Doha Film Institute
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First Cut Lab 2025 (Online)
PERIOD25 Jun 2025 - 24 Jul 2025
LANGUAGEEnglish
LAB FEE800 QAR (feature projects), 400 QAR (short film projects)
MODEOnline
GROUP SIZEA creative team of 2 or 3 participants per film (director, producer, and editor)
LEVELAdvanced
Our online ‘First Cut Lab’ is designed to assist four 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. An editor mentor and industry advisors are assigned based on the needs of each selected project. Participants will discuss their materials and receive productive input 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. Following this, project teams can submit a new cut to their editing mentor within 1-2 months and receive a 2-hour follow-up consultation on the new cut. At the end of the lab, creative teams are provided with a written memo report that serves as guidance to further work on the editing 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.

Lab Programme

Programme Details

Dates:

Project 1: 25 – 26 June 2025
Project 2: 2 – 3 July 2025
Project 3: 9 – 10 July 2025
Project 4: 23 – 24 July 2025

Sample Workshop Schedule – Feature Films (start times may vary depending on project and mentor time zones):
First day:
15:00 – 16:30 / Individual feedback given by each of the three advisors
16:30 – 18:30 / Collective discussion moderated by the head of the lab

Second day:
15:00 – 17:00 / Working session with editor consultant, part 1
break
18:00 – 21:00 / Working session with editor consultant, part 2

Sample Workshop Schedule – Short Film(start times may vary depending on project and mentor time zones):
14:00-16:30 / Individual feedbacks and collective discussion moderated by the head of the lab
17:00 – 20:00 / Working Session with editor consultant

First Cut Lab 2025 (Online)
Applications are Now Closed.
First Cut Lab 2025 (Online)
Key Information

Mentors