Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XXIII

2 5 8 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I For those who want to learn how best to convey or express an emotion and a message via film, the mechanics of filmmaking must first be studied. The rules must be learned before they can be broken or further developed. As the Times Arts Correspondent Richard Morrison wrote, “The ingredients needed to produce compelling art and entertainment remain what they have always been: inspiration, perspiration, craftsmanship, and a thorough grounding in the history and techniques of the genre. In the end the people who muster those qualities will be the ones who dominate the new media.” The Met Film School in London was established in 2003 and over the years it has earned a solid reputation in training the next generation of screen creatives. The school is located in leafy Ealing, just a 20-minute tube ride from Central London. As the school shares grounds with the internationally renowned Ealing Studios, a fully operational television and film production company, there is a real feeling for the reality of the industry, as actors and grips, gaffers and cinematographers take coffee and lunch breaks on the lot. In recent years Ealing Studios have been used for high-profile productions such as Downton Abbey, Nowhere Boy, My Week withMarilyn, Prince of Persia, The Iron Lady, Star Wars: Episode Two, and Victor Frankenstein. A new film starring Gerard Butler is presently being filmed and students at the Met Film School can easily gain insight into the daily machinations of a functioning film set. The school also has its own independent production company – Met FilmProduction – which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and specialises in fiction and documentary feature films for theatrical release. The school offers a wide range of qualifications, from Masters and BA(Hons.) degree courses through to intensive and highly practical short courses, such as From Story to Screen in Eight weeks and Six-Month Practical Filmmaking. Aspiring students can find details in the prospectus of a wide range of specialisations, including screenwriting, producing, directing, editing and documentary. Simply Abu Dhabi sampled the Documentary Filmmaking course and found it to be an incredibly dense and valuable learning experience delivered with an expertly-devised and effective system. The tutors at the school are all recognised industry professionals, and the documentary course, taught by the British film director and director of photography Sasha Snow, was a privilege and a pleasure. The number of students in any class is kept low – on the documentary course there were seven – to ensure effective student-tutor engagement. The school has close ties with the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, and many NFTS graduates teach at the Met Film School. Accreditation comes from the highly respected University of West London, which is also based in Ealing. In addition to this, the accredited programmes have the Creative Skillset tick and the Met Film School is one of a select number of schools in the UK to boast full membership of the International Association of Film and Television Schools (Centre International de Liaison des Ecoles de Cinéma et de Télévision – CILECT).