Doha: The Doha Film Institute (DFI) announced accepting applications for the “First Cut Lab,” an expert mentorship for films in post-production.
The deadline of application is May 14 and the online event will start on June 6 to 18. The fee for feature projects is QR800, for short film projects is QR400. If the filmmaker is a Qatar Museums Culture Pass member, he can avail a 10 per cent discount.
Among the mentors include Matthieu Darras who is the Lab Advisor; Benjamin Mirguet and Sebastian Sepúlveda, both Editor Mentor.
This special online “First Cut Lab” is designed to assist three feature films (fiction/documentary) from Qatar or the Mena region and one short film from Qatar in the editing phase. The main goal is to foster the artistic potential of the selected rough cuts and, at the same time, to increase the sales, festival, and circulation potential of the completed films.
Selected producer/director/editor teams will screen their full rough cut and be given expert feedback on their edit from three international film advisors (creative producers, festival programmers, sales agents, etc.) as well as tailor-made advice from a consultant editor. Participants will discuss their materials and receive productive inputs both in one-to-one meetings and in small groups via video-conferencing platforms.
The lab consists of a one-day (for shorts) or two-day (for features) workshop tailored individually to each project, preceded by a brief preparatory meeting. At the end of the lab, creative teams are provided with a written memo report, that serves as guidance to further work on the edit and post-production of their films. Participants will be selected based on the strength of their films, vision and approach, as well as their previous work.
Matthieu Darras designs and leads several programs of film/talent development and consultancy that are active worldwide: the First Cut Lab, the Pop Up Film Residency, and the Full Circle Lab. Previously, he founded and directed the European Network of Young Cinema NISI MASA, wrote for the film magazine Positif, and was the artistic director of the TorinoFilmLab.
Benjamin Mirguet is an editor, trainer, director, festival programmer. And Sebastian Sepúlveda was involved in editing several films in the 2000s (‘La Leon’ and ‘Young and Wild’).
Sepúlveda’s directorial debut was ‘The Quispe Girls’ (2013), produced by Juan de Dios and Pablo Larraín. Sepúlveda was nominated to the Spirits Awards in 2017 for the editing of ‘Jackie’, and is currently working on the editing of Pablo Larrain’s new film, ‘Ema’. First Cut Lab was created in 2015 and is a consultancy programme initiated by Tatino Films that benefits feature films in the editing phase.
Ninety films from all over the world have participated in First Cut Lab so far. Workshops are organised in cooperation with film agencies and/or film festivals.
