2011 HIGHLIGHTS Last year's judging panel commented on the high standard of the entries, and the whole competition garnered amazing coverage on Abu Dhabi TV, Dubai One and print and online media. To support the entrants, Tempo conducted a prize giving ceremony and hosted a roundtable debate about the film industry in the UAE and the opportunities and challenges faced by emerging film makers. Panelists and judges came from New York Film Academy, Image Nation, Abu Dhabi Media Company, British School Al Khubairat, Zayed University and the American Community School. In particular, the competition attracted considerable interest from young people who took up the artistic challenge and produced some beautiful videos, including Shabari Shankar from the Abu Dhabi Indian School who won the ‘Me and My School Category’. Last year’s winner of the main ‘Me’ category, Alina Mustafina, told Tempo in June about the life-changing impact of the competition for her. “I would like to thank the ‘I Love UAE’ video competition team for changing my life in a positive and creative direction. With you and the education I received at the New York Film Academy, I realized that we should all follow our dreams no matter what people say or what you are afraid of. I believe that we should just give it our all, otherwise we will always regret it.”
JUDGES’ VIEW Jesse Remington said he was honored to be one of the selected panelists and judge for last year’s ‘I Love UAE’ video competition. “Tempo has provided a wonderful opportunity for young people around the Emirates to show off their creative talents through video. Opportunities like this allow young people to express themselves in a positive manner and allow them to be engaged and have a voice in our society.The first year did not let anyone down with the number and quality of videos that were submitted for judging.This year we hope even more videos are submitted, and we are looking forward to seeing how creative kids can be and what their vision of the UAE is.” Local filmmaker Hana Makki, another of last year’s judges, said she was so proud to be part of the ‘I Love UAE’ video competition in 2011. “The best thing for me was the diversity. Everyone interpreted the theme so differently. I still remember runner-up Saadiq’s short documentary. It really stayed with me as did runner-up Billy Stuart’s “Amazing Flags” video. I’m wondering how people will interpret the theme this year.”
INDUSTRY INSIGHT Michelle Nickelson, co-founder of Women in Film and Television UAE and a Hollywood producer, watched the final submissions for last year’s ‘I Love UAE’ competition. “There were some great entries and Alina Mustafina ended up winning the prize of a filmmaking course at NYFA in Abu Dhabi. I recently read in Tempo magazine that her winning and subsequently getting involved in the NYFA class had a profound change on her life. She ended up changing her major to get her Masters degree in filmmaking. Winning this contest gave her the courage to make a decision to follow her dream of being a filmmaker.” “I believe that this is the best example of how important filmmaking contests are. It is an opportunity for people to put their projects out there, to get the concept from being an idea, to something that people can see, and hopefully touches them. Winning is not as important as taking that first step to put your ideas down.”
“Tempo is now launching its ‘We Love UAE’ contest and has opened a call for entries. If you feel that you have something that ‘has the right stuff ’ I would encourage you to participate,” says Michelle. “Working with Women in Film and Television UAE, I get the opportunity to meet lots of fledgling local filmmakers. Many times the issue with people who are considering getting into a creative field like filmmaking is the fear of public failure. What happens if “no one likes my film?” The answer is to keep trying and make more films. Experience is an amazing teacher. Sometimes the important thing is not that you learn what to do, it’s that you learn what not to do.” “Nothing works like taking that first step. It’s usually the hardest one, but it is a step than can change your direction in life, or at the very least, give you the opportunity to express yourself creatively. I am looking forward to seeing this year’s group of entries and good luck to all the future filmmakers participating in the ‘We Love UAE’ video competition.”
EXPERT TIPS Hana Makki has extensive experience in producing and directing short films and documentaries in the UAE. She offers her top 10 filmmaking tips for this year’s entrants: 1.Think AUDIO and VISUAL! Try to put across your message or story by being creative with what you HEAR and what you SEE. 2. Be HONEST to yourself. The best filmmaking arises out of the soul of the person making it. Don’t copy anyone else - do what YOU think is good, interesting, funny, meaningful. 3. Filmmaking is TEAM work. Don’t be afraid to get people involved. Be good to each other and do your very best to help your team mates. 4. Create a SHOT LIST. Think of everything that could work in your edit and plan a great shot list. Think in terms of themes for what should go in your shot list. Remember, you tell your story visually. 5. SCHEDULE your shoot. Do you have different locations to shoot in? Schedule it. Make sure you get all the shots you want from one location before going to the next. 6. DAY/NIGHT SHOTS? If you are shooting outside in the day, remember the sunlight and shadows are at their most beautiful just after sunrise and just before sunset. If you’re shooting at night, do a test. How dark does it look on camera? 7. EDIT. This takes longer than any filming or planning. Leave plenty of time for your edit - this is where the real storytelling happens. 8. SOUND. Make sure your sound sounds okay! Do a test beforehand. There is nothing more annoying then listening to someone speak with noisy cars in the background. Make sure you record the sounds you want in quiet areas. 9. FRAME. Pay attention to the composition of the picture you create in the viewfinder of your camera - is it beautiful? Would it be better to use a tripod? Take your time to make sure each shot is as great as it can be. 10. WORK HARD! Don’t cut corners. The more you put into a film, the more excellent your end result will be. Remember, you want to be proud to show it to an audience.
WE LOVE UAE VIDEO COMPETITION
HOW TO ENTER
Simply film an original video no longer than two minutes in length that expresses what you love most about the UAE. Submissions close 1 October 2012 at 5pm. Email your submission to sharon@tempoplanet.com including a brief note with your name, age, nationality and contact details. To view last years’ entries, go to www.tempoplanet.com
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