Movies are about telling stories, not 'big budgets'

Abu Dhabi The fact that the Gulf, and UAE, film industry is still emerging and not dependent on established studios and distribution houses is a positive thing, an international film industry specialist said.

Dr Angus Finney has trained more than 300 film producers and entertainment executives since 2005 and works in Denmark, Abu Dhabi, South Africa and the UK.

Finney was in Abu Dhabi during the Gulf Film Festival, which ran from April 10 to 16, to conduct various workshops.

"The UAE is an unusual place in the region because it is stable, compared to countries that were traditionally known for their films and locations, such as Egypt and Syria, which are now experiencing turmoil," he said.

"Also, in the West, film studios focus on subsidies ... they are obsessed with a project instead of the overall business of filmmaking … and the UAE can correct that before it happens."

Another advantage in the region is its integration of social media in everyday life, he said.

"People living here are very comfortable with using social media, which is something that can be capitalised on ... also, filmmakers and production houses can use tactics common in the West like ‘crowd sourcing' to collect feedback on various events, issues or topics," said Finney.

Technology

However, he observed that the film industry in the Gulf is struggling to find a balance between content and profitability.

"The problem here though is that you need content, not just [applications]. People here need stories … so the industry needs to find a way to use technology to bring culture-specific stories to the screen. Filmmakers should not think ‘blockbuster', but rather focus on stories important to the region," Finney said.

The recent surge in films dealing with the Arab Spring has further bolstered international interest, but Finney stressed that it should not be the only topic used.

"Moviegoers around the world are always interested in local stories with universal values or morals — the key is how to tell the story. It is not always about the big budget and special effects. A good example is A Separation, which won the 2012 Oscar for Best Foreign Film," he added.

"For people who want to make a business out of content, they need to understand how this business and the market works ...no one wants a western expert telling them how to run their business, but they must be willing to learn from them and then balance that out with their cultural norms," he said.

Finney is the manager of Europe's only annual Production Finance Market, hosted by Film London and now in its fifth year.

He is working with twofour54, a media and entertainment free zone based in Abu Dhabi, to establish a Screen Business course.

"I am very excited about this course. I will be travelling to Abu Dhabi regularly for the next few months as we work out the details of the course.

"My job in the next year is to build a bank of local case studies for filmmakers as well as amass as many contacts as possible," said Finney.

"But I do see a sustainable screen business here in the next five to 10 years. It can take off in the UAE from both the business and creative perspectives," he added.