(MENAFN- Gulf Times) In its continuing bid to inculcate Qatar's upcoming Gen Y filmmakers with valuable knowledge on the art of making cinema, Doha Film Institute (DFI) has unveiled an interesting five-week open-learning programme titled Short Narrative Film Lab.
DFI had offered an intensive lab for beginner to intermediate documentary filmmakers of Qatar at the beginning of summer, and as a follow-up to this programme, another four-week-long documentary film lab will be held next month.
From September 30 to November 3, this programme, dedicated to developing short narratives, is designed to provide students with an all-round filmmaking experience. "The lab targets individuals who have the passion to plunge into full-time filmmaking and are able to commit to a focused and demanding curriculum. Previous filmmaking experience is required and participants are expected to work with self-discipline, energy and mutual respect," says DFI.
Not only will the students receive hands-on instruction and actual production experience, but they will also have to write, shoot, direct and edit their short films. "The curriculum integrates intensive study in all the major filmmaking disciplines, including screenwriting, cinematography, directing, producing and editing," says DFI, adding that the film should be between 5 and 10 minutes in length.
This means that in addition to directing their own films, students are required to rotate among principal production positions on their peers' short films. "The goal is to produce a fully realised short film that demonstrates the student's own artistic vision and point of view. Students will work with their peers and some professionals in order to deliver the highest results for themselves," DFI says.
The process of submission, as enlisted by DFI, asks applicants to submit a one-page treatment for a fictional short film. It is left to the applicants to ensure that their script can be filmed in Doha over a two or three-day period during the lab's third or fourth week. "We are interested in subject matter that has personal resonance for the applicant. During the selection process, applicants will be asked to justify their choice of subject matter and talk about why they would like to tell their story," DFI points out.
Here's a run through the requirements, one of which is that projects that have already been filmed or partly filmed aren't welcome. You can send the following in Word or PDF format to learninginitiatives@dohafilminstitute.com: Short film treatment, CV or short bio, previous writing, artistic any portfolio (films, photography, drawings, etc.), and a copy of Qatar passport or Qatar Residence Permit. All documents must include the writer's first and last name, project title, draft number and date. The deadline for the submissions is August 27.
Those shortlisted will be called in for an interview process. "The workshop unit will work with them to develop their treatment through written and verbal notes on their work. They will also have a short interview with the workshop mentor," DFI says, "Candidates will be assessed on their ability to expand and develop their ideas into a coherent narrative proposition with subject matter that can be filmed in Doha over a two-day period during the lab dates."
Given the nature of work the process of filmmaking involves, you may be asked to make time during the day for filming purposes. While the timings from September 30 to October 5 are from 9am to 7pm, the exact schedule from October 6 to November 3 will be decided by the group and the mentor, while weekends for this stretch will continue to be 9am to 7pm schedules. The group size will be up to 15 candidates.
Ahmad Abdalla, the Egyptian director on the forefront of the new wave of independent cinema in Egypt, is the Lead lab mentor of the programme. Abdalla started off as a film editor on commercials and feature-length films in 2003. He directed his first feature film Heliopolis in 2009.
It was one of the first independent Egyptian films to receive theatrical release, and it participated in the Toronto International Film Festival, among others. His Microphone (2010) was named Best Arabic Film at the Cairo International Film Festival, and won the Golden Tulip at the Istanbul International Film Festival.
Cairo-born Hisham Saqr is a Lab mentor. Saqr has 10 years of experience as an assistant editor and technical supervisor of numerous commercials, and has been feted for his work at top international film festivals.
Nadine Salib, another young Egyptian filmmaker of repute, will also be a Lab mentor. Her first short documentary Dawn (2012), won second prize in the Arab women filmmakers' competition at the Baghdad International Film Festival and first prize at the Goethe Independent Film Festival in Egypt.
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