"Moawiya" Making Of

1 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:12,074 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm 2 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:39,200 The Byzantines are preparing for a new invasion of the islands under our control 3 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:43,600 It's not unlikely that their goal is to reclaim Acre or Alexandria 4 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:49,160 We didn't build this fleet just to transport troops 5 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:58,480 Allah Akbar! 6 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:05,960 Making Mu'awiya was truly a dream come true 7 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:07,520 Allah Akbar! 8 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,440 Mu'awiya is, in fact, a central and pivotal figure 9 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:16,120 He played a key role in the establishment of the Islamic State 10 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:23,160 Mu'awiya was the first to lay the foundation for a modern Islamic state 11 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,720 Mu'awiya series was full of challenges 12 00:01:39,320 --> 00:01:42,120 This historical project had unique circumstances and a sense of tension 13 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:45,040 We conducted extensive research to complete the project, it was no small feat 14 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:51,440 At first glance, it seemed... 15 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,600 frankly, daunting and overwhelming 16 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:05,160 The story of Mu'awiya is really something completely amazing 17 00:02:08,640 --> 00:02:10,680 We didn't just have a post-production team 18 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,520 We had an entire army of skilled technicians 19 00:02:13,640 --> 00:02:16,560 They each contributed their expertise to make Mu'awiya a resounding success 20 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:49,400 Mu'awiya 21 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:01,040 Mu'awiya series is like a dream 22 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:06,880 and by that, we mean a massive ambitious drama production 23 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:10,160 MBC brought this vision to life 24 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:15,040 The journey to prepare for this dream spanned over a decade 25 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:26,120 - Mu'awiya series tells the story... - "Hana Al-Omair" 26 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:30,000 of the founder of the Islamic State after the era of the Caliphate 27 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:41,640 There are undoubtedly major highlights in this project 28 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:45,840 It's one of those projects where exceptional resources were allocated 29 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:50,920 Didn't you hear the Messenger of Allah when I stood with him on Uhud... 30 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,120 Abu Bakr and Omar were with us 31 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:57,360 He struck the mountain and said... 32 00:03:58,200 --> 00:03:59,920 "Uhud, be firm" 33 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:05,160 It's easy for any researcher, historian or writer to claim historical accuracy 34 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:09,240 but uncovering what truly happened in history is far more challenging 35 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,400 In fact, any team of screenwriters might expect... 36 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:17,120 to face criticism from historical reviewers scrutinizing their work 37 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:22,600 But our team, and I in particular welcomed the historical scrutiny 38 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:26,240 because it helped resolve the major conflicts found in the historical accounts 39 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:30,320 The decisions made regarding the narrative were reassuring 40 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:34,200 The biggest challenge was striking a balance between historical accuracy 41 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:35,480 and artistic appeal 42 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:39,000 As writers, we're naturally drawn to beauty over strict scientific rigor 43 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:44,640 We chose to focus on what was agreed upon by historical sources 44 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:47,640 Especially when dealing with such a unique and influential figure 45 00:04:47,840 --> 00:04:50,720 A figure who changed the course of Islamic and Arab history 46 00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:00,000 Mu'awiya avoided war, preferring to achieve his goals through politics 47 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:00,440 Mu'awiya avoided war, preferring to achieve his goals through politics 48 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:02,440 He also harbored a grand vision 49 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:06,520 to expand Islamic lands from east to west 50 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:28,040 There's no doubt that this is a monumental production for MBC 51 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:35,160 It employed techniques that set it apart from traditional Arab historical dramas 52 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:39,000 The series also adopted a unique narrative style 53 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:42,360 It was completely different even in terms of filming 54 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:44,240 unlike anything produced before 55 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:48,400 Where could we film such a project? And who could execute it? 56 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:49,960 What kind of technical team would be needed? 57 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:52,000 What technologies were required? 58 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:05,240 When they sent me the story 59 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,520 I thought it to be a great story and powerful 60 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:12,720 It is an epic character to us so you know we wanted it epic... 61 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:15,800 which makes it very interesting for a cinematographer, you know 62 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:18,200 We are looking for this kind of project 63 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:24,520 My experience with MBC is very good from overall 64 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:29,120 and I like working with them they are, I would say professional 65 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:32,800 so this is my first historical project of this scale 66 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:36,200 So, I was supposed to read the script and also read the... 67 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:38,640 like historical things about it 68 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,400 and it was quite interesting I liked it a lot 69 00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:47,680 We faced challenges in different dialects 70 00:06:47,840 --> 00:06:52,400 This is because the Levantine dialect differs significantly from the Moroccan 71 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:56,520 You were on your way to Saffin with your faith guiding you 72 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:00,120 But now, you and your worldly desires have taken precedence over your faith 73 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:03,560 - Even during casual conversations... - "Nayef Al-Dhufairy, Actor" 74 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:06,000 We were discussing the themes of the series 75 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:08,080 Come on, everyone! 76 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:11,560 I've been analyzing and reflecting on this for months 77 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:15,280 Of course, Arabic-language series... 78 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:19,160 I feel they have the power to unite Arabs 79 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:22,520 As they are meant for the entire Arab world 80 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:27,400 Celebrity actors... 81 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:31,200 were surprised when we asked them to deliver their lines in Classical Arabic 82 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:33,760 My Lady, the orders are clear no one is to leave... 83 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:36,880 The Classical Arabic test is no easy task 84 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:45,400 Our original plan was... 85 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,000 to bring together stars from across the Arab world 86 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:52,880 This beautiful blend of Arab artistic stars in this project 87 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:56,640 and working alongside them as an actor helped me refine my craft 88 00:07:58,440 --> 00:07:59,760 People... 89 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:03,960 who worshipped Muhammad... 90 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:07,560 Muhammad has passed away 91 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:17,480 but those who worship Allah... 92 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,600 Allah is eternal and will never die 93 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:25,000 The biggest audio challenge was the ADR 94 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:27,720 We re-recorded many actors' voices to ensure proper pronunciation 95 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:31,520 This required renting 10 studios worldwide 96 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:33,600 to re-record the voices of all the actors 97 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:51,080 Let's create a drama based on what we all agree upon 98 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:54,240 without altering or omitting the facts... 99 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:56,680 or distorting historical truths 100 00:08:57,000 --> 00:08:59,800 From the start, we chose an experienced producer 101 00:08:59,960 --> 00:09:02,680 with a long track record in the field 102 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:06,720 We studied the project's requirements from the very beginning 103 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:11,480 I revisited the script multiple times to simplify and break it down 104 00:09:11,680 --> 00:09:14,360 Frankly, the production journey of Mu'awiya was incredibly complex 105 00:09:14,560 --> 00:09:16,800 Each episode felt like a standalone film 106 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:25,000 We checked all the Arab region surrounding us... 107 00:09:25,680 --> 00:09:28,800 to explore where our research journey would lead 108 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:32,520 It took us to many countries, all the way to the borders of Kazakhstan 109 00:09:32,680 --> 00:09:37,120 then to the edges of Siberia before returning to Azerbaijan 110 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:40,720 We then moved to Georgia where we began preparing for the project 111 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:45,600 However, we discovered that Georgia lacked sufficient filming locations 112 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:47,560 The technical crews were also inadequate 113 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:52,040 We considered utilizing Jordan's stunning desert landscapes... 114 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:56,120 and Georgia's lush greenery, but ultimately continued our search until Armenia 115 00:09:56,280 --> 00:10:00,000 Finally, we settled in Tunisia, where we found the perfect locations for the project 116 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:01,320 Finally, we settled in Tunisia, where we found the perfect locations for the project 117 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:07,280 Tunisia provided the ideal setting to film this series 118 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:12,000 with its abundant resources, it was the perfect place to bring this project to life 119 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:33,320 Show them this way 120 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:45,720 - Constantinople? - Constantinople 121 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:49,640 No doubt that Lojain Ismail is honored to portray such a significant character 122 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,400 It's a tremendous responsibility to carry 123 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:55,240 Prepare the catapult again 124 00:10:56,280 --> 00:11:02,040 We had a script, historical data and real-life characters to work on 125 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:08,200 Our task was to bring those characters to life for the audience 126 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:12,000 We must stand shoulder to shoulder for our own safety... 127 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:15,920 for our children and for all parts of Syria 128 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:17,720 Welcome 129 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:19,880 Scene 3, take 2 130 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:26,080 Okay, ready 131 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:28,760 and action! 132 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:32,400 Whenever I say that I am playing the role of Ali Ibn Abi Talib... 133 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:38,000 there would be a sense of awe on the receiver 134 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:42,160 But I believe historical drama is just as important as historical texts 135 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:45,640 This is a historical era and we must explore it 136 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:54,360 Say what you want, Mu'awiya 137 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:57,720 If it's within my power I will make it happen for you 138 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:02,560 If you allow me to build the first fleet for the Muslim armies... 139 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:05,480 the Byzantines will never be able to defeat us again 140 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:10,760 His personal qualities were drawn from his historical journey 141 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:13,880 Through his his historical journey and the collection of accounts... 142 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:17,840 that are confirmed and documented in numerous references 143 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:23,520 You'll discover that this man was dignified, strong, just 144 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:25,760 wise and deeply human 145 00:12:29,680 --> 00:12:31,120 Amer... Sawda 146 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:34,080 is a fictional character not based on historical records 147 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:38,200 but when you consider the reality of that era... 148 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:40,400 and the historical context... 149 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,160 It makes sense that a character like her would exist 150 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:46,600 because she's tied to figures who were historically significant 151 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:50,560 I read and studied the character of Abdul Rahman Ibn Awf... 152 00:12:50,680 --> 00:12:51,680 "Nezar Al-Sulimany, Actor" 153 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:55,320 I realized his appearance and stature were nothing like mine 154 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:58,240 Praise be to Allah 155 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:03,960 and blessings from Allah upon those He has chosen 156 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:11,200 Amr is historically known as a leader and Governor of Egypt 157 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:16,680 Amr Ibn al-Aas went through many stages in his life... 158 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:20,280 from the age of 25 until he was 93 159 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:22,080 Ongoing charity... 160 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:25,600 and beneficial knowledge... 161 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:29,040 and a righteous son who prays for him 162 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:32,440 From the very beginning I was deeply impressed... 163 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:37,400 by the sheer number of people involved in the preparation 164 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:41,400 from horse riding training to learning Classical Arabic... 165 00:13:41,680 --> 00:13:44,160 even the acting coaches 166 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:47,760 I loved it so much, it felt like... 167 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:50,600 we were part of a big workshop 168 00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:57,560 Another massive project the costumes 169 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:02,440 You rarely see such intricate and detailed costumes 170 00:14:02,560 --> 00:14:06,680 When actors put on their costumes and hold their props on set... 171 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:10,960 It helps them connect deeply with their characters 172 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:16,280 We designed a massive collection of clothing featuring over 18,000 pieces 173 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:19,160 in addition to shields, helmets and accessories... 174 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:22,840 all supervised by the talented artist Hala Shehab 175 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:33,240 Every stitch had to be precise... 176 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,440 We had about 65 people behind the scenes 177 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:39,040 They've been with us since the start of filming 178 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:49,720 This isn't a documentary it's a work of art 179 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:56,640 We have a dyeing workshop and another for aging costumes 180 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:05,160 The back of the dress is made of leather, as is the front 181 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:08,520 Or repairing leather garments immediately after battle scenes... 182 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:10,960 to keep them usable until the end 183 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:21,520 A series like this has a huge cast at least 150 characters 184 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:24,640 I didn't want to add unnecessary elements like fake beards... 185 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:26,920 or long hair, as was common in older productions 186 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:38,560 I wanted the look to feel as natural as possible 187 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:41,200 and to stay true to historical accuracy 188 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:50,480 We worked hard to finalize the character designs 189 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:53,320 They needed to reflect changes across different historical stages 190 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:55,280 since the characters appear in multiple eras 191 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:56,920 and action! 192 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:00,040 Fakihta! 193 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:03,880 Even the smallest details, like jewelry... 194 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:06,880 hairstyles, accessories and more... 195 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:10,560 were carefully designed to help viewers understand the timeline 196 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:24,680 Mu'awiya's character spans from age 25 to 75 197 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:27,360 Capturing his appearance across these stages was incredibly challenging 198 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:44,600 I feel like we... 199 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:51,040 are making a series on par with productions in America or London 200 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:53,560 Everything was available to us 201 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:15,920 An international team was also brought in for explosives and special effects 202 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:45,600 Three... 203 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:48,000 two... 204 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:08,400 There were many complex tasks that required a global team 205 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:15,120 We chose an exceptional production designer, Renato Cseh from Hungary 206 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:19,080 The construction is a main part in our department 207 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:22,080 the set decoration and the props 208 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,320 I truly enjoyed creating these different kind of sets 209 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:35,000 and also I really enjoyed the historical part of it 210 00:18:35,120 --> 00:18:37,560 like we have to do this research 211 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:44,200 and we have to look for the proper type of fabrics, the proper type of carpets 212 00:18:44,360 --> 00:18:47,440 what we can use and what we cannot use 213 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:52,680 It's very exciting to look into these details 214 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:13,680 Mu'awiya series features more than nine cities 215 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:15,920 Could we realistically build nine cities? 216 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:21,640 How should we construct these cities and deliver them on schedule 217 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:23,800 and the plan for the project? 218 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:45,640 How do we alter the city's appearance across different historical stages? 219 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:48,520 How did the filming locations transform? 220 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:52,040 It was so incredible that even as an actor, I couldn't believe it 221 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:55,320 How did they manage to change the location from Mecca to Medina? 222 00:19:55,480 --> 00:20:00,000 And how much that helps actors feel like they're truly in that place 223 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:02,240 The feeling of being transported to a specific era... 224 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:06,440 I think I've seen the most stunning filming locations 225 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:10,640 and props and set designs in this series 226 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:13,960 We wanted to build a set that truly represented Medina... 227 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:16,760 during the period around 15 AH 228 00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:21,320 then in 34 AH, and later in 56 AH 229 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:33,080 We made many script changes after seeing the incredible filming locations in Tunisia 230 00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:35,480 When we saw the palace and residential quarters... 231 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:40,160 Many of the story's events were altered for the better 232 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:44,600 We revised the script to match the grandeur of the locations and sets 233 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:08,360 The most challenging task was building the ships 234 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:14,320 We brought in ships and modified them... 235 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:18,400 based on historical records and references from that era 236 00:21:26,360 --> 00:21:30,400 Should we build 30, 50 or even 100 ships? 237 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:34,680 Or build just three and use visual effects to multiply them? 238 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:54,280 We would rehearse extensively before filming any battle scene 239 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:58,760 We worked on choreography on actual filming locations 240 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:02,880 So, be focused, guys, be focused 241 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:04,560 Try to 242 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:06,880 and... action! 243 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:36,480 We arrived at the filming location 20 days early to practice horse riding 244 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:41,040 Especially since some of us hadn't done historical roles in a long time 245 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:52,680 We also trained to ride camels and practiced combat techniques 246 00:22:57,320 --> 00:23:02,120 This is one of the first times I've seen this level of preparation in the Arab world 247 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:10,640 - Allah Akbar! - Allah Akbar! 248 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:13,440 - Allah Akbar! - Allah Akbar! 249 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:20,080 When I trained for the battles... 250 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:24,560 I felt much more confident going into the shoot fully prepared 251 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:26,560 It's the first time I've seen horses... 252 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:29,400 move on cue when the director says, Action! 253 00:23:32,160 --> 00:23:36,200 These are exceptionally well-trained horses 254 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:39,960 Three, two, one... action! 255 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:42,240 Attack! 256 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:55,920 There's no series in the Arab world... 257 00:23:56,520 --> 00:23:58,360 that has depicted ten battles... 258 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:00,360 with the level of professionalism this project has achieved 259 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:09,160 We had to stage battles... 260 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:12,000 involving 40 to 45 thousand participants 261 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:16,160 We had to deliver a project of this massive scale 262 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:25,720 After I was offered the role... 263 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:29,240 I read about Ziyad Ibn Abih and was amazed by his story 264 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:33,760 He's a remarkable and historically significant figure 265 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:36,840 Unfortunately, I was among those... 266 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:39,040 who didn't know much about him before 267 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:41,520 If we have no choice but war... 268 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:43,560 then we must prepare for it 269 00:24:56,120 --> 00:25:00,000 We aimed to create the right combination 270 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:00,160 We aimed to create the right combination 271 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:04,480 pairing a top director with a world-class battle director 272 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:09,360 We can't present battles the way we did ten years ago 273 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:17,960 My duty here was to create the big battles of Mu'awiya's 274 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:22,200 Like the battles of Badr and Hunayn... 275 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:24,560 Yarmouk and Saffin... 276 00:25:25,120 --> 00:25:27,560 and then the biggest one which is the Battle of the Masts 277 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:30,280 which is the one we're filming 278 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:37,800 The main thing for me on this battle was to make everything looks real 279 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:41,080 so that means less high-speed shots... 280 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:43,320 more handheld camera 281 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:47,440 and more to be inside the fight instead of outside 282 00:25:56,480 --> 00:25:57,800 Let's go! 283 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:10,200 Strike with all your might, men of Allah! 284 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:52,400 Come on, quickly, quickly! 285 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:21,080 Every battle has its own unique case 286 00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:24,280 and requires its own preparations and details 287 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:28,920 We designed and tested numerous weapons 288 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:34,560 Filming a single battle was a monumental task 289 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:37,800 is equivalent to ten days in drama filming 290 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:18,120 It was inevitable that we'd hire a visual effects team 291 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:20,800 They were essential for achieving the scale we envisioned 292 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:23,360 especially for a project as massive as Mu'awiya 293 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:49,800 The amount of visual effects in Mu'awiya was enormous 294 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:53,120 That's why we partnered with the German company VFX Hog 295 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:55,800 They distributed the workload across 12 companies worldwide 296 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,280 from Taiwan to Los Angeles and Vancouver 297 00:28:58,480 --> 00:29:00,520 We had over 2,500 shots 298 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:04,040 One of the biggest challenges was planning and managing the workload 299 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:07,880 across all post-production departments working on the project 300 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:12,720 We had to film over a thousand hours of mockups for each soldier and horse 301 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:15,920 with state of the art technologies for real-time rendering 302 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:17,520 AI-driven textual backgrounds... 303 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:19,320 Advanced simulations and auto rigging 304 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:22,640 and cloud-based collaboration with all vendors 305 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:35,360 The Battle of the Masts is the largest naval battle ever depicted 306 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:37,560 in Arab drama and cinema 307 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:45,520 Battle of the Masts is a very complex over-water battle and under-water battle 308 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:48,560 There's fire on water, archers and soldiers fighting 309 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:50,800 So, we hired a company specializing in this type of battle 310 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:53,560 to bring our vision to life both creatively and technically 311 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:04,880 Over 11,200 stunt performers worked on this project 312 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:08,960 A team of professionals was involved in every battle 313 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:13,120 from specialized cinematographers to an underwater filming team... 314 00:30:13,360 --> 00:30:17,560 and a team of divers to ensure the safety of the actors... 315 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:21,880 during scenes involving drowning or falling into water 316 00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:50,840 Preparing to film naval battles requires more effort than other battles 317 00:30:51,040 --> 00:30:52,880 because of the intricate details involved 318 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:55,520 Especially when simulating rain on the sea surface... 319 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:59,160 or storms and thunder on ships 320 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:31,080 We always had four or five ambulances on standby with medical crews 321 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:35,480 Especially during battles to handle any potential injuries 322 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:55,120 Lojain broke his hand during one of the battles 323 00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:58,600 Even though we had all the necessary safety measures in place 324 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:02,640 You know, I wasn't spared from injuries during the battles 325 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:07,440 Nevertheless, Lojain insisted on continuing filming the very next day 326 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:13,400 Every specialized team involved in this project... 327 00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:17,200 gave their absolute best at every moment 328 00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:29,680 In our line of work, we're used to change and unexpected challenges 329 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:34,040 So, we always have a main plan and a backup for emergencies 330 00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:42,440 There is no power or strength except with Allah 331 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:46,360 In severe weather conditions, you need... 332 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:48,400 alternatives to your usual filming approach 333 00:32:59,920 --> 00:33:04,040 I remember that we faced a severe storm 334 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:07,440 and wind speeds reached nearly 120 km per hour 335 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:10,120 It damaged the green screens we had set up 336 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:13,280 over 100 meters long and 10 meters high 337 00:33:13,600 --> 00:33:16,440 despite all our precautions 338 00:33:27,760 --> 00:33:30,280 While filming the Battle of Siffin... 339 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:33,040 heavy rain and strong winds hit us 340 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:36,920 tents were destroyed, and the horses and extras were affected 341 00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:42,720 My biggest concern throughout the project was keeping the team safe 342 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:48,320 In all our projects... 343 00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:52,440 we focus heavily on training young talent 344 00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:54,880 especially those from the MBC Academy 345 00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:57,600 We're proud to say that in Mu'awiya... 346 00:33:57,760 --> 00:34:02,560 We trained about 48 young men and women from Saudi Arabia 347 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:07,120 They worked across various stages and specialties 348 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:12,000 Some assisted the cinematographers while others worked with the directing team 349 00:34:12,320 --> 00:34:16,040 Some joined the production team and others worked on set design 350 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:18,480 while others collaborated with the costume and makeup teams 351 00:34:43,360 --> 00:34:45,400 - What sets this project apart... - "Iyad El-Rimawi, music composer" 352 00:34:45,640 --> 00:34:49,880 is our complete reliance on cinematic techniques 353 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:54,080 We recorded the music at Smecky Studio in Prague, Czech Republic 354 00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:58,400 It's one of the top studios used for Hollywood films 355 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:00,000 It is one of Europe's most renowned orchestras... 356 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:01,560 It is one of Europe's most renowned orchestras... 357 00:35:01,680 --> 00:35:03,840 The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra 358 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:07,480 It's a massive orchestra with over 70 musicians 359 00:35:07,720 --> 00:35:11,320 Along with a large number of traditional Eastern instruments 360 00:35:12,160 --> 00:35:15,760 and singers who recorded their parts in Damascus 361 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:19,920 A project like this requires diverse elements... 362 00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:23,720 to create a unique identity that suits the story 363 00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:28,280 I poured a lot of effort into crafting musical themes 364 00:35:28,400 --> 00:35:29,840 that we hope will last 365 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:46,320 Mu'awiya is part of a larger project by MBC Studios 366 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:49,440 to produce historical Arab dramas 367 00:35:49,680 --> 00:35:52,320 covering different eras of Arab history 368 00:35:52,480 --> 00:35:55,400 from the pre-Islamic era... 369 00:35:55,840 --> 00:35:58,480 to the time of the Prophet 370 00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:03,920 It also includes the stories of prominent Islamic figures 371 00:36:05,120 --> 00:36:06,440 Mu'awiya 372 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:46,400 We've wrapped up Mu'awiya 373 00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:08,760 I enjoyed filming in all conditions rain, fire... 374 00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:11,120 heat, cold, darkness and light 375 00:37:12,040 --> 00:37:18,240 I prefer playing antagonistic roles because they feel more dynamic as an actor 376 00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:20,280 They have multiple layers 377 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:23,400 but playing the hero can be exhausting for me 378 00:37:23,640 --> 00:37:26,320 I'm a little worried about that 379 00:37:27,160 --> 00:37:29,160 The sunlight is gone again 380 00:37:29,480 --> 00:37:31,240 I think we'll need to reshoot the scene 381 00:37:32,040 --> 00:37:33,680 If it returns, we'll complete the scene 382 00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:36,800 - if not, we'll call it a day - Cut 382 00:37:37,305 --> 00:38:37,834 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm