• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • TV/Radio Deals
  • Film partnerships
  • New appointments
  • Production
  • TV Channels
In conversation with award-winning Egyptian director Marwan Hamed

In conversation with award-winning Egyptian director Marwan Hamed

January 10, 2021
Blue Canyon wins largest constellation order to date

Blue Canyon wins largest constellation order to date

August 10, 2022
JW Player appoints David LaPalomento as Chief Technology Officer

JW Player to introduce end-to-end broadcaster solution at IBC

August 10, 2022
Setting the stage terminology in virtual production – Part 3

Setting the stage terminology in virtual production – Part 3

August 10, 2022
D-Orbit signs multi-year contract with Astrocast

D-Orbit signs multi-year contract with Astrocast

August 10, 2022
Red Sea International Film Festival opens film submissions for second edition

Red Sea Fund opens submissions for fourth cycle

August 10, 2022
Netflix to release dramedy starring Palestinian comedian Mo Amer

Netflix to release dramedy starring Palestinian comedian Mo Amer

August 10, 2022
OTTera expands into Africa with new hire

OTTera expands into Africa with new hire

August 10, 2022
Amazon Prime Video increases investment for customers in Nigeria

Amazon Prime Video increases investment for customers in Nigeria

August 9, 2022
Fatafeat announces cooking competition Star Chef in Middle East

Fatafeat announces cooking competition Star Chef in Middle East

August 9, 2022
Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth gears up for ninth edition

Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth gears up for ninth edition

August 9, 2022
TVF International signs content sales deals with broadcasters in MENA

TVF International signs content sales deals with broadcasters in MENA

August 9, 2022
Northrop teams up with Firefly Aerospace to upgrade Antares rocket

Northrop teams up with Firefly Aerospace to upgrade Antares rocket

August 9, 2022
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Magazine Archive
  • Directory
  • Contact
Wednesday, August 10, 2022
BroadcastPro ME
  • News
    • All
    • Cinema Theatres
    • Esports
    • Podcasting
    • TV/Radio Deals
    • Film partnerships
    • New appointments
    • Production
    • Mergers/Acquisitions
    • Satellite/Comms
    • AV
    • OTT/Video Streaming
    • International News
    • Analyst Reports
    • Satellite/Broadcasting
    Blue Canyon wins largest constellation order to date

    Blue Canyon wins largest constellation order to date

    D-Orbit signs multi-year contract with Astrocast

    D-Orbit signs multi-year contract with Astrocast

    Red Sea International Film Festival opens film submissions for second edition

    Red Sea Fund opens submissions for fourth cycle

    Netflix to release dramedy starring Palestinian comedian Mo Amer

    Netflix to release dramedy starring Palestinian comedian Mo Amer

    OTTera expands into Africa with new hire

    OTTera expands into Africa with new hire

    Amazon Prime Video increases investment for customers in Nigeria

    Amazon Prime Video increases investment for customers in Nigeria

    Fatafeat announces cooking competition Star Chef in Middle East

    Fatafeat announces cooking competition Star Chef in Middle East

    Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth gears up for ninth edition

    Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth gears up for ninth edition

    TVF International signs content sales deals with broadcasters in MENA

    TVF International signs content sales deals with broadcasters in MENA

    Northrop teams up with Firefly Aerospace to upgrade Antares rocket

    Northrop teams up with Firefly Aerospace to upgrade Antares rocket

    Trending Tags

    • broadcast
    • MENA broadcast
    • ConnecTech2019
  • Tech Features
    • All
    • CASE STUDIES
    • Virtual Production Series
    • REVIEWS
    • TV/Radio Deals
    • New Media
    Setting the stage terminology in virtual production – Part 3

    Setting the stage terminology in virtual production – Part 3

    Virtual vernacular: Terminology in virtual production – Part 2

    Virtual vernacular: Terminology in virtual production – Part 2

    The future of subtitling and captioning

    The future of subtitling and captioning

    Redefining cloud for broadcast

    Redefining cloud for broadcast

    beIN Media Group welcomes students as part of French media company initiative

    beIN Media Group welcomes students as part of French media company initiative

    Virtual production: A field guide to the future of filmmaking

    Virtual production: A field guide to the future of filmmaking

    Why converged media consumption requires a converged security solution

    Why converged media consumption requires a converged security solution

    Unlocking the 5G opportunity in video services

    Unlocking the 5G opportunity in video services

    Exploring the power of AI

    Exploring the power of AI

    Disaster recovery in the cloud

    Disaster recovery in the cloud

    Trending Tags

    • Videos
      Protecting your content – Devising a multi-pronged strategy

      Protecting your content – Devising a multi-pronged strategy

      Gearing up for a FAST audience

      Gearing up for a FAST audience

      Planning Your Hybrid Cloud Playout Journey

      Planning Your Hybrid Cloud Playout Journey

      Qvest on “The cutting edge of Cloud Editing”

      Qvest on “The cutting edge of Cloud Editing”

      Said Bacho on Editshare’s Middle East plans

      Said Bacho on Editshare’s Middle East plans

      Rami Moussawi, Product Manager at ST Engineering iDirect speaks about SKYFlow

      Rami Moussawi, Product Manager at ST Engineering iDirect speaks about SKYFlow

      ASBU BroadcastPro ME Awards Footage

      ASBU BroadcastPro ME Awards Footage

      CEO Panel – Thriving in the New World Order

      CEO Panel – Thriving in the New World Order

      Taking streaming to the next level

      Taking streaming to the next level

    • Opinion
      New normal inspires fresh storylines and alternative filming strategies

      The indie cinema experience in Dubai

      What we can learn from Korean dramas

      What we can learn from Korean dramas

      Optimising video players for live sports

      Optimising video players for live sports

      New normal inspires fresh storylines and alternative filming strategies

      Identifying good stories and investing in content is the need of the hour

      Edging closer to 5G content delivery in the cloud

      Edging closer to 5G content delivery in the cloud

      New normal inspires fresh storylines and alternative filming strategies

      Sports brings more subs to platforms

      How to stand out in a content-saturated market

      How to stand out in a content-saturated market

      New normal inspires fresh storylines and alternative filming strategies

      Saudi Arabia’s makeover

      Responding to content consumption trends and monetising demand

      Responding to content consumption trends and monetising demand

      A new wave of Saudi filmmakers

      A new wave of Saudi filmmakers

    • Interviews
      • All
      • Lounge
      Capturing the immigrant’s journey

      Capturing the immigrant’s journey

      Akhbar Al Aan on launch of 3eesh Al Aan Café

      Akhbar Al Aan on launch of 3eesh Al Aan Café

      Staying on schedule

      Staying on schedule

      Great expectations at CABSAT 2021

      Setting the stage for CABSAT 2022

      Taking the OTT bull by its horns

      Taking the OTT bull by its horns

      The path to digital transformation

      The path to digital transformation

      The show must go on

      The show must go on

      BeIN at the top of its game

      BeIN at the top of its game

      Giving us the full Viu

      Giving us the full Viu

      Picture Perfect

      Picture Perfect

    • Products
    • Magazine Archive
      • BroadcastPro ME Magazine
      • PRO Directory
    • Events
      • Upcoming Events
      • News from Events
      IBC 2022

      IBC 2022

      BroadcastPro Tech Summit 2022

      BroadcastPro Tech Summit 2022

      BroadcastAsia 2022

      BroadcastAsia 2022

      CABSAT 2022

      CABSAT 2022

      NABSHOW 2022

      NABSHOW 2022

    No Result
    View All Result
    BroadcastPro ME
    • News
      • All
      • Cinema Theatres
      • Esports
      • Podcasting
      • TV/Radio Deals
      • Film partnerships
      • New appointments
      • Production
      • Mergers/Acquisitions
      • Satellite/Comms
      • AV
      • OTT/Video Streaming
      • International News
      • Analyst Reports
      • Satellite/Broadcasting
      Blue Canyon wins largest constellation order to date

      Blue Canyon wins largest constellation order to date

      D-Orbit signs multi-year contract with Astrocast

      D-Orbit signs multi-year contract with Astrocast

      Red Sea International Film Festival opens film submissions for second edition

      Red Sea Fund opens submissions for fourth cycle

      Netflix to release dramedy starring Palestinian comedian Mo Amer

      Netflix to release dramedy starring Palestinian comedian Mo Amer

      OTTera expands into Africa with new hire

      OTTera expands into Africa with new hire

      Amazon Prime Video increases investment for customers in Nigeria

      Amazon Prime Video increases investment for customers in Nigeria

      Fatafeat announces cooking competition Star Chef in Middle East

      Fatafeat announces cooking competition Star Chef in Middle East

      Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth gears up for ninth edition

      Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth gears up for ninth edition

      TVF International signs content sales deals with broadcasters in MENA

      TVF International signs content sales deals with broadcasters in MENA

      Northrop teams up with Firefly Aerospace to upgrade Antares rocket

      Northrop teams up with Firefly Aerospace to upgrade Antares rocket

      Trending Tags

      • broadcast
      • MENA broadcast
      • ConnecTech2019
    • Tech Features
      • All
      • CASE STUDIES
      • Virtual Production Series
      • REVIEWS
      • TV/Radio Deals
      • New Media
      Setting the stage terminology in virtual production – Part 3

      Setting the stage terminology in virtual production – Part 3

      Virtual vernacular: Terminology in virtual production – Part 2

      Virtual vernacular: Terminology in virtual production – Part 2

      The future of subtitling and captioning

      The future of subtitling and captioning

      Redefining cloud for broadcast

      Redefining cloud for broadcast

      beIN Media Group welcomes students as part of French media company initiative

      beIN Media Group welcomes students as part of French media company initiative

      Virtual production: A field guide to the future of filmmaking

      Virtual production: A field guide to the future of filmmaking

      Why converged media consumption requires a converged security solution

      Why converged media consumption requires a converged security solution

      Unlocking the 5G opportunity in video services

      Unlocking the 5G opportunity in video services

      Exploring the power of AI

      Exploring the power of AI

      Disaster recovery in the cloud

      Disaster recovery in the cloud

      Trending Tags

      • Videos
        Protecting your content – Devising a multi-pronged strategy

        Protecting your content – Devising a multi-pronged strategy

        Gearing up for a FAST audience

        Gearing up for a FAST audience

        Planning Your Hybrid Cloud Playout Journey

        Planning Your Hybrid Cloud Playout Journey

        Qvest on “The cutting edge of Cloud Editing”

        Qvest on “The cutting edge of Cloud Editing”

        Said Bacho on Editshare’s Middle East plans

        Said Bacho on Editshare’s Middle East plans

        Rami Moussawi, Product Manager at ST Engineering iDirect speaks about SKYFlow

        Rami Moussawi, Product Manager at ST Engineering iDirect speaks about SKYFlow

        ASBU BroadcastPro ME Awards Footage

        ASBU BroadcastPro ME Awards Footage

        CEO Panel – Thriving in the New World Order

        CEO Panel – Thriving in the New World Order

        Taking streaming to the next level

        Taking streaming to the next level

      • Opinion
        New normal inspires fresh storylines and alternative filming strategies

        The indie cinema experience in Dubai

        What we can learn from Korean dramas

        What we can learn from Korean dramas

        Optimising video players for live sports

        Optimising video players for live sports

        New normal inspires fresh storylines and alternative filming strategies

        Identifying good stories and investing in content is the need of the hour

        Edging closer to 5G content delivery in the cloud

        Edging closer to 5G content delivery in the cloud

        New normal inspires fresh storylines and alternative filming strategies

        Sports brings more subs to platforms

        How to stand out in a content-saturated market

        How to stand out in a content-saturated market

        New normal inspires fresh storylines and alternative filming strategies

        Saudi Arabia’s makeover

        Responding to content consumption trends and monetising demand

        Responding to content consumption trends and monetising demand

        A new wave of Saudi filmmakers

        A new wave of Saudi filmmakers

      • Interviews
        • All
        • Lounge
        Capturing the immigrant’s journey

        Capturing the immigrant’s journey

        Akhbar Al Aan on launch of 3eesh Al Aan Café

        Akhbar Al Aan on launch of 3eesh Al Aan Café

        Staying on schedule

        Staying on schedule

        Great expectations at CABSAT 2021

        Setting the stage for CABSAT 2022

        Taking the OTT bull by its horns

        Taking the OTT bull by its horns

        The path to digital transformation

        The path to digital transformation

        The show must go on

        The show must go on

        BeIN at the top of its game

        BeIN at the top of its game

        Giving us the full Viu

        Giving us the full Viu

        Picture Perfect

        Picture Perfect

      • Products
      • Magazine Archive
        • BroadcastPro ME Magazine
        • PRO Directory
      • Events
        • Upcoming Events
        • News from Events
        IBC 2022

        IBC 2022

        BroadcastPro Tech Summit 2022

        BroadcastPro Tech Summit 2022

        BroadcastAsia 2022

        BroadcastAsia 2022

        CABSAT 2022

        CABSAT 2022

        NABSHOW 2022

        NABSHOW 2022

      No Result
      View All Result
      BroadcastPro ME
      No Result
      View All Result
      Home Case Studies Production Features

      In conversation with award-winning Egyptian director Marwan Hamed

      Shifa Naseer by Shifa Naseer
      January 10, 2021
      in Production Features, Case Studies
      In conversation with award-winning Egyptian director Marwan Hamed
      ShareTweetPostEmail

      A new wave of filmmakers has emerged in the Arab world over the last decade or so, few of them with more critical acclaim and financial success than Marwan Hamed. The award-winning Egyptian talks to Shifa Naseer about being a modern-day director, the rise of the horror genre, and his upcoming film 'Kira & El-Gin'.

      To outsiders, it seems obvious that Marwan Hamed, born into a media family, would choose to work in the same field. His father, Wahid Hamed, was a prominent producer and scriptwriter for Egyptian cinema, and his mother, Zeinab Sweidan, a well-known journalist. Despite being exposed to filmmaking from an early age, however, the path was neither obvious nor easy for Hamed.

      “Back in the ‘90s, it wasn’t common to enter the film industry. It was a high-risk business then, and it still is. It is not an easy profession. But I thought I would be lucky to have my hobby as my profession, and if not this, I would not be successful in anything else,” he says.

      After graduating from the Higher Institute of Cinema in 1999, Hamed began his career as an assistant director on Souq Al Motaa (1999). The film revolves around Ahmed, who works in a printing press and decides to travel to earn a living.

      What sets Hamed apart from his peers is his experimental bravery, especially with literary adaptations. The first feature film he directed was The Yacoubian Building, based on the Alaa Al Aswany novel, in 2006. It is reported to have been the most expensive Egyptian film ever made, and generated over $4m around the world, screening at the Berlin International Film Festival, the Cannes Film Festival and the Marrakech International Film Festival.

      Today, Hamed is an established filmmaker in Egypt, with a number of award-winning projects to his name. His most recent film, Blue Elephant: Dark Whispers (2019), is a sequel to his 2015 thriller The Blue Elephant, a box-office hit that grossed more than EGP 102m ($6.4m) in the Arab world.

      A still from The Blue Elephant.

      The film is based on a 2012 novel by Egyptian writer Ahmed Mourad. It tells the story of Dr Yehia, a psychotherapist at Al Abbasia Hospital who treats the criminally insane, and whose best friend becomes a patient. Trying to help him, Yehia unravels mysteries he never thought existed.

      “It was a great hit, and the plot of the horror/thriller novel was not very common at the time in Egyptian cinema. We decided to adapt this novel into a film in 2014, but there was uncertainty over how the audience would receive the film, since the horror genre wasn’t that popular with the masses at the time. To our surprise, it was a huge hit.

      “The success encouraged us to make The Blue Elephant 2. The sequel was a challenge, as we had to live up to the expectations of the audience who had grown quite attached to the film.”

      The sequel continues the story of Dr Yehia, who meets with a new inmate in the psychiatric hospital. This time, his life is turned upside down after the inmate predicts that the death of his entire family is only three days away.

      “The sequel also proved to be a hit. If you add one and two, the series was successful not only in Egypt but also the entire Arab region,” says Hamed. The budget of the film was around $4m.

      Hamed used an ARRI Alexa camera for The Blue Elephant: Dark Whispers, while for The Blue Elephant, he used both Red EPIC and ARRI Alexa. Visual effects for The Blue Elephant were created by BUF, a French visual effects and animation giant.

      The Blue Elephant won nine awards at the 41st Egyptian Film Association Festival, with Hamed bagging Best Director and Best Film awards. At the 2015 Luxor African Film Festival (LAFF), the film was awarded the Grand Nile Prize for the Best Long Narrative Film. The same year, it received the Special Jury Award at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF).

      Hamed is currently shooting Kira and El Gen in Egypt, though filming has been paused due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The release date has yet to be announced.

      Hamed says: “I’m not going to talk much about this film, since we are yet to complete it. It is based on a famous novel called 1919, written by Ahmed Mourad, and revolves around the 1919 revolution in Egypt. Around 30% of the film will be in English, because the film is about a revolution that happened a hundred years ago in British-occupied Egypt.”

      Behind-the-scenes with The Blue Elephant.

      He has a big production team, Hamed reveals. “It really depends on which scene we are shooting. For instance, some scenes require a lot of extras on set so it could extend to a thousand on one day. On other days, it could be limited to less than a hundred. It keeps on changing.”

      Hamed is known for his successful adaptions of sophisticated literary works. Asked what genre of film he most enjoys making, he remarks: “Whatever takes me out of my comfort zone; anything that puts me in a position where I can discover something new and experimental is where I like to work.”

      Hamed graduated from the Higher Institute of Cinema in 1999, making six short films while studying. To afford this, he worked part-time.

      “Making short films needed a certain amount of money and as a student, you don’t have that. I used to study in the morning and work as an assistant director in my free time to make money. One of the most important things we got to do there was a chance to make a film. That’s not something you get to do unless you are in a film school, especially in the ’90s when films were mostly 35mm.”

      With multinational companies expanding in the Middle East and the advertising industry changing, Hamed gained a lot of work experience. “Advertising started booming and marketing changed. To shoot commercials, the multinational companies brought directors from all over the world to Egypt. In the late ‘90s and early 2000s, a lot of filming, especially TV commercials, took place. We were introduced to a lot of foreign crews that came to shoot in the country. My ability to converse in English helped.”

      In those days, processing 35mm footage was expensive. “There was no digital then. The video did not have the quality digital format has now. So it was a privilege to be able to work and finish a cinema project.”

      The most difficult part of filmmaking, according to Hamed, is figuring out if something you find interesting will be interesting enough for the viewer as well. “The important thing is, whatever I pick up – a subject or topic or film – can it reach an audience or not? I always try to make something interesting for the audiences.”

      Hamed usually works with the same team, feeling that having familiar people around makes filmmaking more convenient and efficient.

      “It is not easy to find a creative team you can work with multiple times. It is very rare that you have a team where everyone understands each other and has the same vision. I have had the same costume designer for all my films, and I think she adds value to all my works. I’ve been working with the same writer for the past six films. I have worked with only three or four art directors and, throughout my career, with only two directors of photography.”

      However, he and his team are conscious of the fact that they could fall into the trap of being repetitive. “Each of us, individually, wants to produce something that is different and unique.”

      A still from The Blue Elephant.

      As production style has changed over the years, distribution has evolved with it. With the rise of OTT platforms like Netflix and Shahid, the audience has also become more aware of the films being produced, Hamed notes. “There is a demand for Egyptian cinema and people like watching Egyptian films, regardless of what is being shown. But with all the OTT platforms, audiences are also aware of international cinema and the quality of work there. With this, they also understand if it’s a fresh idea or not.”

      The future of the cinema business, not just in Egypt but across the world, is grim now. “With Covid-19, theatres and the cinema industry have been hit, but the television industry and OTT platforms thrived. Our business depends on making people step out of their homes to spend two hours of their time in theatres, buying not-so-cheap tickets. So, we have to make sure that when people come to theatres, they really have an enjoyable and memorable experience,” says Hamed.

      He thinks the younger generation is more difficult to please. “There is demand for Egyptian cinema, but are we appealing enough to the younger audiences? They have a lot of choices now. I think Egyptian cinema is trying to stay young and constantly trying to appeal to the young audience.”

      Hamed does not focus on making local or global films; it is the process of filmmaking that is important to him. “In every film, there must be some sort of experimentation, because we don’t know what is going to work or not going to. So I don’t think about whether the audience is Egyptian or Arab or international, or whether a film makes it globally or not.”

      Hamed believes he has a duty to raise awareness through his films. “I think cinema is the real medium of expression that can help break stereotypes. But, of course, you have a responsibility towards your society – to raise awareness about issues that are seldom spoken of. For instance, sexual harassment is something that is being discussed now in a powerful way.”

      On the government not doing enough for independent filmmakers, Hamed notes that independent cinema needs to be free from state control.

      “I think independent cinema in Egypt has been very successful. These films managed to get funds from film festivals, and from local independent Egyptian and Arab producers. Independent filmmakers should be able to discuss unconventional topics. If you are dependent on the government, it puts filmmakers in a box,” he says, referring to Egypt’s censorship laws.

      Hamed has successfully carved out a space for himself in Egyptian cinema. In over 20 years, he has made short films, feature films and ads, and in 2007 he co-founded production house Lighthouse Films.

      Filmmaking is his source of income, and he manages to secure funding from local Egyptian producers. “That is why it is important for me that the film reaches an audience, because it is a way for me to secure funding for the next film.”

      His advice to aspiring filmmakers: persevere.

      “We are in an era where anyone can shoot films on phones, upload them on YouTube and get an audience. The legendary filmmakers, actors and producers did not always think they were making great films, but they didn’t stop. They just continued to make films – because the excitement of not knowing how people are going to react to your film is part of this business.”

       

      Tags: featuredpostThe Blue ElephantMarwan Hamedfilm festivalsEgyptian filmmaking

      Related Posts

      Egyptian film ‘Kira wal Gin’ records $0.77m in four days

      ‘Kira wal Gin’ among top 10 highest earning Egyptian films

      July 18, 2022
      Egyptian film ‘Kira wal Gin’ records $0.77m in four days

      Egyptian film ‘Kira wal Gin’ records $0.77m in four days

      July 6, 2022
      From Defeatism to Victory: A Sea Change in Egyptian Cinema

      From Defeatism to Victory: A Sea Change in Egyptian Cinema

      November 14, 2019
      Egyptian film The Blue Elephant rewrites box-office rules

      Egyptian film The Blue Elephant rewrites box-office rules

      October 7, 2014

      Related News

      ‘Kira wal Gin’ among top 10 highest earning Egyptian films

      ‘Kira wal Gin’ among top 10 highest earning Egyptian films

      July 18, 2022
      Egyptian film ‘Kira wal Gin’ records $0.77m in four days

      Egyptian film ‘Kira wal Gin’ records $0.77m in four days

      July 6, 2022
      From Defeatism to Victory: A Sea Change in Egyptian Cinema

      From Defeatism to Victory: A Sea Change in Egyptian Cinema

      November 14, 2019
      Egyptian film The Blue Elephant rewrites box-office rules

      Egyptian film The Blue Elephant rewrites box-office rules

      October 7, 2014
      More Related News

      Popular Stories

      • Shahid nearly doubles telecom ties in one year

        Shahid nearly doubles telecom ties in one year

        699 shares
        Share 280 Tweet 175
      • SES and Axess Networks sign multi-million agreement

        679 shares
        Share 272 Tweet 170
      • The indie cinema experience in Dubai

        661 shares
        Share 264 Tweet 165
      • MBRSC opens registration for SpaceOps 2023

        641 shares
        Share 256 Tweet 160
      • Digital Nirvana introduces Trance 4.0

        614 shares
        Share 246 Tweet 154

      BroadcastPro ME

      • About
      • Advertise
      • Subscribe
      • Magazine Archive
      • Directory
      • Contact
      • Privacy

      Follow us on Social Media

      No Result
      View All Result
      • News
      • Tech Features
      • Videos
      • Opinion
      • Interviews
      • Products
      • Magazine Archive
        • BroadcastPro ME Magazine
        • PRO Directory
      • Events

      Login to your account below

      Forgotten Password?

      Fill the forms bellow to register

      All fields are required. Log In

      Retrieve your password

      Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

      Log In
      Social Media Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com