Media Development Center concludes video editing training course

The Media Development Center at Birzeit University concluded a training course entitled “Video Editing,” which was held in cooperation with the Palestine Technical University – Kadoori, Al Arroub Branch.

The thirty-hour training course, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), was led by Trainer, Montage Specialist, and Cinema Production Instructor at Dar Al-Kalima University College of Arts and Culture Saed Andoni. The course was attended by beginner and intermediate directors, professional photographers, TV reporters, and documentary filmmaking experts.

The course, which was held over a period of four days, covered topics such as the development history of cinematic language and the effects of montage, the effects of Russian cinema on the development of montage, and documentary montage methodologies. Participants were introduced to the techniques of TV and cinema montage by applying those techniques on their own projects.

The training saw participants – who totaled 11 in number and came from Hebron and Bethlehem – working on their own projects and ideas, and applying the skills learned in the course to topics and designs that personally relate to them.

“This is an important course for those interested in developing their cognitive skills in montage,” said Andoni, “the course deals with montage as more of a cognitive skill than a technical one, where it focuses on the central question: Why do we go about montage in one way rather than the other? We do not focus on the technical skills of montage.”

“The course is an answer to the question of why in montage, a question that opens the doors to the true knowledge in cinematic and TV storytelling. It is in such a fashion that montage is put to use in serving to progress the plot and create feelings and thoughts in the audience,” added Andoni.

Director of the Media Development Center Nibal Thawabteh noted that the course comes as part of the growing relationship between the Center and the Palestine Technical University, “This is not the first course that we’ve held in the University – Al Arroub Branch, and we will continue to provide training and support for those who are interested in developing their skills.”

“The course was held based on a real need by those working in the TV production field, particularly directors and those working in visual production in Hebron and Bethlehem,” Thawabteh said.

Head of the Applied Arts Department at the Palestine Technical University – Al Arroub Branch Mirvat Al Masri highlighted the success of the course, calling it “the fruits of a flourishing collaboration between the University and the Center.”

Al Masri added, “The course left an unmistakable impression on those who attended as it introduced the topic from a different, creative perspective. The course also emphasized the importance of thinking outside the box and paid more attention to how an idea is presented than the tools used in presenting it.”