Arab Film Studio Young Filmmakers Workshop

The Arab Film Studio Young Filmmakers Workshop, a collaboration between Image Nation Abu Dhabi and NYU Abu Dhabi, is a three-week program for Emirati high school students that enables and enhances filmmaking skills.

Participants from across the UAE are exposed to the teachings and experience of leading industry professionals. From screenwriting, and directing to camera and post-production, the three weeks come to a close with a screening of a collection of short films that are written and directed by the participants.

Eligibility Criteria

Participating students must be below 18 years of age and must be currently in 10th or 11th grade.
Father and/or mother must be a holder of an Emirati passport.

Important Dates

Date	Description
April 30, 2024	Application Deadline
May 10, 2024	Selection workshop
Mid-June, 2024	Announcement of the new class
July 8-26, 2024	Workshop

Apply to the AFS Young Filmmakers

Structure and Cost
Application and Selection Process
Faculty

The program emphasizes and builds on students’ talents and skills, which are honed and brought to light through extensive courses that address the various aspects of filmmaking.

Location

All courses take place at the NYU Abu Dhabi campus, allowing students to have a full experience of learning filmmaking in a higher education institution.
- Provide a learning environment that will enable the students to tell stories that will contribute to the development of critical thinking.
  
  Nurture the creative potential of the students and stimulate originality of thought through the development of individual expression.
  
  Maintain the collective memory, history and identity of the people of the United Arab Emirates through their unique cultural expression.
  
  Develop the necessary skill-set for writing, directing and producing a short film. Students will gain experience in various production roles while crewing on each other’s films.
  
  Develop the necessary skill sets for creating soundtracks and sound design for film. Students will learn a bit of everything one needs to know when doing sound and/or music for film.
  
  Learn techniques necessary to break down a script, identify its sound needs, plan for shooting/sound recording and bring a script to the screen.
- During the three weeks, the students participate in rigorous classes and activities giving them the opportunity to tap into their storytelling skills. By the completion of the program, the students learn and enhance their skills in writing, directing, and producing a short film.
  
  Each student is required to create a one-minute film that will be showcased in front of their peers, faculty, and family during the final ceremony.
  
  Classes typically take place at NYU Abu Dhabi Art Center from 10am until 5pm, followed by a film screening and discussion until 9pm on assigned dates. All classes are mixed gender.
- Workshop expenses are covered by Image Nation Abu Dhabi.
  
  Lunch is provided on workshop days.
  
  Transportation and Accommodation are not provided.
Application

Before submitting the online application please have the following documents ready for upload:
- Short story (an invented tale): in English, one page long, font size 12, single space
- Letter of motivation: in English, half page long, font size 12, single space
- Official school transcript
Selection Day
- Participants will be notified by early May if they have been shortlisted.
- Shortlisted candidates will be required to attend a selection workshop sometime in May of the participating year.
Enrollment of New Class
- Accepted students will be notified in June.
- Once students are accepted and have agreed to participate, they are sent a packet of required enrollment forms to fill out.
- Up to 12 students are selected to participate in the Arab Film Studio Young Filmmakers Workshop.
Scandar Copti

Assistant Arts Professor of Film

Scandar Copti is an acclaimed filmmaker and visual artist, known for his awarded film Ajami. His first full-length feature film, Ajami, (co-directed by Yaron Shani) has won more than 15 awards worldwide to include the Camera d'Or Special Mention at the Cannes Film Festival. Ajami was also nominated for the 82nd Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Film category. Formerly a mechanical engineer, he has written, directed, and edited fiction, documentary, and experimental films. His video art projects were exhibited worldwide at venues such as Gutman Museum, b_tour Foothold Festival, Beit Alkarmeh, and the Oslo Kunstforening Art Gallery, among others. Copti was part of the team that launched the Doha Film Institute where he headed the Education department; he headed the Film and New Media program at NYU Abu Dhabi from 2014 to 2017. Currently, Copti is teaching filmmaking at NYUAD and developing his next feature film 'Happy Holidays.'

Carlos Guedes

Associate Professor of Music

Carlos Guedes is a Portuguese composer, media artist, educator, and researcher, with a multifaceted activity whose creative work comprises several commissions of music for contemporary dance, theater, film and interactive installations, aside from traditional concert music. Carlos Guedes has composed music for several short and feature films, some of them with awards in international film festivals. He created the course “Designing sound for scene and screen” at NYUAD an elective for the programs in Film, Theater, and Music, that addresses the many aspects of sound design for film and theater. His latest creation “Jinn,” premiered at NYUAD’s Art Center on October 10, 2018, is a multimedia collaborative work combining live and pre-recorded electronic music, instrumental music, dance, film, and live motion capture in novel and engaging ways.

Contact Us

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Community Programs, NYUAD

Povashni Naidu
Assistant Manager for Programming and Strategy
Email: povashni.naidu@nyu.edu
Phone: +971 2-628-4885

Alicia Gonzalez
Head of Training and Development, Image Nation Abu Dhabi
Email: alicia.gonzalez@imagenation.ae
Phone: +971 2-596-9814

Academics

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About

Arab Film Studio Young Filmmakers Workshop

Eligibility Criteria

Important Dates

Location

Application

Selection Day

Enrollment of New Class

Scandar Copti

Assistant Arts Professor of Film

Carlos Guedes

Associate Professor of Music

Contact Us