Renata Reshetizka, who previously worked as a research fellow in geothermal energy, decided to change her career to film production, leaving her position. She applied to the Beautiful Destinations Academy to undergo a three-month training program in Dubai.
The Academy, supported by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, provides financial support to participants during their training. Four content creators told Khaleej Times how this period helped them improve the quality of their films, work with mentors, and define their future career paths.
Renata spent two years developing her filmmaking skills before enrolling in the Academy. In Dubai, she learned how the choice of angles, frame composition, and editing can help the audience understand the narrative. Furthermore, she became more confident during shoots when plans were subject to changes.
Her next goal is to establish her own creative venture. She plans to shoot films for travel agencies and brands looking to tell stories about people and places.
For the travel-focused content creator, Mira de Winter, the opportunity to be paid while studying allowed her to take a break from freelance work that she did to cover expenses. She noted that taking on more jobs left her with less time to develop as a filmmaker.
Mira emphasized: 'Getting paid while at the Academy allowed me to stop taking jobs just to make ends meet.' During the three months, she could focus on learning, creating content, and deciding on the type of films she wants to produce.
Mira reported that this experience changed her approach to video planning. Now, before starting a shoot, she considers what story she wants to tell and what emotions she wants to evoke in the viewers. She hopes to continue developing her business and collaborating with brands, hotels, and destinations.
Jimmy Lin Stollmaier joined the Academy as a creative specialist at a ski resort in Utah. He intends to return to this job, applying the knowledge gained about music, color, timing, and editing. He noted that receiving payment during the training gave him the opportunity to experiment and perfect his work.
Julian Stollmaier, who has experience in automotive filmmaking, transformed his approach to editing during the program: he now starts with music and builds the visual sequence around its rhythm. He aims to expand his business beyond his current client base in German-speaking Europe and secure more international projects, including work with tourism boards.
The four participants also shared that the three-month stay in Dubai influenced the theme of their shoots. Renata showed greater interest in the people and communities behind the city's familiar images, while Jimmy discovered a calmer side of Dubai through the people he met. Mira observed that she began to see more stories in everyday life and neighborhoods of the city. Mira concluded: 'I came here thinking I would create stories about Dubai. And I am leaving with the feeling that I have truly become a part of it.'