Many local women have taken to YouTube to showcase their acting talents, breaking new ground in hitherto untapped terrain.

The advent of social media has helped many of these women find a platform to make their voices heard.

Twenty-two-year-old Ghadeer Abdullah, a Jeddah resident, said that she always wanted to be an actress and that many doors have opened up for young women such as herself with rising number of local video channels and theater productions in the city.

“We are all residents of different nationalities who live and work here who now have a chance at empowerment with recent media and societal changes,” she said.

Ghadeer works with the “Bambi” program on YouTube, which sheds light on community issues, and takes part in various stage plays and comedy clubs in Jeddah.

Nasreen Tabara, another YouTube actress, echoed her views.

“Plenty of female roles have popped up with the explosion of programs on YouTube. People have responded favorably to the concept of these programs and to the idea of cause-driven programs.”

“Growing support within society has helped us to depict Saudi culture and traditions to the world in a positive light,” she said.

With the growing number of programs, plenty of talented actors who used to take up acting as a hobby have since been able to make a living from this line of work.

With no restrictions online, digital media has brought in a new wave of youngsters to create short videos and make their opinions heard, said Mohammed Sohail, digital media officer.

Their videos and direct interaction with millions of viewers has helped many transform into production houses, he said.

“Similarly, several companies promote their brands using their popularity, helping them rake in more income. This industry is slowly being built from the ground up. Saudis and expats are ready to be socially interactive and share their views more freely,” said Sohail.

Dareen S., a writer and producer, said that such support from the community gave them the best chance to develop and create work that reflects a diverse and colorful society.

“By showcasing their talents, girls have opened up new horizons for themselves,” she said.