The internships are part of a comprehensive programme of initiatives that the Abu Dhabi entity has established to develop talent in the media industry.
Twofour54 Abu Dhabi’s media hub is sending two Emirati media talents to Los Angeles for an internship with Joe Lewis Company (JLC), an event production company. The placement is due to take place in February and March. A panel of experts from twofour54 and JLC selected Mohammed Al Blooshi and Omar Muflahi, the first candidates from the Middle East to take part in the JLC internship programme, after evaluating the qualified applications.
Al Blooshi and Muflahi will take part in the six-week scheme, during which they will play a vital role in some of JLC’s projects through networking with industry professionals and working on a multitude of events. As the programme progresses, the two interns will also assume roles as production assistants, supporting the production team in some of the industry’s events.
Al Blooshi is an aspiring filmmaker and director who has worked on numerous short films for She Films Middle East and Image Nation Abu Dhabi, as well as the 2018 Arab Film Studio Best Script winner Ice Cream, and Asli. Commenting on the selection, Al Blooshi said: “Working in Los Angeles and the realms of Hollywood has always been a dream of mine and being able to achieve this at the age of 21 is incredible. An internship with JLC is huge, and I think it will be a gateway to bigger and better things. Programmes such as these are essential for UAE youth, and the Middle East as a whole, so it is wonderful for twofour54 and JLC to give us such an opportunity.”
Muflahi has interned in several international productions shot in Abu Dhabi, including Furious 7, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and War Machine. On securing the internship, Muflahi said: “I am looking forward to gaining a wider understanding of events of the scale of those handled by JLC. Working on twofour54’s creative lab projects has already given me an edge in my career, and I am sure I am going to learn even more from JLC.”
Commenting on the programme, HE Maryam Eid AlMheiri, Vice-Chair of twofour54, said: “Congratulations to these two young Emiratis who demonstrate a true passion for media. They will be representing our industry on the international stage, bringing back fresh perspectives and creative ideas. By expanding twofour54’s internship offering overseas and enabling the next generation to learn from one of the top names in the industry, we are helping to kick-start their journey towards becoming future UAE media leaders.”
