Bahrain's first filmmaker
One of the pioneers in film and still photography in the Gulf, Khalifa Shaheen is Bahrain’s first award winning filmmaker. Apart from his passion for still photography, Shaheen has made several documentaries and played the role of a Pirate Captain in the 1971 Walt Disney film ‘Hamad and the Pirates’. Shaheen is an ideal role model because he pursued his dream and was always enthusiastic and active whether he was a camera-man, actor or director. DT News Network’s Rahul Gabriel Roy caught up with him at a Rotary Club meeting at Golden Tulip Hotel where he was the chief guest. After a handshake and a short introduction, Shaheen spoke about the inspiration at the age of eight he got and how eight years later, he began to live his dream.
You’re a photographer and the first Bahraini filmmaker. What inspired you to get into photography?
When I was young, around eight I think, my grandmother took me to a cinema in Muharraq. There I saw a movie and I was amazed by what was happening on-screen. People were checking behind the screen and flashing their torches at the screen. There were people singing, dancing and there is sound coming out. This was my motivation and first tryst with movies.
Although the experience sounds very captivating, did you set out in this path, at such an early age itself?
Well, I kept dreaming about it but after schooling I did not follow this road. But later on I got a chance to work with an English director who was making documentaries for BAPCO. I was lucky and I had the chance to pursue my dream.
Could you describe your first experience in this field. Did you, straight-away, jumped into direction?
At first I was a camera-man. I got the chance to see how an image was made, where the image comes from, how it is recorded by light and how the image gets transformed in a machine called the cine-camera. You see, the machine pulls the film through a sprocket and a pin at a certain timing and the light will make the picture appear in a certain speed. There I learned how, what I saw at the age of eight, was possible.
You’re a person described successful by many. What, according to you, is a successful career and what are the qualities that contributes to being successful?
Working hard, being honest with yourself and others. And also, you shouldn’t jump from step 1 to step 5, before completing the steps in between. I was a darkroom photographer and if you think you know everything and skip the steps you’ll make errors and won’t know where you made the mistakes because you didn’t go step by step. So, you should be systematic in doing things.
Apart from being a famous photographer and filmmaker you’ve also acted in a Walt Disney film. You played the role of a Pirate Captain in the 1971 film ‘Hamad and the Pirates’. Could you share your experience with us?
My camera took me to many places and one of those locations were Saudi Arabia. There I met an English director who came to do the story of Abdulaziz, the founder of Saudi Arabia. I was doing the shot of an oilrig there. He saw my equipment and enquired about me. And he was surprised to find out that there was a Bahraini filmmaker here. He told me that he had been to Bahrain in 1949 and liked the place for its historical and archaeological aspects. The next thing I know is he sends me a letter saying Walt Disney is making a film and he wants me to get involved in this. I approached the Ministry of Information and they were happy when I told them that Walt Disney wanted to make a film in Bahrain. I worked as the assistant director, production manager and camera-man for this project, which took about 18
months.
What would your message be, for the youth of Bahrain?
My message for the youth of Bahrain is, first, study hard. Then follow your heart. If you don’t rush and take your time to make decisions and then go after what you want, you’ll be successful.
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