Behind the Scenes, a leading Dubai-based production house, has successfully hosted a workshop detailing the audio aspects of cinematography with the support of Sennheiser Middle East. The free to attend five-day event, which received the patronage of partner organizers Dubai Studio City, Dubai Culture, DIFF and technology sponsor VITEC. The training took place in the first week of April and featured in-depth presentations and demonstrations of the latest audio solutions as well as intensive hands-on sessions that covered everything from basic principles of microphones, good practices for recording and all the way up to working with your recorded sounds in post-production.

The workshop is one of twenty four that Behind the Scenes will host in Dubai through 2017. Commenting on the series of events, the company’s Managing Director Mr. Mohammad Salam said, “In recent years, the UAE’s production industry has seen exponential growth as the country has become a sought-after filming destination for blockbuster productions. This presents exciting new opportunities for filmmakers in the region and Behind the Scenes is committed to cultivating local talent. The collaboration and support of brands such as Sennheiser helps us deliver world-class knowledge and bring attendees up-to-speed with the very latest technologies and standards in the market.”

The workshop was conducted by John McGregor, Business Development Manager (BDM) at Sennheiser Middle East who focuses extensively on trainings for the brand and previously served a five-year tenure as a lecturer at the SAE Institute in Dubai, one of the world’s leading educator in creative media industries. Over the course of the first three days, he presented detailed overviews on Sennheiser’s latest audio solutions including the Digital 9000, AVX, EK 6042, MKH 8000 shotgun microphones, Esfera Surround Sound microphone and the new MKE 2 Elements microphone for GoPro Hero 4. These informed attendees about the latest advancements in the field and will aid them in making informed decisions when investing in production equipment.

The workshop’s practical sessions covered everything from how to choose the correct microphone for a specific requirement, how to work with wireless microphones and set them up and how to work with your recorded sounds in post-production. In the spirit of sharing unique insights from years of experience, Simon Charles of Carbide Sound & Anas Al Said Yahya of Digital Sound, who both attended the event, shared their extensive knowledge of location sound recording with attendees during these practical sessions.

Among the attendees were Sivaprasad Nandakumar, Assistant Professor, School of Media & Communication at Manipal University, and 8 of his students. He said, “The workshop was expertly conducted and helped provide an accurate overview of the current trends in the audio industry. Without understating the importance of classroom knowledge, there is a lot to gain from on-the-job experience and this workshop helped condense an impressive volume of information into practical easy to follow sessions.”

“While the products highlighted were from Sennheiser, John made it a point to describe them in a neutral manner, focusing instead on the features we should look out for when evaluating an audio solution. The cost of professional production equipment can be quite daunting so making the right choices is often critical and I believe my students and I are now better prepared,” he added.

Through the rest of 2017, Behind the Scenes will host workshops that dive into all aspects of cinematography including lighting, screenwriting, lenses, photography and make-up. “Our goal is to raise the standard of the industry as a whole so we are better prepared to capitalise on the opportunities made possible through the support and patronage of the government of the UAE,” said Mohammad Salam.

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