TOTAL LICENSING
THE EXTRAORDINARY
POWER OF
The Middle East’s First 3D Animated Series
Who would have thought that when bourhood in modern-day Dubai. FREEJ ward. Through sponsorship and other
FREEJ began life, back in 1998 as a in English means neighbourhood means, Mohammed raised the money
six-page study book, it would develop The show’s main characters Um to produce a pilot and, not long after,
into the powerful and immensely Saeed, Um Saloom, Um Allawi and Um the show was given the go-ahead by
popular property that it is today Khammas try to live a peaceful life in the Sheikh Mohammed Establishment
with three seasons of successful the middle of the ever-expanding for Young Business Leaders (SME)
television shows, a live stage show and city around them. But the city’s who provided the initial funding
even a theme park. boom unveils new social issues needed for the project.
FREEJ is the brainchild of Moham- every day that they have to By 2005, with funding sup-
med Saeed Harib. Educated at Boston solve in their own simple and port, Lammtara was estab-
North Eastern University, the initial effective way. For the old wom- lished to oversee produc-
idea for the characters came from en, there is no issue too hard to tion of the new series and
an assignment when Mohammed was solve with a good cup of coffee a team of almost 500 people
asked to create a new superhero. at Um Saeed’s house. were signed up in both India
The young producer, decided to usher Mohammed was determined to and the United Arab Emir-
in the winds of change after he realized get somebody to champion the ates to make Mohammed’s
that his Emirati generation was fed on idea. By this time, he was dream become reality.
a diet of American and Japanese car- working for the Dubai The first series, com-
ved
toons. He also believed that the Media City report- prising 15 x 15 minute
eser
real superheroes of Arab life ing directly to the episodes, launched on
ights r
were women. Men were often CEO of DMC, Abdul Sama Dubai TV and Dubai TV in Ara-
away and it was the women Hamid Juma, who was bic in 2006 and was aired five times
.
All r
who held the families to- extremely supportive each day during Ramadan. It was also
gether – not an easy job of the concept aired on the Dubai One English Chan-
a FZ LLC
in a fast-changing world. Under the guidance nel, with English sub-titles in 2007.
The result of Moham- of Juma, his enthusi- The show gathered an immediate en-
med’s idea was FREEJ – the astic approach gave thusiastic following and was watched
tale of four old women Mohammed the inspi- by families as they broke their fast
living in a secluded neigh- ration to take this for- at their evening meals. By the time
TM and © 2008 Lammtar 62
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