The academic institute has collaborated with Garage Studio and partners in the emirate to ensure a well-rounded start to the curriculum.
Raindance Film School Dubai, born out of the internationally acclaimed Raindance Film Festival, established in the UK for more than 30 years, will introduce a new Virtual Production (VP) course this September. The Dubai campus has been operational for the last three years and is one of three international campuses, the other two being in the UK and Mexico.
Situated in Jumeirah, one of the posh areas of Dubai, the academic institution has two studio spaces, a large post-production suite and several classroom spaces. It has 28 students across its two years of study and its most popular courses are HND in Filmmaking and HND in Acting.
“These are robust and intensive one-to two-year courses that take a student from script to screen. We also offer a wide range of short courses covering all key areas of filmmaking and acting. Our equipment is varied so students can get a chance to learn across differing brands and technologies. It ranges from cameras, lights, sound equipment, grip equipment and an assortment of filmmaking accessories. Editing facilities and relevant software are also available,” says Andrew Smith, School Manager, Raindance Film School.
The newest addition to the school will be the Virtual Production course.
“Virtual production has become a major player these days on account of not only the practicality and creative flexibility, but also sustainability with regard to budgets and environmental considerations,” explains Smith. “The course will be part of the Filmmaking HND course which runs over two years. At the end of the course, the student will have a strong foundation in traditional filmmaking and how those techniques are used to develop visual storytelling for a virtual production. They will learn how to marry the old with the new and get a comprehensive understanding, along with practical experience, of the virtual production process. Through our collaborations and partnerships in the virtual production space, graduating students in this field will broaden their horizons both for internships and employment.”
The school also held a workshop recently with Behind the Stage, Garage Studio and Sentient by Elysian under the guidance of renowned director Siraj Jhaveri. It aimed to provide students with a comprehensive and immersive learning experience in virtual production.
The two-day intensive course was designed to educate participants on the effective utilisation of virtual production technology within the film production pipeline. The curriculum was divided into two distinct sections to ensure a thorough understanding of both theoretical concepts and practical applications.
“Virtual production is a game-changer in the world of filmmaking, offering unprecedented creative possibilities and efficiency. By bringing together industry professionals, aspiring filmmakers and actors, this workshop aimed to bridge the knowledge gap and empower the next generation of storytellers. I am thrilled to see the incredible results achieved by the students and look forward to seeing how they will push the boundaries of filmmaking in the future,” says Jhaveri.
Bartosz Jankowski from Behind the Stage and Sentient by Elysian adds: “Our intention is to educate current and future creators, because we notice a gap in creative processes that needs to be filled. As a research & development company, we want to take part in the democratisation of virtual production and create greater technological awareness within new media production.”
The culmination of this collaboration was a thought-provoking short film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, set in a post-apocalyptic world. The film showcased students’ newly acquired virtual production skills and the technology’s potential to bring creative visions to life.
“Through our collaborations and partnerships in the virtual production space, graduating students in this field will broaden their horizons both for internships and employment”- Andrew Smith, School Manager, Raindance Film School
The school is well kitted out with both the traditional tools of filmmaking and the new, including greenscreen technology, the construction and use of miniatures, Unreal Engine powered by ASUS ProArt workstations and monitors, and outside studio virtual production LED screens, claims Smith.
According to Smith, there is a significant “gap in the market in terms of education within this space and the technologies that make it possible … Raindance Dubai wants to be at the forefront of these technological developments in order to give our students a broader education within their film practice and make them more employable within the evolving technological cinematic and broadcast landscape.”
Dubai distributor Advanced Media has also supported these efforts by delivering workshops at the school and offering significant technical support and access to resources. “We have already discussed the upcoming course, and AM are happy to help where and however they can as the course is rolled out,” explains Smith.
Elaborating on the course itself, he explains that the main technical areas within virtual production remain the same in terms of “how we approach mise en scene, what we are putting into the frame in terms of production design, how we are lighting the frame and how we are composing the frame and then tying it all together with the background.”
“It’s important to consider all planes within the frame and how they interact with one another. These ideas need to be understood by the students from both a theoretical and practical hands-on approach. In terms of new technology, we need to consider the LED screens and Unreal Engine, which the students will also be introduced to during the course. The school’s recent partnership with ASUS will be instrumental in delivering the VFX elements of the course, including the use of UE, After Effects, Maya and Blender, among other relevant software packages.”
The school also ensures that students have good work experience opportunities with virtual production, as part of their professional development within the course curriculum.
“Past initiatives have included real-world experience for the students including Expo, Exposure, Motion Gate, Arts DAO Fest, Film in the Desert and assorted trade fares. These opportunities not only give students real-world experience but also encourage them to network among industry professionals and create future opportunities in the workplace.” Candidates over 18 with a high school education can apply for the course. The school also periodically invites speakers to host both physical and virtual classes. Smith adds that the course will evolve with market trends: “However, the most important thing for our students is to keep developing their skills as storytellers. The technology is secondary.”
