The Shape of the Future

The documentary series focused on the key issues that divide Israelis and Palestinians: security, Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, and Palestinian refugees. Directed by Allen Scheid, it features "credible, articulate people from both sides who talk about how the conflict might end." The goal was to understand the differences among people and to identify the commonalities focusing on the future and not the past. According to the project organisers, The Shape of the Future was the first television series ever simultaneously broadcast on Israeli, Palestinian, and Arab Satellite television. The series was produced in both Hebrew and Arabic-language versions for broadcast in Israel and the Palestinian territories. Editorial content is the same in each version. DVDs and videotape copies of the series are available in English, Arabic, and Hebrew.

In an interview posted on the Shape of the Future website, writer/producer John Marks explains that he chose to interview Palestinians and Israelis separately, and use editing to juxtapose the various positions, "we never brought the two sides together, but by cross cutting, the dialogue is produced. For some reason, if you bring Israelis and Palestinians together in the same room they end up shouting at each other. We found that we could interview them separately and then juxtapose the various positions, arguments and solutions. It gets much more solution oriented because they are not together and they are not having that negative kind of dialogue."

Search for a Common Ground worked with Palestinian and Israeli organisations to produce a viewer's guide to encourage the use of the programmes in schools and civic and religious organisations. The viewer's guide provides quotations expressing differing viewpoints from Israelis and Palestinians, discussion points and questions to explore issues raised in the series.

David Broza and Said Murad, two popular Israeli and Palestinian performers, wrote background music for the series. The theme song, In My Heart, was released as a music video and was widely played on Israeli and Palestinian radio. The music was developed through a collaborative process between the two musicians to create words that reflected each of their societies.

Available in English, Arabic and Hebrew, The Shape of the Future website provides background information about the project, including media clippings. The viewers' guide, transcripts and video clips may also be downloaded from the website.

Peace