• Export to uncompressed AVI
• Import to Premiere to assemble the different parts to tell the message visually

• Gather and sample audio elements in Sound Forge and export them to AIFF files
• Import and assemble them in the Premiere sequences to carry the message in audio
• Tweak the audio in Premiere to enhance the visual message

• Export the project via Adobe Media Encoder and pass it to key individuals for feedback to make changes towards a final draft.

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:: Secret #4 – Get yourself an appropriate computer to edit on

You may be able to get by on an Intel Core2Duo or slower PC/Mac but you’ll be losing a LOT of time. Speed is the key to timely delivery and profits.

Get yourself a Intel Core i7 system with 6GBs of DDR3 RAM and you’ll be good to go – especially if you want to produce HD content. You can build a system like that for about $1,500 today from NewEgg.com. Here’s a breakdown:

• ~$550 USD = Motherboard + 6GB DDR RAM + Intel Core i7 920
• ~$130 USD = 850 Watt Corsair Power Supply (via Amazon.com)
• ~$260 USD = 1 TB Hard Drive + 150 GB HDD Western Digital Raptor
• ~$100 USD = Video Card
• ~$160 USD = PC Case + Keyboard + Mouse
• ~$220 USD = SAMSUNG 2343BWX 23″ monitor
• ~$80 USD = Pair of good head phones

Total cost = ~$1,500

This is the cost if you were to build it from the ground up or purchase from a vendor like Dell. It prob will cost you only a fraction of that if you just upgrade your existing machine.

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:: Secret #5 – Patience

I guess you can say that’s not much of a secret. Video editing, motion graphics, media production takes TIME. You have to keep at. Many times you may even find yourself staying up three to maybe even four nights back to back so that you can make the deadlines.

If you don’t have a passion for this sort of stuff then you’ll absolutely hate doing it and will be ready to literally pull your hair out or shoot yourself

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:: The Showcase

I can confidently say that the development of these trailers – approximately eight minutes of total content – took 450 hours of work. Every minute of content took 56.25 hrs.

Project Reflection: Torch Bearers Trailer

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Project Reflection: Focus on Your Strengths – A Light of Guidance

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Project Relfection Coming Soon

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Project Reflection Coming Soon

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Project Reflection Coming Soon

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Project Reflection Coming Soon

Reading time: 3 – 5 minutes

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New AlMaghrib Branding Trailers

This summer was quite a busy time. Two conferences – ISNA (in Washington DC) and Journey of Faith (in Toronto) happening at the same time meant that the stuff I had to put out had to be top class.

This time around I ended up producing FOUR videos for the purposes of promoting AlMaghrib at these conferences – AND – producing the content that was given out on some of the limited supply of AlMaghrib USB drives.

I didn’t plan on going to any of the conferences this Independence Day weekend. I was personally spending time with family in Boston and eating BBQ meat. While there I got a text from AlMaghrib HQ which prompted me to ask the following on Facebook

Those of you who didn’t get to go to the conferences, here’s the video for you to see:

The above video is basically three videos combined into one piece. You can watch the three videos individually here:

• AlMaghrib Instructors 2009
• AlMaghrib Cities 2009
• AlMaghrib Benefits

As a service and giving back to you all and helping the dawah move forward, my next post is going to be about my “secrets” and how I’ve produced some of these trailers.

Success is from Allah-swt. May He grant it to all of you. Ameen.

:: ::
Red Magnum to ISNA

While I was in Boston an opportunity presented itself. Second cousin Faisal was setup for an internship down in DC and was driving down so I figured I’d accompany him so this way I can get in on some of the ISNA action that was taking place.

Check out the photo journal:

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New Secret Trailer Producer

I want to introduce a fellow trailer maker who’s identity is kept a secret by AlMaghrib HQ. I personally don’t even know his name. He’s up and coming and will be making the coming trailers for AlMaghrib. Just to give you a taste of what he’s done so far:

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AlMaghrib’s USB Gift

Those of you who’s didn’t get your hands on one of those USB drives and have been wondering what the big deal was; Basically it was about seven hours of content by some of our top AlMaghrib instructors.

Reading time: 2 – 4 minutes

It’s been an interesting trip so far. Just to sum up what’s happened so far:

• Fiqh of Love with Sh. Waleed Basyouni is definently original and eye opening
• Recording of the first weekend has been an almost complete disaster – which has led to a fairly successful start for the recording of Ilm Week.
• I had Popeye’s for the first time in Toronto – First experience was..okay. The second experience made me gag, almost puke and killed my appitite.
• Finished up “Tribes” by Seth Godin – Excellent book
• Started “The Whuffie Factor” by Tara Hunt – really good book so far 
• Witnissed Yasir Qadhi’s conversion story and change of methodology – see: http://muslimmatters.org/2009/05/18/yasir-qadhi-my-conversion-admitting-ones-mistake-and-moving-on/

One of the major highlights of the trip so far has been meeting the people heading up AlMaghrib in the UK. Really nice bunch of guys. They relayed the following to me via email in the past and in person again here:

I have been meaning to write this email for a while…

I believe Belal deserves a huge amount of credit for AlMaghrib expanding at the rate it has in the UK. His trailers have captivated the UK audience and many dawah organisations call me and ask me for the details of who makes AlMaghrib trailers. And many have copied Belal’s style of trailer to advertise on the Islam Channel. Company’s call Islam Channel and ask for us to make a trailer for them like AlMaghribs Mash’Allah.

And with a viewership of over 1.5 Million in the UK and a further global audience, our adverts are viewed by Millions across the globe Mash’Allah.

Without the quality trailers that Belal has made that include, Jannah, cities, Shayoukh, TSP, TB, LOG, BOC and now TBA AlMaghrib would not have had class numbers the size we have now in the UK and we would have still only been known by the practising Muslims.

However now we are known by many who are not practising and many do attend our seminars.

Therefore this email is to really say a big Jazzak’Allah khair to Belal and all the hours he has worked to ensure adverts are completed on time Mash’Allah.

May Allah (swt) accept it from you akh and increase the talents he has given you, Ameen.

Jazak’ Allah khair.
Wa Salaam

Ameen ya rabal’alameen. Any and all success my work has had is all from Allah-swt and may Allah-swt forgive me for any and all shortcoming I’ve had along the way and will have in the future.

Reading time: 2 – 2 minutes

I posted earlier in the Quarter One Review that DiscoverU is a recent client of mine and that I’m heading up the production of some of their video development for online distribution. The following are some of the videos that have been posted up so far.

I want you to respond with at least three gems you pull from these videos. I’m looking forward to reading them

Reading time: 3 – 4 minutes

If you’re going to the Reviving the Islamic Spirit (RIS) conference in Toronto or Texas Dawah Conference (TDC) in Houston this weekend, then you’re in for a treat. You’re going to be seeing some new videos for AlMaghrib Institute and Bayyinah Arabic. Just to give you a sneak peak as to what’s I’ve been working on:

http://www.leechon.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/ilmrush-ris08-all3-00.flv

I can’t remember the last time I was as busy as I have been (still am) these last 5 weeks developing marketing material and content for these two clients. Just to give you an over view of the projects that are in progress and shall be completed before the year’s end inshaAllah:

• :: Complete :: Conversations in Heaven and Hell - 4 Part series by Muhammad Alshareef for IlmCast.com (Will release bi-weekly starting Jan 2nd)

• :: Complete :: IlmRush Card Trailer – Available at RIS and TDC and to the public starting Jan 1st (see video above)

• :: Complete :: Sacred Scrolls Trailer - being played on the big screen at RIS

• :: Complete :: AlMaghrib Cities Trailer – Adjusted trailer for AlMaghrib’s “cities” promotion to include the UK student body loctions being played on the big screen at RIS

• :: Complete :: God Speak 10×10x4 – 15+ Videos on Arabic and Qur’an for Bayyinah’s upcoming new seminar (info coming soon)

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• :: In-Progress :: God Speak – A two-hour special feature lecture featuring Nouman Ali Khan from Bayyinah. This video feature will be released early Jan. — Make sure to catch the highlights-reel that will be played during TDC at Bayyinah’s booth.

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Other Projects Slated to be Completed Early January

• :: In-Progress :: Big Buddy Program – A client project for a Louisiana based youth-mentoring organization

• :: In-Progress :: Sameer’s Eats Premiere Episode – Think MTV’s Cribs meets Halaal (Zabiha) restaurants.

• :: In-Progress :: Message Mastery Course Content Completion – basically the completion of the course content

• :: In-Progress :: New DiscoverU Life Trailer – A promotional item marketing an upcoming awesome new workshop that will be conducted toward the latter part of quarter one of 2009

• :: In-Progress :: Breach Of Covenant Trailer – Promotional trailer for upcoming UK AlMaghrib seminar

I’ve got a BUSY four weeks ahead of me!