Qatar’s high school students get a glimpse of life in the film industry

July 07, 2013

High School students practiced cinematography and lighting during the Film Appreciation and Criticism Summer Course last week at Northwestern University in Qatar’s Summer Media Institute.

Sixty-six students from 22 local and international high schools around Qatar signed up for hands-on media and film experience at the Institute, now in its third year.

“I like the active part of learning. We’re always in groups having discussions and interacting with each other,” said Suleima Al-Haj Abed, a Doha College Year 13 student.

Al-Haj Abed recently won Best Picture for her short documentary “Yaqeen” at the 2013 THIMUN Qatar Northwestern Film Festival. “We understood what affects lighting and how to work with it, which is important for us to know as filmmakers,” she added.

“The fact that we can let them do hands-on work is the difference between night and day,” said Bruce C. Browne, film instructor at Qatar Community College. “Usually, when we teach this to students, it’s all theory and we just show them some pictures. Thanks to NU-Q, students get to see the facility, which is a great experience for them.”

A second Summer Media Institute will take place August 18-24, 2013, with courses on social media and news reporting.