Barajoun Entertainment

What Barajoun Entertainment does

Barajoun Entertainment (operating as Barajoun Studios) is a Dubai-based animation and visual effects studio founded by Ayman Jamal, positioning itself as the leading animation and VFX production company in the MENA region. The studio produces original animated feature films, animated series, VFX films, short films, and commercial content covering the full CGI/animation production pipeline from concept design through final render. Its core product slate centers on culturally specific IP drawn from Arab and MENA history and mythology, including Bilal: A New Breed of Hero (the first CG-animated feature from the Middle East, released 2018), Ziryab & the Magical Opus, Ajwan (an 8-season sci-fi series adapted from Emirati novels), Little Heroes, and Sinbad.

The studio operates a hybrid business model combining original IP development (feature films and series licensed to global digital storefronts and regional streaming platforms) with professional services revenue from commercial clients. Commercial work spans architectural visualization (Dubai Harbour, DWC Executive Terminal, Qatar Waterpark), broadcast bumpers (SBC Ramadan Idents), promotional short films (Dubai Parks & Resorts), and VFX services. Distribution is bifurcated: series content flows primarily through Shahid (MBC Group) for regional MENA reach, while feature films such as Bilal have been distributed globally across Apple iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Prime Video, Starz, Rakuten TV, and Vudu, plus physical DVD via Amazon.

Barajoun serves three primary customer segments: film and TV studios and broadcasters (SBC, Shahid/MBC), corporate/enterprise clients requiring branded visual content (Pfizer, DDB, Meraas, Dubai South), and children/family entertainment audiences in MENA. The studio is headquartered at Dubai Media City (Zee Tower, Office 303), operates with 11-50 employees, and is privately held with no disclosed institutional funding rounds. Its competitive positioning rests on first-mover brand recognition in MENA CG animation, a culturally rooted IP library, and full-pipeline production capability that allows it to deliver both original content and bespoke commercial projects from a single integrated studio.

Name

Barajoun Entertainment

Legal name

Barajoun Studios

Website

https://barajoun.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Barajoun Entertainment is a Dubai-based animation and VFX studio producing original animated feature films, series, and commercial content rooted in MENA history and culture, serving broadcasters (Shahid/MBC, SBC), enterprise clients, and regional family audiences across the Middle East and North Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animation and Visual Effects Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Animated Feature Film Production (MPADACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Video Production & Post-Production (BPAFAIAB), Content Production (Video, Design, Copy, Studio) (BPAFAAAF)

Keywords

• Animation production services
• Visual effects studio
• CGI content creation
• Architectural visualization
• Animated feature films

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Animated Feature Film Production: Production of original animated feature films for theatrical and streaming distribution. Revenue generated through production contracts, distribution deals, and licensing.
2. Animated Series Production: Production of animated TV series for regional broadcasters and streaming platforms like Shahid, including episodic content for children and families.
3. VFX Services: Visual effects work for external film productions, providing VFX services on a project basis.
4. Commercial Production: Production of commercials, TV bumpers, and promotional content for corporate clients including broadcasters and real estate developers.
5. Architectural Visualization: 3D visualization services for architectural and infrastructure projects including Dubai Harbour and DWC Executive Terminal.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Barajoun Studios is an animation and visual effects production studio delivering a full CGI production pipeline from concept design through final render. It produces original animated feature films, animated series, VFX films, short films, and commercial content (including architectural visualizations and TV bumpers) for broadcasters, streaming platforms, and enterprise clients, primarily serving the MENA region with global distribution for select titles.

Product overview

Barajoun Studios is a leading Animation & Visual Effects studio based in Dubai, UAE. The studio covers all aspects of animation and CGI production, from concept design to final render output. The product portfolio includes animated feature films (BILAL: A New Breed of Hero, Ziryab & the Magical Opus, S7, Sinbad & the Heart of Jade, Far), animated series (Ajwan, Little Heroes, Health Matters), VFX films (Lost On Infinity, Vile), short films (Dubai Parks, Sparky & the Qilin), and commercial projects (architectural visualizations, TV bumpers). The studio is particularly focused on producing content inspired by Middle Eastern history and culture, with BILAL being the first CG-animated feature from the MENA region. The company covers production across the full animation pipeline including concept design, CGI production, VFX, and final rendered output, with strong emphasis on great storytelling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BILAL: A New Breed of Hero Animated feature film about a boy abducted with his sister who finds the courage to raise his voice and make a change; inspired by the true story of Bilal ibn Rabah. Produced for global theatrical and digital distribution.
• Ajwan Animated sci-fi action drama series adapted from Emirati novels, planned as an 8-season run following a refugee girl who lost her loved ones and planet in a catastrophic event and endures a perilous journey in deep space. Produced for the MENA region.
• Little Heroes Animated series for kids and families set in a suspended reality with vibrant characters, weaving tales from a time long before the events of the Bilal film; designed to spread happiness and positive values; homegrown in the UAE and available on the Shahid streaming platform for the MENA region.
• Health Matters Animated educational series featuring conversations between Dr. Adam and patient Bill that teach viewers about health and diseases through humor and heart; produced for healthcare providers as a health-awareness tool.
• Lost On Infinity VFX-driven short film in which a young boy and his dog are transported to a surreal island in the third dimension and must find a way back to earth to save mankind from extinction.
• Vile VFX-driven short film following a band of ruthless warriors tasked with conquering the last unconquered province in history, a land home to horrors far viler than the conquerors themselves.
• Dubai Parks Promotional short film produced for Dubai Parks & Resorts introducing the theme park world; a pair of siblings go on an adventure with magical creatures where Good and Evil go head-to-head.
• Sparky & the Qilin Short film released in 2024 featuring the character Sparky and the Qilin creature.
• SBC Ramadan Idents TV bumpers produced for Saudi Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) to air during Ramadan, following the adventures of mischievous little girl Zain and her creative ways to spread the spirit of Ramadan.

Quantifiable outcome

• Bilal: A New Breed of Hero achieved IMDB Top 10 Best Movies of 2018
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Shahid/MBC GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStreaming platform partnership for distributing Little Heroes series and other content in the MENA region through Shahid platform.
• SBC (Saudi Broadcasting Corporation)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBroadcasting partner for SBC Ramadan Idents project - TV bumpers developed for Ramadan broadcast.
• Dubai Parks & ResortsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated promotional short film for Dubai Parks & Resorts introducing their theme park world.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DNEG: Global VFX and animation services company with feature film and episodic VFX work, plus original animation ('The Garfield Movie'). Comparable as a VFX/animation provider working with major studios, though at much larger scale.
• Weta FX: New Zealand-based VFX and animation studio with feature work on Avatar, Lord of the Rings, etc. Comparable in animation/VFX technical capability for film, though at significantly larger scale and IP breadth.
• Illumination Mac Guff: Paris-based animation studio behind Illumination's 'Despicable Me' and 'Minions' franchises. Comparable in animation production capability, though owned by Universal and operating at much larger scale.
• Framestore: UK-based global VFX and immersive content studio with credits across Hollywood blockbusters. Comparable as a premium VFX/animation services provider, though operating at significantly larger scale and breadth than Barajoun.

Direct peers

• Reel FX Animation: US-based independent animation studio behind 'The Book of Life' and 'Spies in Disguise'. Comparable as an independent animated feature producer building original IP, with a similar services-plus-original-IP model to Barajoun.
• Luma Pictures: Independent VFX and animation studio serving film/TV clients, with credits on projects like 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.' Comparable as a mid-sized independent animation/VFX services and original content studio.
• Fortiche Production: French animation studio known for 'Arcane' (League of Legends) and music videos. Comparable as an independent, high-quality animation/VFX studio with strong brand IP and growing global profile, similar in scale and creative positioning to Barajoun.
• Locksmith Animation: UK-based independent feature animation studio producing original animated films (e.g., 'Ron's Gone Wrong'). Closely comparable to Barajoun as a privately-held, IP-driven animation studio developing original features outside the major studio system.

Regional players

• Lamsat Sama: Arabic-language animation studio producing original animated series for MENA audiences. Comparable as a smaller regional animation studio competing for the same Arabic-language content commissioning budgets.
• Telfaz11: Saudi Arabia-based digital content and entertainment company producing Arabic-language films, series, and online content. Comparable as a regional MENA content creator building original Arabic IP for streaming platforms.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/barajoun
• Facebookfacebook.com/bilalmovie
• Xx.com/bilal_movie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/barajoun-entertainment

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Barajoun Entertainment