In a world dominated by CGI and Western superheroes, Arab superhero Captain Shedeed is taking the bold step of reviving the lost art of stop-motion. Created by Ramy El Gabry, founder and CEO of Divine Touch Productions, Captain Shedeed is more than just an Arab animated show. BroadcastPro ME speaks to El Gabry to uncover the vision and journey behind this project.
Interviewed by Vijaya Cherian, written by Nusrat Ali.
Ramy El Gabry’s Captain Shedeed isn’t just battling diabolical villains intent on wiping out future human generations; he’s also striving to be a homegrown hero for Arab youth while reviving the art of stop-motion. The road is tough, the challenges formidable, but El Gabry is confident that the protagonist of his new series is up to the task. Calling it the largest Arabic stopmotion superhero production in the Middle East, El Gabry seeks to give young Arab audiences a role model who resonates with their cultural background and presents a uniquely Arab perspective.
The project was born from El Gabry’s frustration with the lack of Arab role models. In 2022, he decided to take matters into his own hands. “Captain Shedeed comes from a pain point I experienced as a father. I couldn’t find any animated content that accurately represented Arab society and culture for my children. There was no role model they could learn from, follow or interact with locally. I felt that we were following a foreign culture so intently that our Arab identity was gradually being erased. So, I challenged myself; I thought that if I’m really a storyteller then I should be able to fill this gap.”
The decision to use stop-motion was also part of El Gabry’s ‘back to our roots’ plan. “It all comes down to identity. I believe stopmotion is the only medium capable of capturing our cultural nuances and intricacies. While 3D and 2D animations are easier to execute, they often provide just a surface-level perspective, making the viewer feel like an outsider looking in.”
To some audiences, Captain Shedeed’s storyline may seem dark, but El Gabry disagrees. “Animations transcend age barriers. I’m an adult, but I still enjoy Disney films. Even those films have villains; for instance, the witch in Snow White, and children watch them. Today’s youth have more exposure and they can accept dark storylines.”
Filming began in October 2023, with the team working tirelessly for more than 191 days. To date, more than 14,000 man-hours have been invested in the series – an astonishing figure considering it has resulted in just ten 10-minute episodes.
The first season of the series has more than 25 characters shot in 4K across 27 locations. The characters are barely 30cm in height, while the sets measure approximately 120cm x 100cm x 40cm. Remarkably, the intricate sets and characters were painstakingly put together by a team of less than 30 people, only seven of them full-time.
The bulk of the work is in creating the models and sets. El Gabry points out a body of water in one of them: “It took three hours to craft this. It’s the details in the colour and textures that truly make it stand out. Every detail on the set, from the locations to the style of the furniture, is authentic. It is what you would typically see in Egyptian houses or streets. I wanted every detail to represent the Egyptian culture. I don’t think 2D or 3D animation could have achieved this vibe.”
Captain Shedeed’s sets are designed to be versatile. “Working with these sets is like being in Ikea. Everything can be assembled, rearranged or dismantled,” explains El Gabry. Most of the tiny props were made from recycled items, with the characters crafted from various materials such as polyester and rubber. It’s not obvious at first, but the tiny sets also offer unique advertising opportunities. Billboards can be placed on the streets created in the sets, just as in the real world. This adds another layer of authenticity.
A highly specialised filmmaking production technique, stop-motion is both a true labour of love and a masterclass in patience. Physical objects are moved in minute increments between individually photographed frames to create the illusion of motion when played as a sequence.
“For us, a good day is when we can generate 20 seconds of output,” says El Gabry. “The average is between 10 to 15 seconds after 10 hours of shooting. It’s a painstaking and time-consuming process, but that’s the price we pay for authenticity and standing apart from the masses. The difference is akin to that between fast food and Michelin-starred cuisine.”
However, time intensity is not the project’s biggest challenge, he explains earnestly. “It’s being able to fill in the gap for local content. Our children need to consume better-quality entertainment. The content we create for them should be capable of earning their respect. It’s not enough to have passion for a project like this. This is a project about discipline and dedication.”
The series’ protracted production process has not yet hampered its commercial prospects. “I already have a production company, Divine Touch Productions, which has been a huge advantage. It enabled us to conduct extensive R&D and work on the script till we were able to form a solid main structure for the series. My angel investor is one of my existing clients. He loved the idea of Captain Shedeed and decided to back it as well as serve as a business mentor. After he came on board, I was able to get seven more investors. The first season is like a pilot. We are using it to get an evaluation for the IP, and have also started a fundraiser for it.”
El Gabry has big plans for his miniature animations. “I visualise Captain Shedeed as a universe from which I can generate diverse and unlimited content. For instance, I can use any of the 25 characters to build parallel stories, with each story comprising an average of 30 episodes. It’s something along the lines of Marvel or DC Comics,” he says excitedly.
To grow the brand he has roped in Heba Korayem, founder of Co-Production Salon, as Investment & Distribution Advisor. Korayem echoes El Gabry’s sentiments and vision for Captain Shedeed, focusing on market realities. “Children’s entertainment is particularly challenging in the region. The genre mostly comprises imported content and it is difficult to match the commercial viability presented by them. While our business model may not appear viable at first instance, Ramy’s passion and vision are compelling.
“But it’s not just these that have convinced me. I see a lot of opportunity in the concept of Captain Shedeed. Regionally stop-motion is a dying art due to its time and labour intensity, but in other markets such content has succeeded. Since Ramy had already done half the hard work of creating the characters and sets, all I have to do is create a realistic distribution plan in the region and beyond, and make sure ROI is properly projected in preparation for season two.”
While she confirms that the series has garnered interest from leading platforms, she doesn’t reveal the details as it’s still under negotiation.
“There’s always demand for kids’ content, and over the past year I’ve witnessed a wave of support from the industry for local content for kids. Captain Shedeed ticks all the boxes. It has a unique format and is closer to home, being Arab and Egyptian. In fact, we are expecting the series to be released regionally later this year.”
El Gabry is working on a twopronged distribution strategy to gain visibility. In addition to OTT platforms, he’s also planning a special social media release for Captain Shedeed. “We have specially created three catchy songs for the social media campaign. There’s also a competition to enhance the children’s interaction with the show’s characters,” he reveals. The social media campaigns also include opportunities for brand integration and product placement.
Commercially, the two have big plans. “Right now the focus is on building the content and trading the video assets, but going forward El Gabry has the right vision that licensing and merchandising is where the real commercial value lies for children’s content,” Korayem explains.
As Captain Shedeed nears its release, El Gabry’s vision is coming to life – not just as a stopmotion series, but as a cultural movement. Deeply committed to authenticity, storytelling and artistic craftsmanship, the show is set to inspire a new generation of Arab youth while reviving an art form that demands patience, passion and precision. Yet for El Gabry this is just the beginning. With ambitious plans to expand Captain Shedeed into a full-fledged universe, complete with spin-offs, merchandise and even a potential theme park, he is determined to cement its place in the region’s entertainment landscape.
