1. NOVEMBER 2011
THE FUTURE OF
PAGE 14
THE EMIRATI FILM INDUSTRY

3. It’s nice when things click. Sometimes they click after studied planning, and some times through sheer serendipity. When we launched the “I Love
UAE” competition we thought it would be good way to get multi-media and film fans involved in shooting short videos in tribute to the UAE’s
40th anniversary. Little did we know that the interest would grow and grow...to a lively discussion on ways to nurture art among young people....
to incredible alliances with other entities, and now...to an invitation by Abu Dhabi TV to showcase some of the videos on their channels! Tempo
organised a session for the young film makers to receive their critiques and guidance from Abu Dhabi TV (you can see photos of the session on
page 6 ), and a few of the entrants are already working with Abu Dhabi TV on various production projects. How great is that?
Then there’s Tempo’s Heart and Soul Bazaar at the One to One Hotel in October where communities got together, got to know each other, and
celebrated together. The instance of lucky serendipity is how painters, both professionals and amateurs, were lured to the bazaar by the idea
of artistic expression and the opportunity to imagine and create. Join us again on November 26th at the One to One Hotel as we continue our
“Dedication to the Nation.”
Here’s to community and togetherness,
Sana Bagersh
Managing Editor
bagersh@tempoplanet.com
letters to the editor 04 19 doc in the house | live well MANAGING EDITOR
uspace 05 20 round table
Sana Bagersh
what’s hot
06 22 musical inspiration
FEATURES EDITOR
Alma Kadragic
the bottom bottom line
07 23 the hidden gem EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
tech talk | game hedz
08 24 just handcrafted | book talk
Sharon Carvalho
in focus
10 25 mini minx | articulate
MAGAZINE DESIGN
Mark De Castro
my style blueprint 11 26 media MARKETING COORDINATOR
cat superheroes 12 27 unleash
Manjul Abhishek
Laskar Laipubam
cover story 14 28 yank in sandland | just a thought DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR
people calendar 16 29 horoscope
Melaku Muluneh
social meets 18 EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS
Angeli Castillo
Dave Solomon
Shahid Saeed
Layla Ezzedeen
Neena Rai Blakniss
Preethi Janice D’Sa Manar Al Hinai
ADDRESS DISCLAIMER Aditya Jain Rohith Bhat
To reach editorial at Abu Dhabi Tempo email: editorial@tempoplanet. Tempo is a publication of BrandMoxie. Although Tempo Magazine
com. If you need to find out where you can pick up your copy call: 02 667 does its best to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of its contents, Sara Taher Randy Parker
3349 or check out the list of Tempo distribution points on our website. the publisher cannot accept any responsibility for errors, mistakes and Hana Makki Sarah Widdup
inaccuracies. The publisher reserves the rights of this product and no
NOTE TO ADVERTISERS part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means
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4. Hello Ed,
Thank you for the “I Love UAE” competition and thank
you now for the “ Tempo Heart and Soul Bazaar”…you
are all heart and soul, Tempo - Shadia Malik
Dear Ed,
I cross this little grassy island to park my car near my house on the Corniche. And very often I step into
dog poop! I know you’ve written about this problem before, but please publish my letter so people
remember what a pain it is. Scoop your poop, people! - R.N. (aka totally pissed off)
Dear Ed,
Tempo’s making news! - http://www.digitalproductionme.com/
article-4734-i-love-uae-winners-announced/ - Almas Naseem
Dear Ed,
The movies at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival were unbelievable! Foreign films expand your
thoughts and perspectives - Claire A
The CAT offers thanks for the acknowledgement! Dear Ed, Every month is a new challenge
We can hardly wait to showcase our Janys De but guess what? You do a wonderful job!
Jewelry Tips handwoven jewelry work. Thanks for - Margarita Isabelle Cejudo-Perdomo
arranging the bazaar! - Jan Preethi D’Sa
Can’t believe it’s been two years, still remember when we
Dear Ed, launched little Tempo! Sniff sniff - Kulsoom Zakir
The community bazaar sounds Shahid Saeed, loved your article in @AbuDhabiTempo. You always
interesting! - Sarah Widdup have the best technological recommendations! - Manar Al Hinai
FAB! @AbuDhabi Tempo is organizing the
Dear Tempo,
I am a tourist to this country and I have to say I am Tempo’s Heart n’ Soul Community Bazaar!
totally impressed with Dubai’s metro. It is fast, cheap Oct 29th, 2-6 @onetoonehotel’s terrace
and convenient - Armand - AD Culture & Society
QUESTION RESULTS OF LAST MONTH’S VOTE:
Which artist would you most
Q: Do you think there will be another recession?
like to see perform in UAE?
1. Lady Gaga 100% 0% 0%
2. PitBull SAID SAID SAID
3. Adele YES, I THINK SO NO, I THINK IT’S I DON’T REALLY CARE, IT DOESN’T
4. U2 Go to tempoplanet to vote JUST TALK AFFECT ME ANYWAY

5. CAMPUS VIEW
DEATH BY IMAGINATION By Rohith Bhat
For some reason these days I can never get through a class without imagining my
professors dying horrible gruesome deaths in front of my eyes. It could be the effect THE WONDER OF THE INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE
of vacation withdrawal, it could be sheer boredom, or it could be an early warning
sign that there’s a serial killer movie-slash-novel writer-slash-police report, in the
(OR AN AWESOME WAY TO TIME TRAVEL)
future with my name on it! So instead of doing my assignment for the day I decided By Aditya Jain
to do what I do whenever I’m faced with a dilemma; list out the pros and cons of each
of the ways I wish to kill my professors.
When I daydream at work, it’s usually
about what life would be like if I lived
1) Tie them to the railway tracks while twirling my villainous moustache
continuously in a hip hop video, or
and doing my evil laugh.
how Scrooge McDuck doesn’t break
PRO: I can finally figure out at what time the two trains meet when
travelling from point A and B at different speeds. his neck diving into all those
CON: I’ll have to grow a moustache. coins, or how is it possible to
have a tiny island in the Pacific
2) Hang them inches over a tub of sharks with lasers attached. Ocean where there is a 24 hour
PRO: Sharks are an endangered species so feeding them is definitely time difference between two
eco friendly. adjacent time zones.
CON: I have no idea how to attach lasers to sharks.
The last one is true, there does exist
3) Force feed them liver until they burst (just like they did in se7en) a tiny island called Kiribati where if you
PRO: Well God did say feed the hungry; that should count for stand on the International Date Line, your left
something, right? foot will be stuck on Sunday and your right foot can be living it up on Monday.
CON: I’ll have to actually cook the liver myself. Confuses the hell out of me - I’m sure a better system exists, but no one has had the
time to think of it. So Kiribatians just grin and bear it, time traveling while getting
4) Send Hannibal Lector (the cannibal) on a picnic with them as the main groceries, all the while trying to fix their Facebook accounts to show the right
course birthdays. The worst would probably be scheduling meetings at work. (“Well Bob,
PRO: Who doesn’t love a picnic? once again you’re a day late for the conference”. “But I thought you said Wednesday
CON: I may end up as dessert. morning”. “Well it is”. “Not where I live, and not where we’re standing now”. “Well
why don’t you shift to your right then”. “No, you move to the left…” You get the
5) Turn into a werewolf and bite their heads off picture.)
PRO: I get to be a werewolf.
CON: I’ll be susceptible to fleas!!! There’s so much you can do to exploit the time differential: you could register your
kids in two schools on two halves of the island, and have them learning for six
6) Put about 50kgs worth of dynamite in front of their office and light the days out of the week. You could also have them sit for exams in the eastern side
fuse. of Kiribati, and then sit again the next day on the western side. And voila! You are
PRO: I get to play with dynamite. the proud parent of superkids, and you can watch them graduate from Harvard. The
CON: That worked out so well in Tom and Jerry! possibilities are endless…
7) Tie them to a chair and force them to watch 50 hours of The Simple Life. I believe the International Date Line should be more
PRO: Now they’ll get what’s it’s like to have your brain numbed.
CON: I’ll actually have to buy a blue ray of The Simple Life!! Not going
famous. Time traveling is pretty much right up there
to happen! with Barney Stinson, hammerhead sharks and The White
Stripes in terms of awesomeness. The International Date
10) Ehh, I’ll think of something later.....and yes I do know that I’ve skipped Line allowed Jules Verne to write his seminal book,
out on a few numbers in between. Maybe it’s not such a good idea to kill my
math teacher! (And mom, if you’re reading this, I was joking). “Around the World in 80 Days.” It confused Magellan
when he sailed around the world, and led to his well
documented aversion to calendars. Even the Pope had a
SHAMIMSCENE AT THE DUBAI FASHION WEEK special delegation explain this phenomenon to him when
it was first documented.
Shamim was behind the
scenes at Dubai Fashion Of course, when you cross the date line, you haven’t really gone backward or
Week’s showcase of the forward in time, since our measurement of time is all relative. For instance, picture
designer Dabya. With yourself as a Russian peasant, living in Provideniya, on the Eastern coast of Russia.
a collection inspired by Once, while yelling at a sheep for prematurely losing its wool, you realize from your
butterflies and their graceful son’s geography textbook that you live just 20 minutes away from the International
movements, Dabya promises to be one of the Date Line. Or commandeer a boat and steer it to Alaska and you know that you’ve
region’s most promising young designers. just gained a day. Of course, when we travel, we go somewhere and then come
back, thereby eliminating any time gained / lost while traveling. You may not have
Take a look at what went down. a reason to go back, or interestingly, you may decide to embrace this special extra
day and see it as a gift to you of time.

6. TEMPO’S “I LOVE UAE”
VIDEO COMPETITION
WATCH US ON TV!
The “I Love UAE” film competition Tempo held in association with the New York Film
Academy Abu Dhabi may be over but Tempo and the impact is growing. Abu Dhabi TV
has got into the action and now wants to air some of the videos on their channels!
Abu Dhabi TV selected some of the videos that were submitted for the competition
and which they felt most reflected the theme of “UAE national day”.
Tempo organised a little creative session at our offices as each participant
was given a critique on how to improve the video and raise the technical
standard so it is good enough for broadcasting on TV. Mr Mohammed
Farah, the Projects Production Manager at Abu Dhabi Media Company
met with each of the producers of the chosen films.
DUC TION
NEW PRO S!
CALL FO R ACTOR
Ethiopian Female } 16 - 25
South Asian Male } 35 - 65
Arab Female } 30 - 65
Casting for a short film production to be filmed during November/December
2011. Both professional and amateur actors can apply.
If you would are interested to coming to an audition email:
sharon@tempoplanet.com to find out more!

7. TEMPO’S HEART N’ SOUL COMMUNITY BAZAAR
BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER ONE BAZAAR AT A TIME!
Tempo magazine is hosting its second community
bazaar called ‘Tempo’s Heart n’ Soul Community • Why is it that the famous-for-nothing Kim Kardashians and the
Bazaar’ and hopes to bring the capital’s Paris Hiltons of the world getting so much fanfare whenever they
communities together with this initiative. Taking grace our shores? Because of the gossip they generate, that’s
place on Saturday, November 26 at One to One
why. Speaking of which: why did Kim Kardashian rush out of
Hotel- The Village from 2-6 pm, the bazaar is aimed
Alhan restaurant in Abu Dhabi right before the photo opps? She
at families and will also showcase creative works of
students and amateur artists.
claimed someone pulled her hair! (BTW, you had to be there to
know that)
Sana Bagersh, Managing Editor of Tempo, says “I’ve always believed that nurturing
• Tche Tche cafe in the UAE....please enlighen your customers about
community brings about a sense of belonging when the people from different expatriate
groups gather to celebrate and learn more about each other. It is this feeling of
how you pronounce your name. Overheard: “Let’s meet at chi chi.”
camaraderie that Tempo wanted to bring out through the bazaar.” “Where?” “Shi shi.” Say what?!” “Tishee tishee.” “Huh?” “Forget it,
let’s go to Starbucks...” (You get the picture).
The bazaar also stresses the importance of reusing and recycling, and encouraging
the passing on of products to others, rather than disposing of them. Those interested • Speaking of coffee shops, there›s a golden rule that goes like this:
in participating can rent tables and sell anything they wish to, except for food and “if it aint broke don’t fix it” or my version “if it’s exquisite, don’t
beverages, and entry is free to all! dare touch it” and here is where I seque to La brioche’s cheese
The bazaar will be set up on The Terrace of the One to One Hotel- The Village and there will quiche which used to be a perfect product at Dh 10, but now
be something for all ages including art, crafts, handicrafts, books, toys and henna stalls. they added four cheeses (including the dreaded blue cheese) and
tagged on another Dh 10 percent, and made it virtually inedible
“Like all good things that come in small packages, this community bazaar organized and overpriced. Guys, don’t mess with perfection.
by Tempo is surely a season starter. We will continue bringing these lovely events to
enchant our One to One community and guests.” said Jessica Asher, Marketing and • Yasalam is rolling out and concerts are all over the place right now.
Communications Manager at One to One Hotel- The Village. How great is it to be in the centre of all these fabulous choices!
But we need to mind the two evils of excess: underage drinking,
To book a table, please call 02-6673349 or email Sharon@tempoplanet.com and scalpers. Nuff said.
• ADFF last month showed us that film festivals can be enriching
and that outdoor cinema is incredible. What an amazing venue
the Fairmont is. However....and there is always a however round
the corner.....next time ADFF should consider keeping their events
venues close together. Film afficionados don’t relish watching
something at Marina Mall, rushing to the Fairmont for a talk and
then coming back to the Abu Dhabi Theatre. Doesn’t work. Here’s
an idea: try transforming Heritage Village into the venue for talks,
use adjoining Hiltonia for outdoor cinema, and if there’s still a
need, get either Emirates Palace or Hilton Hotel to accommodate
bits and pieces. Bottom line: keep it together geographically.
• Concierge is no prude, but OSN really pushes the envelope with
this nudity and the foul language thing. It was midday and the
whole family was flipping through channels when we came
across scenes from the movie Machete - and we’re talking full
body nudity. Hmmmm.
• A tip from the Concierge: are you on googlemail (gmail), and
who isn’t? Did you know that there’s a small link at the bottom
corner of the email page that shows “activity details”. Click on it
and it opens a window that shows who is accessing your account,
complete with IP addresses. You may be see the IMAP server in
the UK (this is for mobile phone access), but nothing more than
that. If you see strange IPs from other places in the world it could
indicate that your password has been compromised so get a new
one immediately. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
And that, folks, is the bottom, bottom line.
Write to me: concierge@tempoplanet.com
The Concierge

8. TECH TALK Shahid Saeed | Talker for the Non-Techies GAME HEDZ Blakniss | Original game head from Atari to XBox!
APPLE IPHONE 4S GEARS OF WAR 3: POST MORTEM (MEGA SPOILER ALERT!)
Apple has announced the iPhone 4S instead of the long E-Day finally arrived and many hours have been spent grinding away at the Gears 3
awaited the iPhone 5 which looks almost identical to campaign, multiplayer games and the campaign multiplayer! Aww yisss!
the iPhone 4, but is totally overhauled by inner specs.
It includes the new Apple A5 dual core chip, dual core So what’s the verdict? It was awesome...with a couple reservations. There was
graphics, 1GB RAM, 8 megapixel camera, 1080p HD the same great gameplay, even more breathtaking environments, new enemies,
video recording, artificial intelligent assistant Siri, at least one unannounced all-new weapon (the Vulcan, a two-person automatic
802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, Assisted GPS, Digital gatlin gun) with great voice acting and plenty of action.
compass, 14.4 Mbps downstream and 5.8 Mbps
upstream, iOS 5, iCloud, facetime, AirPlay, iMessage, The story was wrapped up nicely, though not without heartbreak. The locust/
Music and a long time battery with up to 8 hours talk lambent menace was eradicated, Dom sacrificed his life for his friends and found
time and up to 200 hours standby. It comes in white his peace, and Marcus found, and just as quickly lost, his Dad.
and black colour with 16GB, 32GB and finally 64GB
capacity. Most reviewers say it’s a minor tweak, rather RESERVATIONS
than a noteworthy revamp. The reservations involve pacing and story issues. There were times when the
combat was a bit fatiguing and should have been broken up with a mission, or two,
BLACKBERRY BOLD 9900
that was less combat heavy (like Intestinal Fortitude - the worm chapter in Gears 2)
Research in Motion’s latest attempt at gaining a
and presented a couple time-based or agility challenges. The story was awesome,
foothold in the smartphone industry is the BlackBerry
but one felt the ending could have elaborated on the fate of Marcus and the COG
Bold 9900, ie its first ever 4G phone. It’s iconic design,
remnant, in a post-locust world, with a nice montage or epilogue of some kind.
complete with stainless steel frame body and sculpted
surface make it the lightest BlackBerry to date. It has
a full touch screen and QWERTY keyboard made a
WHAT’S NEXT FOR GEARS?
little wider so you can easily work your way around But (there›s always a but) this ending, I believe, is cleverly designed to segue into
apps, websites and messages. Swiping, pinching and the ongoing comic and book series. A fifth book, entitled The Slab, is to be released
zooming with a Liquid Graphics touch screen together indicating a closer look at the cryptic main character himself, Marcus Fenix. The
with 1.2GHz processor, 8GB memory, Dual-band Wi-Fi, Slab refers to the prison where Fenix was held for four years, and from where he
720p HD video recording and BlackBerry 7 OS provides was freed at the beginning of Gears 1.
fluid animation and instant responses. The smartphone was launched two months
ago and both Etisalat and Du offer payment plans with service contracts. Between the next three comics (released bi-monthly - the third comic in the six
arc series is due in December) and The Slab we finally get a detailed look at the
MY DATA PLAN BY ETISALAT character we have followed for the entire series, but about whom we really know
Etisalat brings My Data Plan for post paid Data SIM cards that give you attractive nothing. I hereby dub this literature compulsory reading for an even satisfying
packages and other benefits to access to data on your mobile, tablet or PC. You can closure to this part of the Gears saga! And, Fenix›s conspicuous facial scar is likely
choose from basic, plus extra or ultra package starting from basic AED 29 for 100 to be explained. I have it on good authority that there is material in the book and
MB per month and Ultra AED 449 for 20GB per month. Etisalat is also discounting comics, that appears nowhere else in the games. So there.
AED 100 per month for Club Ultra package. Etisalat is offering up to 42 Mbps speed
depending on your device. Otherwise, the existence of the new above-ground feral locusts suggests that the
war is not quite over, and the future of the Gears franchise lies both in the past and
MANAGE AND MODERATE YOUR WORDPRESS future of the Seran universe, and the other characters we have come to love.
FROM YOUR IPHONE AND IPAD
Now you can edit, manage and moderate your Hedz Up
WordPress blog and/or website from your iPhone Review of iOS title Shadowgun!
through a versatile “WorldPress” application. Now
you can move around freely without worrying
about your work. This application works on both
Apple iPhone and iPad and is available for free
download from the APP Store. Follow me on @shahidaasi
MY FAV APP
My Favourite app is Barbie Fashionistas Swappin Styles for iPhone and also
for iPad. I like this app because I love Barbie and this app helps me choose
my favourite fashionista personality. I can customize my Barbie’s look by
swapping head, hairstyle, top, bottom, dress, shoes, purse and I can even
change her colour. The most beautiful part is that after customizing, I can
take a picture which directly stores into the photo app.
- Mariam Jamshed

10. IN FOCUS: By Ahmed Samir
AN INTERVIEW WITH
MOHAMMED AL OTAIBA,
HEAD OF IMAGENATION ABU DHABI
I had a chat with Mohammed Al-Otaiba, the newly appointed head of
Imagenation Abu Dhabi, to talk about the film industry in the UAE and
his personal experiences.
Mohammed, what’s a good film?
I think it’s quite subjective. Are we saying it’s a good story, or one that
commercially makes sense? How are we going to make a judgment? If it’s an
art house film, for example, then you are catering to the artists out there, who
are looking for stories that are more intellectual. Also, art house films are more
visually appealing: nice imagery, colours, cinematography. These elements can
also be found in other, commercially focused films, but I guess other factors come
into play, mainly the budget. I think, bottom line, a film has to find an audience.
If it does find a good audience, I think it did a good job.
What kind of film would you like to see come out of this region? The UAE, for instance. We worked for 29 days and finished on time, on budget. There was also fantastic work done
We are raising the bar here with Imagenation. We are exploring different sorts of stories and with makeup. I can’t give away much, but one of our malevolent characters had to use a lot
different genres; stories from the UAE, from the region, that we’d like to share with the world. of makeup and costumes, and they did a fantastic job. You’ll see what I mean once the film’s
One film that we’ve just completed is a coming of age story called Sea Shadow, and the other released.
film that hopefully we’ll have ready by the beginning of 2012 is called Djinn, which is a horror
film. So we have two very different genres that appeal to different demographics, different You’re a writer – where do you draw inspiration from? Anywhere. It can come from
audiences. The former’s more of an art house film while the latter is very commercial. one’s personal experiences, it can come from the news and coming across interesting situations
and interesting characters, and wondering: why does this happen? What drove that person to
Is a good filmmaker born or made? A bit of both. You are born with a quality, the quality behave in this way? And then you use your imagination to extrapolate and put the different
of being a storyteller. The ability to tell a story and to engage your audience. If you are born elements together.
with that talent, it can be nurtured by, perhaps, learning new methods, new practices and the
technology that one can use to tell that story. When did you start writing? Writing has always been in the back of mind, in a sense. I’ve
always been interested in creative writing, whether for film, script or stories. When I was
When did the film bug hit Mohammed Al-Otaiba? You’ve written short film scripts younger, I didn’t know what approach to take. Then when I got involved with filmmaking I
and made a documentary that won several awards, tell me about that. I suppose was taught how to handle a camera and what there needs to be in a solid script. I had a fear of
growing up you really enjoy watching films. But hit me, in the sense that wanting to tell a story writing, and I had to confront that fear… that was the first step. And it did take time. There is
visually, that challenge, that intrigue, started in 2001 when I was living in New York and working no shame in getting criticism and feedback, and in seeking mentors.
there. I took film courses at the New York Film Academy, and from day one I realized that I love
this art! It allowed me to express myself visually. From then on, aside from making a few shorts, What experiences have affected your life? I worked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
I entered a couple of competitions in the US and I got recognition. I made a documentary that for ten years. I also spent five years in New York with the United Nations, and some time in
won a bronze medal and that was screened in the UK, then it aired on Abu Dhabi TV. That was Beijing. In Beijing the embassy covered China, Vietnam and Mongolia. I had the opportunity
in 2005. I realized that if the writing’s good, if the story’s solid, everything else that follows will to visit countries that I might not have thought of visiting. My last post was in London, where
become just as good, or better. Years after that I decided to sit and write, focusing on narrative, embassy covered the UK and Iceland. And I’m sure these experiences have affected me one way
no more documentaries. In 2009, the Abu Dhabi film commission announced its Aflam Qaseera or another, all positively.
short film contest, and I decided to go for it! I sent my script and it was, honestly, a fantastic
competition. In the end they selected six winners who will get funded, and hopefully have their What has life taught you? To be patient. To be a good listener. To look before I leap. To be
short films produced. kind to people. To appreciate people and to appreciate their work, and to show appreciation
for any support they might give you. And things like filmmaking do take time, to mature and
What was it like working on Djinn? It was a crew of about 120. It was amazing seeing how develop. I’m always happy to receive constructive criticism, in anything I do. Any free advice is
people communicate and work together, and to see how the director’s vision is translated into always welcome.
the images that he would like to see, and how he sub-communicates that to us, to the crew: to
the cinematographer, the lighting expert, the actors. Any advice to aspiring filmmakers, aspiring writers? Keep working at it. It’s a skill that
takes time. I would encourage people to start writing, and share their writing with people
Any experience in particular that you’d like to share? When we were on the set, we who’ve got experience. Find a mentor. Approach film entities, such as the Abu Dhabi Film
weren’t allowed to say the word djinn! The first four days, we started filming at the Al-Hamra Commission, approach Twofour 54, and others who are there to nurture talent at an early stage.
village, in Ras Al-Khaimah. It’s an abandoned village that’s particularly historical. And people At Imagenation we’ve got a programme called Mawaheb and it’s a mentorship/internship
say that it’s haunted. Shooting there gave the story more appeal and authenticity. We had to programme for aspiring filmmakers to break into the industry.
be careful not to mock and invoke any malevolent spirits! Otherwise, it was very hot, very
dusty; we had to be very patient with one another. It’s not very glamorous being on a film set. Be sure to visit our website, www.imagenation.ae

11. AD FASHION: most of
Dhabi. It’s very different from
I love the fashion style of Abu e there
ld say it›s more diverse here sinc
places where I have lived. I wou kgrounds who
t countries and diverse bac
are so many people from differen clothing as well is
come to live here and that’s why not just culture but
perfect mix of traditional clothing with the
mixed and international. It’s a
latest wes tern trands.
FAVOURITE BUY:
shoes that I liked so
I bought a new pair of Lacoste
FASHION STATEMENT much but didn’t want to buy
just like all my shoes but when
first since they are red
I saw that they were in
VERY COMFORTABLE, FREE, MIXED STYLE. sale, it was impossible not to buy them!
Nam
Tu e: Be
Pro räza sik
s
NY fession hvil
U A : St i
bu ude
Dh nt
ab at
i
FAVOURITE SHOPS IN AD:g since it takes so much time
ppin I hate sho
I like nice looking clothes but I don’t shop
and nerves and I spend mos t of my time studying, that’s why
always very producti ve. My favorite brand is
that ofthen but when I do it’s , looks good and prices are
Topman since it has a very good quality clothes since there
r brands of the same class. But
not that high compared to othe Zara which have
shop in Massimo Dutti and
is no Topman in Abu Dhabi I or her clothes look nice
similar style clothes. But I think a person makes his r
that make a person look chic. You can wea
on him or her but not clothes it will look
dressed with a good taste and
something cheap but bought and
on you better than any fash ion design piece.
FASHION PET PEEVES:
Any kind of men hats and vests with pockets

12. CAT SUPERHEROES
ANIMAL ACTION TO THE RESCUE!
By Sara Taher
Conditions for stray animals in Abu Dhabi are extremely harsh. Competition
for food becomes more fierce as populations increase. Fresh water is scarce and
diseases spread quickly through groups. This is where my good friend Marwan (cat
super-hero by night, mild mannered lawyer by day) comes in. Marwan is an active
member of Animal Action Abu Dhabi; an animal rights group started by expatriates
to deal with these issues. Volunteers in the group go out three times a week to feed
Every Sunday evening, I meet my good friends Shafic and Marwan in front strays, bringing along fresh water, dry and wet food.
of Mariah Mall on Najda Street. Marwan comes prepared with a big bag full
of cat food, fresh water and disposable dishes. Our task? To visit 12 spots In addition to feeding, the group also traps strays and neuters them, thereby
on the block, all designated on a map, delivering fresh supplies to the stray keeping the population in check in certain areas. After a cat has been neutered,
cats stationed there. The young kittens get wet food, while the older cats it will stay overnight in an enclosure to recover before being released to the
get portions of dry food. As we make our way through our route, the cats same spot that it was picked up. In order to identify neutered cats, once they are
greet us (meow, not hello!) with their tails high in the air. anesthetized, the doctor will clip the top part of one of the cat’s ears. This might
seem cruel at first but the cat is under general anesthetic at the time and does not
feel a thing. The method is a great way to assess a cat’s status from a distance. While
not everyone will agree that neutering the street cats is the right thing to do, the
procedure does solve a lot of problems. Male cats that are neutered are much more
docile; territorial squabbles become less fierce, young kittens don’t have to worry
about being suffocated by roaming males and the cats can live long, normal and
healthy lives.
The streets of Abu Dhabi are littered with stray cats. They congregate around
garbage tins, restaurants, or places near little pockets of sand. Unfortunately, as
the population of humans has steadily increased, more and more expatriates began
feeding strays. While feeding strays is a very nice gesture, it does not really solve
the problem. Groups like Animal Action Abu Dhabi go a long way to help strays live
healthy, normal lives.
To find out more about Animal Action Abu Dhabi
and to see how you can contribute, please visit
their Facebook page.
The group is always grateful for volunteers.
And, you too might get the chance to be a super
hero by night.

14. By Alma Kadragic
THE FUTURE OF THE EMIRATI FILM INDUSTRY:
YUSRA ABDUL QADER AND DUAA MUKHAYER
City of Gold which opened the 2009 Dubai International Film Festival
is usually considered to be the first full length Emirati narrative film. A
highlight of the 2011 Abu Dhabi Film Festival last month was the world
premiere of Sea Shadow, the first full length film by an Emirati produced
by Image Nation which is part of the Abu Dhabi Media Company.
Ali Mostafa and Nawaf Al-Janahi who directed these pioneering films are recognized as significant
filmmakers. The question for the future of the Emirati film industry, is who comes after them? Is
there a pipeline of younger Emiratis who will write, direct, and produce the narrative films and
documentaries of future film festivals?
Two recent graduates of Zayed University in Abu Dhabi - as well as the directors of the short films shown at ADFF and the Doha Tribeca Film Festival - suggest the
answer. Yusra Abdul Qader, 24, and Duaa Mukhayer, 23, have been making films during most of their university career.
Like many young teenagers, Yusra “played” with video at home, but after she enrolled at Zayed in 2007, play became more serious. She and Duaa knew each other
from going to the same high school and living in the same neighbourhood, but they weren’t friends. At Zayed they found a common interest in still photography and
video and became close. Although Yusra’s specialization was Film and Broadcast and Duaa’s Multimedia and Print Journalism, they shared the desire to create digital
content, and, as Yusra said, “we proved ourselves making films.”

15. Their senior capstone project, The Legend, is a film portrait of the Western region They won an award for the short film Mawaqif at the ZU Middle East Film Festival.
of Abu Dhabi where people stick to old traditions and live a simpler life. “We chose In June they participated in the Dubai Festival of Student Films.
the name to make people curious about our project,” Yusra explained, and they
succeeded in generating enough interest so that seven newspapers published Now the next step is to complete The Legend. They like to use the cooler months
stories about their film. from November to March for shooting their material. Editing and post production
work fine when it’s too hot to be outside. They have been in discussion with
The Legend is entirely their work; they wrote the script; photographed the funding sources, and they are thinking about starting their own production
scenes; voiced over in Arabic; and provided English subtitles. Moreover, to fulfil company.
capstone requirements, they also created posters, a photo gallery, and a book “to
make it professional.” “We need to see what the requirements are,” said Duaa. “We’re waiting for the
right moment.” They say their parents are supportive and have been from the
Earlier video work began as projects for class. “Then,” Duaa remembered, beginning. Meanwhile, the team of Yusra and Duaa is available for work as free
“we started in video competitions.” In 2010 Yusra was named Best Student lancers, to produce campaigns and informational packages for companies and
Videographer at Zayed University. They took 2nd or 3rd place two years in a row organizations as they decide how to proceed with filmmaking and get into some
in the Habib Al Reda student competition, winning the Media Innovation Award. of those major film festivals here and in the region.

16. sun mon tue
November MY NOVEMBER ECO PLEDGE 1
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Global Village
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Madinat Arena tomorrow
Chris Xaviour
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@ Yas Arena
Tamakkan Seminar
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18. THE
ABU DHABI
ANIME CLUB The Abu Dhabi Anime Club (formerly J-AMFM
or Japanese-Anime, Manga, Film & Music)
was established in Abu Dhabi in 2004 as a
social group for people who enjoyed Japanese
Anime and Culture.
The group has grown and evolved into the
fantastic organization it is today by the
passionate dedication of a group of original
members to keep their connections alive
and flourishing. Taking the original idea
that the group would welcome all who
were interested, they have grown that
ideal into using their individual talents and
characteristics (such as cosplay, gaming and
artistic expression) to promote and support
charitable causes.
I think the main reason that ADAC has seen such an explosion of
growth is due to the dedication of those that have poured a significant
amount of time and energy into promoting the group. New members
are welcomed daily and the group continues to reach out to local and
internet communities, spreading the word about their organization,
and offering others an opportunity to join whether they want to help
a local charity or simply hang out with like minded individuals who
share their interest in Japan.
MESSAGE TO OTHER ANIME FANS:
Anime fans are some of the nicest people I have ever encountered
and I feel fortunate to have met many wonderful friends through
my interest in Anime and Japanese culture. I have learned so
Are much from my fellow ADAC members and feel that my life has
been enriched not only by our shared love of Anime and Japanese
you an culture, but by simply being with such a diverse group of people.
Otaku? To put it simply, I consider my ADAC family as lifelong friends who
Do you helped me become the person I am today and I am extremely
grateful for their ongoing support.
e n j oy
A n i m e, UP-COMING EVENT:
Manga, Japanese World Game Championship on Dec 2.
Music or Films in all their myriad More info: http://adanimeclub.com/mainhall/?p=183
forms? Then you need to join the Abu
Dhabi Anime Club - a place where FOUNDER: Amy Zimmerman OUR WEBSITE
PRESIDENT: Abigail Kerr http://adanimeclub.com/
fans of Japanese popular culture can VICE PRESIDENT: Maha Mohamed
gather to share their interests and GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Ezz Alloush
FACEBOOK PAGE
https://www.facebook.com/AbuDhabianimeclub
learn more about Japanese media TREASURER: Laila Helena
COSPLAY TEAM LEADERS: Naureen and Sonia EMAIL
and society as a whole. WEB DEVELOPER: Hammad adanimeclub@gmail.com

19. DOC IN THE HOUSE Dr.DMS | A Doc from the Bronx LIVE WELL Layla Ezzedeen | Performance Whiz and Feng Shui Practitioner
THE UNSUNG HEROES PLACEMENT WITH INTENTION
This acknowledgement is long overdue. It’s time to recognize some very It’s been roughly a month since you’ve implemented the Feng Shui basics for
important colleagues that I work very closely with. home and rooms (remember you can visit issuu.com and view all previous Tempo
articles). Hopefully, you’re enjoying the difference. Furniture placement can be
taken a step further with the Bagua, which I introduced back in June. These nine
They work all the time. They rarely seem to have days off. They take a lot
areas of life map onto a space as follows:
of flak from everyone- the patients, doctors, the patient’s families and
friends. But, they are invaluable to the practice of medicine. EMPOWERMENT FAME AND FUTURE REALATIONSHIPS
COMMUNITY HEALTH CREATIVITY
They can be my best friends, my allies, my set of eyes when
WISDOM SELF HELPFUL PEOPLE
I am not around. But at the same time they can be my arch
enemies. They are to be respected and feared equally. And Entrance to space along this side
don’t make the mistake of questioning whether they are The Bagua may not cover all areas of an irregular space. Contrary to the general
knowledgeable. They can be your worse enemy in your time opinion, this calls for special Feng Shui “cures” but is not typically cause for serious
of need, so do not underestimate them! worry. Here’s a shortlist of items you can place in the various areas of the house to
improve your overall enthusiasm and engagement:
Every day it seems they are stretched in terms of their patience, mental
Self: Water and/or metallic elements (though not sharp), items that are
fatigue, work load and other’s expectations. However, like clockwork, they personally meaningful, anything that gently represents “flow”, blue, black or
come back for more. They are often recognized, but frequently overlooked. metallic colors. Avoid plants and earthy objects.
So, who are these apparently selfless souls? The junior doctors? Are you
kidding me!!?? Wisdom: Books, study materials, meditation / prayer rug, religious or spiritual
items, lights, browns. Avoid water and plants and their corresponding colors.
I am talking about the Nursing Staff (also known as “Sister!!!!!!!!” to some Community: Family heirlooms and/or photos, tall items, plants, flowers,
of you buffoons ). computer, telephone, the color green. Avoid reds and metals.
Very early in my training, I was cautiously advised by one of my seasoned Empowerment: Tall items, tall plants, water elements, the color green. Avoid
attending physicians (you may know them as “consultants”) in the anything sharp or metallic.
emergency department, to treat the nurses with respect: “They can make Fame and future: Lights, candles, tall plants, anything that represents rising,
you have a good day, or a terrible one, be nice”. This is valuable and sound the color red. Avoid blues and blacks or anything related to water and metals and
advice that I have come to understand very clearly and pass onto all my avoid items that represent the past.
junior scrubs. Relationships: Anything that represents loving relationships, using pairs for
couples and groups for friendships, browns and red colors. Avoid plants, greens
They come in all shapes and sizes, colours, both men and women. Most and metals. Flowers are appropriate.
have traveled very far to be here, many of them leaving loved ones and
Creativity: Music, musical instruments, art or hobby equipment, items for
families behind. I suspect that they are grossly underpaid, given the children and pets, photos of these, white, browns and metallic colors. Water
amount of responsibility that they are burdened with every shift. Yet, supports this area. Avoid reds and greens.
despite these seemingly adverse conditions they will console you during
Helpful People: Religious items, protective symbols, a table and/or chair to put
times of hardship, attempt to answer all your banal and seemingly
things on when needed, same colour guidelines as for Creativity.
unimportant questions about whether you can have a private room or not,
or if you can go outside and smoke, etc with an air apparent of someone Health: Pay particular attention to cleanliness here, group seating area, lighting,
who is there to help and listen. Could you do all that? Day in, day out? healthy plants though not too tall and imposing, water fountain also small to
medium-sized.
Please be kind and respectful towards them. They are human beings and Although cleanliness is emphasized for this last
they have human emotions (most do anyways); so “don’t bite the hand area, it is important in all areas. Use your creativity
that feeds,” and also realize that crocodiles have tears too. and intuition to build on the above suggestions. If
it feels right, it probably is.
I wouldn’t call this a warning, but rather, a gentle reminder. Need help?
Share your thoughts on my Facebook page

20. CELEBRATING THE
UAE’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY
Being from the GCC countries means that each and every one of the six countries is home to me and my fellow
Bahrainis. An important step is to ensure you’re being part of the UAE’s further development. So when the UAE
encourages recycling for instance, we should take part in ensuring the success of that initiative. When the UAE asks
its citizens and residents to vote for its Butinah Island then yes, we will aid them in the quest. Bahraini business
owners residing in the UAE should also give back to the UAE’s economy, whether by hiring Emiratis and thereby
increasing the number of Emiratis in the work force, or by contributing their profits to donate equipment to hospitals,
or fix broken roads. We should also put use the education and knowledge provided to us by Emirati schools and
universities to research, or become part of projects that would boost the Emirati economy and businesses.
Name: Fatima Ali
Nationality: Bahraini
Occupation: Student
I believe this should not pertain only to ‹my community› but
rather to the community residing in UAE itself. I greatly believe
in voluntary work, and I believe one can help the community
in that manner. For example a while back one of my Electrical
Engineering Design Projects was used to make an educational toy
for children with Down’s Syndrome in the UAE. I am also involved
in some non profit organizations such as Theory Lamp (www.
facebook.com/TheoryLamp). I believe that schools and universities
in UAE should introduce the students to voluntary work and
through that they can teach people how to help each other. For
example, a lot of students these days go for voluntary internship/
training at Sheikh Khalifa Hospital and attend the annual Terry
Fox run as well. Such behaviour should be encouraged, and the
newer generation should be taught that money is not everything.
Name: Umair Nathani
Occupation: Student
Nationality: Pakistani
I believe that the Filipino community is a necessity to any culture. We are naturally
a fun loving, happy, helpful, smiling, patient and friendly bunch. Who can say no
to such a group? We are everywhere: healthcare, entertainment, service staff in
hotels, airlines, airports, restaurants, shopping malls, etc. We have and we can
contribute our talents, professions to UAE. Since we Filipinos put great emphasis on
being family oriented I believe that through us UAE can learn the real value of time
well spent with the family. This brings to light one of our most unsung heroes: the
domestic helpers and even the un-skilled workers. Many of them are mothers who
sacrifice their health and time away from their family and loved ones for many years
out of necessity. Coming from a “third world” country, Filipinos understand the
value of money and hard work, and put their effort into anything and everything.
Sometimes being away from family or being raised in another country, any Filipino
will tell you that their family and loved ones are their priority, so no matter who you
are, where you are from or how deep your pockets go; you are bound to realize that
Filipinos take pride in everything they do, and with a smile on their face.
Name: Angeli Castillo
Occupation: Freelance Photographer
Nationality: Filipino

21. I think the main contribution my community is making to the
UAE is improving the multiculturalism of the community’s
demographic and diversifying the melting pot of cultures while
WHAT IN YOUR VIEW CAN YOUR adding to the wealth of nationalities and experiences available
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTE TO in the UAE. Reaching out to both the native-born and newcomers
to the UAE and developing lasting relationships among their
THE UAE?
ethnic and religious communities encourages these communities
- MANAR AL HINAI to participate fully in society and enhance the level of economic,
social, and cultural integration into the UAE. The great benefits
of multiculturalism are that it enriches the UAE’s society of
nationals and expats. It brings new traditions and new ideas
to the table. It helps people to develop a sense of tolerance and
peace towards other cultures. They become worldly, and learn
about other places and people. It also helps them to connect
with other people and learn how to cooperate, compromise and
synergise.
Name: Alwaleed Osman
Occupation: Student
Nationality: Egyptian
Even as a member of the expat
community, I feel I play an important
part in the UAE’s development.
Because I’m helping students become
proficient in English, these young
people will be well prepared to be global
leaders in whatever field they choose.
Name: Alone Elisha
Occupation: Teacher
Nationality: American
I like to think we simply contribute other opinions
and values than what is already here. Seeing things
from other people›s perspective is important, so we bring
a European perspective to meet an Arabian perspective. It’s
just part of the world coming together to lean about each other.
I just mean, people’s traditions are deep rooted so for me to be here
and hear about the Arabian families celebrating Eid, and fasting during
Ramadan is something I had not experienced before. It has enabled me to
understand why this occurs and the Muslim beliefs behind it. At the same time
it amazes me to hear parents of my Muslim children and my Muslim colleagues
wishing me a happy Christmas and asking me how I spend my holidays and what I do
with my family when I’m home. It’s all part of the world finally beginning to understand
each other and respect each other’s views. It’s nice to think Abu Dhabi in many respects is
leading the way with this!
Name- Ian Pugh
Occupation- Teacher
Nationality: UK

22. MUSICAL INSPIRATION: Youth String Orchestra Takes on the Capital
By Hana Maki
Always on the look out for interesting events I was intrigued I went a long to one of the practice meet ups and I found myself Photo caption: 1.Nick Kohn, 14, U.S.A
when I heard about a group of kids popping up around the city, becoming surprised. I really hadn’t expected them all to come 2. Niki Moosavi, 13, Iran
instruments in hand, performing classical concerts much to from different schools, to be different ages and to come from FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: 3. Shanthi Hopley, 16, India U.S.A
the surprise of a delighted audience! I spoke to musician and such different places. As soon as the music began the reason TOP ROW 4. Sarah Joubert, 16, France Algeria
conductor of Abu Dhabi Strings Orchestra, Emma Stansfield. why all these kids were meant to play together became clear, 5. Veronica Reeves, 13, Australia
the powerful sounds of the strings; I was overwhelmed. 6. Ephraim Belnap, 14, U.S.A
“It’s true I was a bit naughty! I wanted us to have fun so
the orchestra went and played on the public beach on the “I like how all the instruments play their own set of music and 1. Anjali Hopley, 13, India U.S.A
Corniche,” said Emma. “I thought it would be cool, like a when you put it all together it sounds really amazing! When 2. Fiona D’Silva, 14, India
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
busking atmosphere, and Coldstone Creamery said yes sure set we perform together you really feel like you have a piece 3. Emma Stansfield, Conductor
MIDDLE ROW
yourselves up. We were all ready to play, we had our stands, mastered,” says Braxton Rhodes, the newest member of Abu 4. Amelia Tee, 15, Malaysia
instruments, and all the parents came to watch. Dhabi Strings. 5. Jenny Willbond, 17, U.K
“There was quite a big audience emerging. Just as I was about There was no doubt this grass roots orchestra’s powerful 1. Maha Faruqi, 13, Pakistan
to begin a security guard walks up and says, “sorry you can’t performances came through a lot hard work. Violinist 2.Lu Ye, 15, China
play.” I was stunned. I looked at all the kids, and audience, and Fiona D’Silva told me she practices “four hours a day”, and FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: 3. Sara Morris, 13, U.K
just said pleeaase can we talk about this! He explained I needed Lu Ye complained about her “red fingers”. “It’s quite a big BOTTOM ROW 4. Naomi Mulligan, 13, U.K
permission from the beach, luckily his boss was there and I commitment, I want it to be even better quality and that means 5. Zainab Majid, 15, Pakistan
showed him the people all waiting for me to go and conduct. even more rehearsing. If you’re surrounded by other people 6.Braxton Rhodes, 14, U.S.A
He said “ok”, but he wanted to talk to me afterwards… I was so that are also doing the same thing then it helps. You also need exclaimed Veronica Reeves. Then with a smile Emma revealed,
nervous. The whole time I was conducting I was expecting him to have inspirational influences,” Emma told me. Emma herself “We’re going to be playing in Café Arabia on Friday the 25th
to stop me! Afterwards he came straight up to me but this time has played the violin with the likes of Kanye West and Harry November at 4pm. It’s a great venue, there’s going to be a
with a huge smile. He absolutely loved the music, everyone Connick Jr, and the Abu Dhabi Strings had the amazing honour buffet, lemonades, art on the walls and we have a wonderful
did, it was a fantastic day.” of playing with the renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, probably one of repertoire. It’ll be exciting.”
the most famous musicians of the modern age.
Emma started this grass roots orchestra in December last After hearing the guys practice, one thing for sure is that this
year with the goal of taking live peformances out into “You know when you learn to play an instrument you learn is not a concert to be missed. There are limited seats, at Dh
the community. One concert was in the Library of Khalifa so much about classical music. A lot of people our age just 30 each, including refreshments. If you’re interested in seeing
University. I didn’t know what the reception would be, but don’t know what we know,” explained Jenny Willbond. That this exciting string orchestra perform make sure you RSVP at
lots of local guys came up afterwards saying how much they may be true, yet their music does seem to hypnotise any abudhabistrings@gmail.com or check them out on their website
enjoyed the live music. audience. Where could this orchestra go next? “Hogwarts!” www.abudhabistrings.com