Reflections for a Muslim Film Group

I work in television. The reason why I got into the media is because I wanted to change the way Muslims were represented in the West. However, having worked in the industry for a few years I learnt that it's very difficult to change the industry from within. Not because people in the media are lying cynics, but because the system is designed to support the strong against the weak. Consequently the representation of Muslims in Western media is atrocious. The lack of any religious Asian families in Eastenders, for example, is outrageous, although it's just a reflection of how we're shown as either terrorists or sell-outs.

This led me to think that the only way we can change the way Muslims are represented is to play outside of the media rules and represent ourselves. With good HiDef camcorders now costing less than £700 and with most home computers being capable of editing in professional quality, the technical side is accessible to all of us. We also have ready-made distribution networks: the web, dvd, and tv channels catering for Muslim communities, whether it be through directly religious channels or channels aimed at ethnic groups who are Muslim.

What's left is that sufficient Muslims have the will and the desire to make films. That's why I've been thinking that Muslims who are interested in making films should get together and cooperate to represent us the way we want to see ourselves. At first our target audience would obviously be Muslims, and could serve not only to make us appreciate our religion, but also to discuss problematic issues within the community in a way that is both sensitive and constructive. If we develop our skills, however, we could also present Islam to non-Muslims in a way that would make them appreciate it and respect it more -a form of da'wa if you will.

The biggest issue in terms of production, however, is our inability to compete with Hollywood. Hollywood cinema is style instead of substance. We can't compete with Hollywood's money, and we don't want to have as little substance. Muslims need to aim for something better and more affordable. With the accessibility of technology to make films, it's possible to develop a style which is our own and by which we can represent ourselves as we see ourselves. It doesn't mean we can't have action films with gunshots or fancy graphics. These are relatively affordable. But we can't afford to think of a film set in London, Dubai, Casablanca and New York, because we cannot afford to travel the world filming. We also can't afford to have a film that needs 500 extras on Oxford Street because we can't afford it and we're unlikely to get permissions. We can't afford to cause a car accident because we won't get the permissions -although finding two cars to destroy probably wouldn't be that expensive, etc... You get the picture.

What we can afford to do is make films set locally, telling local stories, using local resources. Some stories that come to mind:
1. Someone tries to get out of gang-banging because he's become religious
2. An arranged marriage that works
3. A young man's journey to extremism
4. A comedy drama about a father taking a second wife back home and how his family reacts
5. A comedy about a drug dealer who has to go undercover in a tablighi mosque to stop his supplier from catching him
6. A young bum realises he's got to become serious and take care of his parents

These are just off the top of my head. We can think up many more if we put our mind to it.