Filmmaking in Saudi Arabia has flourished year on year thanks to social changes and more interest and education in the field. The Red Sea Saudi Film Festival has played a major role in this positive shift within the country, with many Saudi filmmakers describing the festival as evidence of the growing arts and culture movement in the Kingdom.
The Festival acts as a platform for sharing Saudi film and cinema with the world and represents a great opportunity for anyone interested in filmmaking to progress by providing workshops, classes, and a means for people to explore and be inspired by film in Saudi.
With the work of current creators and photographers in The Kingdom finally getting international recognition and the attention they deserve, thousands of young Saudis now have job opportunities in an exciting field. In this article, we’ll look at the most prominent job opportunities we expect to see in the Kingdom. We will also mention some available resources that will help guide you in the field and hone your creative skills.
Creating the script is one of the most important roles in movie creation and cinematic work. The screenwriter’s role is to create the characters, the role, and the dialogue, producing a cinematic script in which the characters' tone and reactions are determined.
The Misk Screenwriting Program offers participants the opportunity to develop a short screenplay, guiding them through each step of the screenwriting process, and crafting their story ideas into a cinematic reproducible script.
As the presence of Saudi film continues to increase globally, the opportunities for those who are passionate about the art of acting has also grown. Due to this, the Theater and Performing Arts Commission has launched a training workshop for acting and theater directing, which acts as a stepping stone to help new actors improve their craft and develop their talent.
The secret of every great piece of work lies in the research on which it is based, its validity, and its depth. Research for film is a wide-ranging role that delves into all aspects, from the research of aesthetics, style to philosophy.
The researcher must have narrative experience, advanced research skills, and be familiar with the industry. It’s worth noting that most cinematic errors are the result of flaws in cinematic research - Have you ever spotted the use of cars from a time period that does not match the time period being portrayed in the movie? That is merely the result of poor cinematic research.
There has been a significant jump in interest in graphic design as a career in the last couple of years, as the breadth of industries in which design can function is vast.
Graphic design is also a big part of filmmaking. It’s the point at which visual effects are created to attract and create suspense among viewers and to develop an extra dimension that's simply not possible in real life.
It can also be used in a film's promotion by designing the movie collateral from posters, and billboard ads to social media posts.
Animation is the designing and drawing of images that are then put into motion to form sequences in a video format. These can be created in a two- or three-dimensional way. This skill is considered important in all fields, especially in filmmaking and media, whether it's by creating an entire animated film or providing special effects to a movie or trailer.
Arguably one of the most important roles in the industry, the editor works on the cinematography of a movie. The premise of this role is the art of selecting and arranging separate scenes in a way that clarifies the message or meaning of the film, whilst linking relevant information and events to create a clear sequence for viewers.
The film and television industry is such an exciting one, as no day (or movie) is the same. If you’re looking for inspiration to take your next step into the movie world, or just want to delve a little further into the industry within the Kingdom, here are a couple of worthy sites to explore.
Join the Ministry of Cultures Filmmakers Program, a program offered to all beginners and professionals who aspire to work in the film industry, and was launched in cooperation with many trainers and experts in the field from around the world.
Red Sea Festival Film to find out the latest news about upcoming initiatives and programs, and to seeking out available funding opportunities.
Finally, it’s worth visiting the Film Production Market, a branch of the Saudi Film Festival, which can act as your first stepping stone into Saudi’s film industry