Sharjah International Children’s Film Festival- A Transformation of a Convention Centre to a City Of Imagination.
Films offer us a window to a wider world; they give us an escape from reality and enter worlds where we’ve never been. Movies help us identify, they broaden our perspective & make us feel included. Mosaic Live wanted to ensure that the Sharjah International Children’s Film Festival that took place over six days at the Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Center, made the kids feel like they were being transported to a new world – a world where film comes to life! Our objective was for the children to be amazed and want to spend time within the main event zone, learning more about film with every activity they participate in.
We designed the experience in a way that education and entertainment came together in the form of edutainment, where children of all ages felt inspired to become future film makers after visiting the event! The guests were greeted by a sprawling registration counter that was designed like a movie ticket counter where you would purchase tickets at the cinema. It was complete with an overhead LED that showcased the movies that were showing that day. Kids would get their tickets and then move into the event zone.
As the kids moved through the event area, they notice that although it looked very much like a vibrant children’s city, it was also very futuristic!
It was complete with a gas station that literally fuelled their imagination, as children’s artworks of all ages were displayed on it, food stations that were shaped like food trucks within a park & a mini amphitheatre that showed movies all day! We also built an augmented reality zone which put you “inside” your favorite children’s movie through green-screen technology. The city also featured the latest in virtual reality where children experienced them inside ‘VR houses’. All these unique activities ensured that the children left the event inspired & motivated to become future film makers!
We kept to the latest trends of selfies and 3D printing – offering both of them together in a super-techy selfie candy printer, where children would literally take a selfie and get it 3D printed for them to take home. Among the multitude of activities was a larger than life “Guess Who” game that functioned exactly like the original game, except we used different children’s movies instead of people. All these experiences along with workshops in clay motion, light painting, animation and script writing, to name a few, ensured that children got the most out of their visit to our mini-city! Films were also shown everyday in our 800-seat movie theatre that showcased the latest creations made for, and by children.
The Sharjah International Children’s Film Festival was definitely a one-of-a-kind experience for Mosaic Live, from the creation of it all, to the final execution of the event. We definitely look forward to an even more immersive experience for the Film Festival in the years to come!