The other day someone showed me a YouTube channel saw a design layout that was different (and much better looking) than the typical YouTube channels. After some inquiry turns out that they hadn’t done anything special to get the design as they had set it.

After about three mins of fiddling around in the YouTube settings, I saw this:

When you see an “Upgrade” button, you cannot not click it. The result:

I love the clean design layout.

Some marked their calendars to save up and prepare themselves for the release of major May blockbusters like Wolverine, Star Trek, Terminator Salvation, and Disney-Pixar’s Up.

Some saved up and prepared themselves to attend the first ever Ilm Week hosted by QMajd, Toronto’s student body of AlMaghrib Institute.

I had the audicity and excitement of doing both.

– –

:: What’s the point?

Do you wish to learn more about me, the characters I meet or something else?

It might be a good idea to discuss the story of Yusuf and compare that to the foundational elements of these major May blockbusters and apply the lessons to apply to our projects, but then I figured - most people prob don’t even fully know or appreciate the story of Yusuf-may peace be upon him in the Quran.

Sad reality is that many Muslims - especially youth - haven’t taken the time to connect with the Qur’an or any of the characters that Allah has presented to us in it.

It’s not really their fault. People just haven’t relayed who these awesome characters are.

– –

:: What connects us to people and characters?

This is a question that I’ve been asking myself for a while. What REALLY connects us individuals to people? Whether or not they’re fictitios, what makes us love them or hate them?

I saw Disney-Pixar’s UP yesterday with my little sisters. It’s about following one’s dreams, acheiving goals and keeping promises. I laughed and - almost - cried in that movie. I know there were others in the theater who did shed a tear.

It’s no wonder that Pixar’s consistantly releases hits. Their characters totally connect with the audience.

When we watch movies, TV shows, webisodes, vlogs - are we connecting with the story, eye-candy, or the character(s)?

I’m convinced that subconsciencely as human beings our goal is to connect with the character. When it comes to people, whether or not they’re real we want to love or hate, but never tolerate.

– –

:: What does this have to do with you and I?

Whether were in busines, education, dawah, or entertainment - in order for us to effectively communicate our message we need to develop our characters.

Lay out not only the character in relationship to the story we’re telling but revealing and developing them as the story progresses.

Ask yourself questions like:

• What are the character’s basic human needs, wants, desires, and aspirations?
• What are their internal and external struggles that they’re contending with?

As the story progresses, what do you want to reveal about them to the audience so that the audience can releate and connect with them?

• What do they LOVE?
• What do they HATE?
• What do they FEAR?
• What makes them ANGERY?
• What moves them forward?
• What makes them SAD?
• What makes them HAPPY?
• What makes them ANXIOUS?

The answers to these questions is what adds depth and realism to any character. If you yourself want to connect with an audience, perhaps you want to think about revealing some aspects of YOUR character to people to connect with them.

– –

:: What does this have to do with Leechon and the work I’m doing?

Coming out of my comfort zone, really excites me. It’s a chance for growth, experiencing new things, and making new friends.

After releasing my second episode of Browntourage I decided to take the time out and ask YOU what you felt that could be improved. The feedback that you gave on Facebook and Leechon Blog-post was excellent and definetly woth applying, but it was missing something.

As I had been filming for the coming episodes, I wondered what is it about me and others that you want to learn about? It’s for that reason that I posted on “Tweet-booked”,

Flying out to Vancouver mon with Sensei (Muhammad Alshareef). If you could ask him a question, what would it be? Rply n I’ll ask it for you.

I figured people would want to know more about a “character” that I would be featuring in my episode - Muhammad Alshareef in this case - but turns out the questions they asked were of a different nature…

It’s for this reason I shared a “commenty” of sort on Facebook (click the image)

This sort of brings me back to my original question - what is it about the characters on my trip that you wish to learn? What do you want to know about them? Am I the character that you wish to know more about?

For those who haven’t been following me on twitter or facebook, I’ll be leaving my house to go to Vancouver in less than six hours. I’ll be spending my time with Irtiza and Sensei as well as hoping to meet some awesome people along the way.

Here are some amazing videos of Vancouver and the Canadian Rockies - both of which I plan on seeing.

(note: videos were not produced by Leechon)

Keep an eye open. I’ll be posting up Browntourage “intakes” as the trip progresses inshaAllah.

I’ve finally caught up with my sleep and getting ready for another trip which would be this Monday - this time to Vancouver!

Today I managed to put up some “in-takes” of browntourage. Watch and comment!

– –

Recently on Facebook I posted up a pic to get people’s feedback and responses on ways to improve the Browntourage series. In my opinion a great dialog took place and found four ways to improve the series in the next upcoming episodes.

Before I lay out the points, the reason I’ve started this series is:

I travel a lot. At least once a month I’m flying out to somewhere. There are amazing people in each of these places and I learn a lot of things from them. I also see many beautiful things - stuff that you wouldn’t see unless you left your home.

This series is my way of sharing what I’ve seen and the people I’ve met.

The improvement points are:

• Set naming structure in accordance with the premise of the series. Change “Episode” to “Trip”

• Keep up the coherency of the episodes/trips. Communicate where I’m headed, who I’m with, and why I’m with that person.

• Don’t just include people, but include lot of people who add substance and content to the episode.

• Where visuals failed to communicate what’s going on, use a narrative to structure a story/plot to enhance it and have it be more engaging.

You’re more than welcome to add to these points inshaAlah.

There are more comments than what you see here. You can click on the image.

Now for some Ilm Week updates!

• I found out last night that Sensei (Muhammad Alshareef) isn’t going to be able to make it. Qadr Allah. That puts a wrench in our commercial filming idea.
• Never eat Boston Pizza for dinner (see link for more info) - update - turns out you need to be in my friend on Facebook to see the link. Just hit me up with a friend request
• I forgot to bring one of the camer’s power adapter. Batt is dead. Had it FedExed over from NJ to Toronto. Got held up in customs, then FedEx didn’t release it to the address it was sent because my name was on the TO address and I wasn’t there to retrieve it. Today I have to pick it up from the FedEx center!

The following dialog took place at the end of Sh Waleed’s halaqah:

HAYTHAM:

Keep the engagement short. Two to three days and move on!

SH WALEED:

No no. I’m in favor of a longer engagement period.

HAYTHAM:

Comon shaykh! That’s not fair! It’s like having a peice of chocolate in front of you and not being able to eat it!

AMMAR:

I don’t think you’ll get chocolate. It’ll probably be caramel.

HAYTHAM: (looking at Ammar then looking to Sh Waleed)

I’ll take anything shaykh!

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.

Watch the PILOT EPISODE here: http://www.leechon.com/browntourage-pilot-episode-939.htm

I’m flying out tomorrow to Toronto to attend AlMaghrib’s Ilm Week. Well It’s Fiqh of Love + Ilm Week + Six Instructors + Consistent Tweets + Some Fun Videos  = Boat load of fun!

To keep updated on the whole 10-day event:

• Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/khanb1
• If you’re not into Tweeting yet - friend me on Facebook: http://profile.to/belalkhan
• Keep an eye out on GemReel.com for videos of some random happenings around Ilm Week

Also - keep an eye open for “HOLLYWOODLAND” - the next episode of Browntourage which I’ll be releasing Saturday inshaAllah.

As you walk out and look upon the night sky
Under the canopy of the stars
And you see how high you can ascend
How far can your bubble take you?

Those specific words begged me to asked the following question these were the responses:

I want to take this a step further. Take my question and think deep and hard - If you can see me go anywhere in the WORLD - where would it be?

If you haven’t been following along, the reason for this trip was to attend a seminar hosted by Film Specific called Going Global Bootcamp. Read about it here:

• Going Global Aftermath - PIPE-lineing
• Revisiting Tufaan
• I’m Going Back To California To Going Global Boot Camp

I want your feedback as to what you want to see in the upcoming Browntourage episode. NOTE: this assembly edit doesn’t include any post processing of enhancing the image and having it properly fill the screen. All that will be address in the coming passes and edits.

In this episode is the story of my trip to Los Angeles. The things I’m considering including:

• Hanging out with Baba Ali
• Chilling with my host and his kids
• Hiking up Mt. Lee - up to where the hollywood sign is
• Breakfast with the 3D Poet Hossein
• Chess match with my host and Mahdi
• Photos I shot while I was there

What are something that you want to see in the video from among what I’ve mentioned and what I haven’t.