Mohamed Magdy credits the Arab Film Studio Narrative Competition for his scriptwriting, storytelling, production and budgeting skills. Christopher Pike / The National
Mohamed Magdy credits the Arab Film Studio Narrative Competition for his scriptwriting, storytelling, production and budgeting skills. Christopher Pike / The National

Arab Film Studio Narrative Competition 2015 deadline draws near



As the deadline for entering next year’s Arab Film Studio Narrative Competition draws near, this year’s winner says it offers a great opportunity for aspiring filmmakers to learn.

“The biggest thing I learnt from AFS is simply how to tell a story,” says Mohamed Magdy, a former interior designer from Egypt who now works with Lamtarra. “Scriptwriting, storytelling, production and doing it all on a budget – I learnt all that from there.”

Magdy's winning film Shadows, which tells the story of a painter who delivers messages from the dead, won an impressive four of the six AFS awards available this year: Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound Design and Best Music. It was also an official selection at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival last month.

The deadline for entering next year’s competition is December 6. Open to GCC nationals and residents over the age of 21, the Image Nation/twofour54-sponsored contest offers an intensive filmmaking programme, culminating in a two-week boot camp in March, during which the selected entrants will learn the basics of filmmaking from industry insiders.

It culminates with them making a film that will be judged by a panel of experts – which this year included Knight Rider actor David Hasselhoff – and a screening and awards ceremony at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival.

If you think you have what it takes to be next year’s award-winning filmmaker, the first step will be to shoot a video with a running time of between one and three minutes. It doesn’t need to be of professional standard – a clip filmed using your phone will do – but it must feature the line “Use your imagination”.

Once you've done that, post the film on the video-sharing site Vimeo and then complete an entry form at www.arabfilmstudio.ae. The creators of the best entries will be selected for the programme.

“With the Arab Film Studio, you learn to make your own professional film on a tight budget, and no one normally gives you that chance unless you go out and find it,” says Magdy. “It’s a great opportunity – and if you want to make it in this industry, you have to chase every opportunity.”

cnewbould@thenational.ae

Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
PSA DUBAI WORLD SERIES FINALS LINE-UP

Men’s:
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Nick Matthew (ENG)

Women's:
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Laura Massaro (ENG)
Joelle King (NZE)
Camille Serme (FRA)
Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

Turkish Ladies

Various artists, Sony Music Turkey 

Racecard

6.35pm: American Business Council – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m 

7.10pm: British Business Group – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,200m 

7.45pm: CCI France UAE – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m 

8.20pm: Czech Business Council – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,400m 

8.55pm: Netherlands Business Council – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m 

9.30pm: Indian Business and Professional Council – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m  

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Oscars in the UAE

The 90th Academy Awards will be aired in the UAE from 3.30am on Monday, March 5 on OSN, with the ceremony starting at 5am

Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

BACK%20TO%20ALEXANDRIA
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETamer%20Ruggli%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENadine%20Labaki%2C%20Fanny%20Ardant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How Sputnik V works
How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.