As part of the Qatar Germany 2017 Year of Culture, the Doha Film Institute (DFI) has launched a series of ‘Practical Labs’ on various aspects of film production led by professionals from Germany.
The programme, aimed at building the professional skills of young filmmaking talent in Qatar, is supported by Qatar Museums, the German embassy and Goethe-Institut Gulf Region in collaboration with Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, one of the leading international film and media schools.
The Practical Labs, held for the first time in Qatar, will commence in September with four dedicated sessions on Lighting, Grip, Cinematography and Editing. Each session will combine theory, demonstrations, and practical exercises to train the participants on the technical aspects of filmmaking.
Fatma al-Remaihi, CEO, DFI, said: “The Practical Labs, which draw on the creative traditions of German cinema, reflect our commitment to offer holistic training and development initiatives for our talented film aspirants. They will gain in-depth knowledge of the practical aspects of film production that will inspire them to go beyond conventions and create their own individualistic craft, and contribute to our nation’s evolving film scene.”
The Practical Labs on Lighting, Grip and Cinematography will be led by Marcus Zaiser, who has worked on more than 100 productions in various positions. German documentary filmmaker Thorsten Schütte, who has worked for more than 20 years as a writer, director and producer, is the lab adviser.
The Practical Lab on Editing will be led by Alex Bushe, a Los Angeles-based editor and assistant editor, who has extensive experience in both documentary and narrative filmmaking.
The ‘Art of Lighting with Marcus Zaiser’ Practical Lab will be held from September 17 to 20, and will offer participants insights on working with light in a creative way. The last date for applications is September 3.
The ‘World of Grip with Marcus Zaiser’ will be held from September 22 to 25. It will teach participants how to realise complex camera movements with the help of grip tools like dollies, jibs and car mounts, among other utilities. The last date for application to the Lab is September 7.
‘Cinematography with Marcus Zaiser,’ to be held from September 27 to October 1, teaches participants advanced knowledge of cinematography from preparation and planning of a project through shooting to post-production. Deadline for applications is September 13.
The Practical Lab on Editing with Alex Bushe will be held from October 2 to 6. In this five-day course, students learn the skills needed to operate in a professional environment as a film editor. The deadline for applications is September 18.
Interested participants must send a brief letter of intent explaining why they are applying to the lab (maximum one page), show-reel, examples of previous work or link to a website if available, CV and copy of Qatar ID, by e-mail to: [email protected].
All sessions are held from 2pm to 8.30pm, and will be conducted in English. Each lab can accommodate a maximum of 12 participants. Fee for single lab is QR1,000 and package fee for three labs (lighting, grip and cinematography) is QR2,500.
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