Third MIL workshop highlights video production management techniques

Local media professionals shared tips on video production – including how to develop production contingency plans that account for inclement weather, no-show cast members, malfunctioning equipment, and schedule overruns, at the latest Media Innovation Lab (MIL) workshop.

Led by Resolution Films’ Simon Ferguson, group CEO, and Elysia Windrum, senior film editor and NU-Q alumna, the session illuminated the process in which video ideas are taken from the storyboarding stage to client approvals. 

As the biggest film and video production house in Doha, Resolution Films has delivered advertising campaigns for FIFA World Cup 2022, Ooredoo, Qatar Museums, Commercial Bank, and was recently awarded a billion-dollar contract with Lusail City. At the NU-Q session, they revealed how these large-scale endeavors are made possible. 

“You’re given a specific, set amount of cash to deliver the project… putting a plan in place allows you to be prepared for anything that might drive up those production costs and account for lost time,” Ferguson told the group.  

The team also walked students through the logistics of acquiring filming permissions, conducting safety training, and facilitating international crews.

Windrum, who produced a short film featuring Qatar’s youth football team, shared how she orchestrated a complex shoot involving road closures, strenuous training schedules, and players fasting for Ramadan. “My best advice would be to have a positive mindset through the challenges that come up and work as a team in facing them,” she said.

The MIL was established by NU-Q this year for students to have access to a dedicated space to explore and experiment with new technologies, as well as workshops for communication professionals to share their experiences with NU-Q students. It also provides an annual student grant program, which recently made five awards.