FUNN, the Sharjah-based organisation that promotes and supports media arts learning for children and the youth in the UAE, has wrapped up a weeklong workshop on filmmaking titled ‘Introduction to Filmmaking’, from 14 to 20 July 2019. 7 aspiring film and media students, between the ages of 15 and 18, participated in this specialised workshop, conducted by prominent Emirati film director Nawaf Al Janahi.

The workshop was aimed at young beginners as an introduction to the art of cinema, to give them a crash course in the basic skills of filmmaking. The course was designed to help participants understand the language of cinema and learn how to use it as a medium of expression and a tool for storytelling. They also learnt about the history of cinema, and were given hands-on exercises to plan, shoot, and edit a scene.

Nawaf Al Janahi is an actor and film director whose first feature film ‘The Circle’ was described by film critics as "a major turning point in Emirati and Gulf cinema". His second feature film ‘Sea Shadow’ reached the 2nd place in the top 5 movies in UAE, and went on a global tour to 27 countries, the most remarkable tour for an Emirati feature film to date. Al Janahi is also the founder of initiatives such as the Emirati Cinema Campaign and Black Box Cinema.

Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi, Director of FUNN and Sharjah International Children and Youth Film Festival, said: “As part of our commitment to developing Sharjah’s and the UAE’s creative industries by empowering the nation’s youth in media arts, FUNN organised this specialised filmmaking workshop, which offered participants an opportunity to not only to learn the craft theoretically from a master filmmaker, but also the rare chance of shooting, editing and screening their vision to an audience.”

She added, “With mobile phones offering aspiring filmmakers the opportunity of shooting films, and the advent of social media platforms giving them an avenue to publish and popularise their work, the art of filmmaking has never before been in sharper focus. It is arguably the most accessible and popular form of media art among the younger generation, and therefore, it is important that we offer them the right platform and training to explore their potential and learn about the professional side of filmmaking. This workshop has been crafted to help young filmmakers learn how to do it properly from a professional.”

FUNN aims to nurture a future generation of creative artists in media and film industry, and promotes new media works and films made by children and young filmmakers in the UAE at international film festivals and conferences worldwide. Its larger goal is to foster talent through these festivals, conferences and workshops locally and internationally.