Alumni Spotlight: Dina Emam '16
The Alumni Spotlight is a place to hear from the School of the Arts alumni community about their journeys as artists and creators.
The Alumni Spotlight is a place to hear from the School of the Arts alumni community about their journeys as artists and creators.
Dina Emam is an Egyptian-American producer. She has worked on numerous award-winning shorts that have screened in over 20 festivals around the world. She has served as the Assistant Artistic Director for the 36th Cairo International Film Festival. Emam also holds a BS degree from New York University in Marketing and International Business, with a Concentration in Entertainment Media in addition to her MFA in Creative Producing from Columbia University.
Was there a specific faculty member or peer that especially inspired you while at the School of the Arts? If so, who and how?
Professor Michael Hausman has left a huge mark on me as a producer with his generosity and unwavering dedication to teaching. His Producing Case Studies course was the perfect balance of in-class and hands-on learning. Together we turned an article into a short film over the course of a semester; in a class of about 12 producers, we split up tasks and worked hands-on to produce a short film titled A Cop Story. Professor Hausman also always had a good story to tell from his extensive and inspiring experience as a film producer. Though I am no longer a student, I continue to learn from him until this day.
How did attending the School of the Arts impact your work and career as an artist?
Before attending the School of the Arts I was hesitant to call myself an artist. I went to business school for my undergraduate studies and worked in television production management where I had little to no input in creative— but I wasn't satisfied. I wanted to do more. The Creative Producing program afforded me the opportunity to confidently hone my storytelling skills and gave me space to explore and make mistakes. The well-rounded education I received at the School of the Arts put me at a creative competitive advantage as a producer and has helped me add tremendous value to the projects I have worked on.
What were the most pressing social/political issues on the minds of the students when you were here?
Gender equality was and still is a pressing issue in our industry as a whole. While the industry outside of Columbia's doors is fighting an uphill battle, we were already having open and honest conversations about it in our program. We were and still are highly supportive of one another, whether through simple words of encouragement to jumping in last minute on set.
What was your favorite or most memorable class while at the School of the Arts?
My most memorable class was Andy Bienen's Elements of Dramatic Narrative. This was my first intensive introduction to the art of storytelling when I arrived at the School of the Arts and this course laid a solid foundation for all subsequent film courses. It gave me a boost in confidence in my skills as a storyteller and I still use my notebooks from Andy's class as references to this day.
What were the first steps you took after graduating?
I started taking steps for my post studies project during my research arts years. My main objectives during Research Arts were to complete my thesis and secure a unique and challenging feature project to work on after I graduated from the School of the Arts. I didn't want to graduate without having a feature project in the works because I knew it was highly likely the pressure of having to make a living wage would quickly take precedent once I graduated and I wouldn't have the time I needed to dedicate to a feature. I knew I wanted to produce a feature set in Egypt because it's a country that I was somewhat familiar with and one where there are countless untold stories that are just waiting to be captured. I moved to Cairo to get the lay of the land and meet professionals in the industry while preparing my thesis projects. It also helped that the dollar went a long way in Egypt which alleviated the impending financial pressures! After about a year in Cairo, I met the writer/director of Yomeddine who had also gone to film school in New York. We immediately hit it off; our personal and professional goals as filmmakers aligned and the rest was history. We shot the film and returned to New York; I submitted my thesis projects and graduated with a feature in the can. The most time-consuming part of the feature process was over, so upon graduation I got a job as a Researcher for The Looming Tower and we slowly worked through Post.
What advice would you give to recent graduates?
Doors - keep your eyes open for the doors that are around you. You don't have to walk through each one, but sometimes going out of your element will be highly rewarding and can lead you down a path that will ultimately be fruitful.