Tag: Brandmoxie

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Tamakkan “Smart Cities” on Blockchain

ABU DHABI, UAE – A gathering of UAE based and international cryptocurrency experts advocated the creation of a unified platform to connect developers, business, the government to enhance the adoption of blockchain technology in the UAE. The Tamakkan BrainTrust also articulated the need for greater experimentation and collaboration across government and private entities to unlock blockchain innovation.

 

The event, hosted at the Beach Rotana Residences, brought together government and private institutional stakeholders as well as academics, who shared insights on the role of blockchain technology and its exciting potential applications.

 

The “braintrust,” a specialised discussion focused on outcomes, featured Mohammed Mahfoudh Balfaqih, Managing Director of Peninsular Advisory, Rajesh Johnny Co-Founder Oryx Prive Investments, and Hoda al Khzaimi, Director of the Centre of Cybersecurity at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), and brought together a diverse group of investors, consultants, regulators and engineers to devise a framework for the UAE.

 

Balfaqih recommended that government build a private blockchain platform by giving access to citizens and residents to data centers and IT departments in order to experiment with the development of select key products.

 

“The government can spur the adoption of blockchain technology by introducing simpler regulations and offering incentives, while the private sector can support startups by investing in them and encouraging experimentation,” he added.

 

The Municipality welcomed open discussion about the challenges and opportunities presented by blockchain technology. Omar al Hashmi, Director at the Abu Dhabi Municipality’s Knowledge Management and Innovation Department said, “blockchain is an exciting technology that will forever change many of the products and services that we use today, and this is why we should bring together stakeholders at government and private sector level to shape the conversation.”

 

Al Khzaimi, urged the creation of an ecosystem with computing power to ensure that there is adequate mining capabilities, and also the creation of open regulatory labs that bring together governments, industry and academia to build a unique local framework.

 

Johnny extolled the benefits of blockchain as a valuable tool that can solve many of the world’s challenging problems, describing blockchain as a simple and open source solution that gives trust to the people, removing inefficiencies from processes that are usually slow because they need various approvals or verifications.

 

Among the industries being disrupted by blockchain are identity management and banking, said Johnny, adding that blockchain is also unlocking much needed venture capital for startups, thereby empowering youth and creating jobs.

 

“There is a huge pile of data that can use blockchain to link departments, organizations or governments and the user’s information is protected using privacy encryption. The owner has power over the use of his or her data, and can even choose to monetize the technology”, said Johnny.

 

Sana Bagersh, CEO of BrandMoxie and founder of Tamakkan introduced the concept of ‘braintrust’ as a new forum for vital dialogue and decision-making. “We are pleased to be organizing the Smart Series for the Municipality as a vehicle for smart city transformation. Our aim is to bring together key stakeholders such as government, policy makers, research centers, financial institutions, universities and industry leaders, the media, incubators and accelerators, technology leaders, public organizations and the private sector.”

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The Smovies Kicks Off New Season

The theme promotes UAE’s diversity and tolerance

 

Abu Dhabi, UAE – The Smovies short film competition, conducted in partnership with VOX Cinemas and the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi, has launched its new one-minute film challenge themed “Culture and Understanding.”

 

The Smovies competition, initiated by BrandMoxie, a leading marketing and advertising agency based the UAE, as a way to encourage budding filmmakers, students, amateurs, and professionals to create digital content that can be showcased to local and international audiences. The Smovies winning film is screened across VOX theaters in the UAE.

 

“This year’s theme, #CultureAndUnderstanding, was inspired by the rich cultural diversity of the UAE and it reflects the country’s welcoming spirit and its support for deepening of tolerance between nations,” said Sana Bagersh, CEO of BrandMoxie and founder of The Smovies.

 

As part of the competition, The Smovies will provide film workshops led by experienced directors, including Los Angeles film agency CreatorUp on how to tell a story and capture a complete idea in a one minute format.

 

“VOX Cinemas is proud to be part of The Smovies as an essential platform for emerging filmmakers and creatives. We look forward to seeing the submissions for this year’s competition. Supporting regional talent and bringing their winning creations to VOX Cinemas’ screens is another way in which we’re delivering on Majid Al Futtaim’s commitment to creating great moments for everyone, everyday,” added Cameron Mitchell, CEO, VOX Cinemas.

 

Highlighting the U.S. Embassy’s ongoing partnership with The Smovies, U.S. Embassy spokesperson Nadia Ziyadeh stated that, “We are proud to have been a part of The Smovies over the last three years, and we look forward to the upcoming season of this innovative competition.”

 

With submissions limited to 60 seconds or list, filmmakers will have a unique opportunity to express their creativity in conveying this year’s theme, #CultureAndUnderstanding. The submissions can be made in the form of a story, a documentary-style presentation, a social commentary or a literary presentation.

 

The deadline for submissions is November 15, 2017. The short-listed entries will be judged by the Smovies’ jury of film experts: Emirati actor Mansoor Alfeeli (Zinzana), directors Majid Al Ansari (Zinzana), Khaled Al Mahmoud (Sabeel) and Nujoom Al Ghanem (Red, Blue, Yellow), as well as filmmaking instructors and veterans Imad DeirAtany, David Moore, Greg Unrau, Mohannad Al Bakri, Dahlia Mahmoud and Michelle Nickelson.

 

For more information or to participate, applicants can go to www.thesmovies.com as well as The Smovies Facebook page and group, and by emailing events@oquezo.com.

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How to Find Happiness by Owning Your Success!

Recognizing the Success Paradox and Avoiding Stereotype Traps

By Sana Bagersh

 

How many times have you heard, “She is so successful, I don’t know how she does it”? Or “I wish I could be wealthy like him”?

 

Do you ever think about what ‘success’ means to you? Is it driving a fancy car? Owning a big house? Running your own business? Working for a large company? Is it marrying into wealth? Working for a social cause? Running a charity?

 

I’ve met countless entrepreneurs through Tamakkan and counselled many others through BrandMoxie, who come with big dreams. Many of them know what they want to achieve but some become imprisoned by others’ notions of ‘success’ – whether it is the ideals of their parents or friends, or the values promoted by popular culture.

 

If you isolate the word ‘success’ you’ll see that it carries immense power: to empower and to inspire. But conversely, it also has the potential to entrap us within preconceived narratives of success.

 

How each of us sees success depends on our interpretation of the word, and that is uniquely defined by each person’s background, culture, class, age and circumstances. Just like a person on Wall Street and a trader in Tanzania will have very different aspirations and understandings of ‘success,’ the definition also changes over a person’s age and life cycle. But what’s ultimately important is to realize that your interpretation of success at any given time could either be a catalyst to spur you on, or act as a barrier that constricts your thinking and actions.

 

I see my ‘success’ as a deeply personal thing. My definition, for me, is driven by my goals, shaped by my past experiences and determined by my future aspirations. My success is also very imperfect, because it comes with pain and compromise. It is not always perfectly aligned with my ‘inner self’ or with the priorities of family. But – and this is the point being made here – it is distinctly mine; I own its definition and its execution, and I am also fully responsible for its shortcomings.

 

I urge you to be aware of your own journey, and to take ownership of your success…

 
 

Align your ‘dream’ with your definition of success

 

I know people who identify with the popularized version of success, while underselling their own dreams. Some women for instance introduce themselves (apologetically) as ‘I’m just a stay at home mom’ – as if being a mother is the opposite of being ‘successful.’ Can a stay at home mom be described as ‘successful’? Definitely. She can be as successful as her own definition of success, and within her own environment, her own focus and sets of goals. We don’t all have to have cookie cutter aspirations and we don’t all have to be defined by our work to be ‘successful’. It is important not to keep up with the Joneses (or aspire to the Kardashians), and to beware the ‘me too’ trap.

 
 

The allure of the startup billionaire

 

A troubling trend these days is the glorification of young tech wizards whose startups catapult them into instantaneous millionaire or billionaire status. Although these young guns deserve to be admired, they don’t have to be emulated. They are not the norm, and they shouldn’t be adopted as the standard.

 

While it is great to have such role models, it can be detrimental to aspire to impossible levels of financial achievement. Statistically, not everyone can be a Mark Zuckerberg or Larry Page. So why aspire to impossible standards that set you up for ‘failure’?

 
 

Don’t focus on ‘success,’ but aim for ‘happiness’

 

I’ve met those who set the bar for themselves very high to keep up with the stereotypes of ‘success.’ They commit to these goals, work hard and finally achieve ‘success’ – whether it is landing that big job, or running their own business. But upon reaching the goal the person realizes that this is not what he or she wanted. Yes, they achieved ‘success,’ but they did not achieve happiness.

 

The lesson here is know yourself well – and take time to do this. Knowing ‘you’ is the most important person you need to know. Think about what makes you happy…identify those times where you are content, and those situations that make you uncomfortable or unhappy. While it is great to step outside your comfort zone, it is equally important to know where your long term comfort lies. Don’t be like many people I know who work too long and too hard to find out too late. Know that ultimately your success is what makes you happy.

 

So the lesson here is don’t succumb to the stereotype, and realize that your dream does not have to be big or small – it just has to be yours. And it needs to make you happy!

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Flash Fiction Awards Ceremony hails UAE Universities’ Top Fiction Writers

The Flash Fiction Reading and Writing Awards celebrate short fiction written and performed by university students in the UAE. The event, which is organized by BrandMoxie, was held at their offices in twofour54, and was sponsored by New York University’s Literature and Creative Writing Program. Top winners won a creative residency at Art Hub in Liwa.

 

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Supporting the UAE’s Year of Reading, top writers and readers from different universities in the UAE were recognized at The Flash Fiction Reading and Writing Awards yesterday.

 

The event was organized by BrandMoxie in collaboration with The New York University Abu Dhabi. The awards ceremony was held at BrandMoxie’s office in twofour54.

 

Contestants submitted “Flash Fiction” entries composed of less than 750 words, on the theme of “Separation”. Submissions were received from different universities and 16 were selected as finalists for performance at the award events.

 

Winners were separated in two categories: Best Story and Best Dramatic Reading. The first place was a tie between Aliyah Al Awadhi of Zayed University with her story “After Alice” and NYUAD’s Hannah C Taylor with the piece: “A Notable Life”. In second place was the piece “Eternal Separation” by NYUAD’s Jaewon Yoo while third place went to “Cement” by Rasha H Shraim of NYUAD.

 

Honorable mentions went to Leen Albijawi of Zayed University for “Weib”, Supriya Kamath of NYUAD for “Neverland”, and Riva Razdan of NYUAD for “Dancing Through Life”.

 

The evening also recognized three winners for the Dramatic Reading category which was judged live at the event. Supriya Kamath’s “Neverland” bagged the first place for Best Dramatic Reading, while second place went to Andrew Wani Modi of NYUAD for his piece “Goodbye Dad.” In third place was Nadia Ghaleb Ali Saleh Albreiki of UAE University for “Separation Anxiety”.

 

The competition’s jury members were Faisal al Yafei, columnist at The National; Brione LaThrop, instructor at Zayed University; Andrew Keir, writer and adjunct lecturer, Higher Colleges of Technology; and Kamila Anwar, psychotherapist and artist from New York University in Abu Dhabi.

 

Jim Savio, Senior Lecturer of The Writing Program in New York University Abu Dhabi said: “These writers have stepped out into the stream of their imagination and took that bold step of facing the blank page and filled them up with their ideas. What we just witnessed here was the amazing vibe as you hear the voices and sentiments of each story in the spoken form.”

 

During the event, Faisal Al Yafei, columnist at The National shared inspiring words for the young writers. “What this event shows is the amount of talent there is in all of the universities across the United Arab Emirates. And I think we should all be proud that at such young ages, you have managed to captivate both us as judges, and captivate each other as part of the audience.” said Al Yafei.

 

Sana Bagersh, CEO of BrandMoxie, who organized the event said, “This event is inspired by the Arabian tradition of the ‘hakawati’ – it is an old practice but one that is more critical now than ever. Our aim through this is to reinforce the importance of storytelling – more so now in the digital age where everything is fleeting and diluted.”

 

The winners of the competitions will enjoy a writing residency at The Art Hub Abu Dhabi. All shortlisted stories will be published in Tempo magazine.

 

For press inquiries, contact Neil Bie at prbrandmoxie.com or on 055 831 5298.

 

About BrandMoxie

BrandMoxie is a leading advertising and marketing agency that provides integrated marketing services including advertising, PR, strategy, research, publishing and production services. Established in 2004, BrandMoxie also runs its own CSR platforms. This includes Tamakkan, an initiative aimed at nurturing entrepreneurship, leadership and innovation, and the Dream Players, a programme aimed at nurturing creativity and the performing arts. BrandMoxie is also the publisher of Tempo magazine, a publication that focuses on creativity, innovation and social enterprise. www.brandmoxie.com

 

About New York University Abu Dhabi

NYU Abu Dhabi consists of a highly selective liberal arts and science college (including engineering), and a world center for advanced research and scholarship — all fully integrated with each other and connected to NYU in New York. Together, NYU’s campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global network university, with faculty and students from each campus spending “semesters away” at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents. http://nyuad.nyu.edu

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Vox brings short films back into cinemas

Chris Newbould July 9, 2015

Vox cinemas is set to give audiences a blast from the past this weekend when it revives the tradition of screening short films before the main feature. The films are the winning entries from the Smovies competition, run in partnership with Brand Moxie. A total of seven films will receive airtime thanks to the competition, headed up by overall winner Faisal Hashmi’s The Spartan Surprise. Sadly, to the best of our knowledge, the renaissance won’t be accompanied by an intermission with Wurlitzer organ and ice cream salesgirls in full fifties regalia.

The contestants ranged from students to professional and amateur filmmakers, who each submitted a 45-second short clip. Awards for the competition include a grand prize of Dh 10,000 and runner-up prizes of cinema vouchers and other gifts. The main prize for the filmmakers was the opportunity to have their Smovies screened in VOX Cinemas in the UAE.

The jury of The Smovies included Emirati directors Nawaf Al Janahi, Khaled Al Mahmoud and Nujoom Al Ghanem, as well as filmmaking instructors and veterans David Moore, Greg Unrau, Mohannad al Bakri and Michelle Nickelson.

The second season of The Smovies, has been launched and will be a narrative challenge themed “The Message” or #SmoviesMessage, and entries submission is open. The deadline for Season 2 is August 15. See www.thesmovies.com for details.

Link: http://www.thenational.ae/blogs/scene-heard/vox-brings-short-films-back-into-cinemas

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Raytheon International Inc. joins AmCham Abu Dhabi ‘WOMEN ACHIEVE’ Initiative

http://ameinfo.com/finance-and-economy/sme/entrepreneurship/raytheon-international-inc-joins-amcham-abu-dhabi-women-achieve-initiative/

Raytheon reassures its commitment to provide a work environment that is favorable to women’s development
AmCham Abu Dhabi announces that Raytheon International Inc. has become the latest signatory of WOMEN ACHIEVE, an innovative program established by its Women in Business Committee that promotes the professional advancement of women.
The program was developed to encourage companies and organizations to give women more opportunities to advance their careers by offering them positions of greater responsibility and leadership.
Raytheon is now the 38th organization that has joined an expanding list of leading companies that support the WOMEN ACHIEVE initiative including Accenture, AECOM, Al Noor Hospitals Group, AMIDEAST, Bechtel, BrandMoxie, Boeing, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, ExxonMobil, Institute of Management Accountants Middle East, Lockheed Martin Global Inc., Mubadala GE Capital, New York Institute of Technology, Northrop Grumman, Olgoonik Global Security, Parsons, Squire Patton Boggs LLP, and others.
As a supporter of the WOMEN ACHIEVE program, Raytheon reassures its commitment to provide a work environment that is favorable to women’s development by empowering women to refine their leadership skills and flourish in their respective jobs and areas of expertise. Moreover, Raytheon pledges to provide greater opportunities for women’s participation in training and career advancement.
“Our company strongly values the diversity of our global workforce around the world as a proven means to delivering success for our customers,” said Christopher J. Davis, President, Raytheon International Inc., in the U.A.E. “We are proud to support the AmCham Women Achieve initiative to help advance women in business, and spur new ideas and innovations for the U.A.E. in the global marketplace,” he added.
Bob Harward, Chairman of AmCham Abu Dhabi, commented, “We are delighted to have Raytheon sign WOMEN ACHIEVE. AmCham Abu Dhabi is proud to support innovative initiatives, such as WOMEN ACHIEVE, that foster positive change in the business community and realize the full capacity of talent available to grow industry.”
Established in January 2013, WOMEN ACHIEVE emphasizes seven key ideals, which direct companies towards acquiring a supportive work environment for the professional advancement of women. These ideals include encouraging women to grow through training, shadowing, coaching, mentorship and internship programs, as well as considering female candidates for new opportunities and the support of ‘rising stars’ into leadership positions. WOMEN ACHIEVE also encourages the induction of women to serve on boards of various organizations and advocates the importance of fair remuneration for female employees.
Participation in WOMEN ACHIEVE is open to entities of all sizes. Companies that are interested can elect to become signatories by contacting AmCham Abu Dhabi. In addition, WOMEN ACHIEVE signatories receive a certificate of acknowledgement from AmCham Abu Dhabi for their support and are eligible to use the WOMEN ACHIEVE seal on their communication collateral.

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Tamakkan Season Finale Focuses on Gender Differences in Negotiation

http://www.1888pressrelease.com/tamakkan-season-finale-focuses-on-gender-differences-in-nego-pr-567685.html

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Tamakkan’s season finale session on “Gender Differences in Negotiation” raised awareness about key variations in negotiations between the two genders and offered solutions to help individuals identify and mitigate weaknesses and get what they deserve at work, regardless of gender barriers.

The seminar discussed the differences in business negotiations by explaining the nuances in the way men and women discuss and present their cases at the work place. Speaker Giuseppe Conti, a lecturer at INSEAD and other leading European Business Schools, then went on to provide possible solutions for the problems faced by women when negotiating. The session sparked a lively debate between Conti and among audience members.

Tamakkan is a knowledge-sharing platform established by BrandMoxie, a leading advertising agency in the UAE. The initiative operates under the patronage of Fatima bintHazza Cultural Foundation (FHCB) and is supported by Aldar.

“I think a lot of women do not like to negotiate, and yet it is a crucial skill for everyone to have, as we are all constantly negotiating something in our lives. Tamakkan is happy to be collaborating with INSEAD to learn valuable insight that will help us overcome the fears and make us more effective negotiators,” said Sana Bagersh, Founder of Tamakkan and CEO of BrandMoxie.

Maysoon Barber, Business Director of Fatima BintHazza Cultural Foundation introduced the ongoing partnership of the foundation and Tamakkan: “Tamakkan and the Fatima Bin Hazza Cultural Foundation cross paths in having the same passion for sharing knowledge, fostering talent and supporting cultural initiatives.”

Maysoon Barber, Business Director of Fatima BintHazza Cultural Foundation introduced the ongoing partnership of the foundation and Tamakkan: “Tamakkan and the Fatima Bin Hazza Cultural Foundation cross paths in having the same passion for sharing knowledge, fostering talent and supporting cultural initiatives.”

INSEAD who brought speaker Giuseppe Conti also provided an insight on how they collaborated with Tamakkan for this session: “INSEAD actively promotes gender diversity within business by creating a learning environment that brings together people, cultures and ideas from around the world. The collaboration of INSEAD with Tamakkan is a platform to share knowledge, exchange ideas and best practice, while deepening our engagement with the local community.” said ZeinaSleiman, Associate Director, Institutional Relations and Alumni Affairs of INSEAD business school.

Giuseppe Conti, an ambassador of INSEAD and a recognized expert in the field of Negotiation shared valuable insights on gender differences in negotiation, with a focus on making women more effective and confident. “The focus of the session is the difference in men and women when negotiating for themselves, which impacts the gender gap between men and women”.

The session revealed that though men and women negotiate differently, negotiation effectiveness is not based on gender. Several propositions on better negotiation were discussed and debated throughout the session.

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Tamakkan Focuses on Entrepreneurship Models and the Entrepreneur Mindset

http://www.1888pressrelease.com/tamakkan-focuses-on-entrepreneurship-models-and-the-entrepre-pr-564757.html

 

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Tamakkan’s session on “Embracing Success: Finetuning the Entrepreneur Model” offered insight on structures, mindsets, and experiences that align optimally to entrepreneurial success.

The seminar debated the various businesses models, along with methodologies, strategies, structures and the pros and cons required to consider before setting up a business in the UAE. The session also featured entrepreneur experiences and a scientific assessment of the entrepreneurial ‘mindset’.

Tamakkan is a knowledge-sharing platform established by BrandMoxie, a leading advertising agency in UAE. The initiative operates under the patronage of Fatima bintHazza Cultural Foundation (FHCB) and is supported by Aldar.

“In this session we wanted to focus on the various dimensions of SME success. Entrepreneurship is not only about business, but also involves various dimensions and aspects coming together, such as the business owner’s personality, mindset and approach.” said Sana Bagersh, Founder of Tamakkan and CEO of BrandMoxie

Stephan Mckenna, Senior Associate (Corporate) of Clyde & Co LLP presented the various business structures available within the UAE, and the factors to be considered as a business is set up as an SME. “There are numerous establishment options in the UAE so if you leave realizing you have options, sometimes you need to stop and think. It is important to know when it is appropriate to take advice from experts who can always steer you towards the right direction.” said Mckenna.

Nicola Ablett, Certified Practitioner of PRISM Brain Mapping revealed the underlying factors within the mind to map one’s strengths and build the entrepreneurship skillset. “PRISM brain mapping leads entrepreneurs like you to know who you are, and how you can function well in the right environment. Fifty percent of lies in our genes and the rest of lies in experience, development and exposure.”

Iain Cooper, Creative Partner and Founder of Lighthouse spoke about how he started Lighthouse, and the challenges he overcame along the way. “After starting out with the negativity of ‘Impossible is everything’, optimism is essential, which is not just blind faith, but tampered with reality.”

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The Smovies Short Film Platform Launches Creative Filmmaking

http://www.1888pressrelease.com/the-smovies-short-film-platform-launches-creative-filmmaking-pr-560863.html

 

Abu Dhabi, UAE – The Smovies, an exciting platform that reinvents the short film competition, has been launched by BrandMoxie, a leading marketing firm, alongside its newly announced strategic partner VOX Cinemas which is owned and operated by Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas, the cinema arm of the wider Majid Al Futtaim Ventures group of businesses. As the Middle East’s largest and fastest growing cinema exhibitor, VOX Cinemas will support The Smovies by offering screening exposure to the winning entries of the competition across its cinemas in the UAE.

The Smovies will run three seasons of competitions, focusing on various themes from CSR, and National Day to road safety and other topics at the hearts of budding filmmakers. The competition has debuted with a cinema specific theme around which the first films will be created. “We are thrilled to be launching The Smovies, and are excited to be working with VOX Cinemas who are also believers in community engagement, and commitment to innovation and creativity,” said Sana Bagersh, CEO of BrandMoxie.

Commenting on VOX Cinemas’ involvement in the competition, Ashleigh Potts, Corporate Sales and Marketing Manager at Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas said, “The entire idea behind The Smovies is to make movie making easy and accessible to all. At VOX Cinemas we are dedicated to delivering innovative and customer-focused cinema experiences, which is why we look forward to being part of this concept and giving movie fans across the UAE the chance to be part of the thrilling filmmaking process with BrandMoxie.”

The Smovies’ first competition will run for about a month, with submissions uploaded to the platform’s own website www.thesmovies.com. The shortlisted entries will be judged by The Smovies’ jury of film experts. After the final selection of the top entries, members of the public will be able to vote for their favorite entries.

The winners of the competition will be awarded a grand prize of Dhs 10,000, with runner-up entrants receiving cinema vouchers among other gifts. The winners will have an opportunity to develop their idea into multiple vignettes, or ads, which will be screened across VOX Cinemas in the UAE.

“Technology has shaped the creation and consumption of video content today and one of the more exciting directions this has taken includes the rise of user-generated content, a dynamic phenomenon that we are embracing through The Smovies,” Ms. Potts added.

The Smovies will run two competition seasons after the VOX Cinemas competition. In July the competition will be narrative challenge and in October it will run a UAE-centred theme.

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VOX, partner launch short film contest

ABU DHABI, April 12, 2015

Abu Dhabi’s VOX Cinemas and its strategic partner BrandMoxie have launched The Smovies, an exciting platform that reinvents the short film competition.

VOX Cinemas, owned and operated by Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas, the cinema arm of the wider Majid Al Futtaim Ventures group of businesses, will support The Smovies by offering screening exposure to the winning entries of the competition across its cinemas in the UAE.

The Smovies will run three seasons of competitions, focusing on various themes from CSR, and National Day to road safety and other topics at the hearts of budding filmmakers.  The competition has debuted with a cinema specific theme around which the first films will be created.

“We are thrilled to be launching The Smovies, and are excited to be working with VOX Cinemas who are also believers in community engagement, and commitment to innovation and creativity,” said Sana Bagersh, CEO of BrandMoxie

Ashleigh Potts, corporate sales and marketing manager at Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas said: “The entire idea behind The Smovies is to make movie making easy and accessible to all. At VOX Cinemas we are dedicated to delivering innovative and customer-focused cinema experiences, which is why we look forward to being part of this concept and giving movie fans across the UAE the chance to be part of the thrilling filmmaking process with BrandMoxie.”

The Smovies’ first competition will run for about a month, with submissions uploaded to the platform’s own website www.thesmovies.com.  The shortlisted entries will be judged by The Smovies’ jury of film experts. After the final selection of the top entries, members of the public will be able to vote for their favourite entries.

The winners of the competition will be awarded a grand prize of Dh10, 000 ($27,200), with runner-up entrants receiving cinema vouchers among other gifts.  The winners will have an opportunity to develop their idea into multiple vignettes, or ads, which will be screened across VOX Cinemas in the UAE.

“Technology has shaped the creation and consumption of video content today and one of the more exciting directions this has taken includes the rise of user-generated content, a dynamic phenomenon that we are embracing through The Smovies,” Potts added.

The Smovies will run two competition seasons after the VOX Cinemas competition.  In July the competition will be narrative challenge and in October it will run a UAE-centred theme. – Trade Arabia News Service

Link: http://www.tradearabia.com/news/MEDIA_279562.html