Saudi Arabia-based Telfaz11 has long been regarded as one of the leading players on the MENA region’s digital media scene. 2020 has been a year in which Telfaz11 (whose creative content had garnered it more than 2.3 billion views and 24.8 million subscribers) has had to pull the shutters down on some of its productions owing to the effects of the COVID-19 crisis- but it’s also been a year where it inked a multi-picture deal with Netflix. We're joined by CEO Alaa Fadan who talks the rise of the business, and where it could head in the future.
Key Takeaways:
0:00 Intro
1:01 Alaa talks about the journey and the opportunity that he saw in creating Telfaz especially in an era when entrepreneurship was not fashionable
9:06 Alaa talks about how they reduced cost of running their business and how they distributed it to the people and became huge in Saudi Arabia in terms of content
11:14 Alaa talks about how their content resonated with creating an outlet for Saudi creatives and a Saudi voice as they grew
14:21 Alaa also talks about how the globalization of their content will look like after signing the deal with Netflix and being given that global exposure with their shows
17:41 Alaa talks of the movie industry in Saudi especially opening of the movie theatres in time when others countries are retreating from it going virtual and if the industry will survive
20:40 Alaa shares some of the ecosystem changes that he has seen in the industry in the last 10 years that he has been in this business
22:35 Alaa also talks about if the talent pipeline has become more robust in Saudi now that there's a professional outlet for creativity
23:03 Alaa talks about what needs to happen for the talent pipeline to improve especially in Saudi Arabia
25:08 Alaa also talks about what needs to be done in Saudi to motivate the big companies and the government to start working with the local talents
26:26 Alaa explains from an educational side how they are investing in it to create a sort of vertical and creative arts
27:26 Alaa talks about the engagement of women in arts and creatives and if the participation of women in this industry in Saudi is increasing
30:10 Alaa talks about the funding side and some of the challenges that he faced in getting the capital and especially the venture capital
32:13 Alaa explains if there will be more Saudis starting companies today in the entertainment industry and viewing it as a career
34:47 Alaa talks about the importance having the role models in an industry that are doing well and how it encourages young entrepreneurs
36:29 Alaa also talks about the big observations that he is noticing about the culture change in Saudi in the past few years
39:14 Alaa talks about how digitalization has accelerated due to the pandemic and how the pandemic has impacted Telfaz
40:59 Alaa also talks about if there are more international players approaching him and Telfaz for more Saudi specific content
43:06 Alaa talks about where he sees Telfaz in the next five years given all of this acceleration of the industry in Saudi
44:34 Alaa talks about their audience and if he sees it expanding locally and even globally in the near future
Shows Mentioned:
Netflix, Inc. is an American over-the-top content platform and production company headquartered in Los Gatos, California. Netflix was founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California.
STV is a Scottish free-to-air television channel owned by STV Group plc and is a part of the ITV network. It operates the two Channel 3 licenses in northern and central Scotland, formerly known as Grampian Television and Scottish Television.
https://www.venturesouq.com/
Clubhouse is an invitation-only audio-chat iPhone app launched in April 2020 by Paul Davison and Rohan Seth of Alpha Exploration Co. In May 2020, the social networking app was valued at nearly $100 million. On January 21, 2021, the valuation reached $1 billion.
Amazon.com, Inc. is an American multinational technology company based in Seattle, Washington, which focuses on e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence.
Home Box Office is an American premium television network owned by WarnerMedia Studios & Networks and the flagship property of parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc.
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney, is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California.
www.AtlanticCouncil.org
Quotes Mentioned:
“When you focus on your strengths, you're going to excel in it and you're going to be on par with all the excellent people in the world.”
“If you're working in something that you don't really love, the best you can be is mediocre.”
“Comedy travels much further on social media.”
“We’re all different.”
“For the longest time, Saudi has been a black box in terms of stories from the people.”
“A lot of the governments actually would not support arts degrees outside in many cases.”
“Today at Telfaz maybe 50% of our leadership is female.”
“The more success stories we have like Telfaz, the more you'll see entrepreneurs sprouting up and coming up and trying to do things.”
“For firms to sustain, they can't just stay in the states anymore.”
“Saudi hasn't been really known for making content that travels.”
Guests Social Media Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alaa-fadan-7998808/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alaafaden/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlaaFaden
Website: https://telfaz11.com/
Key Takeaways:
0:00 Intro
1:01 Alaa talks about the journey and the opportunity that he saw in creating Telfaz especially in an era when entrepreneurship was not fashionable
9:06 Alaa talks about how they reduced cost of running their business and how they distributed it to the people and became huge in Saudi Arabia in terms of content
11:14 Alaa talks about how their content resonated with creating an outlet for Saudi creatives and a Saudi voice as they grew
14:21 Alaa also talks about how the globalization of their content will look like after signing the deal with Netflix and being given that global exposure with their shows
17:41 Alaa talks of the movie industry in Saudi especially opening of the movie theatres in time when others countries are retreating from it going virtual and if the industry will survive
20:40 Alaa shares some of the ecosystem changes that he has seen in the industry in the last 10 years that he has been in this business
22:35 Alaa also talks about if the talent pipeline has become more robust in Saudi now that there's a professional outlet for creativity
23:03 Alaa talks about what needs to happen for the talent pipeline to improve especially in Saudi Arabia
25:08 Alaa also talks about what needs to be done in Saudi to motivate the big companies and the government to start working with the local talents
26:26 Alaa explains from an educational side how they are investing in it to create a sort of vertical and creative arts
27:26 Alaa talks about the engagement of women in arts and creatives and if the participation of women in this industry in Saudi is increasing
30:10 Alaa talks about the funding side and some of the challenges that he faced in getting the capital and especially the venture capital
32:13 Alaa explains if there will be more Saudis starting companies today in the entertainment industry and viewing it as a career
34:47 Alaa talks about the importance having the role models in an industry that are doing well and how it encourages young entrepreneurs
36:29 Alaa also talks about the big observations that he is noticing about the culture change in Saudi in the past few years
39:14 Alaa talks about how digitalization has accelerated due to the pandemic and how the pandemic has impacted Telfaz
40:59 Alaa also talks about if there are more international players approaching him and Telfaz for more Saudi specific content
43:06 Alaa talks about where he sees Telfaz in the next five years given all of this acceleration of the industry in Saudi
44:34 Alaa talks about their audience and if he sees it expanding locally and even globally in the near future
Shows Mentioned:
Netflix, Inc. is an American over-the-top content platform and production company headquartered in Los Gatos, California. Netflix was founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California.
STV is a Scottish free-to-air television channel owned by STV Group plc and is a part of the ITV network. It operates the two Channel 3 licenses in northern and central Scotland, formerly known as Grampian Television and Scottish Television.
https://www.venturesouq.com/
Clubhouse is an invitation-only audio-chat iPhone app launched in April 2020 by Paul Davison and Rohan Seth of Alpha Exploration Co. In May 2020, the social networking app was valued at nearly $100 million. On January 21, 2021, the valuation reached $1 billion.
Amazon.com, Inc. is an American multinational technology company based in Seattle, Washington, which focuses on e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence.
Home Box Office is an American premium television network owned by WarnerMedia Studios & Networks and the flagship property of parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc.
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney, is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California.
www.AtlanticCouncil.org
Quotes Mentioned:
“When you focus on your strengths, you're going to excel in it and you're going to be on par with all the excellent people in the world.”
“If you're working in something that you don't really love, the best you can be is mediocre.”
“Comedy travels much further on social media.”
“We’re all different.”
“For the longest time, Saudi has been a black box in terms of stories from the people.”
“A lot of the governments actually would not support arts degrees outside in many cases.”
“Today at Telfaz maybe 50% of our leadership is female.”
“The more success stories we have like Telfaz, the more you'll see entrepreneurs sprouting up and coming up and trying to do things.”
“For firms to sustain, they can't just stay in the states anymore.”
“Saudi hasn't been really known for making content that travels.”
Guests Social Media Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alaa-fadan-7998808/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alaafaden/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlaaFaden
Website: https://telfaz11.com/
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