A New Vision: Launching a Palestinian Sci-Fi Game Studio from the Ashes of StillFrame 3D
Hello everyone,
My name is Basel Yousef. I am a Palestinian 3D artist, former CTE Animation teacher, and the owner of the 3D content studio StillFrame 3D. I have news to announce. After two years of operation, StillFrame 3D is closing its doors permanently.
However, this is not the end, but a new beginning, as a new studio is taking its place. In the coming months, StillFrame will transition to a new indie video game studio and worker cooperative called Bakaya. The name is an Arabic word similar to “vestige,” reflecting how the fictional stories we create are inspired by the mark left by those before us.
Why am I doing this?
In a time when it is harder than ever to find a job in an industry that continuously exploits artists and AI is taking many of those jobs, many may wonder why I would start a new studio. Many advised me to treat my profession as a hobby rather than a career and to start anew in a different field. The reality however is I cannot accept that. 3D modeling is more than just a hobby. It is a beautiful and creative profession that demands the focus and dedication of a full-time job. More importantly, Palestinians need to be present in this space now more than ever.
For years, I have dreamed of integrating Palestinian identity into mainstream media in ways that extend far beyond news or history. I envision a space where Palestinians are central figures in fiction. I want to see Palestinians saving planets in space, solving closed-door murder mysteries, and becoming superheroes who inspire children.
I want the right to tell stories of our struggle against Zionism with the same creative freedom Western media often applies to the fight against Nazis. Furthermore, I also want the right to tell stories entirely unshackled from the daily reality of Zionism, allowing Palestinian characters to stand on their own in every story. This desire to mark our existence in a world that often seeks to erase us is what drove me to become a 3D artist.
If we continue to be pushed out, we will never be the masters of our own representation in this field or any other. That is why I will never quit. I will not allow billionaires, Zionists, or AI to dictate how we are allowed to thrive, no matter the risks involved in creating a studio.
So, Why Games?
I could have chosen film or comic books, but video games offer the greatest impact. The gaming industry is massive, generating more revenue than film, television, and music combined. While profit is not my primary motivator, this scale demonstrates the reach of games. They also wield immense cultural and economic influence, evidenced by the aggressive acquisition of indie game companies by corporations and politicians. Despite this corporate dominance, video games still offer a lower barrier to entry than film.
Through this new studio, I hope to work on a new Palestinian sci-fi game. I have a story, a project, and gameplay ideas ready. However, funding a game project is the most difficult aspect, which is even tougher without a prototype to test the concept. Even with a prototype, traditional investor funding is impossible, as the studio is going to be formed as a worker cooperative.
Workers Cooperative Model
A worker cooperative is a model where every core team member serves as a worker-owner. This model reflects my belief in workers’ rights and the principle that industry laborers should benefit directly from their work, rather than enriching “sleazy investors.” It is bad enough that many of these investors are often the same entities complicit in the destruction of Palestine.
As mentioned, this cooperative structure excludes traditional outside investors, even those who are pro-Palestinian. This makes starting the studio a very high-risk endeavor with no guarantees, but Palestinians simply do not break barriers without taking risks. Of course, there are solutions, but getting to them involves a few steps.
First Steps
Before I can look for long-term funding strategies, I need to change the company name, purchase some important tools , and consult with a business attorney to set up the company as a collective legally and generate important website documents. While this is nowhere near as expensive as funding the actual game, it is still very costly. It is also a vital part of the later steps.
Within the next few months, I will be looking to fund these first steps through a variety of methods. With the StillFrame website closing down soon, I’m hoping to leverage some of its existing infrastructure, including the e-commerce and Learning Management System (LMS), to help with this funding effort.
If you’ve read this far and are interested in helping me see this first stage through, please take a look the options I am considering below and give me feedback on whether any interest you. Unfortunately, I will not be using tipping or crowdfunding at this stage, as earlier efforts using only preliminary concept art without a prototype have failed to be consistent.
Funding Option 1: A Fun workshop or course
The first option is a fun digital sculpting course/workshop called Tabletop Heroes. It is a live course teaching complete beginners how to sculpt tabletop figures for games like Dungeons & Dragons or Blades in the Dark using Blender and pre-made base meshes. The skills I teach could also be used to create figures for personal branding, trophies, moldable objects for chocolates and soaps, and many other uses. The end goal is creating 3D-printable sculpts.
The curriculum will feature classic fantasy themes for familiarity, with a Palestinian spin. To ensure accessibility, pricing will be $15 per 1-hour session for 20 available sessions. Participants who complete the course will also receive a full, highly detailed resin print of their work, ready to paint for your next game night. As a former CTE animation teacher, I am fully qualified to deliver this course, and I have the necessary LMS and registration software on the StillFrame website. As I have built it before, this course can be set up quickly for any event, including in person ones.
Funding Option 2: Adopt a Character Auction
Like many artists, I have a graveyard of characters developed for personal projects or very old portfolio pieces that currently sit on my hard drive. While some of these I plan to remake due to their age, they will end up returning to storage once completed. Instead of leaving them to their “attic storage” fate, I propose an auction to sell these models along with the perpetual rights to use them, creating a unique “adopt a character” opportunity.
This means if you are someone working on your own game, cartoon, comic book, VTuber channel, or any other media and want a character without temporary licensing restrictions, This could be your chance. If you are lucky and very few people are interested, the prices could bevery low. I may also be open to creating a few characters based on themes requested by the community and auctioning them.
Funding Option 3: A Recurring Digital Sculpting Class
Unlike Tabletop Heroes, this option has no continuous curriculum. It is similar to recurring music and art classes where every lesson is self contained and unique. Every session will be 1 hour for $15, and attendees can take as many or as few sessions as they want. In this class, students can learn and practice digital sculpting at their own pace in Blender while still receiving live instructor support. What we sculpt differs every week and can range from anatomy studies to jewelry. If enough students ask for a particular project at the same time, we will explore that during a session.
Within the next few months, I will be looking to fund these first steps through a variety of methods. With the StillFrame website closing down soon, I’m hoping to leverage some of its existing infrastructure, including the e-commerce and Learning Management System (LMS), to help with this funding effort.
If you’ve read this far and are interested in helping me see this first stage through, please take a look the options I am considering below and give me feedback on whether any interest you. Unfortunately, I will not be using tipping or crowdfunding at this stage, as earlier efforts using only preliminary concept art without a prototype have failed to be consistent.
Funding Option 1: A Fun workshop or course
The first option is a fun digital sculpting course/workshop called Tabletop Heroes. It is a live course teaching complete beginners how to sculpt tabletop figures for games like Dungeons & Dragons or Blades in the Dark using Blender and pre-made base meshes. The skills I teach could also be used to create figures for personal branding, trophies, moldable objects for chocolates and soaps, and many other uses. The end goal is creating 3D-printable sculpts.
The curriculum will feature classic fantasy themes for familiarity, with a Palestinian spin. To ensure accessibility, pricing will be $15 per 1-hour session for 20 available sessions. Participants who complete the course will also receive a full, highly detailed resin print of their work, ready to paint for your next game night. As a former CTE animation teacher, I am fully qualified to deliver this course, and I have the necessary LMS and registration software on the StillFrame website. As I have built it before, this course can be set up quickly for any event, including in person ones.
Funding Option 2: Adopt a Character Auction
Like many artists, I have a graveyard of characters developed for personal projects or very old portfolio pieces that currently sit on my hard drive. While some of these I plan to remake due to their age, they will end up returning to storage once completed. Instead of leaving them to their “attic storage” fate, I propose an auction to sell these models along with the perpetual rights to use them, creating a unique “adopt a character” opportunity.
This means if you are someone working on your own game, cartoon, comic book, VTuber channel, or any other media and want a character without temporary licensing restrictions, This could be your chance. If you are lucky and very few people are interested, the prices could bevery low. I may also be open to creating a few characters based on themes requested by the community and auctioning them.
Funding Option 3: A Recurring Digital Sculpting Class
Unlike Tabletop Heroes, this option has no continuous curriculum. It is similar to recurring music and art classes where every lesson is self contained and unique. Every session will be 1 hour for $15, and attendees can take as many or as few sessions as they want. In this class, students can learn and practice digital sculpting at their own pace in Blender while still receiving live instructor support. What we sculpt differs every week and can range from anatomy studies to jewelry. If enough students ask for a particular project at the same time, we will explore that during a session.
So, What Do I Need from the Community?
Talk to me. Let me know if you want to see this studio happen and if any of these first stage funding options interest you. If not, let me know any alternatives you would be open to. Below is a link to a form where you can give this feedback.
Also, share this with others who may be interested. Representation is more important than ever, and projects like this cannot survive without a community.
If you have not done so, follow the StillFrame Studios account on Bluesky, which will soon be renamed. It will be the easiest place to find updates in the future and ask questions. I will also create a discussion group if follower count rises.
Thank you for reading this.
Basel Yousef
Palestinian 3D Artist & Animator