Thesis Concept Statement Prejudicism happens everywhere and causes a great grief

and torment in people’s lives. During post 9/11 many

Muslims and American were prejudice against one another

without realizing how the other party felt. My story is about

a journey of a Pakistani Muslim teenage girl who is born and

raised in New York. Her life changes inside out

after “Muslim” terrorists attack the WTC. It’s hard being a

teenager and going through physical and mental changes

already but dealing with post 9/11 is a whole different level

of emotional disturbance. Everything is changing around

her; the behavior of her friends, classmates, teachers and

neighbors. Her world becomes very cold; friends becoming

enemies, teachers hating on her, people fearing and abusing

one another and the only way to survive is by having faith,

determination and a help from a few very close friends.

Goal / Intent Through my story I want the audience to understand what happened in the lives of people that had to deal with 9/11 consequences. Not all Muslims were innocent victims, not all Americans were discriminating towards Islamic people. My character notices a certain behavior change in every person that is around her and how she has to cope with it. She has to make some tough choices in her life due to the behavior of people around her. Target Audience This story is meant for a mature audience. People that dealt with the 9/11 consequences or who still have to deal with segregation. Young adults that go though there years in school either being a bully or getting bullied. As kids or young teens we understand the difference between good and bad but we don’t understand why certain people do “bad things”. What causes them to behave and certain way? Format / Media I want this story to be conveyed in an animation or the sequence of illustrations that show different situations that occurred during that time. I thought of doing animation because it is such a serious topic that most people wouldn’t want to hear about it anymore especially people that suffered from it. Animation just brings the playfulness in this topic. I chose to tell the story through my main character because I think everyone can relate to her. She’s your average teenager that starts off by dealing with the typical school social situations like how to fit in and to be part of the crowd and how she deals with things after this whole tragic event happens. Almost all teenagers go through a drastic change in their teenage life because of certain events or how they have been brought up so I think everyone in the audience will be able to relate to her. Concerns (in terms of concept or production) My main concerns at the moment are how to convey the story in a right manner. It is a very complex story so I really have to think about every incident that happened during that time or how a teenager deals with it. I’m having a difficulty with blending all the internal and external conflicts that the character deals with. It’s just a lot of information that I need to pick and choose.

Thought Process

For my thesis project I would like to animate a story that I wrote over the summer that came from a personal experience. It’s about a religious girl dealing with the consequences of the terrorist attack that happened on 9/11. This idea came to me when I read Marjane Satrapi Famous Comic Persepolis. Persepolis is an autobiographical comic depicting Marjane Satrapi childhood up to her early adult years in Iran during and after the Islamic Revolution. It was also turned into an animation later on. One of my favorite things about this comic is the simplicity or the illustrations. The whole comic and animation is in black and white and you can tell the different moods of the story just by adding more shadows or light in it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ22VyjJ6n8 (Persepolis)

I like telling personal stories that relate to culture or religion with simple 2D animations.

While I was thinking about how I’m going to illustrate or animate the story I came across a music video and I really liked the style of it. This video has a simple style of drawing but its very crisp and neat and you really get into the story. I like the colors. They are very dull which expresses the depress atmosphere with the colors of fire to show destruction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foSbqLi6U10 (Palestine)

In the future I wanna animate more cultural stories because I feel like most people have the wrong idea of Middle Easterns. There are the stereo typical being called terrorist and then just the ignorance of people when it comes to Islamic culture or religion whether its family life, social life, or religious rules. Most people that are not Muslims think that the religion is way too strict or islamic females get abused which isn’t the case so I would like to take some time to write stories of my culture and animate them.

Events...Stories

1) Whenever I would walk to school I would see girls wearing hijabs and cultural clothing but as soon as they would walk in to school they would go to the bathroom change the clothes, take of the scarf and some would wear a cross. If the people who were still loyal towards Islam would get harassed they would join in to harass them claiming they are Christian Indians.

2) My friend Dennis and I used to play together and talk almost everyday. After the 9/11 attack I found out his father died in it. It took him a while to come back to school and when he did he was very quiet and reserved with me. I did not realize he hated me. I just thought he was upset but the day I got harassed outside my school he was with them. There were 4 of them. 2 kids from my class and the other two belonged to the same grade just weren’t in my classes. While I was crying and asking him to make his friends stop he did not do anything. He stood there and watched. There was no reaction.

3) I remember there were a lot of people that walked in a pack. All Muslims would stick together and all other kids would have their own group and sometimes just to cause a scene or a fight kids would make up stories and start fighting even if its a lie. I remember this one Pakistani guy that was messing around with this white kid. Bugging him that he thinks every Muslim is terrorist but that wasn’t the case at all. I knew the white kid from my class. He was decent with me. We made small conversation so I knew he didn’t hate all Muslims. Some kids just liked to fight who made matters worse in school especially for the quiet ones that didn’t participate in any drama.

4) I always feared kids dressed in black with metals and chains. For me those kids were evil and believers of Satan. They creeped me out but those kids or at least one group really helped me out during those rough times. They would stick up for me, walk me back from school, and hang out with me during lunch so I don’t feel lonely. There was a time in my life where everything was falling apart and I was slowly losing faith in god. I mean isn’t he suppose to take care of his good people so I started loosing my faith and believing in my friends. Looking up to them. I slowly changed the way I dressed took off my hijab too and started listening to the same music. Made me feel safer. People around me changed their behavior towards me as well. They were much nicer and more comfortable with talking to me.

5) I remember a really nice teacher that tried helping me out. Not just me but all of his Muslim students. He once asked all the kids what does it mean to be a terrorist and the kids replied being with scarfs, guns, bombs, brown people, and Muslims and he tried to clear their assumption by going into detail to what a terrorist is. He gave examples of different situations that are considered a terrorized attack and how innocent people become victims.

 

I Remember......

1) While I was walking bk home there was a little girl who said ” Look mommy a terrorist” and as i was staring at her only thinking that does she even know what that means the mother picked up her kid for safety.

2) During christmas I was asked if i celebrate Christmas and since i was rasied here I repied yes. After that an idiot asked me “hey do you get guns for christmas”. I was too scared back in the days so i said no but i remember my friend Julia defended me by saying ” no i wish i did thought so i can blow ur stupid head off.”

3) During the dodgeball game I was picked the last. I was against 3 students and while everyone was having fun with me my teacher didnt even try to stop the game saying its a learning experience.

4) In the cafeteria the table that i usually used to eat in one of the students said “no terrorist zone” and i didnt know anyone else on the other tables so i would sit in the staircase or empty classroom and eat.

5) A friend of mine started hating me after the whole 911 thing cuz his dad died in the building and while i was getting harassed outside the school he was one of them.

6) I remember a lot of girls that would wear thier hijabs coming from home but then immediately take it off and dress more western in school. Even change thier name or give themselves a nickname.

7) I made a goth friend during that time that really supported me and helped me get through this bullshit.

8) I used to come home a lone before i got bullied but that was the end of my freedom for a while. I was escortd by my mom in the morning and my brother would pick me up at night.

ENDING

I want to show not all americans were ignorant and abusive and how muslims changed themselves a lot too. At the end i want it to be light like how I made a really good friend and I started walking home with her instead of family.

 

First Draft

The story starts out with the close up shot of a girls face and the sand in the back. The camera zooms out and you see an empty play ground. As the girl is looking around you see a fade in of children playing around.

Flashback

Ameen: Hey anyones seen dennis?

(as soon as she says that two hands cover ameens eyes and she hits someone behind her with her elbow. She turns around and she finds dennis on the ground)

Ameen: I’m so very very sorry. It was an accident. You sneaked up on me. It’s not my fault. You shouldn’t have done that. It was purely defense mechanism.

Dennis: For what? I just covered your eyes. Normally people question whose behind them not attack them.

Ameen: Again I’m sorry. Next time don’t sneak up behind me. Anyway what took you so long.

Dennis: Was studying for my test.

( a group of thugs wannabees from the class walk towards ameen and dennis)

Thugs: hey worm your gonna help us cheat on the test right?

Ameen: Aw why too stupid to study for a simple test? Its common knowledge idiots.

Thugs: Don’t make us hurt you. Just because your a girl, don’t think I’ll be easy on you

Dennis: Ameen shut up. I’ll help you guys out just stop bothering us.

The thugs leave.

Ameen: Yo why must you always give in to there bullshit. You should be tougher than that.

Dennis: Yea I don’t have to worry when I have you by my side right?

Ameen: Dam straight

Ameen and Dennis walk into the class and take their seats together. 30 mins into the class and it starts to smell like smoke. The teacher walks out of the class.

Dennis: I wonder what’s going?

Ameen: who cares as long as we don’t have to take that dam test

The teacher walks in and tells the kids that their parents are coming to pick them up.

Ameen: Oh nice a day off woohoo

Dennis: idiot thy would not send us home for no reason. There must be something serious is going on.

Ameen: Well not my problem. It has nothing to do with me as long as I get to go home.

Dennis: stop taking everything so lightly. I see my mom coming. I am gonna go. I will call you later.

(soon after Dennis leaves ameens brother comes to pick her up)

Ameen: well here’s a surprise. You never pick me up from school and especially on your bike.

Brother: I can’t explain right now but we have to hurry home.

(ameen and her brother reach home and you see the whole family get together and watching the news. The world trade center falls apart. Everyone’s in shock and upset)

Ameen: what movie is this?

Father: it’s not a movie honey. It’s happening in real life.

(at the dinner table the parents discuss the safety of children and whether they will be able to go to school or not. This upsets amen a lot. After dinner she tries to call up her friend but he doesn’t pick up. After a week off from school Ameen finally convinces her parents to let her go to school. As shes walking to school she sees a kid)

Kid: Look mommy a terrorist

Ameen looks at her confused. The mother picks her kid up in her arms and starts walking fast. Still confused at what the kid said she ignores it and walks towards the entrance of the school

Ameen enters the classroom and she notices Dennis sitting in a different seat with the thugs)

Ameen: Dennis what are you doing. Why are you sitting next to these people.

Dennis doesn’t reply.

Thugs: Don’t start with us terrorist. We already want to beat you up so leave while you can.

Ameen: terror what? Ok I don;t care about you punks at the moment I need to talk to MY friend. Dennis I tried calling you so many times, why weren’t you answering. I have to talk to you about something important.

Dennis: Ameen just leave

You see a goth girl in the corner of the class observing whats going on meanwhile the class starts and the teacher tells everyone to get into their seats.

Ameen: Teacher what’s a terrorist? I keep hearing that word.

Teacher: A group of extremest that use violence to threaten or dominate people. The world trade center was attacked by a group of muslims…your people and a lot of people are dead because of that. The students start picking on Ameen and she becomes really quiet and nervous. After the class ends she goes into the Cafeteria. Ameen tries to talk to Dennis again. When she goes near his table a bunch of kids write a no terrorist zone.

Ameen: Dennis I just want to talk. Can you at least give me 2 minutes. I don’t like you hating me. I haven’t done anything. Why are you ignoring me.

Dennis: My dad died because of your kind. I hate you muslims.

Ameen: Dennis…I

The thugs get up and drop Ameens food tray. They gang up on her and threaten her. When she sees her friend quiet and ignoring everything thats going on Ameen runs out and crying ends up being in the art studio where she sees a bunch of goths. That frightens her even more.

Ameen: I’m sorry I didn’t know anyone was here. I’ll leave

Goths: No you don’t have to go. Stay. ..Hey your that terrorist girl everyones harassing in class huh

Ameen: I’m not a terrorist. Tears roll down her eyes

Goths: Yea you look too much of a wimp to be one anyway. Whats got you crying anyway?

Ameen: Nothing

Ameen sits queitly doodling as tears fall out.

just before the next class starts the thugs walk by Ameen and slap a “I’m a terrorist kick me” sign on her back. Julia one of the goth girl notices it and takes it off immediately. She walks up to the thugs and kicks them really hard.

Julia: Stop harrasing that girl you punks. Its not funny.

Ameen: Please don’t fight because of me.

Julia: Stop being such a wimp and stand up for yourself. Don;t you always stick up for people but when its you getting abused you have to turn all chicken shit. And You (talking to the thug) Bug her one more time and you would have to go through me.

The class starts. Ameen tries to pass a note to Dennis as an apology but he rips it up.

Julia: Dude hes not going to listen to you. Just leave him alone. You can come hang out with us from now on. He’s not coming back to you again.

After class Ameen gets out of school and starts walking towards home. She sees Dennis walking with his thug friends and tries her luck one more time to reason with him but this time she really gets it.

Thugs: Hey terrorist wheres your goth buddy. Not too tough when your alone huh?

Ameen: Please let me go I just need to talk to him from a second.

Thugs: Sure we will let you go.

Ameen walks and the thug pulls off her scarf from the back. They start to verbally and physically abuse her. She’s on the floor crying. Dennis just stares and smirks.

The camera sees Julia in the back. She gets her group and comes to the rescue.

Julia: I told you not to talk to that kid again. Your hopeless. I need to start being with you permanently for your own safety. As Ameen walks away with her new friend she looks back to watch her best friend leave.

Close up shot of Ameens eyes. As she blinks it zooms out to the adult Ameen.

Ameen starts walking towards her house. As shes about to open the door she sees Dennis two houses down locking his door and walking at her direction.

Ameen: Dennis…Hi

Style References

For my thesis I was searching for some style references of how a traditional muslim child dresses. We always keep our head covered with a veil or a “hijab” and wear loose dresses or shirts.

Style References

As a mentioned in my thought process I really like the designor style that Marjane incorporatedin her animation Persepolis. I love the simplicity of it so I’m thinking ofmaking my characters very simple . I don’t want to focus too much on the I don’t want to focus too much on the details of the face or clothing or add toomuch texture in my drawings.

Style References

One of my favorite animations

from the Middle East is “Palestine

will be free” by Meher Zain. Just

like Perpesolis the style is very

cartoony. Yes there are a lot of

details in the setting but the

characters are very plain and flat. characters are very plain and flat.