Filmmaking As Self-Expression – Investigating Different Social and Cultural Influences on Saudi Cinematic-Arts Students’ Productions

The main conclusions of a research project on the use of filmmaking for young people's communication and self-expression are compiled in this research paper. The researcher is a professor of filmmaking at Effat University in Saudi Arabia, and the research was carried out at the Cinematic Arts department of the Faculty of Architecture and Design. The researcher taught 21 young Saudi students from various socioeconomic backgrounds how to make short films during a level-3 film production course that took place over one academic semester. The students worked in groups to design, shoot and edit eight short films covering various topics. A sample of 17 teenagers representing the students in other academic levels were then shown the investigated film productions. After watching the films, the audiences' feedback and reactions to each production were observed and analyzed. The young filmmakers were exposed afterwards to the remarks left by the audiences, and their responses were also examined and analyzed. The study managed to show the impact of different social and cultural factors on Saudi cinematic-arts students’ film productions, and eventually a group of valuable recommendations related to the investigated research topic were generated.