Photos from Day 1

Photos from Day 2

Photos from Day 3

Photos from Day 4

Interview with Abdulrahman Al Shehi, talking about the benefits of the Palm Tree

Interview with Colonel Saif Al Shamsi, and his recount of the history of the Abu Dhabi Police

Mr. Saif Rashid Al Dahmani teaches us how hunters prepared coffee in the desert

We learned about life in the desert at the Qasr Al Hosn Festival

We hear secrets from the sea at the Qasr Al Hosn Festival

Traditional children's games at Qasr Al Hosn Festival

Interview with Ubeid Ali Jameel, builder of traditional Emirati palm boat, the "Shasha"

Interview with the seafaring "Nahaama" explaining how life was on the sea, and the different tools used on the traditional boats in the Arabian Gulf.

We learned a lot about traditional weaving at the workshops at the Qasr Al Hosn Festival

Learning about traditional Emirati food Qasr Al Hosn Festival

 Interviews with Noura Al Kaabi, CEO of twofour54, and attendees at the Qasr Al Hosn Festival

Instruction on boat building at the Qasr Al Hosn Festival

Learning about the traditional Emirati bridal ceremony

The house of Henna and Incense ("Dukhoon") at the Qasr Al Hosn Festival

Listen to Ibrahim's interview on Dubai FM here.

How do I thank thee? Let me count the ways. In light of Valentines, I thought a slightly altered Browning Sonnet fitted appropriately.  Without sounding like an Oscar's thank you speech I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone with immense gratitude who made my trip to London possible.  Ironically it has already started to sound like an Oscar's speech however that does not change how grateful I am for the experience, the diverse new personalities I encountered and of course the English tea.

From the moment I stepped off the plane I was welcomed with open arms and within what seemed like a flash my journey on Plastic has come to an end. Days went by like they were mere seconds. Like the bittersweet taste you get when you over indulge, and I did indulge in this experience. That's why I'm excited for the beginning of the next chapter in my life and career. Let me just take a second or ten to thank everyone from Abu Dhabi to London.

The Creative Lab family who from the get go were very supportive and excited that I was going on this wonderful journey. Jane, Alia, Khalid K, Jessy, Afra, Moe, Zainab, Fatima, Khalid N, and Alya. Each one of you has impacted me in a positive way that only people who walk the halls of Creative Lab will truly know what I mean. I thank each and everyone of you.

Plastic Production, Chris, Terry, Dan, Tori, Kevin, Charlotte, Ben, Roger, Molly, Andrew, Judy, Tom1st,Tom2nd, Timur, Tony, Jude. The wonderful cast Ed, Emma, Alfie, Sebastian and everyone who took the time off of their hectic schedule to answer my inquiries, show me the in and out of the business and was patient with me.

And not to forget you my virtual friends from twitter, facebook, instagram, & blog visitors! Thank you so much. - Ibrahim

P.S. A wrap up interview video will be done soon courtesy of Creative Lab, make sure you check that out. EVERYTHING will be revealed!

11/02/2013:

Chronicling my journey in London allowed me to know exactly what exciting event happened each day. Today is not short of any of the aforementioned excitement. Terry stone, one of Plastic's executive producers met with me on set and discussed his plans for this movie, how it was conceived and how many years it took to shoot it. " 2 years. That's how long it took us to finalize the script, hire the right director and of course talented actors."

We walked toward the wardrobe department to welcome Michael Bisping, who is a famous UFC boxer and the stuntman on this movie. Terry hid behind a boudoir separator to prank Michael when he'd go for a fitting! don't worry no one got hurt. He was very nice and very funny actually, all we did was laugh at the incident.

Hide and Seek

Then Terry & I went to meet some of the investors who were on set today. People who invest their money in movies and join us to see how everything is going is who you'd want to do business with. not because they have the means to make a movie possible but they are passionate and love the artistic choices that others ( others being the whole movie) put in a movie. They'd have so many questions in regards to what happens here or there and why did this happen or that. All these questions were asked specifically to ensure everything goes as planned. As it should.

To ensure everything goes as scheduled is not a big job on these hardworking people. Everyday I am imparted with more and more knowledge from everyone that passes me by on set. I was put here for a reason and now i know why. do  you know why you are here in this
world? have you figured out what you want to do with your life?

- Ibrahim

10/02/2013:

07/02/2013:

Yesterday was packed with lots of intense visuals and amazing performances from the talented cast. luckily, I was able to capture it on my phone for you to see. A snippet here and a snippet there.

To be able to see them in action is awe-inspiring and I can only imagine the extent of the actors preparation for each scene. They do and what they have to do under imaginary circumstances.

I'm keeping my entry short today as I feel that the videos will give you an insight of what I witness on a daily basis. I hope you immerse yourself in those videos and just see what goes on from behind the scenes and what you actually see on screen. So sit back and enjoy!  - Ibrahim

06/02/2013:

Took a detour today and visited Central London. Where my people, my people being Arabs, can fashionably be seen scattered everywhere. It made me feel safe & distraught at the same. A Lebanese restaurant here, and an Indian restaurant there. Crumpets and a cup of tea, that's how you unwind in LDN even if it isn't with the Queen. My stroll led me to ponder that the only thing that could follow post tea would be therapeutic shopping (even if it may be for my loved ones).

The overground take 1

The overground take 2

The Tube. Yikes.

I wandered into Harrods for the very first time. I must admit I was re-enacting a musical as the door opened for my grand entrance. The amount of utter hype I heard about Harrods throughout the years made my expectations unrealistic. Something of the likes of the retail version of Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory.   Now let me tell you, walking in it for the first time and seeing what other Arabs see in Harrods made me like it a little bit, emphasis on a little bit. I'm not a London person. Probably because I didn't not explore it the way they did. Now that's not the issue and if it was I'm sure the Harrods concierge could offer therapists that recommend retail therapy to cure ones doubts and worries.

A museum passed me by. Not the other way around.

Moving on, I finally mustered up the courage to go on the tube alone (the tube being a train to us non-londoners). To sum it up it was Crystal Maze: the Tube edition. I did love the overground though, very spacious, with lovely scenes to pass the time. I'll take overground any time of the day.

The famous Harrods

Knightsbridge at night, I see emotions of light everywhere

Finally back to business. I am arranging a one to one with the actors and executive producers of Plastic for them  to give me all that they can offer in advice, thoughts and how to make it the business of movie making to our wonderful community members at the Creative Lab. As all of you know in this industry, the secret to a long term career is to be passionate, very knowledgable of your craft and to go the extra mile. Because if you are not passionate and prepared for a challenge, what would happen when that amazing opportunity you always wanted comes along? Think about it.

- Ibrahim

Taking pics and playing visual tricks!

05/02/2013:

No one man is an island but in this case no one person can execute an entire film process. Directors needs assistant directors and Plastic has three assistant directors and this is to assure the movie stays on track, problems are taken care of in a timely manner and to ensure filming is never compromised. I apologise for not getting enough information from them as we all know they are on hand 24/7.

I did manage to get a video from the AD runner.  Who explained the process in the office. I did ask 2 ads to give me some insight but they were busy till the end of time ( or the end of the movie. Don't you just love it when I'm all about the drama!)

Other than that I did also get a few pictures of them in action, and in coordination. They did promise me a a clear and in depth insight in a day or two. So make sure you check us out daily. Check. Us. Out. - Ibrahim

04/02/2013:

Taking a break from a schedule sometimes is needed. It allows myself to just sit back and reflect on what has happened during the last week. Where I've been and how far I've come. The cliche "pinch me" or "slap me on the face" wouldn't suffice for me to believe this is real, this is actually my life. I'm in London seeing an actual movie being made before my very own eyes. which, I can not even begin to explain how thankful I am for. I'll take a tip out of The Secret and just show gratitude for all that is thrown in my way. The experiences, the people, the highs and the lows. Not that I've experienced any lows so far. I'm thankful for that too. I'm thankful for everyone's support. I'm thankful for the twofour54's creative lab team belief and trust in me. I'm thankful for my family & friends who are supporting me. I'm thankful for you, you and you too. No thank you note will go unmentioned.

Now if only time would cease. I could live in this moment forever but I must blink, live the next second and breathe a sigh of relief.  For I know this is only the beginning of greatness and once again I want to thank everyone. Make it a grand day! -  Ibrahim

Also, we made it again on UAE top tweets most active Hashtags. Thank you tweeps!

- Ibrahim

Behind the scenes at Plastic:

Tour of the set:

03/02/2013:

Closed Set. that's what I read on the scheduling board today. That means no one is allowed on set other than the director, producer and the actors. Usually is the case if it was an intimate scene or a killing scene with special effects. I am sure you wanted to see a bit of that and luckily I lobbied for some inside intel on today's shoot which included blood, electronic rigs that blow up on command, and which are also highly sensitive to any radio frequency (I wish i could've taken a picture but that would entail accidental setting off of the special effects, we wouldn't that now would we?)

Guests on the hot set. No touching allowed.

The wonderful executive producers Chris and Terry, arranged a special screening room for their guests to watch the magic the camera captures, from gun shoots to blood splattered every where to falling out of the second floor to a quick tour on the hot set.that was a day I know I wouldn't want to miss.

FYI, There will be blood!

Special screening for the guests!

Action!

I am exploring London on my day off, and I don't know what to do. so if you have any recommendations of places you like and you think I should visit tweet @IbrahimKhemeiri with the official #BeeTakesLDN hashtag and I will make sure to check those locations out and feature them in tomorrows entry! have a wonderful day all!

Now I'm up....

Now I'm down!

London stunt man is falling down, falling down...

ALSO an extra special thanks to all who made #BeeTakesLDN the most active hashtag in UAE!

- Ibrahim

02/02/2013:

I had the opportunity today to visit the Harry Potter studio and take a tour. Considering what a HUGE fan I am, I could not resist.

Preach it!

I was welcomed in the world of wizardry with open arms and waving wands. The tour started with a never before seen clip from Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint thanking everyone who helped make this movie possible. They listed each and every production department thanking them individually for their combined efforts to create such a magical world come alive. This screening went on for 5 minutes then the screen lifts up to what appears to be the grand door from the actual movie. This then opens to the dining hall from the movie. There was also the exact sound stage where they filmed all 7 movies. From the right to the left you see actual props and memorabilia of the 4 houses of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Gryffindor.

Alohamora (for the fans)

They also had Harry’s first Hogwarts costume. Everyone was aww'ing to the sight of the cute little mannequin. I then got up close and personal with the Professor's seating area in the dining hall with mannequins and clothing from the movie. It was so mesmerizing to just stop for a second and just allow my thoughts to take me back to when I was reading the books as a teenager. I walked off the sound stage to a trail that showed us sets, hair, wardrobe and props from the franchise.

Wardrobe

All rise!

Hair and Makeup

Original Props

Attending potions class is mandatory or  Prof. Snape will jinx you!

The house where it all started!

Doloris Umbridge office? No thank you.

Hagrid's stunt double mask.

Everyones lining up for some ButterBeer! Can you notice Hagrid's motorbike ?

Phase 1 of the tour ended with a ButterBeer beverage stop for people who wanted to refresh themselves outside where we could also see Harry Potter’s house also known as "Privet Drive 4". I headed in to continue my tour of this magical world and entered the special effects department. Now the amount of work these creative people did is marvelous, to be able create a world and characters from their sole imaginations is just awe inspiring. The following set was Diagon alley, the set I was the most excited to walk through, as it made me feel like i am about to buy my requirements for Hogwarts. Every location from the books were there, from Ollivanders to Weasley's shop of mischief, all there. So I followed the tour guide to a grand sized model of Hogwarts and it was gigantically massive. Don't you just love the beauty of the creation in movies? Sadly the tour came to an end and as you know every tour ends with a stop at the souvenirs shop. Where I gazed and pondered at all the memorabilia that I could treat myself to. Did i want chocolates? robes? books? notebooks? shirts? mugs? I know i wanted to get a wand but didn't know which one to get (now don't you just hate that when it happens?) The bittersweet feeling of walking out of the store empty handed was a bit distressing. Nevertheless I was pleased with what i experienced today.

Now excuse me as I have to ask the valet to get my broomstick.

Diagon Alley!

Model of Hogwarts

Which wand is perfect for you?

31/01/2013:

Seeing these young, talented actors perform and being around this production has made me reassert myself with positive affirmations and a handful of pixie dust of my beautiful reality.

Contrary to popular opinion, I am a very positive person who believes with every fibre of his being that in the very, very near future I will win my first Oscar for best actor in a motion picture. A dream I have always seen replay in my head over and over and over again till it’s accomplished, my everlasting fantasy. I often associate myself with people who are deeply connected with their dreams, whose souls are as pure as their imaginings. I feed upon the element of drive in their character, something that I can relate to. I can think of many situations where people throw away their dreams because of some sort of conformity, which is often OVER-EMPHASIZED or used as a crutch to hinder who they want to be or what they might become.

Gloom & doom.. London Town.

What we sometimes lack is faith, not religion. I chose the word faith because without it we can’t be believe; without belief, we can't achieve; without achieving, we don't progress. You become basically stuck in a circle that feels like a triangle but looks like a square. Try and picture that sentence you just read in your head, imagine how that would be. There’s no right or wrong; it’s in your imagination and can be formed however you want it to be. The key word here is imagination, where everything and anything is possible. So why limit ourselves? Why not face those supposed limitations with endless faith and imagination? If we collectively embrace our accomplishments and what we want to accomplish with a clear mindset, life would be much more exciting.

So I look up to my role models and aspire to be like them; the ones who make a difference, who do their chosen vocations with integrity and a passion that is so fiery that it can be felt in their presence; who make real contributions to their communities. These people are not rare, they are within us. The joy of processing who we are is frightening but also very enlightening. It is directly proportional to everything we want in/from life. That reason enough for me to continue on this beautiful journey. I am a dreamer by birth and an achiever by choice.

I may have deterred from blogging about the production today, but I am documenting my experience, and my inspiration that blissfully spurred here. I am now more adamant to accomplish all my aspirations. As we all know in this life we only live once and I'm living for my today.

- Ibrahim

Floating ... Believing... Becoming.

30/01/2013:

I'm spending my whole day in the vicinity of the production office with files, a white board that is blocked out for the duration of the shoot and head shots of all the cast staring at us from up above. so I silently immerse myself in learning as much as I can from 2 talented people who are just superb at what they do: Kevin Proctor production coordinator and Charlotte Keep assistant  production coordinator.

It's all about the business!

Kevin Proctor was more than happy to show me around on set since the first day I got here and explained to me everything from a production point of view. Today he shared his experience on a big blockbuster and Academy award winning movie, Inception. " I was assisting one of the actors on set and the amount of work that goes just the performance is massive. I have this clear cut image in my brain that I always wanted to be on the production end of a movie." he then continues"It's all the same with big and small budget movies, the difference with big movies is that you are somehow alienated from the outside world, where as with smaller movies you interact with everybody and you can manage everything that gets in your way. Everyone basically knows what they need to worry about today and not tomorrow. It's essential for me to be a part of a production team, I get to oversee every aspect of making this movie possible."

Kevin making sure the delivered goods is delivered good!

Charlotte Keep, assistant coordinator of "Plastic" started her foray in assisting productions in 2011.“Personally, I love live music events. A year ago I was assisting the production office at the iTunes festival. Its nice to see people jumping and dancing at an event you helped put together.” Of course 'Plastic' is not her only high profile job...she has "Kick Ass" 1 & 2 under her belt. “With plastic I was thrown in the deep end, with things I haven't done before like acquiring US visa's for our crew members. What helps and makes it all so easy is that the crew on this production are just great.” I was also told that she makes great cupcakes and hands them out to crew members.

Charlotte, Keep smiling for the camera!

What I've learned is that its always good to be prepared on set, making sure everything is covered from insurance to camera equipment to paramedics ( yes, sometimes it is necessary to even have an ambulance). You never know what might go wrong, but its nice to know everything and everyone is well taken care of.


I see charts... I see faces.

- Ibrahim

29/01/2013:

its a 10 am morning call time at the production office and its buzzing like a bee hive. Everyone is keen on making this a great day after having a well deserved day off. These people love to be prepared for any scenario that might occur on & off set making sure everything goes as planned. I've started off my morning to do list with two important departments in any given movie: Wardrobe and Hair and Make Up.

I began with the wonderful & bubbly Judy Lovell (imdb her long list of amazing credits!) who is the head of make up & hair on "Plastic", the amount of advice she has for up and coming talents (filmmakers, producers, writers, actors, crew, basically everyone in the movie making world.) "Never be late on set", what relevance you say that this has to do with make up?. “Everyone works together on set, everyone is there to put on the best that they could offer, being late makes everyone work longer hours and that is just dreadful.” She then adds by telling me her vision when it comes to the characters she's helping with hair and make up. “To me, I always stay true to the characters and make them up as natural as possible.” She takes in consideration both lightning and which camera they use, as it maximizes the effect of making up the character properly. “ I like to make sure they are seen they way they are supposed to be seen as characters.” Having worked with countless A-Listers & famous talents around the world she surely knows what they need!

Judy Lovell and her assistant in the make up trailer. How sweet are they?!

Judy dyeing a moustache for one of the casts stunt double.

Following my conversation with Judy, I headed back to the Costume department, where I met the lovely Mollie Barr, Plastic's Costume Supervisor surrounded by racks and racks of clothes hanged in an orderly setting with tags on each piece of clothing in sight. I was so hesitant to ask her any question for that matter as I thought she was quite busy pressing garments and preparing for the next scenes wardrobe. She was kind enough to welcome me with "lots of clothes" (open arms, pun intended.). I asked her how does it feel to dress someone else ? She answers contently "Everyone thinks its fun going shopping every day. Unless you are not buying clothes for yourself its not fun." she then adds "As we read a script, we have to make a breakdown of every scene to know exactly what we would require. Sometimes an actor or actress would like to wear a certain brand, from a sponsor. now it may or may not work, but we are here to make sure we dress them comfortable and according to their characters rather than making them worry about what they are wearing, which gives them more time to focus on their performance!"

Wardrobe room. Look at those clothes!

I am still amazed and fascinated by how every person working on making this film is so passionately driven. I am not surprised though everyone just love what they do for a living and that to me is inspirational.The amount of fun these people are having with their designated jobs is encouraging me to  be as passionate and as driven as they are. A wise man once said "Without the driving force of passion, you can't ignite your life to the maximum." - of course that man ladies and gentleman is yours truly.

- Ibrahim

28/01/2013:

On the first day of my arrival, Christopher Howard, the executive producer of Plastic met with me for dinner the first day I got to London!

He invited me to a swanky restaurant where we spoke for about one hour and a half about the magic of movie making and how it is done in various formats. The conversation we had was filled with GREAT prospective ideas that I could only wish for my memory span to store so i can write them down when I'm back to my room.

Of course, after dinner we went to his beautiful house that looks like it was made to be on a postcard. He was kind enough to lend me a pair of gloves as the weather was dropping down to 0 degrees. So we get into his Ferrari ( yup i rode to the film studio in a Ferrari, how cool is that?! ) and drove for about 25 minutes till we got to the studio gate. Then it hit me that I'm walking towards the big leagues, as the gate opens my future opens along with it. so many questions in my head, so many inquiries that I tried not to ask Chris on the first day! ( I'm sure its the Sugar rush from this whole experience).

We were greeted by Kevin Proctor, the Production Co-Ordinator of Plastic who we followed to the set, where I was able to meet the production team behind the movie. you name it props, costume, location, production manager, cast and the rest of the crew. Everyone welcomed me on set with an open heart. All thats real to me now is the world I'm seeing in front of my eyes, the passion and the dedication from all on set. Luckily enough i got to snap a few photos on set and meet the director of the movie Julian Guilbery and the stars on set Ed Speelers, Will Poulter and the gorgeous Emma Rigby. They shot one of the scenes when I was there with ease and grace.

Everyone on set knew what they were supposed to do which made the work much, much more easier on all. Now my long day came to an end when I noticed my body was slowly hibernating from the fact of not sleeping for 23 hours! with a long day ahead of me, I left the set knowing wholeheartedly that my experience with this production will benefit and value my passion in my line of work!  - Ibrahim

Introduction:

In January, 2013, Ibrahim Al Khemeiri, member of creative lab, will be sent to London to work on the Universal production of the film "Plastic".

This is his story. Join us in following Ibrahim on his journey.

These photos were submitted by some of our followers on Twitter and Facebook

Image from (@LoloH333 - Twitter)

Image from Ahmad Carter (@Ahmadcarter - Twitter)

Image from Dalia Dik (@DaliaDik - Twitter)

Image from Faisal Khan (@faisalqkan - Twitter)

Image from Hamda Al Mansoori (@Umhazza3i - Twitter)

Image from MessyMSY (@MessyMSY - Twitter)

Image from Umair Nathani (Facebook)

Image from Umair Nathani (Facebook)

Image from Naser Noor (Facebook)

Image from Duha Al Haimouni (Facebook)

Image from Amro Idrees (Facebook)

Image from Huda Al-Naily (Facebook)

Image from Omar Assaf (Facebook)

Image from Salma Al-Jassim (@S11590 - Twitter)

Image from Walid Ahmad (@walid_ahmad34 - Twitter)

Image from - Amna Al Dhaheri (@Amna_Aldhaheri - Twitter)

We would like to thank all our followers on Twitter and Facebook for being such great support.

Dedicated by twofour54˚creative lab for National Day 2012, we present ‘Ya Khalifatna’.

Download the song here:

• Ya Khalifatna.mp3 - (right click and 'save as' to download the file)
• Ya Khalifatna (instrumental).mp3 - (right click and 'save as' to download the file)

Download the music video here:

• Ya Khalifatna - (right click and 'save as' to download the file)

Download the iPhone ringtones here:

• Ya Khalifatna ringtone1 (instrumental).mr4 - (right click and 'save as' to download the file)
• Ya Khalifatna ringtone2 (instrumental).mr4 - (right click and 'save as' to download the file)
• Ya Khalifatna ringtone3.mr4 - (right click and 'save as' to download the file)
• Ya Khalifatna ringtone4.mr4 - (right click and 'save as' to download the file)

To celebrate the UAE's 41st National Day we collaborated to create a National Day song that combines elements from the much-loved UAE song, 'Zanaha Zayed' together with the song, 'Amrak Al Sami', both of which were written by renowned Emirati poet, Arif Al Khaja.  Arif combined these lyrics to create a new song entitled 'YaKhalifatna' and acclaimed singer Fayez Al Saeed composed the music.

Making of the Music Video

To announce this initiative, we launched a competition on our website that gave community members the chance to create and direct the National Day music video for 'Ya Khalifatna'. Community member Abdul Aziz Ahmed, who has already worked on a number of other creative lab projects, won the prestigious honour based on the quality of his creative concept and his evident passion.

Check out the behind the scenes photos here.

Interview with creative lab applicant and music video director AbdulAziz Ahmed:

Read more about AbdulAziz's work here

CD cover artwork

Following the awarding of Abdul Aziz Ahmed, creative lab sent out a call to graphic artists among the community members to design the concept for the CD cover of the 'Ya Khalifatna' music track.

Out of the 10 amazing submissions that were shortlisted, Mariam Al Shamsi's design was selected. Mariam also won a one-month internship with twofour54˚partner TBWARAAD Abu Dhabi, an award-winning multinational advertising agency.

Interview with CD cover graphic designer Mariam Al Shamsi

Read more about Mariam’s work here

Interview with composer Fayez Al Saeed

Credits:

We were very lucky to have the commitment and enthusiasm of 15 of our community members, who worked tirelessly to deliver the project, working long hours with passion and dedication to make it a reality. We thank:

• Abdelazeez Ahmed
• Shaima Al Ammari – Storyboard 
• Salama Yousef – Casting
• Sara Al Ahbabi – Storyboard and behind-the-scenes
• Amal Al Yamahi – Props
• Abdallah Al Jenaibi – Second assistant Director
• Maryam Al Marar – Wardrobe
• Tahra – Props  
• Amna Al Neyadi – Assistant producer  
• Maryam Al Shamsi – Graphic designer
• Zainab Al Refaie – Behind-the-scenes video filming and editing
• Sally AbdelRazak – Line producer  
• Mohamed Sakkijha – Production coordinator  
• Othman Al Hammadi – Extra
• Darweesh Al Hammadi – Extra

The Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority is a partner in this project and have supported the distribution of the song across a number of National Day events and activities.

Check out the behind the scenes photos here

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Partners

Watch the music video here!

Watch the music video here!

Watch the music video here!

it’s an honor and a pleasure to be selected for the best photo, I enjoyed the initiative of Ramdanak and that’s motivated me toward the upcoming activities with creative lab, thank you team

Whatever age we are Ramadan remains the unique pleasure month from the rest of the months.

 

If you’re an aspiring filmmaker, or have an idea that you believe deserves to be translated to the screen, creative lab can help. Take a look at some of our projects, and read stories about Ghafet Osha, Jirfah and others on how we’ve helped turn concepts into finished productions. Take some time to flesh out your idea and in the meantime connect with filmmakers, producers, directors and creative individuals within the community, who can offer valuable feedback and advice. The creative lab team is committed to funding and developing ideas that can enrich community discourse and present a diversity of views. Get in touch and see if your idea makes the cut.

A young scriptwriter talks about winning a high profile talent competition and the real life events that shaped his creations.

It was undoubtedly a case of the cream rising to the top in a recent competition for aspiring scriptwriters held in conjunction with a 3D stereoscopic workshop at Abu Dhabi’s twofour54.

After a fiercely fought battle, two winners emerged, one of whom was the product of the new creative lab project.

Eighteen-year-old Ihab Mokayad from Syria, who is studying at the Paris-Sorbonne Abu Dhabi University, was singled out by the judges for his script ‘C’est la Vie,’ which was submitted prior to the 3D workshop.

The prize-winning piece is a story that contrasts the lives of two people and how their destinies cross over one another.

His idea was inspired by the death of his grandfather last year in a hit and run car accident in Syria.

“He was just leaving the mosque after the last prayer of the day, and a guy who was driving really fast hit him. The driver then just drove away and was never caught,” says Mokayad. “My grandfather was one of the people I looked up to because he always used to teach and advise me on things. He was so healthy and he was one of the smartest people I’ve known.”

I had such an amazing experience making the movie, from writing to directing. I will keep going with this as a possible career for the future

The script follows an old man in a wheelchair who wants to tell the upcoming generation about his experiences, but can’t find a way because he is poor and powerless. He decides to share his messages with young people in a simple way - through graffiti. From then on, a dramatic series of events unfolds.

Mokayad began writing his script after he realised he held strong opinions about how people behave as well as through frustration at important issues he felt were being ignored within society.

“When I saw the competition on creative lab’s Facebook page, about making your idea into a 3D short movie, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to reach a huge number of people”

Mokayad gained hands-on experience working with the creative lab team to bring his story to life using a professional crew to shoot in 3D. He directed the movie himself and had a say in all aspects of the production.

The experience has clearly inspired him and he is now working on other ideas, including a new script, this time talking about the environment.

“I had such an amazing experience making the movie, from writing to directing. I will keep going with this as a possible career for the future,” he reveals.

Asked who inspires him, he notes Danny Boyle, the writer and director of ‘127 Hours’ (2010), as well as Peter Weir, who wrote and directed ‘The Way Back’ (2010). “I love these films and they have taught me a lot. You should never give up and always follow your hopes and dreams,” he says.

Only when illusion fuses with reality do our minds reveal those hidden fears and neglected emotions.
 
In his latest project ‘Asghar min Sama’ - which translates as smaller than the sky in English - Emirati film pioneer Abdulla Hassan Ahmed touches upon those emotions in a symbolic short film. creative lab met with Ahmed to discuss the film and learn about his career in filmmaking.
 
‘Asghar min Sama’ is a short film that portrays a small family - a father, a mother and their daughter - driving at night, when a bird hits their windshield and dies. The accident falls deep in the hearts of the three, especially affecting the mother who starts to have visions about them being in a horrifying car crash, in which her daughter and husband lie dead beside her as she stands there helpless.

“Those emotions and projections in the mind of the mother are what we wanted to explore in the film,” says Ahmed. 
 
He was originally the producer of the film, which was the factor that interested him the most, he says. When the designated director had to withdraw from the project, however, Ahmed was handed the directorial duties as well. “The film was written by my brother Mohammed Hassan Ahmed, and right after I read it I was very interested in producing it,” he says.
 
Ahmed is pleased with his overall experience working with and getting the support of the twofour54 creative lab team. “I’ve known twofour54 for over five years but haven’t had the chance to cooperate with them until now. They have been very helpful and supportive of the project and it was a very good experience for the crew and everyone involved in the project.”

Those emotions and projections in the mind of the mother are what we wanted to explore in the film

“The crew members were mostly Emirati’s who were professionals in the film industry; that was a very important factor to the movie as well as to twofour54, which aims to promote Emirati films and filmmakers.”

Started out as a hobby, Ahmed’s career in the film industry spans 15yrs, making him a pioneer in the Emirati film industry and community. His works include the award-winning documentary ‘Rise of the Doing’ (2005), ‘Small Sky’ (2006), which screened at the Dubai International Film Festival, and ‘Tenbak’ (2007).

Ahmed’s films were also featured in international film festivals, including the Arab Film Festival: San Francisco, Shorts Shorts Film Festival & Asia in Japan and DIFF and has been a juror in a number of local and regional film festivals .
 
In addition, Ahmed is a co-founder of Faradees, a non-profit film production group dedicated to promoting Emirati cinema.

This was a great opportunity for me

“The idea for this film came out of Craig’s wonderful mind and somehow I felt that it fit in with my imagination and my own style in film making,” says Howaidy.

He then approached production company Eye-Squad, who put him in touch with twofour54’s ibtikar to get funding. “This was a great opportunity for me,” says Howaidy. “It is so rare to find such opportunities in the Middle East and twofour54 are one of the main supporters of creativity in the region.”

Involved in the entire process, from casting through shooting and editing, Howaidy
 worked on the sound design and subtitles for the film. “What was most inspiring was being able to turn Craig’s words into something real,” he says, also crediting the incredible cast. “It was challenging to fit 19 different speaking roles into the tiny space of a lift,” he laughs, “I had to study all possible angles and shooting styles to avoid repetition, yet give the impression of a closed space and just how this could affect human relations.”

Howaidy hopes to submit ‘Long Way Down’ to different international film festivals and is planning  future collaborations with Hawes. “We would like to keep working on the social context of the UAE by focusing more on multi-ethnicity and the cultural richness of this place,” says Howaidy. The next project, will be a full-length feature film. Watch this space.

Saleh Al Malak had long been struck by how many TV programmes in his native Saudi Arabia didn't appeal to the youth of the country. 

"In the past 20 years, entertainment shows in Saudi Arabia have always been limited to a certain criteria and mindset and not shown much creativity," says the 31-year-old. "They were all very similar and felt dated. We wanted to make something new and creative." 

Already working in the TV industry as an executive producer of live current affairs shows, Al Malak wanted to get involved in more light-hearted fare. He met some like-minded colleagues and the result is ‘Take Away.’ 

Created by Tareq Al Hussaini, ‘Take Away’ is a comedy about the often shambolic efforts of two young Saudis, Ahmed and Thamer, hosting their first TV talk-show - an opportunity they got through Ahmed's uncle's money and connections. 

Aimed at Arabic-speaking 18-35 year-olds, the programme identifies with youth culture and the situations it faces. For example, in one episode Ahmed and Thamer attempt to make a report about public flirtation between Saudi males and females, which ends up with them wearing a female veil and getting caught by the police. 

For young guys like me it's amazing to have something that supports young people in media production

"It definitely represents what the young generation wants," Al Malak explains. "The young, who are the majority in Saudi Arabia, are different to the rest of society and are at the forefront of embracing new technology and communications, moving at a very fast pace. 

"So rather than just leaving them to consume Western shows we wanted to give them a show that related to them with local issues and tailored to the local market. We tried to use local issues and reflect where the youth generation is going." 

The ‘Take Away’ pilot show was made in collaboration with the twofour54's creative lab team in Abu Dhabi.

Al Malak supervised production and was the art director on set. "creative lab gave us training in production techniques and offered creative input on our ideas. Anything we required they were there to help us. For young guys like me it's amazing to have something that supports young people in media production.”

"In the Gulf we're used to big corporations having control of media production and they tend to have set creative directions and ideas. There was no real new blood coming into media production. What creative lab did was focus on that and I am sure we will see some very successful projects coming out of there in the future.”

The fact that ‘Take Away’ was made into a pilot has filled Al Malak with enthusiasm for the future. He offers this advice for budding programme makers. "The main thing I learned from this was that when you have a good idea don't let it go. Make sure you develop it properly, " he says.

“In the long term I want to be part of a movement that gives the youth of the Gulf and especially Saudi Arabia a way to use the media to represent what they are all about. Youth in Saudi Arabia are misunderstood, I think it's harder to be a youth here than in other countries. I want to be a small part in giving youth the voice to be heard.”

‘Likaa Aber,’ which translates as ‘Brief Encounters’ in English, is a new 3D short, written by Emirati Abdullah Al Hemairi and filmed on location in Dubai. The story is based around a lost girl at a train station and her friendship with a man who helps her find her parents, and uncovers her great secret. The idea came to Al Hemairi after he wanted to explore the life-changing effects short friendships can have on different people.

I really appreciate that twofour54 trust and believe in me and my script and have given me this big shot

The script is only his second attempt at writing but it won a twofour54 competition to be developed into a short, and subsequently has become filmed in 3D. We caught up with him as he filmed it at a metro station in Dubai.

“I wrote this story one month before the twfour54 competition so I applied for it. When they announced me as the winner it was like my dream come true, but in 3D!” says Al Hemairi. “I really appreciate that twofour54 trust and believe in me and my script and have given me this big shot.”

Al Hemairi, who is an aspiring actor and works in the government, started writing because of the lack of parts for him in movies – he was attending a workshop on 3D filming when he found out a script competition was a part of it. After his win, he worked with twofour54 to bring his story off the page and onto the screen.

“With twofour54, we sat and discussed the script at great length and that helped me a lot to make my script a lot more exiting and stronger. Myself and the director, my friend Hana Al Shantry, decided to also film it in 3D.”

Having got this short in the can, he’s now churning out the work – with four shorts ideas ready to go and he’s now working on a feature length script.

twofour54 and Blink Studios partner again for the making of Ostora, an original 3D stereoscopic musical animation.

Ostora is a mixed media animation short that combines the history of the unification of the UAE with myths from Ancient Greece. Emirati national and script writer Faisal Al Sharyani explains his work, “I was mainly inspired by the multitude of books that I have read in the course of my life. I guess all this information that I had stored finally resulted in me writing the story of Ostora. With the expert support of Blink Studios, the story was re-written in script format that was produced into a mixed media musical animated short.”

Al Sharyani’s animation is unique in that it was also created for 3D stereoscopic viewing. This new technology used by Blink Studios has meant the project took five months to be completed and needed around 40 people to bring it to life. Nathalie Habib from Blink Studios explains, “The team was almost an equal split of professionals from Blink Studios and amateur talents from the general Abu Dhabi creative community.”

Al Sharyani’s script was chosen from amateur writer entries to twofour54 who saw its potential and matched him to Blink Studios. The studio and twofour54 have previously worked together as the latter commissioned Blink to produce Driver Dan’s Story Train, which airs on both the BBC’s and Al Jazeera Children pre-school channels. It was involved with the making of Captain Karim, another children’s TV programme.

“Blink Studios is co-producing the international version with a UK-based studio, which airs on “Cbeebies”, the BBC’s preschool channel. This includes producing animation and contributing scripts, stories and illustrations from regional Arab writers and artists,” says Habib. “We also lead the Arabic adaptation of the series for the MENA region, which airs on “Baraem”, Al Jazeera’s pre-school channel. This includes script editing, animation fixes, voice-over recording as well green screen shootings.”

Through this wide range of animation work, the production studios have been well placed to help Al Sharyani with Ostora.

“Blink Studios is currently in the process of sending it to both regional and international festivals. There are also talks with twofour54 to roll out Ostora into the educational sector and have children of all ages engage with the story of Ostora and be proud of the heritage and country they belong to and reside in,” says Al Sharyani.

For non-professional writers like him, these collaborations are the start of a new avenue of creativity for many in the UAE. He adds, “There are no boundaries to the creative mind and the more facilities and opportunities offered, the more chances there are to see the talent base of the UAE grow and excel.”

Habib agrees, “Support of the animation industry in the UAE is still at its start but it is definitely becoming more possible and accessible. Government entities are realising the diversity and impact of producing content in animated format and are more willing to support its growth and development.

If you’re an aspiring filmmaker, or have an idea that you believe deserves to be translated to the screen, creative lab can help. Take a look at some of our projects, and read stories about Ghafet Osha, Jirfah and others on how we’ve helped turn concepts into finished productions. Take some time to flesh out your idea and in the meantime connect with filmmakers, producers, directors and creative individuals within the community, who can offer valuable feedback and advice. The creative lab team is committed to funding and developing ideas that can enrich community discourse and present a diversity of views. Get in touch and see if your idea makes the cut.

Related Projects:

• Jirfah

• Ghafet Osha

• 5 Egyptian Pounds

How two friends working in finance saw their original idea for a TV show become a reality thanks to their enthusiasm combined with twofour54’s support.

Mohamed Lamrad and Ali Mohamad are poster boys for the new generation of creatives making a name for themselves in Abu Dhabi.
 
They have received plaudits as co-creators of What's Up UAE (also known as Moghamarat Fel Emarat, Arabic for "Adventures in the UAE", a pilot TV series showcasing different activities for people to do. Their journey to that position is a testament to what is now possible in the local TV and film industry.

Lamrad, 26, explains: "We had zero experience in the field, I'd never written a script before and it was a whole new experiment for us. We’re both finance guys; I work as an auditor.”

"Now I know I can write a script through the confidence given to me in terms of doing it and learning from and working with a director and producer."

The friends had the idea of a motivational and educational comedy show kicking around for a few years until an opportunity came knocking for them to make their vision into a reality. "Ali sent an email to twofour54 detailing our proposal. They replied saying they liked the concept and things moved quickly from there," says Lamrad.
 
twofour54’s creative lab funded the creation of two pilot shows. Lamrad and Mohamad were given practical assistance - such as being assigned to an experienced director and producer who guided them through the process of creating the show.
 
Lamrad says: "twofour54/creative lab made life a lot easier for us; Ali and I had full-time jobs to do so they helped us take the strain of it all.
 
"But what was most important for me was how they encouraged you and allowed you the exposure to learn anything you wanted. My goal is to become a writer, and seeing how things worked in that context was very educational.
 
"I loved it, and one of the best things about it was that everyone was there because they were really passionate about their craft and not just to make a living, but because they wanted to be there."

Two pilot episodes of What's Up UAE (Moghamarat Fel Emarat) have been completed. The first one introduces the back stories of the main characters that are caught up in the rat race of working life and want to explore their surroundings more - something the creators believe resonates with their audience.

It brought home to me that life is best lived with a driving passion underpinning it. In the future I want to write rather than audit

 The two episodes show the wise-cracking characters biking to Jebel Hafeet and paintballing at Al Forsan International Sports Resort - activities the audience is encouraged to try themselves.
 
Lamrad adds: "We pepper the audience with facts about their destinations and logistics which might inspire them to do the same. We aim to be educational and entertaining at the same time."
 
The whole experience has also filled him with optimism about his future in the industry.
 
"Now I know I can write a script through the confidence given to me in terms of doing it and learning from and working with a director and producer."
 
"It brought home to me that life is best lived with a driving passion underpinning it. In the future I want to write rather than audit."

If you’re an aspiring filmmaker, or have an idea that you believe deserves to be translated to the screen, creative lab can help. Take a look at some of our projects, and read stories about Ghafet Osha, Jirfah and others on how we’ve helped turn concepts into finished productions. Take some time to flesh out your idea and in the meantime connect with filmmakers, producers, directors and creative individuals within the community, who can offer valuable feedback and advice. The creative lab team is committed to funding and developing ideas that can enrich community discourse and present a diversity of views. Get in touch and see if your idea makes the cut.

Related Projects:

• Jirfah

• Ghafet Osha

• 5 Egyptian Pounds