Lights! Camera! Action! …. (giggle…giggle)… CUT!

Lights! Camera! Action! …. (giggle…giggle)… CUT!

I am yet to reconcile with the fact that giggles and women are synonymous with one another and I’m feeling great sympathy for the lights guy
…

Lights! Camera! Action!.........BEAUTIFUL!
Thankfully, it was the actor’s ONLY take. To say the least, it was FLAWLESS! Meet Hassan Assiri.
AND, IT’S A WRAP!
 
I look at my watch and can’t believe I’ve waited a whole hour and a half past my appointment. But, who’s complaining when you’re given the rare privilege to take the hot seat with the director of the next Hassan Assiri production, “Min Ayooni,” which is due this summer.
“I am sorry. Were you bored? I hope you had a great time behind the camera. My director can be a very sullen guy, no?” he asks. (Haha! Funny!)
He’s the serious, concerned, empathetic funny man who puts the entire nation in splits with his biting and realistic comic cinema. Assiri is most recognized for his comical role in “Beiny Wa Beinak,” which has been creating quite a stir every Ramadan season. He is now breaking new ground with his home productions.
 

I have always enjoyed acting. My acting career itself began 15 years ago when I was at the Scientific Institution, a division of Imam Mohammed Bin Saud Islamic University in Tabuk. They used to pay a lot of attention to the oratory and stage. Back then, I didn’t have any serious plans to produce, but while I was working as an actor, I realized that the stories that were produced were all the same. Nobody made drama that was creating a positive impact or changing the minds of the audience. That’s when I decided I should get into production. Production is easy, but what is difficult and important is the message you send across.
 

Yeah absolutely! Lots of laughter for sure. It’s serious comedy if you know what I mean. I have been dreaming about doing this story! It explores the concept of allowing women to work.
What I want to tell my audiences is that just imagine a woman who is in desperate need of SR1,000 riyals to feed her family and pay her bills. If she stays home, what can she do?
People say it’s haraam to allow women to work. Can anyone tell me where it’s mentioned to prevent women from working? Instead of indulging in haraam activities to make money, she rather earn it lawfully.
 

For an actor, creative freedom is important to serve the situation without causing much offence. My dramas always seemed sensitive to the preferences of people, and I eventually ran into a lot of problems with the muttawas and others due to the nature of my stories. When we started 10 years ago, it was very difficult, but now, it’s easier. Things are changing and we have support from the government now. I guess there is a red line everywhere around the world that is difficult to cross. However, with every production, we are trying to push this line.
You know there’s always a way to send messages indirectly, and dramas can certainly do that. When viewers sit and think about it, they can’t lie to themselves. In this age and time, drama can certainly play the agent for change.
 

I do it because I’m sympathetic for all that my country is trying to grapple with. I was never happy doing run-of-the-mill drama anyway.
I wish everybody here could get to live by his/her choices. If my daughter wants to drive, she should have the choice to do so. But, if she prefers to have someone drive her then that choice should also be respected. We should understand that some families don’t have the money to employ drivers. Imagine if someone is terribly sick and needs to be driven and there is only a female attendant present. Should their personal rights be denied?
We don’t think of these situations because we are all well and have the money to squander. But, what about those who don’t?
Giving women the right to drive will be small welcomed changes. With King Abdullah’s support, everything is changing for the better in this country, especially in the education sector. Five years ago, we only had six universities, but now, we have 38! We are looking at a bright future for this country.
 

The woman is my mother, my sister and my daughter. It is very important to me that her voice reaches everywhere.
 

The market for media in Saudi Arabia is huge. People don’t want to see Egyptian, Turkish, Syrian or Kuwaiti series anymore. They want to see local people and hear local issues that they can relate to. I believe things are going to change for the better.
 

There is no official recognition for us. Our profession is not mentioned in passports or ID’S. This step will make things much easier, if anything else.
 

No, no, no! The drama here is more real.
 

The Saudi television scene has become very competitive and unique. I try to bring at least 10-15 new people for every story that I produce.
I encourage even non-Arabs to join us because every story has different roles that people from different backgrounds can fill in. But, most importantly, it should be for the love of performing and not for fame or such.
 

Yes, we do, but not on an academic level since we don’t have the budget. When we start shooting a story, we spend five days training our actors.
 

Production in Saudi Arabia is still not easy other than the fact that you require some logistics from the government. Alhamdulillah things are much easier now.
I also hope that every shooting takes place here in our homeland. Since we constantly need to fly abroad in order to shoot every story, it can get extremely difficult and frustrating sometimes.
 

Alhamdulillah I’m producing at least one series each year. From the 18 series we have here in Saudi Arabia, I own 12. Next year, I hope I can increase that number.
I am also in talks with a businessman for establishing a college for art education that teaches filmmaking, acting and production. I hope we will be able to accomplish this very soon. I’m eager to invest in talented actors and writers.
 

I am usually touched by all the emails I receive everyday. I spend at least two hours a day reading them. From the last count, there were approximately 25,000 that I received last year. Most of them sent me their personal experiences, which I try to incorporate in my productions. This is the best way to bridge the gaps that exist in society. I am usually very touched by what some of them have to say.
I would also like to take this opportunity to tell those who have the talent to enter the industry to contact me on my Facebook page.