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BLACK BIRD FX
Sitcom Lebnene Animated mini-series Proposal
Contact Persons: Ralf Karam Executive Producer | Writer
Cendrella Abi Gerges Producer
E: Ralf@Blackbirdfx.net T: +961-4-825244 EXT.104 M: +961-3-219438
E: Cendrella@Blackbirdfx.net T: +961-4-825244 EXT.108 M: +961-3-069908
Cynthia Chebaby Production Manager E: C.Chebaby@Blackbirdfx.net T: +961-4-825244 EXT.101 M: +961-3-464174
Proposal Valid till: 16.11.2015
Proposal Issued: 16.09.2015 1 28
www.blackbirdfx.net | www.sitcomlebnene.com +961-4-825244 | info@blackbirdfx.net | www.blackbirdfx.net
FACT SHEET
Title
Sitcom Lebnene
Genre
Satire | Comedy | Animation
Duration
72 Episodes | 30 to 60 Seconds each
Language
Arabic, Lebanese
Softwares used
Autodesk Maya Adobe After Effects Adobe Photoshop Adobe Illustrator Adobe Premiere
Director
Ralf Karam
Writers
Ralf Karam Shady Abi Chakra Christy Whaibe
Execution
Blackbirdfx
Producer
Cendrella Abi Gerges
Country of production
Lebanon
Year of production
2015-206
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COVERING LETTER A lot of us have always felt uncomfortable in our society for not speaking our minds, or lacking the medium to expose our opinions. We think it’s crucial to have a comedy satire series in which humor comes from inappropriate actions or words, in a burlesque form, a random expectation, an exaggeration, a stretching of reality. These types of anecdotes are barely present in the Arab world, especially when it is portrayed in the Arabic language, questioning our culture and exposing our discomforts. We grew up surrounded by friends with heavily edgy humor, and with time we developed easy ways to express ideas and create awkward jokes that brought us even closer, escaping from community frustration, and unwillingly, we built a positive environment around us. We eventually found ourselves endlessly acting out bits and sketches. With the humor in our everyday life, we realized it is time to bring this to the screen, since we have the ambition, the potential and the technical skills required. The Simpsons, since 1986, widely considered to be one of the greatest television series of all time, are pioneers of the satirical animation genre in depicting dysfunctional families, and one of our main inspirations for this series. South park and Family guy followed them, showing how these types of comedy evolved and became widely accessible around the world, for being edgy, bluntly sarcastic, and most of all, depicting subjects in very unconventional manners, and still inform us while pursuing a certain moral, and staying creative. We are actually learning more from these very entertaining shows, much more than all the drama we are exposed to from television in our country. That is our primary goal in this region, climb above the common and monotonous broadcasts and TV shows. Lacking freedom of speech and liberty to express our opinions as uprising artists in a world of conflicts, we think that a satirical humorous TV show, can allow us to state our opinions publicly and break our message to the people in a very indirect way that can’t possibly lead to censorship. It is important to mention that when we first started making the campaign to see what might be the reaction for such rare projects, the public showed heavy excitement, a large number of people interested to be part of, and very curious of the outcome. We realized that this type of show with such high demand could easily reach people abroad and have a strong impact in the nearby countries interested in the Lebanese culture.
At last, we are bringing something new to the Arab world, of course different from Americanized series. And this type of comedy, part ridiculous/ part surreal or symbolic, in a way, reminds us all of how clumsy we are, and how absurd we look from the outside. In that way we make fun of ourselves before we start pointing fingers at others, and make peace with and understand our bad habits. We want to make the world laugh with us, and it is a relief of all the stress the Arab world has been, is, and will continue suffering from. It’s time to break some chains. Better be completely ridiculous, than absolutely boring. We’re very excited for this, and we hope for the outcome to exceed our expectations.
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AUTHORS BIO Ralf Karam
Executive Producer | Writer
Cynthia Chebaby Production Manager
Cendrella Abi Gerges Producer
Ralf Karam is the founder of Blackbirdfx, a production/ post-production company that specializes in motion capture, VFX & 2D-3D Animation. He pursued audio-visual studies at ‘Université Saint-Joseph Lebanon’.
Cynthia E. Chebaby was born on the 25th of October, 1987. She completed her Audiovisual studies at the Saint Joseph University in Beirut (USJ), and started working as a freelancer in the audio post-production field.
His graduation film (Insanity Crescendo) was the first stereoscopic (real 3D) film in the Middle East region.
Yet her love for business, which guided her to work in the sales and marketing department of many companies, finally led her to BlackbirdFX, in which she was able to mix her two passions, business and cinema, by being the Sales and Marketing manager, with the main duty of promoting audiovisual and media services.
Ralf Karam went on with his studies and finished screenwriting classes at NYFA New York along with four 3D Animation online classes with the Gnomon workshop.
Cendrella Abi Gerges was born on the 28th of July 1987. After acquiring a diploma in cinema studies, Cendrella went on to build a career in film production and film festivals. Cendrella worked as associate producer and publicist on the feature film “Ghadi” directed by Amin Dora after gaining experience producing several short films, and working on well renowned film festivals in Beirut. She started working with Metropolis Association as project coordinator on two regional educational programs; NAAS training an Arthouse Cinema Management and Programming Workshop, and Talents Beirut the newest branch of Berlinale Talents tailored for the needs of the Arab world, to take in charge the young audience programme and activities.
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Shadi Abi Chacra Writer | Sound Designer
Shadi Abi Chacra was born on the 24th march of 1986, in Mazraat Al Chouf, Lebanon. He grew up in Brumana town, where he developed a love for art in many of its forms. At an early age, he started composing music and playing with various bands. From a secular to a catholic school, his fascination with art got him into writing prose and poetry, with a twist of dark romance and spiritual delirium, as he ventured into books of occult science and philosophy. After experimenting with photography and photo manipulations, he attended the Saint Joseph University in Audiovisual studies. Impressed by symbolism, experimental and psychological horror movies, he found himself gathering all of his hobbies and passions into the art of sound design and filmmaking.
MAIN CHARACTERS Charlotte Sex
Female
Age
44
Marital Status
Married to Fadzi
Character
Caring, sensitive, hysterical. Obsessed with her looks. Identity Issues. Believes she’s the prettiest. Always worried, gets involved in people’s lives and doesn’t allow them to go out at night due to the situation. She’s very loud and has an annoying voice. Her best friend Odette, is her Idol; she constantly tries to behave like her, but fail by being cheap. Has 2 children and pregnant with another.
Education
Never went to College. Studied at a public school. Pretends to know French to catch up with ‘Odette’.
Job
Answers calls at a Taxi office managed by her husband ‘Fadzi’
Odette Sex
Female
Age
40
Marital Status
Married to Jihad
Character
Odette is a high-class confident and self-centered woman. She constantly mixes French Arabic and English in her conversations. She loves shopping and tends to forget to take care of her children. Wants a house in Rabieh, practices Squash in ATCL. BEBE is her favorite kid.
Education
Well educated, triliguist
Job
Housewife
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Jihad Sex
Male
Age
48
Marital Status
Married to Odette
Character
OCD, Wants perfection but finds it in the wrong places, thinks that the government is perfect and that if he does his job right everything will change. He always makes the wrong decisions but is convinced that his choices are always the right ones. He denies anything that is against his ideology. Highly paranoid. Never blinks.
Education
BAC Technique
Job
Internal security Force
Fadzi (Not Fadi) Sex
Male
Age
57
Marital Status
Married to Charlotte
Character
Fadzi is a whiney and angry man. He complains about everything even when it lacks logic or common sense. He hates his country, the laws, and specially politics. He owns a taxi rental service with his wife charlotte
Education
BT2
Job
Owns a Taxi shop ‘Taxi Texi’. His wife helps him with the calls.
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PRESS CLIPPING | FEATURES Before developing Sitcom Lebnene’s idea further, we launched a social media campaign that started in 2014 to test the waters and see how the audience would interact with an animated web series. The results were stronger than expected, we got dozens of fans asking for more details and wanting to be part of the show. We held open VO talent auditions to which more than 120 persons showed up and expressed excitement to be part of something new in Lebanon. The posts held random subjects related to both social and political situations across the country and the audience’s engagement was surprisingly high. Not only fans were interested, but we got many requests from the press as well. We got featured in many websites including the huffington post. Below are some excerpts from different interviews & mentions: . ﻭﻳﺤﺘﺎﺝ ﺍﻟﻤﺸﺮﻭﻉ ﺍﻟﻰ ﺳﺘﺔ ﺃﺷﻬﺮ ﺃﺧﺮﻯ ﻟﻴﺼﺒﺢ ﺟﺎﻫﺰﺍً ﻟﻠﻌﺮﺽ.ﺍﻟﻤﺴﻠﺴﻞ ﻟﻠﻘﻨﻮﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺘﻠﻔﺰﻳﻮﻧﻴﺔ
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( ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺳﻴﺴﺘﺨﺪﻣﺎﻧﻬﺎ ﻓﻲ ﺑﻴﻊPilot) ﻭﻫﻤﺎ ﺍﻵﻥ ﻓﻲ ﻣﺮﺣﻠﺔ ﺍﻧﺠﺎﺯ ﺍﻟﺤﻠﻘﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﺠﺮﻳﺒﻴﺔ،ﻣﻨﺬ ﺛﻤﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﺃﺷﻬﺮ ﻭﻗﺪ ﺃﺑﺼﺮﺕ ﻓﻜﺮﺗﻬﻤﺎ ﺍﻟﻨﻮﺭ. ﻭﺍﻟﻜﺎﺗﺐ ﻭﻣﻬﻨﺪﺱ ﺍﻟﺼﻮﺕ ﺷﺎﺩﻱ ﺃﺑﻲ ﺷﻘﺮﺍ،ﺍﻟﻜﺮﺗﻮﻧﻴﺔ ﺭﺍﻟﻒ ﻛﺮﻡ ﺑﻤﺒﺎﺩﺭﺓ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﻤﺨﺮﺝ ﻭﺻﺎﻧﻊ ﺍﻷﻓﻼﻡ، ﻭﻏﻴﺮﻫﻤﺎFamily Guy ﻭThe Simpsons ﺷﻬﻴﺮﺓ ﻣﺜﻞ ﻣﺴﺘﻮﺣﻰ ﻣﻦ ﻣﺴﻠﺴﻼﺕ ﺃﻣﻴﺮﻛﻴﺔ ﻫﺰﻟﻴﺔ، ﻫﻮ ﻣﺴﻠﺴﻞ ﻛﺮﺗﻮﻧﻲ ﻗﻴﺪ ﺍﻟﺘﺤﻀﻴﺮ،””ﺳﻴﺘﻜﻮﻡ ﻟﺒﻨﺎﻧﻲ
. ﻫﻮ ﺍﻟﺮﺳﻮﻡ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﺤﺮﻛﺔ، ﻟﻜﻨﻬﺎ ﻫﺬﻩ ﺍﻟﻤﺮﺓ ﺳﺘُﺟﺴﺪ ﻋﺒﺮ ﻗﺎﻟﺐ ﺟﺪﻳﺪ.ﺗﺠﺴﺪ ﺍﻟﻮﺍﻗﻊ ﺑﻄﺮﻳﻘﺔ ﻛﻮﻣﻴﺪﻳﺔ ﺷﺨﺼﻴﺎﺕ ﻧﻤﻄﻴﺔ ﻟﺒﻨﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﻳﻤﻜﻦ ﺇﻳﺠﺎﺩﻫﺎ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﻠﺴﻼﺕ ﻭﺍﻷﻓﻼﻡ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ...”ﻫﻴﺒﺴﺘﺮ“ ﺷﺎﺭﻉ ﺍﻟﺤﻤﺮﺍ ،” ﺍﻟﺨﻠﻴﺠﻲ ”ﺍﻟﻤﻘﺮﺵ،” ﺍﻟﻤﺪﺍﻡ ”ﺍﻟﻜﻼﺱ،”ﺍﻟﺸﺎﺏ ”ﺍﻟﻤﺤﺸﺶ
....READ MORE
Réalisées par une équipe de jeunes talents libanais, les premières
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vidéos et images de cette série animée comique font le tour du Web et ont séduit, en quelques mois, des milliers d’internautes. Sitcom Lebnéné, c’est l’idée de Ralf Karam, 26 ans, réalisateur et animateur 3D, entouré d’un groupe de jeunes diplômés, comme lui, de l’Iesav. C’est dans les studios de la société de postproduction BlackbirdFX, fondée par Ralf en 2014, que l’équipe réussit à monter ce projet ambitieux et unique en son genre. Avec, entre autres, le travail de Chadi Abi Chakra, ingénieur de son, Aly Farroukh, designer de personnages, Christy Whaibé et Sahar Moussalem, scénaristes, et de nombreux bénévoles ...READ MORE
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Blog Baladi
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ﻟﺒﻨﺎﻧﻴّﺓ «ﻧﻤﻮﺫﺟﻴّﺓ» ،ﺗﻌﺎﻧﻲ ﻣﻦ ﺯﺣﻤﺔ ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺮ ،ﻭﺍﻧﻘﻄﺎﻉ ﺍﻟﻜﻬﺮﺑﺎﺀ ،ﻭﻏﻴﺮﻫﺎ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﻤﺸﺎﻛﻞ ﺍﻟﻴﻮﻣﻴّﺓ. ﺍﻟﻔﺮﻳﻖ ﻣﺤﺎﻛﺎﺓ ﺳﺎﺧﺮﺓ ﻟﻘﻨﺎﺓ ﺗﻠﻔﺰﻳﻮﻧﻴّﺓ ﻟﺒﻨﺎﻧﻴّﺓ .ﺃﻣّﺍ «ﺳﻴﺘﻜﻮﻡ ﻟﺒﻨﺎﻧﻲ» ،ﻓﻴﺮﻭﻱ ﻗﺼّﺓ ﻣﺘﺨﻴّﻟﺔ ﻋﻦ ﻋﺎﺋﻠﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺣﺎﻟﺔ «ﺑﻴﺮﻭﺕ ﺑﻼﺱ» ،ﻳﻘﺪّﻡ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻃﺮﻳﻘﺔ ﺗﺠﺎﺭﺏ ﺃﻣﻴﺮﻛﻴّﺓ ﺗﻠﻔﺰﻳﻮﻧﻴّﺓ ﻧﺎﺟﺤﺔ ،ﻣﺜﻞ «ﻓﺎﻳﻤﻠﻲ ﻏﺎﻱ» ،ﻭ «ﻋﺎﺋﻠﺔ ﺳﻤﺒﺴﻮﻥ». ﻳﺘﺸﺎﺑﻪ ﺍﻟﻤﺸﺮﻭﻋﺎﻥ ﻓﻲ ﻋﺪّﺓ ﺗﻘﺎﻃﻌﺎﺕ ،ﺇﺫ ﻳﺘﻔﻘﺎﻥ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺗﻘﺪﻳﻢ ﺍﻟﺮﺳﻮﻡ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﺤﺮﻛﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻗﺎﻟﺐ ﻛﻮﻣﻴﺪﻱ، ﺑﺎﻟﺮﻏﻢ ﻣﻦ ﺍﺧﺘﻼﻑ ﺃﺳﻠﻮﺏ ﺍﻟﺮﺳﻢ ،ﻭﻃﺒﻴﻌﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﺎﺩّﺓ ﺍﻟﻤﻘﺪّﻣﺔ، ﺯﻧﻘﻮﻝ ،ﻭﺛﺎﻧﻴﻬﻤﺎ «ﺳﻴﺘﻜﻮﻡ ﻟﺒﻨﺎﻧﻲ» ﺍﻟﺬﻱ ﺍﻧﻄﻠﻖ ﻣﻦ ﻣﻄﻠﻊ ﻧﻴﺴﺎﻥ ﺍﻟﺤﺎﻟﻲ ﺑﻤﺒﺎﺩﺭﺓ ﻣﻦ ﺭﺍﻟﻒ ﻛﺮﻡ. ﺳﺎﺧﺮﺍً ،ﺃﻭّﻟﻬﻤﺎ «ﺑﻴﺮﻭﺕ ﺑﻼﺱ» ﺍﻟﺬﻱ ﺍﻧﻄﻠﻖ ﻗﺒﻞ ﺃﺭﺑﻌﺔ ﺃﺷﻬﺮ ﺑﻤﺒﺎﺩﺭﺓ ﻣﻦ ﻃﻮﻧﻲ ﻳﻤّﻳﻦ ﻭﻣﺎﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻌﻨﻜﺒﻮﺗﻴّﺓ ﻭﻻﺩﺓ ﻣﺸﺮﻭﻋﻲ ﺗﺤﺮﻳﻚ ،ﻣﻦ ﺇﻧﺘﺎﺝ ﻭﺗﻨﻔﻴﺬ ﻛﻮﺍﺩﺭ ﻟﺒﻨﺎﻧﻴّﺓ .ﻳﺄﺧﺬ ﺍﻟﻤﺸﺮﻭﻋﺎﻥ ﻃﺎﺑﻌﺎً ﺍﻧﺘﻘﺎﺩﻳﺎً ﺇﻧّﻩ ﻣﻮﺳﻢ ﻣﺴﻠﺴﻼﺕ ﺍﻟﺮﺳﻮﻡ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﺤﺮّﻛﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺑﻴﺮﻭﺕ! ﻓﻔﻲ ﻓﺘﺮﺓ ﺯﻣﻨﻴّﺓ ﻗﺼﻴﺮﺓRead More... ،
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SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT
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MARKETING PLAN Sitcom Lebnene is a satire web series tackling social & political issues in an absurd and indirect way. The series main objective is to stay as harmless as possible to any cause, politician or public figure. Aimed mainly at adults, Sitcom Lebnene is designed to be played both on web & TV at a later stage. Videos rank higher than pictures both on Instagram & Facebook. And the shorter the video, the higher probability it has of being viewed. That’s why we decided to go with a short format for the series: A One (1) minute episode will be released every Monday, Tuesday & Saturday morning on all social media platforms. Knowing that our page has already +14K Followers with some videos reaching 270K views, our target is to reach 100K Fans by the end of 2016. A Picture will be released every Wednesday & Thursday to keep the page active and the fans entertained. Our aim for Sitcom Lebnene goes beyond getting views, shares and having people interacting through their comments; We want to the audience to be part of the show. How? Months ago, we held a VO talents auditions, we received hundreds of messages and calls willing to plunge in this upcoming show. We welcomed hundreds of talents & actors in our audio studio. At a certain point we wished to include them all, this is where we got an idea: Allow people to become co-scriptwriter: Give a chance to some fans to share with us a certian joke, experience, or story. Each week, one of the stories submitted is chosen and animated during the course of a week thus allowing the fans to see their ideas come to life. Why will people want to watch the show? We live in one of the most ‘interesting’ countries in the world. The mess we live in and the corruption eating up our lives have somehow managed to create a culture that is so unique where people live in a bottomless pit of arguing & complaining about politicians and the government. All those factors have created an energy that floats in the country thus giving us endless subjects to tackle in our series. The technical production workflow is helping us stay up to date and keeping the content original. With only six to twenty hours to produce an episode, we can always stay up to date with the news thus keeping fans checking regularly to find out what our approach is for certain political or social situations taking place across the country.
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