CineMENA to offer workshops
The new initiative will feature training for content creators in the UAE
CineMENA, a new initiative encouraging more and better content creation in the UAE, will kick off in February of 2019 in Dubai.
It will offer workshops, masterclasses and training sessions by experts in creative fields, such as actors and filmmakers. These will serve as an entry point to anyone who is passionate about pursuing content creation in all its forms.
COMPETITION
CineMENA will also hold a new competition to recognise regional talent across four categories: Best Short Film, Best Short Documentary, Best Music Video and Best Film Inspired by the Founding Father of the UAE, Late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Winners will be chosen by a specialised jury.
More information about the competition’s stipulations — and its prizes — will become available online closer to CineMENA’s launch date.
“Content creation is becoming one of the most important parts of our ecosystem,” said Majed Al Suwaidi, managing director of Dubai Studio City, at a press conference yesterday.
“When we talk about content, we talk about [mediums such as] radio, audio, written, or digital on the web. We are today launching CineMENA, which will be a catalyst and driver to develop more content,” he added.
Dubai Studio City, which is home to soundstages, studios and filmmaking equipment, has been holding workshops regularly for the past two years, bringing in 2,000 attendees since 2016.
Previous topics include cinematography, voice and speech, sound recording, directing and post-production.
Al Suwaidi said upcoming workshops would target a wide range of creatives, from make-up artists who want to work in film and TV, to scriptwriters looking to top up their skills. They will primarily take place at the in5 innovation centres in Dubai.
Most of the workshops will be open to everyone, free of charge and provided by the community.
“We want you to help us reach out to talents. They’re looking for a home or space to be discovered. That’s been my struggle for the past ten years, creating a pool of talents in the UAE,” said Jamal Al Sharif, chairman of the Dubai Film and TV Commission.
Quizzed on whether CineMENA would serve as a new kind of Dubai International Film Festival, which will not be taking place this year but will return in 2019 as a biennial event, Al Suwaidi responded: “There is a form of Diff happening in the future. We will give more details on this as time [goes by]. CineMENA is more of a stepping stone.”
CineMENA will also offer outdoor film screenings and an exhibition that showcases the latest technologies and trends in the industry.