Children between the ages of 5 and 14 were encouraged to entertain their wildest imaginations at an event hosted by the student club - Not Another Film Club. The Kids Film Fair was organized by the club to educate children about the filmmaking industry.
“Our goal is to offer the community a new perspective on filmmaking and help them appreciate it as an art form. We’d like these kids to know that there’s a career in this field, if they want it,” Amal Al Muftah, president of the student club said.
At the fair, the children learned about the various stages of producing a short film through a series of workshops. With the help of NU-Q student mentors, the group collectively brainstormed ideas for their films and learned storytelling concepts such as theme, character, and plot.
Following the brainstorming session, the children then proceeded to the storyboarding stage, where they further developed their ideas by drawing one scene of their story in a linear sequence, considering how the actions in one scene would influence the next. They then created the backdrop for their scenes using props – replicating classrooms, rooftops, and royal courts.
“It was at this stage that we were able to ground some of their fantastical ideas and educate the children about the animation and special effects efforts involved in some of their favorite films,” Amna Al-Baker, Vice President of the student club, said.
The student club members prepared the students to enact their own stories using makeup, costumes, and wigs – to bring their characters to life. NU-Q students filmed the scenes - using skills acquired at NU-Q, including lighting, audio, and framing the stories.
The children worked with NU-Q students during the editing stage where they they made decisions on soundtracks and effects. In the end, they produced seven short films.
“We wanted to make sure the kids had a final product to take home. It was so important to us that they had something tangible to hold on to,” Al Muftah said.
Not Another Film Club has organized similar events in the past, including a “Filmathon,” where they challenged their fellow students to write, shoot, and edit a film within 24 hours; and a “Paint a Frame” Education City-wide event, which charged students with utilizing stills from popular films to turn into paintings and murals. The club also hosts frequent workshops and lectures with local and regional filmmakers.
