Filming movies or television series using mobile devices is something of a trend in the entertainment world right now, and The Reel Dubai Short Film contest pushed the envelope even further with their short film contest that required all participants to create a film using the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
Organized by the Dubai International Film Festival, the contest was inspired by the #MyDubai initiative, and offered six participants a trip to the Cannes Film Festival to screen their film there as the prize. “Hello World” by Kamil Roxas won the competition for his film that focused on the rise of Dubai, but StepFeed caught up with another participant, Mohammed Mamdouh, film lead at Dubizzle.com, to discuss the filming process for his film,"Before We Turn to Stone."
“I decided to participate because I had a unique story to share about Dubai and the timing was right," Mamdouh said.
But, it wasn’t all fun and games, he says, and scheduling was the biggest issue him and his crew faced.
“Almost everyone had day jobs, so scheduling was tough. We shot in 12 locations around the city in less than 48 hours. For the final scene we got on a plane and filmed in mid-air. Luckily, I had a great cast and crew who displayed amazing stamina, creativity and perseverance,” says Mamdouh.
The director of photography, Rene Auguste, even took two days off to be on set, and focused.
"I was very lucky to be working with Rene who could handle the underground nature of the production and still deliver," the director said.
“My film is about two strangers who meet while in transit in Dubai. A free spirited guy played by Lucas Brown and a cautious girl looking to explore the city played by Laura Quirke. During their stopover in the city of life they get to know one another and explore the city in the odd hours of the night. I chose this story because I was fascinated by nighttime tourism. There's something powerful about seeing the Burj for the first time ever at 4:00 am. But I wanted to take this concept further by emphasizing that people are the founding blocks to which all experiences are valued upon. Sharing your trip with a stranger is more memorable than experiencing it alone,” he says (and we agree).
And though it is a competition, Mamdouh keeps a light heart and a positive attitude after submitting his film to the panel of judges. “I've made a film I'm proud of that shows the city I love in a way you haven't seen before. The story will leave a lasting impression on global audiences, and so... I've already won,” he ends.
Here is a trailer to his film.
Although it didn't win the competition, we can't wait to see the final film.