Mayar Hamdan

A Palestinian transmedia storyteller and multiplatform filmmaker with a strong eye for design, Mayar Hamdan has worked on a variety of projects, ranging from video games to films to video installations. Hamdan’s work is defined as the interdisciplinary exploration of migration, displacement, and feminist themes expressed through the canopy of color theory. She obtained a BS in Media Industries and Technology at Northwestern University and an MFA in Art and Technology at the California Institute of the Arts. During her time at CalArts she worked on her debut interactive 360º feature film Al-Mashata.

Hamdan worked for multiple mobile gaming companies as an interactive game writer and animator in Barcelona, Spain. Additionally, she worked on the Doha Film Institute's Film Training and Development team. During that time, Hamdan directed, wrote, developed, and produced several independent projects, most notably Beit Byoot (2019) which can be streamed on SundanceTV, and Don't Get Too Comfortable (2021) which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival.

Hamdan is currently based in Los Angeles, CA, and is the Lead Narrative Designer at Lunacy Studios, an independent new media producer (Cinema, CR, AR, VR, & XR), Creative Director of FilmMena, & Northwestern University Studio20Q's Industry Advisor. She is currently in production on first her feature-length absurdist architectural documentary.

As a multimedia storyteller with a strong focus on visual design, my work explores the manipulation of space and architectural narratives. The foundations of my work lie in my multi-cultural background as a Palestinian having lived all over the Middle East, Spain, and the U.S.

At the core of my work are color theory and color research. More specifically, I examine color across different mediums, themes, and cultures. In my experience, I have found ways to use colors to evoke a variety of emotions. By using colors strategically, the audience's experiences with the narratives presented are challenged.

Throughout all my works, documentary or fiction, I use existing spaces and the narratives they breed. I strip these spaces of their natural colors and exert my own strict color scheme on them. While in reality, I do not have control over being a displaced Palestinian woman, in the worlds I create, color allows me to have a sense of control.

Previously, I worked for gaming companies and film production houses as a narrative designer, interactive story writer, producer, and film production designer. I used these backgrounds to write/direct/art direct my independent short film Beit Byoot (2019) which can now be streamed on SundanceTV.

I have a BS in Media Industries and Technology where I concentrated on Film & 2D animation. I then received an MFA degree from CalArts in Art and Technology where I expanded my practice in storytelling through using emerging technologies and experimenting with different mediums.

For the past four years, my practice has blended architectural practices, film, and immersive technologies through VR, XR, AR, UX, interactive storytelling, and building immersive installations - with color & narrative always being at the forefront.

PERSONAL PROJECTS & PRESS

WORKSHOPS

Tell Your Own Damn Story | Filmmena:

https://www.filmmena.com/tell-your-own-damn-story

Makeshift Filmmaking | Studio20Q:

https://vimeo.com/482664550

So You've Made a Film, Now What? | Yemeni Film Factory & New York Film Academy

https://www.instagram.com/p/CWV1YpPtQjl/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

ARTIST TALKS

The Filmmaker's Dilemma| CC:TheWorks:

https://www.cctheworks.com/the-filmmakers-dilemma

Design & Film| M7: