Hello readers! I know this issue is most likely a surprise, but this year we are doing a special edition. Two of our Senior Editors: Tareq Al Saud and Thom Olson had brought up the idea to me of releasing a special edition of Halfstack. In June millions of Muslims around the world embarked on a month of intense prayer, dawn to dusk fasting and nightly feasts. The fast is intended to bring the faithful closer to God and to remind them of the suffering of those less fortunate. This year there were many affected by events from this Ramadan that we wanted to release an issue that many could enjoy. While Ramadan has come to an end, the celebration should extend year around. I am moved with the idea of sharing this issue with our international readers and here we are releasing this special mini release. As our publication has grown, so has the number our staff and our readership reach. Although we still have a special interest in Chicago, many of the stories you read in our issue reach farther than our Midwest City. It amazes me every time I check our stats and see the readers from not only different states, but also different parts of the world. We are not only a regional creative entity; we are beginning to realize our global reach. Diversity is one of the driving factors behind why I launched this publication 4 years ago. I didn’t see enough diversity in the publications I was reading. Many of those publications were also solely focusing on issues that were only skin-deep. I wanted to go beyond that; I wanted to showcase different things, lifestyles, art, music, interesting people and creativity that wasn’t a part of the status quo.
LETTER FROM THE
During a time of crisis in our world, where people are being persecuted for their beliefs and many people are dying because of war – we still have hope that there will be a better day. During a time when politicians like Donald Trump are speaking intolerant words and hateful remarks about people who aren’t of the typical “Americana” mold – it’s people like the Halfstack team who continue to share love, tolerance and embrace the beauty in the differences among the people of the world. America is a beautiful melting pot of cultures that make up our national population. I am proud of that and I hope that I can continue to expose my children to the different cultures, religions and people of the world. This issue is a continuation of that goal.
EDITOR
JENNIFER M. LEZAN-VEGUILLA
Thom and Tareq pulled together some amazing stories that are timely and interesting. These features are sure to inspire and motivate as well as expose our local readers to international icons, stories and developments. This issue is also a sort of shout out to our international readers. We know you are reading. We know you are there. We stand in solidarity with you. Despite the hardships the world is facing, we hope this issue gives you some respite, something to be inspired by and something to motivate you to continue to follow your dreams.
EDITOR IN CHIEF & FOUNDER
Thank you for reading,
Jennifer M. Lezan
STELLA QUIMBY Sr. Fashion Editor
Thom Olson Blogger, Online Digital Editor Art Director
Tareq Al Saud Blogger, Sr. Writer, Translator
/halfstackmag
TABLE OF CONTENTSINTERNATIONAL 2016
Editors Letter 2 Jammin’ to some FABulous music 6 Inside the Grand Hotel 15 Shining a Light From DC to Cairo 24 Mustafa Al-Sumaidaie: Eye on the World 29
MUSIC
WRITTEN BY THOM OLSON TRANSLATED BY TAREQ AL SAUD
S
o let’s define Fabulous. In this case, it’s not a question
of “what” as it is a question of “whom”. By “Fabulous”
I am referring to music producer music Fabrice DuPont.
Fab for short. And if your vision of fabulous is a six foot tall, dark-haired Frenchman then we’re on the right track. Fab
Dupont is the owner and proprietor of Flux Studio. It’s kinda
unusual that people around the world know him as Fabulous Fab — but it’s the truth. For those that know Flux Studio, you are probably very aware that he is one of the top names in
the international music industry. For those of you that don’t know him, you do know his roster of clients. On this day,
Fab has a full schedule. His fabulous day starts early — we’re talking 5:30 early. Today starts particularly early because he is actually packing to go to the Grammy Awards in LA so it’s
an unusually hectic day. His recording studio — Flux Studio, is
one floor up from his apartment. The studio originally started small. At first, it was just one recording studio, then two.
Currently, Flux has four recording suites and is busting out of
the floor and onto a second. It made sense to live next to the recording studio given the hours. This morning, Fab shuffles
upstairs to the expresso machine to get his first cup of coffee
Fabrice DuPont with Paul McCartney
to start his day.
Flux Studio is an anomaly in the music industry. Many recording studios are closing with the advent of the computer and the DYI band craze. Everyone is posting music on YouTube and the quantity (not necessarily quality) of music has exploded. While many recording studios are leaving New York for cheaper areas, Flux Studios is thriving and doing very well. Just North of Houston Street in the East Village, it is a recording studio that never seems to sleep. Like many musicians, recording starts at all hours of the day and goes well into the evening as the creativity hits the artist. It is not uncommon to see this recording studio run 24 hours. Nor is it uncommon to see it listed as a recipient of multiple Grammy nominations. The studio has garners at least two nominations consistently for the past five years. When one factors in the International Grammy Awards located throughout the world, the studio stands apart also for the depth of variety that comes out of the suites. Today, Fab has received notice he received a Grammy in France for an album that he mixed and produced early last year. Next week, he will travel to South America to mix an album. January has him booked in South Africa for three weeks. When he is not mixing for artists around the globe, bands fly from everywhere in to book with him. He is usually booked up six months in advance.
THE WORLD IN FLUX Flux studio is a very eclectic place. It takes up a floor on an L-shaped building. The place has a vibe very similar to a visual artist’s workspace. It is not corporate as it is creative. One can
I LEARNED BY MYSELF… FAILING. MAKING RECORDS THAT DIDN’T SOUND LIKE THE WAY I HEARD THEM IN MY HEAD. THERE IS NOTHING MORE FRUSTRATING THAN KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT IT TO SOUND LIKE — WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET TO.
MUSIC feel the creative synergy walking in the door. If you’re walking through the East Village, you would probably walk right by it. That is by design. Nestled between a methadone clinic and a pizza-by-the-slice dive, the entrance is very unassuming, covered with graffiti and almost invisible even if you’re looking for it. It’s in an area that is very easy to catch a cab, get transportation to and from the airport or find a meal at 4:00 AM. Artists fly in specifically to get into the recording space as it is the right mix of business, creativity and focusing energy. People get inspired and get to work. It’s a musical artist playground. It is a secluded oasis in the middle of Manhattan so recording artists such as J-Lo, Shakira or Queen Latifah can walk in and out and not be inundated with fans waiting outside. It is a hidden gem under the noses of the paparazzi. Amazingly high tech, there are plethora of microphones, pianos, instruments and just about any piece of recording or mixing equipment a person could need/use/want when putting together an album. The studio has state of the art of equipment that in many instances isn’t on the market. Some of the pieces of the equipment are in beta testing phase by many sound engineering companies looking for feedback. Fab is meticulous, demanding and intensely vocal about what works and what doesn’t. Executives in the industry ask him to help troubleshoot and beta test their equipment before releasing it to the world. “The studio is really about making amazing quality work. Everything we do here is so that the artist can craft the most perfect album. It’s not about mixing a record in your garage, a bedroom and then mixing it in GarageBand. While there is a place for that and you can do some pretty good stuff, this is about people who take their music very seriously and want to be in the top 1 to 2% of what is being listened to.”
MUSIC IS ART How do we gauge music quality, impact and value? As makers of music, it is important to understand what makes the listeners in the world tick. Music and the ranking of a music performance is very different for the civilian listener verses the performer, composer, band member or mixer. The average person could care less about music production, mixing or mastering a recording. The average person cares more about who the singer is, whether they are they hot or not, perhaps what the singer is saying in their music. But on a deeper level (often very nuanced), they really are most importantly concerned about how the music makes them feel when they
Fab with Diego Calvino at Latin GRAMMY Awards
listen to it. Does it make them happy, cry with emotion, laugh, experience anger or anxiety? Does the music make them feel zen or want to dance? Does it make them feel anything at all? Does it move them in some way? That is the art of music. That’s the challenge of the music artist, mixer and composer. Fab is very blunt and honest when talking about his beginnings. “It’s a very particular situation. I learned by myself… failing. Making records that didn’t sound like the way I heard them in my head. There is nothing more frustrating than knowing exactly what you want it to sound like and it doesn’t — which is very difficult to get to. I don’t know many people who are naturally born with the instinct of what a drum set should sound like through a bunch of microphones and speakers. Right there, creating that notion in your head is the start of a journey. Once you have that notion, you have to achieve the technical knowledge to achieve that notion in reality. Those are two different things. It doesn’t come naturally. Your mother did not give you that gene. What is giving you that gene is listening to music and being relentless in your search for it. When you’re alone at home and you don’t have a sound board it’s hard. Referencing is the best way. You have to listen, experiment and be open to try new things. You don’t run on tried and true. You have to develop your intuition and experience.”
GETTING THERE Fab paraphases to be something like this: “Here’s what I tell people. I’m going to give you a seminar. I am going to give you two hours to learn the guitar. In that two hours, I am going to give you all the knowledge I have in my head. Two hours and I will show you everything I know and tomorrow you’re going to play the guitar.” Everyone laughs at that notion but that is what is the expectation and that how many artists in the music industry are. People don’t see the parallel of playing the bass, the drums or singing and mixing, sound engineering and producing. It’s the same thing. In his book Blink, Malcolm Gladwell says it takes 10,000 hours before someone can master something. It’s the same thing for a musician — it takes 10,000 hours. It’s also the same thing for the person mixing, producing and mastering the sound that one hopes people will love. “It takes time to learn, listen and come up with solutions to making a good sound… besides learning what a good sound is.” Fab at NAMM 2014 with his own custom SSD2go with Angelbird CEO Roman Rabitsch.
MUSIC “For me, I no longer run off my knowledge base, I run off my intuition. I remember how so many people feel as I remember how I felt. I also know exactly how that person in the basement feels who is working with one microphone, a converter and bare bones equipment feels. Because I have been there, I remember it well. I remember how depressing it can be AND how the depressing factor make you feel how the sound is worst that it really is. It’s one of the reasons we started PureMix.”
A PURE MIX PureMix is an online learning environment. It has been the passion of Fab for over five years. In that time, PureMix has made a name for itself. It is the go-to site for clear and insightful tutorials to assist people who don’t have access to the traditional ways or tools about learning how to mix a recording. PureMix is not like Lynda.com. It doesn’t teach software as it teaches theory. It teaches one to use their instincts. One doesn’t learn how a particular software package is used as one learns how to pass onto others the experience of the sound that is whirling around in the artist’s head. It teaches how to convey the experience of the music. People sit in on mixing sessions with mentors of the recording industry and watch them work. Mixing is an art — not a science. One has to train one’s ears on how to listen but also how to create the perfect end-product regardless of the genre. The mentors on the teaching team are not only impressive but to someone perhaps wanting to get into the music industry, they can be as intimidating as hell. When I asked Fab how he managed to get these people involved, the answer was a little funny but also quite sincere. “We don’t like to listen to crap… but we also want to pass on to others how to make music great. Everyone involved wants to share our knowledge as what we have found, in explaining it to other people what we do, we actually enjoy it more through the process of sharing.” The opportunity to learn from these people is amazing. This group of people has basically contributed to everything on the airwave or over the internet. To convey this, you will need to forgive me as I name drop the bands these folks have worked with—this is justs a few by the way. Here are just a few of the mentors on the team includes: Fab Dupont — Queen Latifah, Jennifer Lopez, Les Nubians, Bon Jovi and Marc Anthony,
I DON’T KNOW MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE NATURALLY BORN WITH THE INSTINCT OF WHAT A DRUM SET SHOULD SOUND LIKE THROUGH A BUNCH OF MICROPHONES AND SPEAKERS. RIGHT THERE... IS THE START OF A JOURNEY.
Andrew Scheps — Beyonce, Lana Del Rey, Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, Michael Jackson, Green Day, Johnny Cash, The Rolling Stones, Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z, Mick Guzauski — Prince, Michael Jackson, Earth Wind & Fire, Kenny G, Eric Clapton, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears and Madonna John Paterno — Robbie Williams, The Steve Gadd Band, Soraya, Robben Ford, Eros Ramazzotti, The Thrills, Tim McGraw and Bonnie Raitt Ben LIndel — 50 Cent, Soulja Boy, Wale, Kelly Rowland, Chromeo, MGMT, Rufus Wainright, Edie Brickell, Joey MacIntyre, Ryan Leslie and Lloyd Banks Ryan West — Eminem, Kanye West, Usher, Rihanna, Jay Z, Dr. Dre and Kid Cudi Just about every music genre is covered. The team pulls together about two dozen grammy wins amongst themselves… thus someone that’s really interesting in getting to that top 1 or 2% has an opportunity that many would drool over plus puts them a good head and shoulders above the frey. The group helps teach individuals about how they work but also how they think. They give guidance, show what to listen for and also how to find one’s own sound using their techniques. It is more than just a virtual classroom. It is a community of engineers and producers from around the globe that discuss real life recording situations in a private forum. To ensure everyone is listening to the same thing, all the audio for the PureMix site is calibrated at -18dBFs average across the board. Videos are encoding so that audio ALWAYS has priority over video and the sound quality never suffers in low bandwidth situations. It is a thoughtful approach to explain the technical methods but more importantly, it focuses in on the reasoning and honing of skills that are not intuitive. One learns the craft of sound
Fab with Magda Giannikou and the international Banda Magda after mixing her upcoming release..
not just making things louder. While the roster of credentials may be intimidating, the content delivery is not. The content is delivered in a way that is actually quite fun and at times quite amusing and laughable. Some of the courses offer very deep analysis of music and theory but usually done in a way that offers clarity without confusion. Currently over 45,000 engineers from around the world are plugged into PureMix. PureMix has now gone into phase two. The website launched a new redesign at the beginning of the year. The amazing volume of content is broken down into four categories: mixing, producing, recording and mastering.
STAYING GROUNDED So while he still is flying off to the Grammy’s and struggling to figure out what to wear (or at least — that would be MY problem), Fab still has some family chores. Somewhere between packing for the Grammy’s, mixing, booking/reviewing contracts and listening to tracks, Fab picks up his daughter from school. She is seven and has lived her life constantly surrounded by musicians. It has been a rather unusual playground but one that offers exposure to many things that most children would never get exposed to. “Daddy, who is Shakira?” So one day she asks another rather thought provoking question: “What’s your favorite song?” It’s an interesting question that only a child can ask but takes on new meaning when one is in the business of making music.
After a recording session with David Crosby and Snarky Puppy’s Bassist’ Michael League
MUSIC
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t’s Tuesday in the Middle East and it’s probably 115˚ in the shade. It’s also Ramadan — the holy month in the Muslim religion. It’s a remembrance through fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to the prophet Muhammad. It short, it means refrain from consuming food, drinking liquids, no sex or smoking from dawn to sunset. Let’s be clear that in the summer months, that means from about 5AM until about 8:45-9:00 PM. It’s a very long 30 days. What’s a person going to do? Probably watch television.
The financial commitment is deep. They don’t pull the plug on a show after 3 or 6 episodes if people aren’t watching. The programs is well conceived and thought out with a commitment to creativity, entertainment value with a story plot and the actors can carry 30 days. The competition is extremely fierce. Even in a bad year, this programming is amazing. This year has been exceedingly good and for those that don’t know/ understand Arabic — is still is engaging and entertaining. One program that has skyrocketed to the top is Grand Hotel.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
All jokes aside, Ramadan is when television stations in Arabic countries pull out the stops with major television programming. They have 30 days of undivided attention and networks drop big bunks to make people sit up and take notice. Unlike Western television programming which would show a program once a week, these shows will run consecutively for thirty days. To relate that to Western television, this is two and a half season of it like binge watching two and half years of Game of Thrones except no clifthanger at the end of the season.
THIS SEASONS HIT Grand Hotel has roots in the Spanish drama series that was directed by Carlos Sedes. The original was a mystery/romance that took place in an aristocratic hotel at the turn of the Century. The series was immensely popular and was picked up by other countries who remade it with their own domestic spin. There is an Italian version and a Russian version. This year, it is the best show to come out of Ramadan 2016. The series is the work of producer Mohammad Mashish and director Mohamed Shaker Khedeir. It is co-produced by Beelink Productions and Eagle Films. The Arabic version is set in the 1950s at the time of British rule with Egypt being a protectorate. The location is a luxury hotel in Aswan — near the great temples and ruins of Karnak and Abu Simbel. The series has the look and feel of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile or Murder on the Orient Express. The atmosphere is lush, period and elegant. The clothing styles are the height of the couture era so there is lots of couture inspired looks by Dior, Jacque Fath and Molyneux. Director Mohamed Shaker Khedeir chose Sofitel’s historic Old Cataract Hotel located on the Nile as the backdrop for the production. The hotel itself has been just completed a three-year meticulous restoration and this production highlights much of the restoration.
PLOTTING TO KEEP YOU INTERESTED The story begins with Ali, played by Amr Youssef, visiting the hotel to find his sister who has gone missing. She has been working as a maid at the hotel but has mysteriously vanished. No one at the hotel can tell him anything so he takes a job at the hotel to find to his missing sister. While working as a waiter, he meets Nazly, the hotel owner’s younger daughter played by Amina Khalil. The show captures attention instantly and doesn’t let go. Ali and Nazly have grabbed the imaginations of viewer with their on-screen romance. Amr Youssef and Amina Khalil have become a media frenzy in the social media in their portrayal of a couple from different social classes caught in a difficult romance. It has generated an enormous amount of positive feedback on various online platforms as the series mixes old school romance with timeless human relations. Grand Hotel is a version of a Downton Abbey type of programming but with more suspense and much more intrigue. While the over arching theme is a mystery, it is complex web of human relationships and a portrayal of the many aspects and types of love. It is a multi-layered drama that is a masterpiece of complex writing. We watch relationships of mothers/ daughters, mothers/sons, husbands/wives, family honor as well as romantic longing done with complete conviction and sincerity. Actors portray characters with subtle nuances that lend accuracy and depth towards relationships involved in trust and deception. It is a series that keeps the viewer
The filming of Grand Hotel
The dialogue in the film uses language that is poetic and very articulate and conveys meaning in it’s subtext. There are subtle nuances in the text that give each character depth, humor and a sense of reality that in many films is abscent. While the plot of the series has many twists and turns, each character has backstory and an emotional underpinning that makes it easy to identify with. This is drama at it’s best. Habib is a master at building tension whether it is romantic, mysterious or with suspense.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
guessing. There are countless twists and turns exceptionally well written by screenwriter Tamer Habib. Habib has made a name for himself with productions like Sleepless Nights, An El Eshk Wal Hawa, and Taymour We Shafika. He is easily one of the best writer in Arabic television but his writing and dialogue are convincing and strong regardless of culture. He is a writer similar to M. Night Shyamalan but with a romantic streak. Habib has written a very balanced drama that doesn’t sacrifice romance for crime plot or visa verse. It is emotionally satisfying as well as thrilling.
FASHIONING A VISUAL FEAST In parallels an intense story are the visuals. The producers spared no expense in making sure the look and feel were convincing. This visual work is the collaboration of costume designer Yasmine El Kady and art director Ahmed Shaker Khodeir. They researched the period in depth and had a thorough understanding of the social customs and designs of the period. The color palette is sophisticated and soft. The costumes are a delight and plentiful with some main characters changing costumes four and five times during the course of a cinematic day just like an aristocrat would while living during that time period. Nazly’s character has attracted a lot of attention with her retro wardrobe that fits right in with today’s woman. Many of the wardrobe selections are reminiscent of early Givenchy for Audrey Hepburn. What is interesting is how Yasmine El Kady designed for each character giving them a unique sense of style that would be appropriate for age, trend and backstory. It is a visual feast with each scene a mix of scrumptious details to keep the eye soaking it all in. Suits are tailored perfection. Dresses are confection. An incredible score and sound track starts the program. It was written by Oscar-winning, Tunisian composer Amine Bouhafa. To best describe the soundtrack for this show, I called upon an expert. Cydne Gillard, producer at WFMT’s Exploring Music. She eloquently put it into words what is heard when she described the music “as very romantic full orchestral sound with a solo cello weaving through the music like a human voice. The listens want to sing along. The unusual use of an accordion answering the cello adds a foreign folk or gypsy atmosphere to the music. It is so beautiful! It’s very pictorial music, easy to listen to with feelings of anticipation.
A marital moment with actors Mohamed Mamdouh and Dina El Sherbiny
This is a great soundtrack. Similar to Downton Abbey but with a feeling of mystery and sweeping cinematic presence.” I was very happy she could describe what I was feeling about the music. It is breath-taking but for those that are interested, go to our website at http://halfstackmagazine.blogspot.com. Under the entertainment tab at the top is music. We have posted the soundtrack so listeners can enjoy it.
AWARD CONTENDER This is an ensemble of actors/actresses that come together to form the diverse cast each like facets on a diamond. The casting of this group is galvanized with each person contributing amazing performances. Perhaps the biggests surprises come from two actors: Anoushka and Mohamed Mamdouh. Director Ahmed Shaker Khodeir cast Arabic Pop singer Anoushka as what has been describe in the press as the Villain of the Year. Anoushka, who has an incredible singing range. But in this casting, Anoushka keeps her voice in a very low register and is almost gravel-like as she plays Kismet — the wealthy and aristocratic owner of the Grand Hotel. Her hand gestures are incredible as she plots and schemes. She is beautiful as she is cruel. She embodies the aristocrat in all her glory and is bone chilling. She is a modern day Maleficent and this puts her on the map as an excellent actress.
A favorite person to watch and continue to watch is actress Amina Khalil. She portrays Nazli, the Daughter of Kismet. A fresh face who has studied acting at Lee Strasberg Theatre
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
On the other end of the spectrum is Mohamed Mamdouh Amina Khalil as Nazly in his role as Amin. Mamdouh stretches his acting credentials as he portrays Amin, a simple-minded waiter. His role speaks volumes about love and caring while at the same time he maintains the demeanor of a simpleton. He is relatable and vulnerable and plays the role with a unique vision that is original and fresh. He has very intricate body language and expressions that convey meaning without expressing words. His role is a acting challenge and he plays it flawlessly. His is a role of innocence and purity on screen that is rarely seen on television. He plays a man in love with a maid named Ward who is in love and pregnant with another man’s baby. Ward, played by Dina El Sherbiny is envious and will stop at nothing to get what she wants. She is cold and calculating but at the same time relatable and still loveable. The role has a wonderful character arc as the series progresses. Much of her performance is with famed veteran actress Sawsan Beder. The two work so well together, this season they are featured in another Ramadan show called. Sawsan’s performance is riveting as the lover/wife of the original owner of the hotel who is now a relegated to the role of servant. She is exactly on-target in this role and her role is layered with meaning, emotion and warmth.
and Film Institute in the US and at the American University in Cairo, Khalil has exploded onto the screen in a variety of roles in the Middle East in shows like Taraf Talet (Third Party), Sharbat Loz (Almond Sorbet) and Nekdeb Law Olna Mabenhebesh. She was the recent recipient of the Jury Prize for the film festival Asham Film Society’s annual Forty Egyptian cinema 2014. Her performance is memorable in Grand Hotel as she speaks volumes with her whole face. Khalil’s eyes light up and her emotions can go from sadness to joy while at the same time tries to mask disappointment and hurt. She is amazingly talented and mesmerizing on screen. She is someone to watch as her career blossoms. This show is a dynamic in the performances by the actors and actresses. There is no weak link. This is totally is addictive and is perfect for binge watching. It is obviously a top notch winner on television and raises the bar for every program. It is must see viewing. Enjoy it with your friends and let’s hope they release it with captions to capture a wider audience here in the states. Watch it now online at http://video.tv.ae/ shows/2458 Two of this seasons most amazing actresses: (top) Sawsan Beder ( bottom) Anoushka
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
A mixture of real life Grand Hotel staff with the cast of Grand Hotel sitting along side writer Tamer Habib.
SOCIETY’S MENTORS
SHINING A LIGHT FROM D.C. TO CAIRO JIHAN MANSOUR SPEAKS OUT
The face of Middle East television news, Jihan’s career has spanned some of the most important developments in the Middle East. She speaks with writer Tareq Al Saud.
T
all, stately, well versed with long chestnut hair, she is smart, polished and approachable in her approach to presenting a story. Her attention to detail and accuracy are well known in the industry. She has become the person many look to when they look to understanding the US and Middle East relations. Her motto is very clear: “The word is a holy thing, it’s like a bullet when you shoot it, you can not return it ever.” Jihan Mansour believes in and tries to present clarity in the media. Her determination has made the ambassador to many trying to understand US politics. Mansour is equipped with a Master’s in comparative literature from her home country Egypt. Like many journalists, Mansour had many dreams about her future career. She started to make steps towards the media field early. “I joined the Egyptian broadcast Institute and began as a news broadcaster in the Egyptian Radio.” Mansour said. Her background proved well and her hard work was quick to be noticed. It was not long before Mansour got a job offer from one of the most respected and influential channels in the Middle East. “I started to work at Al Arabiya News Channel in 2003 worked there for almost two years then a call from Wash-
ington D.C.” Mansour said. “There was a new TV channel at that time called Al Hurra. It was an American channel but they are broadcasting for Middle East in Arabic.” This was something new and innovative. It was the beginning of something incredibly fruitful and rewarding. It was Mansour’s first time working in America and where Mansour became the conduit pipeline between the Egypt people, the Arabic culture and the United States. At the same time, she started to work as a professor of Arabic culture and civilization in Maryland University. This gave her insight to American psyche, their thought process, opinions, viewpoints but also how they view those in the Middle East. She was also able to find out what areas Americans were most curious about. At the same time, she was covering important stories for those in the Arabic culture that they were most curious about. “I covered the elections in America twice — in 2004 and 2008.” Mansour said. This was pivotal in that she was seen as not only a pretty face, but someone who could explain difficult topics like US/Middle East foreign policy, voter demographics and the US domestic trade policy and the effects it has on the world. When Jihan returned to Egypt in 2009, she landed the premium spot at Al Sa’ah News Channel in the Media City
SOCIETY’S MENTORS
of Cairo. This quickly led to her joining the Dream TV channel. She became the face of morning television with her own morning show televised daily. She was the touchstone that many Egyptians turned to as they entered the first and second Egyptian revolutions that blew up during the Arab Spring. Jihan Mansour covered every aspect of the revolution. In 2014 she joined Al Tahrir Channel and made the show With
“THE NEGATIVE POINTS IN THE AMERICAN MEDIA ARE STEREOTYPING AND RACIAL ORIENTATION SOMETIMES THERE IS LITTLE REAL ARABIC REPRESENTATION IN THE MEDIA.” Egypt’s Folks to address issues of life after the revolution and what matter most to those living in Egypt. The world changed in many ways after 2014. The most important thing is the political crisis and how it directly reflects on the Egyptian media. “Sectarianism is everywhere and our arabic and egyptian media are owned by governments and businessmen,” Mansour sadly said. She wished if there is an organization for broadcasting that represents all the people in the country like the BBC. “We are witnessing a big stage of political and media transforming in Arab countries,” Mansour said. “The one party media that serves the president is what Egypt now faces, but the media will fix itself by itself.”
A NEW MEDIA In the past few years the social media has invaded every single smartphone or pad. “This is what I call the parallel media or substitute media,” Mansour said. It is a positive step and also comes with negative aspects. There is a public and private media. The public media and areas outside mainstream media can be it too trendy and open to public opinion. It can be also boiled down to two problems. “Not all the people have access to the social media and it needs to be more accurate,” Mansour said. Specialization is the word that Jihan Mansour strongly believes in. “I don’t mind an art show hosted by an artist except political, economic and cultural shows” said Mansour. In the Arab world TV shows have become more about subjects that get more attention, more audience share and more garnering commercials than serious work.
Jihan Mansour after an interview with Chuck Hegel former U.S. Secretary of defense
Jihan Mansour on air live from America in Washington DC.
Having spent a long time working in media in the U.S., Mansour has her own criticism about the American media and how covering stories is becoming increasing partisan or learning towards a political party and opinion type. “The negative points in the American media are stereotyping and racial orientation sometimes. There is little real Arabic representation in the media.” said Mansour. What is out there is not always reflective of life in the Middle East or having an understanding of what a typical person is really like. In the past few years, many Arabic TV channels have started buying the rights of famous American shows and making Arabic copies of the similar ideas and US values. “I’m against this idea, there is a lot of Arabic talents so why don’t you make a 100 percent arabica show?” said Mansour. There is a rich heritage in the Middle East. Jihan’s ambition has no limit. “I like the extensive TV shows that contain political, social, economic and arts,” Mansour said. “I want to make an Arabic popular show with useful topics for people and a TV show from America that talk about Arab people’s success. I want to build a bridge for the world. It’s an ambitious idea but one that is very much needed. My ambitions ends when my life ends.”
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WORLD VIEW
MUSTAFA AL-SUMAIDAIE: Eye on the World An interview with Tareq Al Saud
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n a neighborhood that contains both Muslims and Christians living in peace, Mustafa Al-Sumaidaie was born to inspire the world of his beloved city through his passion for photography. He has had an interesting journey. We thought it was important to take the opportunity to speak with him about his art. Mustafa started his work in photography when he was a teenager but he did not share his art works on media till about two years ago. He was surprised how his photos hit on social media platforms. His is a journey of love, pain and creation that springs out of a creative soul.
How did you get started with photography? I high school and did not join a college in terms of work and needed to help my family after my father’s death in 2009 and also because of the civil war in Baghdad.
What is your family like? My mom is a housewife and I have two other brothers. Mohammed works as an accountant and Yusuf is a college student in the English translating department.
Light and shadow, composition and balance are all elements that make a good photograph.Images that are expanding this vision of beauty are the work of Mustafa Al-Sumaidaie. He is shooting the beauty in the world that surrounds him. That world is Baghdad.
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Did you take classes? I did not take classes of photography but began with on my own. There was an old camera in my house and I was always wondering of what can I do with it. We always don’t notice the hidden corners and angles in our homes. This was my starting point. I began with the cracks in his home ceilings. There is a beauty in them.
How do you approach your art? I try to shoot my photos in different ways and concepts. I also try to change the view of what people see as the country of Iraq. I want to change how people around the world are looking at it. I go out in dawn, late afternoon and at sunset. The light is perfect in these time. Many Iraqi don’t notice what they are surrounded by on their way to work in the morning or back to their homes in late afternoons everyday. This is the perfect time to get spontaneous shots of people. I don’t like basics or principles or routine. I like to deliver a message to change the reality through my creative photos and videos.
What equipment do you use? I use both my Iphone and a Samsung Galaxy phone for his work. I also have a Canon 70 camera for most video shots.
Do you retouch? 85 percent of my photos are without retouching. I like the beauty of reality.
Where do you want to take your photography? I consider my photography as a hobby. I work as a manager currently at Siemens in Baghdad. This is my art.
What other areas of creative development are you exploring with your video work? I am starting to collaborate with my little brother Yusuf. He has a talent in singing. I would like to make short video clips with my brother’s voice especially signing foreign music and songs, and use it to create some videos talking about humanity and subjects like Autism. American and Australian music companies have also given me permissions to use their music in my artwork.
Your photos are breathtakingly beautiful. Are your images difficult to shoot? Shooting photos and videos is so hard in Baghdad and Iraq because of permissions. I can only shoot in about 5 percent of Baghdad areas without getting permissions.
What is the new project you are working on currently? I am working on a new project now and it talks about the diversity of religions in Iraq. My massage is to show the world that there are people here struggling for living but they are peacefully respecting each other and hate sectarianism.
MANY IRAQI DON’T NOTICE WHAT THEY ARE SURROUNDED BY ON THEIR WAY TO WORK... THERE IS A BEAUTY IN THEM.
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