Think you’ve got what it takes to make a movie? Then David Shepheard, director of the Abu Dhabi Film Commission, is one guy you want to know.
Written by Laura Fulton
ADFC director David Shepard
This year, midnight on 10th July marks the extended deadline of the fourth annual Shasha Grant competition, the Abu Dhabi Film Commission’s (ADFC) yearly international hunt for fresh new script writing talent.
“Of all the scripts we receive, we’ll choose six finalists to attend the Circle Conference, an international film business conference, in October. There, the finalists will sit with mentors – international film producers – who will then help each of them develop a pitch,” explains Shepheard, who has been with the ADFC for a year and a half.
“After the mentoring period, the finalists will pitch their ideas to a panel of studio executives and other industry people, and then one person will be chosen to be the recipient of a grant of $100,000 to develop their idea.”
Though the competition has grown since its inception, last year saw only 100 entrants. It’s an amazing opportunity, one that’s not limited to those from the UAE.
“The grant competition is open to anyone in the world, but there needs to be a link back to the Middle East. There are three qualifying criteria – the writer needs to come from the Middle East, the story needs to be about the Middle East or the story needs to be set or filmed in Abu Dhabi. An international person with a story to tell about the city or Emirate does qualify.”
If you missed this year’s Shasha competition, never fear. Though one of ADFC’s main objectives is to try to develop more Emiratis coming into the filming industry, Shepheard says the opportunities available through the film commission – which is the third he’s helped to set up in his career – and the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage are not limited to Emiratis.
“We work with many nationalities on our production schemes. Abu Dhabi is a multicultural society and it’s welcoming to all, so there are lots of opportunities for people from many countries. Our schemes are generally open to people who have been a resident in Abu Dhabi for five years or more – people who have been here and who have connections with the city and see it as home.“
In short, the ADFC is looking for anyone who can “tell the story of Abu Dhabi not just from a local perspective but also from an international perspective, from people who come from outside the country telling their experiences about what it is to live here. Through the films that we produce, we want to break down some of the negative perceptions that go out in the international press about the region – we’re looking for those stories that give a modern-day image of what the UAE is.”
These days, our fair city is drawing more and more attention from the international filmmaking community, thanks in part to the exposure it’s received from the ADFC at events such as this year’s Cannes Film Festival. What’s the greatest attraction the capital has for international filmmakers says Shepheard? Location, location, location.
“Being a Middle Eastern country, people have certain images and perceptions about what’s here, but they don’t know about the vast array of different locations. A lot of filmmakers don’t realise that Abu Dhabi is a very modern city – yes, we have all the dunes and the desert landscapes in the Western region, but they don’t know about the unique architecture or the Gulf Islands.”
Apparently, word is getting out. “We’re now issuing 30 to 40 permits a month for filming to be shot here, which is a lot considering we’ve only been going for a year.”
There are so many new projects coming to the capital, in fact, that Shepheard predicts film crews will start popping up all over town. “We’ve just completed a documentary scheme and we’re about to start another short film production scheme, which aims to get more film crews on the streets around Abu Dhabi. When people get used to seeing film crews around, that starts the whole process of people getting more interested in the film industry and hopefully wanting to come into it.”
Think it can’t happen to you? Think again. “The Shasha Grant winners from the last two years have seen both of their films produced by international studios, and we know that three projects from last year’s finalists have gone further into development with producers they met at the Circle, even though they didn’t win.
Online registration for this year's Circle Conference is currently open until 7th October.
“The president of Fox, senior people from MGM, Warner Brothers and all the major studios have travelled to Abu Dhabi and talked to filmmakers because they’re interested in the new raw talent to be found here.”
And cultivating that talent is what the ADFC is all about. “Through the schemes that we run, there are opportunities for people looking to get into all aspects of the filmmaking industry – from writing and directing to producing and acting. We can teach the techniques of how to write a script, how to shoot with a camera, how to produce a movie, but somebody needs to come with the basis of the story – that’s the bit we can’t teach. You have to come with the ideas and we can train you how to turn that idea into a film.”
