This webseries tells the story of Suleiman, a 15 years old boy running his own delivery business in the streets of Beirut, who one day accidentally bumps into Ruwaida, a young beautiful girl dreaming of becoming a star, and his friend Chadi who got him into a trouble.

Here’s a video of the producer Katia Saleh introducing the project, recorded using my phone.

And below is a summary of the project taken from the press pack distributed at the event.

Shankaboot is a collaboration between four organisations based in Beirut and London. In mid-2009, the BBC World Service Trust teamed up with Batoota Films, Zico House and the Welded Tandem Picture Company to develop the project. The idea was to create a fresh and challenging drama for young Lebanese audiences; the vehicle was to be the Internet.

Web drama remains new and relatively uncharted territory. Whilst several UK and US productions have gained massive followings, there is no established recipe for success. From the outset, there were clear risks attached to making an Arabic web drama. Would it take off with a young Lebanese audience? Could local Internet connections cope? At first, the answer was “we hope so”. Six months down the line, with some of Lebanon’s leading creative talents on board and growing interest from web users across the country, the answer is most definitely “yes”.

A well established producer and filmmaker, Katia Saleh was the obvious choice as the driving force behind the series. She has been assisted throughout the development process by Welded Tandem’s Chris Carey, who brings nearly two decades of drama and reality-TV experience to the project. The BBC World Service Trust provided the funding as well as a long track record in devising socially responsible media content. Over the past six months, the production has been based at Zico House, one of Beirut’s leading creative arts agencies.

The first challenge was to source a writer or, preferably, a team of writers. The makers’ determination to uncover and mentor fresh talent led to the decision to invite young writers from across the Arab world to pitch their ideas. The response exceeded expectations and a small team was selected to take part in an intensive story-lining workshop in Beirut. It was here that Shankaboot was conceived. Following the first workshop, six young writers from Lebanon, Egypt and Palestine were commissioned to write the first episodes of the series.

The idea had always been to exploit the internet’s potential to facilitate interactivity and audience participation. Shankabooters will not be passive viewers. Through Shankaboot’s bespoke, bi-lingual website users will be able to communicate directly with the characters; propose solutions to specific challenges; and help to develop future storylines.

The first season will comprise around 30 webisodes of 4-6 minutes each. The episodes will be released on an ad hoc basis – dates and times will be published on the website. Shankaboot’s audience will be largely responsible for shaping the second season.

I leave you now with the first episode, don’t miss checking the website www.shankaboot.com.

• Episode 03 – Michelle Keserwany
  The Banadoura Podcast
• حرس جديد لهيكل حقوق الإنسان
  خربشات بيروتية
• Scratch and Win!
  Lorena’s Epiphany
• ما هي الخيانة؟
  Hummus Nation
• You’re a woman? Then March 8 is your day
  Independence ‘05
• Exotica… The Comeback! Moukarzel… The Fall Down!
  Maya’s Amalgam
• Farewell…..
  Beirut Drive-by Shooting

See you next week!

I have no idea what journalists from Israel have to do with this contest, and I am surprised that until today those who are responsible of it still have not fixed it or even provided an explanation. Oh and please don’t blame it on a copy paste mistake!

Photo from Joe’s Box

They responded yesterday by replacing the old billboards by the ones below, delivering a new message in the same context.

Photos taken by Maya Zankoul

They either INTENDED to create a controversy with their first billboards to get people to talk about them OR they simply got convinced through the feedback they got that what they did is not right and so they created the new billboards. In the first case they proved to be smart, while in the latter they proved to be listening to what the public is saying online! Either way, they’re doing a GOOD job!

• The King of Love
  Lorena’s Epiphany
• Young Leaders Social Media Café launch in Beirut
  Independence ‘05
• Blogging Arabnet.ME!
  Maya’s Amalgam
• Do you speak Lebanese?
  Live In Leb
• lEbAnEsE GrAfFiTi “the walls of beirut are still virgins”
  BabaGannouj et La Zaytouni
• Of Observations and Observance
  The Purple Rose of Beirut
• Leo Burnett and the times are a changing
  Beirut/NTSC
• On Mothers and Arabic dictation (Imla)
  Sietske in Beiroet
• أعمال فنية مرشحة لجوائز أوسكار
  Hummus Nation

See you next week!

The workshop started with an introduction by Omar Christidis about ArabNet, the reasons which led to its inception, and his belief in the potential of the Arab web business industry. The conference is keen on bringing together speakers from Silicon Valley, Europe and the Middle East, as well as providing opportunities for entrepreneurs with ambitious e-ideas to network with high profile investors and internet executives from the Arab world, he explained.

Samer Karam discussed the importance of the community and explained how the online ecosystem has been the most effective and interesting vehicle to engage with different and disparate audiences across the region. He also touched upon the importance of leveraging the synergy of the crowd to harness great ideas.

Karam went on to detail the core pillars of a business case, from value proposition to revenue streams and target audience. He also introduced the ArabNet Ambassadors Program, an integral part of ArabNet’s community-building initiative, which is open for applications and has interesting perks! http://blog.arabnet.me/?p=117

Sana Tawileh and Amber Lauletta, who are leading the ArabNet Startup Demo and Ideathon, detailed the requirements for submission and the selection process for their respective programs, delivering strong pitches for participation! They then presented an idea for online food delivery, collaborating with workshop attendees to pull together a business case around it.

Lauletta and Tawileh highlighted the Startup Demo and Ideathon as unique opportunities at ArabNet – for early-stage startups, young entrepreneurs, and innovators – to network and connect with investors, get media exposure, and win valuable prizes!

Samer Karam further coached attendees by crowdsourcing a full business case from a simple word, “fashion”. The simplicity of the process encouraged everyone to submit an idea to the Ideathon.

After that, some attendees discussed and developed their ideas with ArabNet Team members in one-on-one sessions; others networked and connected, forming an impromptu community.

Positive energy and synergistic interactions highlighted Workshop 1 appeal and the value of ArabNet’s community initiatives. There was a great spirit of friendly professionalism, eagerness to be involved, and unrelenting curiosity. The follow-up was great: participants and organizers connected virtually the next day, to discuss and comment on their workshop experiences.

Anyway, this episode of “Freeze I will shoot you” is brought to you from one of Tripoli’s old souks (Souk El-Attarin?). I was surprised to encounter such place in Tripoli, it somehow resembled to some souks I’ve been to in Syria.

This souk is relatively small and crowded, but it is unique and definitely worth a visit next time you go to Tripoli!

• Di’ayeh
  Sietske in Beiroet
• Hijacking of radio stations courtesy of Alfa and Leo Burnett
  Beirut/NTSC
• All About Lebanon
  Nihil Declaro
• إنا للكسر وإنا إليه راجعون
  Hummus Nation
• Of Wigs, Battles, and Breast Cancer
  The Purple Rose of Beirut
• Choices, choices…
  Qifa Nabki
• For better & for worse
  Maya’s Amalgam
  
• Put your faith in the youth
  Bazella W Riz
• Environmental Debate at AUB, with the Ministry of the Environment, the Green Party & IndyACT
  Armigatus
• Pardon The Interruption
  Beirut Drive-By Shooting
• THE KULHAIFATHUM OBSTRUCTION – DLP [by raafat majzoub]
  Mashrou3 Leila

See you next wee!

• A Beautiful Life
  Sietske in Beiroet
• انجازات جمهورية الحمص في الألعاب الأولمبية
  Hummus Nation
• Bloggers Face-Off: Zina Comics Vs. Jad Aoun
  Chanty
• Le bijou est aussi un droit | Really?
  Live In Leb
• Is Flirting Embedded in Our Culture?
  Ivy Says
• Curiosity killed the cat
  Maya’s Amalgam

See you next week!