Allahyar and the Legend of Markhor: 'Raising the bar' for animation in Pakistan
The vividly charming teasers followed by short videos like those of the characters' introductions and auditions not only attracted the audiences, but also left everyone stunned by the progress animation has made in Pakistan. Photo: 3rd World Studios
By Abdullah Zafar
What begins with a stirring soundtrack in the background following a short journey across a beautiful landscape, ends with the introduction of the characters of an upcoming Pakistani animated film Allahyar and the Legend of Markhor (AYATLOM), in a teaser that was released a few months ago.
And it comes as no surprise that it has caught everyone’s attention.
The vividly charming teaser followed by short videos like those of the characters’ introductions and auditions not only attracted the audiences, but also left everyone stunned by the progress animation has made in Pakistan.
With promising teasers and other promotional videos already in hand, and social media abuzz with appreciation for the quality of animation, people just can’t wait for the groundbreaking animation project to be released.
Keeping up with the excitement, Dunya News caught up with Muhammad Usman Iqbal, Head of Production at 3rd World Studios. While Iqbal remained a little tight-lipped about the yet-to-released project, he did share his views about the animation industry and what their project aspires to achieve.
Muhammad Usman Iqbal, Head of Production at 3rd World Studios. Photo: 3rd World Studios
Tell us a little about yourselves - the 3rd World Studios, and especially the team behind Allahyar and The Legend of Markhor.
3rd World Studios was formed solely with the intention of telling good, positive stories from the Pakistani point of view. Our goal is to instill positive values into children and young adults through exciting and entertaining animated content. Our team is made up of very talented, idealistic and hardworking individuals.
Is this the first time you have ventured into feature length animation? Tell us a little about your journey so far?
Yes, this is the first time we are working on an animated feature film. Our core team has extensive experience of working on international projects which include AAA game titles like Tomb Raider Legends, After Burner Black Falcon and broadcast work for clients like Discovery Channel, Toyota Scion, Lexus, UPS, Reebok, etc. and therefore, we are no strangers to the grind. The journey so far has been quite challenging and rewarding at the same time.
How did you come up with the idea of AYATLOM? And how do you see its potential as a work that could connect well with local audiences?
There’s a huge vacuum in Pakistan where culturally relevant content in Urdu for younger audiences is almost non-existent. Allahyar and the Legend of Markhor fills that gap beautifully as everything from the characters, the environment, to the storyline is all inspired by our beautiful and amazing country.
How long have you been working on the project? And how hard was it to execute it?
We have been working on this project for quite some time now. Since before the pre-production phase, our team has been busy developing innovative techniques and processes for this film. The payoff has exceeded our own expectations.
I have been in the industry for over a decade now, and every new day brings in new challenges, but that’s exactly what keeps us excited and motivated. For this film, we have faced numerous challenges at almost every stage. But Alhamdulillah, we have overcome all of them and are currently at the finalization stage.
The vivid animations have not only attracted the audiences, but have also left everyone stunned by the progress animation has made in Pakistan. Photo: 3rd World Studios
Tell us a little about financing such a project? How did you get people to invest in the project considering animated features are still in its infancy in the country?
Animation is expensive and the full market potential of such projects hasn’t been realised as yet. However, we feel that this will change as Pakistan has a lot of talent and will be producing even superior quality animated content in the future. We just need a little encouragement.
Where does the animation industry stand in Pakistan currently? Has it progressed over the past few years, in terms of both production quantity and quality?
There’s been progress and projects like Burka Avenger, 3 Bahadur and Quaid say Baatein have been really good initiatives. We are hoping that Allahyar and the Legend of Markhor will encourage the industry to raise the bar even further.
There’s an evident connection between the AYATLOM and preservation of wildlife in Pakistan. How can such projects help address these issues?
Wildlife conservation is one of the agendas close to our hearts that we feel needs addressing. Animated films are a powerful tool, just like live action films, for shedding light on important issues facing us today.
What was the thought process behind the characters –Allahyar, Chak ku, Hero and others? Tell us a little about the creative process?
As is with any intelligently told story, every character has a role to play. And since the story is the most important part of a film, all characters or their attributes stem from it.
“As is with any intelligently told story, every character has a role to play,” says Iqbal. Photo: 3rd World Studios
The response of the people on social media has undoubtedly been really positive ever since the release of the first teaser. How is the team taking the attention?
Even though we expected a good response all along, the attention and enthusiasm has really taken us by surprise. No doubt it’s been very encouraging and a huge boost in the overall morale of the team.
How would you differentiate between the animations being made in Pakistan from those being created around the globe? How long do you think it’d take the country to advance further into the genre with quality animation?
The gap in the quality of Pakistani animated films and international films can be bridged by two factors that are inter-linked. Interest of audiences towards such films will mean better earnings and in-turn affect the number of films being made, encouraging film makers to spend more on production quality. More animated films with higher production value will help raise the skill sets of the artists.
3 Bahadur was one of those projects which received a wide recognition for a Pakistani animated feature? What would be there for the audiences in your project to take the cinematic revolution a step further?
Personally, I liked 3 Bahadur and appreciate the initiative. With Allahyar and the Legend of Markhor, we have worked hard to raise the bar in all aspects of film production. We’ve really focused on the story, animation quality, as well as the overall art direction and finish of the end product.
Furthermore, we’re proud of the fact that we’ve tried to make our film as appealing to adults as it will be to kids.
So what has the team lined up for the future? Do you plan to continue in animation or is the team planning to explore other areas?
Animated content is what we do best and that’s where we would love to keep exploring and raising the quality in both visuals and storytelling, and hopefully keep the people of our country entertained and proud.
