DIMFF plans its programs, projects, and activities to set short-term and long-term goals to create a real impact on society. DIMFF’ ensures that it should be beneficial for their stakeholders whenever they design any programs, projects, and activities throughout the festival calendar.

Programs: Empowering Direct Stakeholders

DIMFF designs its programs in a way where they can straightway create an impact in the stakeholders’ lives by empowering them.

Campus Ambassador

Under DIMFF’s banner, there is a student engagement program called- Campus Ambassador (CA). The design of this program is mainly targeting focused groups. Any student at the age bracket of 14-24 years old is eligible to apply here. This platform is entirely open for all nationalities, ethnicity, religion, gender, and race. Anyone can apply for this role as long as they are currently studying in an institution.

In 2019, after launching this program, DIMFF had 27 CAs from the various institutions in Bangladesh and 5 CAs from abroad, including Pakistan, Malaysia, UK, and the USA. In 2020, there was a total of 32 CAs and 2 from abroad. This year at the first phase, DIMFF has recruited 19 CAs, and in the upcoming semester, the number will be doubled.

Best Campus Ambassadors’ at DIMFF 2021′ Closing Ceremony.

The reason behind this program is to orient students to a bigger platform where they can develop their soft skills and learn various things related to filmmaking and editing.

MasterClass (Online and Offline)

The MasterClass is for everyone. Experts from the industry share their knowledge, different film theories/philosophies to enlighten the aesthetic sense of film enthusiasts. In addition, a guest speaker is selected, who is best fit to discuss with the students on the particular topic. This is a registration-based event.

In DIMFF’s seven-year journey, they have arranged more than (number) masterclasses covering numerous topics. For example, during DIMFF 2021’s final event, two masterclasses were conducted by Multimedia trainer, Researcher, and Technology Specialist Ayaz Khan from Pakistan, and Academic, Writer and MOJO Specialist Dr Stephen Quinn from England. At the beginning of DIMFF 2022, they have already arranged a Masterclass with renowned Director, Writer, and Cinematographer Kamar Ahmed Simon. And they are looking forward to organizing two more Masterclasses before the festival’s main event and two more during the upcoming festival.

The reason behind this program is to empower the direct stakeholders with industry knowledge. Students are learning straightway from the industry experts, and in the long run, they can implement this knowledge in their professional work.

Cine’ta (Online Talkshow)

Cine’ta DIMFF’s original production is an interactive talk show entirely dedicated to those who actively engage with DIMFF. Each season consists of 8 episodes. The popularity of this show increases day by day since it allows film enthusiasts from different parts of life to participate in it and discuss their love for films, creativity, and opportunities related to mobile filmmaking.

During DIMFF 2021, there were 24 episodes. They accommodated 16 campus ambassadors and 16 Film Club Presidents from different universities in the first two seasons. And in their 3rd season, they invited 36 selected filmmakers of their running festival, 3 Festival juries and the Award winners. In the 4th season, the focus was on DIMFF’s sponsors and partners, and the 5th season will accommodate the potential corporates who have shown keen interest in the film industry’s development.

This program aims to help the students create networking in their respective fields and beyond. Besides this, it also helps the direct members learn a lot about how to arrange an online event using their soft skills.

Behind the Lens (Film Screening and Experience share)

Behind the Lens is basically an event designed as a part of DIMFF’s term activity for the direct stakeholders. This event gives them a firsthand experience of talking to the selected Directors and learning a lot from their filmmaking journey. DIMFF encourages everyone to understand the basics of step-by-step film production. Through this film screening, the participants will watch the film first. Then the filmmaker will explain pre-production, production, post-production, details about the movie like- framing, lighting, colours, and device usage. Apart from the technical side, there is a significant journey that every director takes while filmmaking. This event sheds light on those insides as well.

This program aims to help students prepare mentally, emotionally, and creatively before undertaking their filmmaking process. In addition, this conversation allows them to see the unexpected hurdles one might face and how to overcome that.

Projects: Reaching to the voiceless community

DIMFF in its year long curriculum run several projects that empower stakeholders with both short-term and long-term benefit.

Online Mobile Filmmaking Course

Every semester DIMFF commits to conduct at least one course with elaborate detailing related to Mobile Filmmaking. Online Mobile Filmmaking Course is designed for school and college-going students. There are two variants catering for the need of the stakeholders.

The 8-week long course’s teaching methods include both Synchronous and Asynchronous. Participants will learn in detail how to write a storyline, script, handle pre-production, production, and post-production, and finally, submit their films to international festivals. This style is more appropriate for mainstream school and college students with a steady internet connection and the right resources. However, this is a registration-based course, open for all.

The 2-week long course’s teaching methods include both Synchronous and Asynchronous. This course is designed for the selected group of participants who already has a brief understanding of filmmaking. Through this course, they get the theoretical ideas of filmmaking, the process of concept development, framing techniques, and finally, how to submit their films to international festivals. This course is initiation only.

DIMFF also conducts online and offline mobile filmmaking workshops for the voiceless groups (such as out of school youth, students, rural and urban poor and indigenous communities) to tell their stories. The online course is two weeks long. The focus area is to generate original stories, shot sizes and framing design, learning how to use different mobile apps for shooting and editing. This course aims to help the voiceless people and allow them to talk about their problems in their own language. The offline course demands a two-day-long learning method with an instant project submission.

This course aims to help stakeholders from different sectors of life and empower them to express themselves creatively. Through this course, they also learn how to compete on an international platform with their work. This online mobile filmmaking course is free for all.

Activities: Students’ skill development

From the beginning of the DIMFF, the core principle was to offer students a certain type of exposure and develop a set of skill focusing that area.

Film review

Film Review is the most pleasing way to exhibit the understanding of the filmmaking procedure and the thematic beauty of films. DIMFF encourages its members to engage in the film review process so that they can develop analytical abilities. Reviewing prominent mobile films is designed to acquire that knowledge. DIMFF executives, volunteers, and ambassadors are assigned to produce videos of film reviews. After going through rigorous editorial feedback, the videos are shared on the DIMFF social media sites. To encourage them, even faculty members also partake in this beautiful-critical creative notion.

The impact of Film Review is multifaced. First, focusing on its short-term goal- helps the stakeholders understand the film’s narrative and aesthetic beauty. This also allows the young aspiring filmmakers to project on those qualities while making their films. Besides, the reviewed filmmakers establish a profound connection with DIMFF.

CineLab (Tutorial)

CineLab is a tutorial-based YouTube channel. DIMFF members usually create tutorials about different aspects of filmmaking and mobile filmmaking software to help the Online Mobile Filmmaking Course’s students. With time DIMFF realizes, the need for these tutorials in the community due to the considerable gap in the Bangla language-based productions. To make tutorials, students need to have a clear understanding of the selected topics. Therefore, DIMFF will upload these tutorials on YouTube under CineLab as a creative commons.

The aim of this activity is to empower the stakeholders with theoretical and editorial skills. Furthermore, CineLab believes in sharing information with others to help them to create their content independently.

Production: DIMFF in house production

DIMFF supports their direct and indirect stakeholders to produce their films. Every year, DIMFF gives financial support to its executive body who shows interest in production. However, this process doesn’t stop with the financial backing only; DIMFF provides the students with logistical support and expert advice. This initiative instantly boosts the confidence of the stakeholders and encourages them to take a creative risk, which is very important at the initial stage.

DIMFF has taken this support a bit further by helping the voiceless community to tell their stories. In this respect, DIMFF gives them full support to produce their films or creative content.