19. 02. 2024
How did you get involved with electriclime° and an internship?
It was my last semester at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and I had my mind and heart set on coming back to Dubai to start my filmmaking career. When researching production houses to intern with, I came across electriclimeº and knew I found a unique company — the artistic name says it all! What caught my attention was that elº holds a core value of “bringing an expression of art to commercial film,” evident in the emotive, cinematic work they produce. As a filmmaker who deeply believes in the story as a fundamental root to any successful production, I knew I would have a valuable experience here, and when the team brought me on board, I wasn’t wrong. I am very grateful for the opportunity to have interned with electriclimeº for seven months, which strengthened my production stamina and my understanding of commercial business.
What were your expectations going into the internship?
I entered electriclimeº as a Production Assistant intern, and from my experiences in film school, knew that this position could mean a range of responsibilities, which I was ready for. Some of my expectations were that I would be helping the team on awarded projects from pre-production to post, that I would be on set as a runner and coordinator, and that I would be working closely under Senior Producer Jumana Radi’s guidance on business strategy and outreach. This latter point was the aspect I was least familiar with, but one that provided me with greater clarity on building sustainable business relationships in advertising, and how this trickles down to production success and client satisfaction.
What were your roles and responsibilities during your time in the internship?
During pitching seasons, I typically worked on preparing pre-bids, which included creating slates for directors presented, putting together ballpark costs and tentative timelines for the clients. Once a job was awarded to us, I would transition to help the larger team on pre-production, from creating and organising our workflow documents, to coordinating with talent, holding casting auditions, wardrobe fittings, and a myriad of other exciting film prep tasks. On set, I would take behind the scenes footage when I wasn’t assisting with the general flow of production liaison. Once we reached post-production, this was generally handled and overseen by Producer Layal Mooti, and Production Coordinator Lana Abu Risheh. But during a particularly busy season, I supervised and managed comms between our post team and the client on one of our projects.
What did you find the most challenging and the most rewarding part of your time with electriclime°?
Though I have experienced and worked on student sets in film school, the professional production industry is unsurprisingly more rigorous and presents greater stakes. The most challenging aspect of my internship with electriclimeº was the pre-production pressure, and the physical capacity you need to sustain yourself amidst it. Production as an all-encompassing term is not a 9-6 job. It requires a team effort and support to turn it into a successful and fulfilling endeavour. The most rewarding part of my time with electriclimeº was our last project together, where I was able to step into more responsibilities on set as both a cast and wardrobe coordinator, making sure the talent were dressed for the right scene, and arrived at the right place at the right time in a maze-like location. Thanks to the crew, the shoot went smoothly in spite of some necessary hiccups. And we now have a commercial film we can be proud of.
Were there any on set experiences which really stood out to you during your time?
Two shoots that stood out to me from my on set experiences are Kia ‘EV9’ and Kerzner ‘One Za’abeel.’ The former was a rather record-breaking smooth shoot — the team prepared with high precision during pre-production, roles were delegated and executed with focused attention, and the collaborative efforts felt balanced and combined in a way that resulted in a fantastic production experience. The latter production stood out to me in its complexity, which was overcome with great leadership and quick decision-making. Both projects inspired me to keep striving for that quality of production, and that reassured me that the hard work does pay off.
In your opinion, what are the key do’s and don’ts of interning at a production company?
A large part of my experience as an intern taught me a key ‘do’, which is to be diplomatic regardless of the situation you are presented with. Production comes with a lot of pressure and tough talk, so I learned and continue to learn how to not take it personally, but take it instead as a professional who can put on a level-headed and understanding mindset to get through any obstacles. A key ‘don’t’ is to not shy away from intimidating work. It’s not likely to be an intern and not make mistakes — learning to overcome that fear of slipping up and owning to it, allows for greater growth and confidence in all work aspects.
How do you think your time with electriclime° has set you up for a career in production?
My time with electriclimeº was fruitful and insightful. I am grateful to have been part of five productions in the span of seven months, and believe this accelerated immersion into the commercial industry has taught me a significant number of life lessons. I leave electriclimeº now with a more assertive personality, and a professional confidence that bridged the gap between a graduate that became a work colleague. As a budding Writer/Director, I am excited to continue developing myself as a filmmaker, ready to take on new experiences, new challenges, and celebrate new accomplishments.
LOCATION | DUBAI
TIME | 17:19
25.2048° N, 55.2708° E
