Muslim Studio Space in shaa Allah

[Scimitar]

Assalaamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu,

My name is Mohsen and I have been creating Islamic content on YouTube since 2011. But since 2017, I decided to step up a level and film exclusives for the new channel I had set up (Dawah Digital). The reason being, I didn’t want my channel to be just another Dawah channel with regurgitated copy paste videos made by someone else. I wanted “originality” and to produce from start to finish - the whole thing. And to have it all uploaded on to this one channel, where Muslims and non-Muslims alike can benefit from.

So I started off filming speakers corner videos, as a beginner into dslr cameras I had a tough time “getting it right”. But with dedication, comes the experience and it wasn’t long before I was getting the reputation of being the guy who films with multiple camera angles and has great audio الحمد لله.
It wasn’t long before I started to get invites to go and film lectures and debates on official platforms - and even the opportunity to work with the big Dawah charity, iERA and the only independent Muslim news agency in the UK - 5 Pillars, filming the long running Islamic Circle inside of Regent’s Park mosque (Central Londom Mosque) As well as some other Muslim organisations (currently doing some work for Sapience Institute).
I Became busy doing this but the channel I had created in 2017, suffered due to me being busy working for the above.

This made me … well, if I’m to bare all here, I’ll tell you - it made me very sad. In the past three years I only managed to get a dozen videos uploaded to my channel. My channel was dying a social media death. Slow, and painful to watch.
Are you still reading? Please hang on because this is where it starts to get real good!

Recently I had the number of days I work for the above mentioned reduced drastically so I could focus on what my heart was telling me - to focus on taking my channel, Dawah Digital - to the next stage in its development. I have made so many contacts in the Dawah scene, from du’aat to students of knowledge and their teachers, the scholars of our Deen. So many amazing Muslims ma sha'Allah.
My time with 5 pillars came to an end and with iERA, drastically reduced to only a few days a week. It was now time to do what I always dreamed of doing!

Producing the best quality Muslim content on YouTube - evergreen content which will be just as relevant in ten years as it will be today.
I have all the equipment, 5 cameras - lenses galore - lighting - audio of all types for all situations - powerful pc etc for editing - you name it - I have probably got it.
What I don’t have though, is the space to do all this in. I need a studio space.

So I searched, and searched, and searched some more. I viewed locations and properties and this took so much time, I almost have up due to not making much headway… that is, until a revert brother who is on the Dawah circuit pointed me to a brilliant location that is only a ten minute drive from where I live. Can you believe that? سبحان اللہ
And so I visited it and fell in love with the space straight away. It was perfect for me. A studio space that can accommodate three sets and a custom podcast station and an audio monitoring and editing suite, all for the humble cost of £400 per month.


It’s not a lot of money when you consider what I’ll be getting for that. But it is when you have a family to feed and are the only breadwinner in the house. Add to that - the fact that I’m only working part time now for iERA. And have closed my contract with 5 pillars.
My feeling of joy at having found the space quickly turned to anxiety as I tried to figure out how I could pay £400 per month for this space.

After much deliberation with my wife, we decided it would be a good idea to try and have this space funded by Muslims who want to see better content on social media. The terms of the rent would mean I’d be tied into a minimum 2 year obligation as well. And this is where I have to bow my head… and ask for donations. Something I am not used to doing.
… this part is really hard for me to do because all this time, I was self funding by putting all my savings into this dream of mine, buying all the equipment, covering travel expenses etc. Even as I write this I have literally no savings account or any money saved. That only bothers me because I can’t invest into this dream of mine and I have to ask you for help. سبحان اللہ
Today, I’m asking you to support this dream project of mine by donating the cost of at least the cost of a coffee regularly, every month إن شاء الله . You won’t feel the pinch but your donations will grow and allow me to rent this creative space and produce the kind of content you and I can be proud to be a part of. Content that can - if Allah so wills - change lives! إن شاء الله

To help me with this beautiful project, please donate here: https://buymeacoffee.com/dawah if you can make your donations repeat monthly, that will really help me to manage my expectations as well.

If you would like more information on this project, please email me: info@creativedeen.co.uk

جزاكم ﷲ خيرا thank you for making it this far, my Allah Subhaana wa ta'aala bless, آمين
And please - do share this with your friends and family - may Allah truly bless you all. آمين

[Eric H]

Peace be with you Mohsen; I hope you and your family are well;

You are certainly on an amazing journey. These are only my thoughts with what you are trying to do.

What is the greater priority? The message and content, or the same message but with a more professional appearance for the content?

My son is a part time videographer, and he says, the people who seem to appreciate the production quality more, tend to be other photographers, and not so much his customers. So maybe if you focus more on the message you are putting across, people should appreciate that more than the production quality you would gain by spending an extra £400 per month. If you are doing this voluntarily and not being paid, I think it will be your time and effort that will reap the rewards.

I support a number of local charities, so sorry I don't have the spare money.

May Allah bless you and your venture,
Eric

[Muhammad]

wa alaykum assalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh brother Mohsen,

It is good to hear from you. I ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to bless your endeavours, to make things easy and to facilitate for you that which He loves and is pleased with, Ameen!

[Scimitar]

Hi @eric, yes content is King in my book. Problem is, low quality videos are not “evergreen” meaning even tho the content is timeless, the delivery (part of which is audio quality and the other part being video quality) won’t withstand the test of time. Thanks for the kind words, Eric. God bless.



so for me, it’s both. The content itself and they way it’s packaged.
@Muhammad - جزاكم ﷲ خيرا

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[Eric H]

Peace be with you Mohsen,

I watched the video on your link 'Dawah Digital', with Adnan Rashid and Charlie, discussing Creation in Speakers Corner. I thought Adnan put his point across well, and he referred to the Quran on camera. The Dawah Digital logo was a good touch, as was the subtitles. You put in a few pictures to highlight what Adnan was trying to say. Editing between two cameras was done well to focus on each speaker.

If that was one of your videos, I thought you did well. If you want to put up any more links of films you have made, I would be happy to watch them.

May Allah bless your endeavours.
Eric

[Scimitar]

Peace be with you Mohsen,

I watched the video on your link 'Dawah Digital', with Adnan Rashid and Charlie, discussing Creation in Speakers Corner. I thought Adnan put his point across well, and he referred to the Quran on camera. The Dawah Digital logo was a good touch, as was the subtitles. You put in a few pictures to highlight what Adnan was trying to say. Editing between two cameras was done well to focus on each speaker.

If that was one of your videos, I thought you did well. If you want to put up any more links of films you have made, I would be happy to watch them.

May Allah bless your endeavours.
Eric

thank you Eric. I will definitely post some new content soon God willing. But it may be on a brand new channel - I think I’ve taken Dawah Digital as far as I can go with it. Let’s see. A certain 3rd party has expressed an interest in taking Da’wah Digital off my hands. And the thought of having to start all over again is exciting.

I don’t know. God knows best.

either way, I’m definitely wanting to move towards studio based productions now that I have built up years of experience working in studios.