Business & Money | Thursday 31 August, 2017 4:00 am |

Canon Middle East, a leader in imaging solutions, announced the renewal of strategic partnership with Nayla Al Khaja, the UAE’s first woman film producer, as Ambassador. This announcement comes as the UAE celebrates Emirati Women’s Day on 28th August 2017.

Nayla is an iconic figure that represents class, excellence, creativity and innovation in the Middle East filmmaking industry, the same qualities that have helped maintain Canon's reputation as the leader in imaging solutions.

Nayla’s dedication to boost the UAE’s nascent – but growing – professional filmmaking industry compliments Canon’s dedication to grow the remarkable art of imaging across the region through innovative products and services that transcend what is already available.  

Canon also announced that it will support The Scene, Dubai’s first film club set by Nayla a decade ago, to promote indie movies in their original format.

“We are honoured to continue working with the extremely talented and award winning Nayla Al Khaja as Canon’s Ambassador.

Our collaboration commenced in 2011 and we are excited with this partnership, which I believe is a powerful tool towards inspiring more creative content in the region's independent filmmaking domain.

Canon is pleased to promote the works of Nayla and to support her creative endeavours that serve as inspiration to the younger generation.

It is likewise our pleasure to support all independent filmmakers by providing them with unprecedented possibilities in the filmmaking craft through Canon's budget-friendly, full-featured DSLR cameras." said Anurag Agrawal, Managing Director, Canon Middle East.

“To announce the continuation of our partnership on Emirati Women’s Day is a testament to our respect and honour of the amazing achievements Emirati women have gained in their own country and which are recognised worldwide as well.”

Over the years, Nayla continuously demonstrated amazing filming skills and visual creativity, becoming an inspiration for young image talents across the Middle East.

She has been recently nominated for the 2017 edition of the Gulf Business Awards in the category Entrepreneur of the Year, as well as the CEO Middle East Awards 2017 in the categories Female CEO of the Year and Visionary of the Year, not only for her achievements as a professional filmmaker advocating for a better and stronger recognition of Women in cinema, but also for the remarkable success of her production company, D-SEVEN Motion Pictures.

In 2016, she used Canon products to shoot the pilot of her first feature film, Animal, which was nominated for the Muhr Emirati Awards and presented during the 2016 Dubai International Film Festival. She keeps promoting the key advantages of Canon products for filmmakers in the region, inviting them to make their first film using Canon DSLR cameras. Nayla also uses Canon’s DSLR cameras on a daily basis for her digital content.

The DSLR technology pioneered by Canon has changed the motion picture industry and has made it possible for the average person to shoot video with a tight budget.

Moreover, Canon's DSLR cameras deliver value-added green technology benefits such as less power and lights used because of the low-light capabilities in the camera, less equipment to be packed making mobility easier, no chemicals needed for developing film, easy reuse of memory cards and ability to store footage even on a laptop. In addition, by using Canon DSLR cameras, independent filmmakers will only need a smaller crew when producing a film.

In March 2017, Nayla unveiled Canon’s flagship Cinema Camera, the EOS C700, at CABSAT 2017. This next generation digital cinema camera incorporates Canon’s learnings based on professional feedback from across the world and the Middle East over the last five years.

With an all-new modular design aimed at high-end cinema production, the C700 brings an all new power and flexibility expected in the A-Camera market. Featuring a Super35mm sensor that shoots up-to 4.5K, numerous recording options, and an upcoming RAW update, the C700 promises superb image and build quality.