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2027 Faculty Development Program in Morocco

Innovations in Film Studies, Cinema, and Visual Arts

MOROCCO
Academic Seminar & Travel Portfolio

Seminar Series and Workshops on Cinematic Environments & Visual Storytelling

Exploring Film Studies, Cinema, and Visual Arts Perspectives

Trip# 1096-2027-MoroccoMay 17 – 27, 2027Ouarzazate & Casablanca, Morocco
Duration:11 Days
Destination:MOROCCO
Trip Type:Educational Program
Airfare:Round Trip
Cost:$5,500+$650 for single room

Host Institutions: Atlas Film Studios Complexes, CLA Studios, & Regional Moroccan Film Commission Hubs
Sponsoring Organization: ARAMFO Educational Foundation

I. Academic Framework & Curriculum Structure

Event Overview

This exclusive academic portfolio invites film studies professors, cinema historians, visual arts scholars, and directing practitioners to engage in an intensive on-site seminar and field research delegation to Morocco. The program focuses uniquely on “Film Studio & Visual Arts Faculty International Seminar: Environmental Scale and Cinematic Illusion.” Participants will gain unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the iconic Atlas Film Studios in Ouarzazate—globally recognized as the “Hollywood of Morocco” or “Ouarzawood”—spanning an expansive 31,000 square meters of desert landscape. By analyzing massive, authentic sets left behind by monumental global productions, attendees will examine how physical spaces act as living artistic canvases and how walking through these cross-cultural backdrops can shape contemporary pedagogical frameworks within higher education film and media classrooms.

Core Curricular Focus

The underlying academic goal of this delegation is to analyze, map, and demystify the intersection of physical production design and environmental scale. The curriculum targets three primary pedagogical competencies:

  1. Scenic Architecture & Environmental Scale: Analyzing how local Moroccan artisans construct elaborate physical worlds and scale illusions for global epics.
  2. Cross-Cultural Materiality & Narrative Textures: Evaluating the preservation and repurposing of massive physical sets spanning Egyptian, Roman, and medieval cinematic motifs.
  3. Cinematic Pedagogy: Adapting practical set-walking methodologies, visual art tracking, and spatial direction case studies into contemporary university classrooms.

II. Key Highlights

  • Atlas Film Studios Masterclasses: Explore the operational principles, historical impact, and design mechanics behind the largest film studio facility of its kind in the world.
  • The “Ouarzawood” Production Legacy: Gain direct insight into the physical backdrops of monumental global productions, including Gladiator, The Mummy, Kingdom of Heaven, and Game of Thrones.
  • Panel Discussions & Design Roundtables: Participate in targeted academic dialogues with international set designers, local production managers, and cinema experts. Sessions cover higher-education film curriculum integration, environmental framing, and cross-cultural media literacy.

III. Why Attend?

  • Expand Curricular Knowledge: Deepen your comprehension of physical world-building and create practical case studies for introducing advanced spatial and set design literacy into your university courses.
  • Network with Industry Leaders: Build long-term professional development bridges, collaborative production networks, and international guest-lecturer partnerships with world-class cinema and media practitioners.
  • Enhance Institutional Competitiveness: Equip your home department with rare, direct field insights crucial for maintaining highly competitive, globally informed media and visual arts programs.
  • Acquire Practical Classroom Tools: Gain immediate access to technical site layouts, environmental imagery, and dynamic pedagogical datasets to optimize student learning outcomes in film direction and visual analysis.

Trip# 1096-2027-Morocco

Questions? Email info@aramfo.org.

IV. Comprehensive Program Itinerary

* Initial Itinerary (Subject to Change)

Day 1: Monday, May 17, 2027 – International Transit

  • All Day: Group departure from JFK International Airport (New York) to Mohammed V International Airport (Casablanca, Morocco).
  • In-flight meals, transit tracking, and standard cabin amenities provided.

Day 2: Tuesday, May 18, 2027 – Arrival, Casablanca Orientation & Welcome

  • Afternoon: Arrive at Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) in Casablanca.
  • Transit: Group transfer via private coach from the airport arrival hall to the premium hotel (Approx. 60-minute scenic urban transit).
  • Late Afternoon: Check-in at the Premium Upscale Hotel in Casablanca and time to unpack.
  • 7:00 PM: Official Academic Welcome Dinner — Academic Context: Greet fellow university faculty, introduce ARAMFO site coordinators, and outline the week’s pedagogical and research targets.
  • Overnight: Premium Upscale Hotel, Casablanca, Morocco.

Day 3: Wednesday, May 19, 2027 – Module 1: Architectural Landscapes and Transitional Visual Geometry

  • 8:30 AM: Private coach transfer from the hotel to the coastal architectural zone.
  • Morning Session:Casablanca Heritage Sector – On-Site Lecture Hub
    • 9:00 – 9:30: Welcoming Remarks & Field IntroductionsHosted by regional media coordinators and ARAMFO Academic Coordinators.
    • 9:30 – 10:30: Introduction to Moroccan Architectural Typologies and Visual TexturesOverview of the blend between Moorish, Art Deco, and Brutalist spatial designs.
    • 10:30 – 11:00:Light Break / Networking
    • 11:00 – 13:00: The Grand Scale of Islamic Architecture: Spatial Proportions of the Hassan II MosqueField analysis of scale, hand-carved stone layouts, and marine architectural integration.
  • 13:00 – 14:30:Hosted Lunch and Collaborative Faculty Working Groups
  • Afternoon Session:Casablanca Media Corridor – Urban Studies
    • 14:30 – 16:30: The Cinematic Myth of Casablanca: Analyzing Mid-Century Studio Framing vs. RealitySeminar on the evolution of Hollywood backlot representations of North African landscapes.
  • 18:30: Private coach transfer through Casablanca’s historic avenues.

Day 4: Thursday, May 20, 2027 – Module 2: The Geography of Travel and Cinematic Transitions

  • 7:00 AM: Check-out of Casablanca hotel. Depart via private air-conditioned coach across the Atlas Mountains towards Ouarzazate.
  • Morning Session:Tizi n’Tichka Mountain Pass – Environmental Scale Analysis
    • 10:00 – 12:30: The Changing Frame: Visual Conversions from Coastal Plains to Desert ExpansesField observation and group discussion on mountain vistas as natural framing devices.
  • 13:00 – 14:30:Hosted Lunch and Collaborative Faculty Working Groups during transit
  • Afternoon Session:Ouarzazate Arrival & Studio Lot Integration
    • 15:30 – 17:30: Arrival at the Ouarzazate Cinematic OutpostCheck-in at the cinema-themed Oscar Hotel, located directly on-site at the Atlas Film Studios lot.
  • Evening: Orientation walk through the studio-adjacent landscapes.

Day 5: Friday, May 21, 2027 – Module 3: Massive Set Architecture and Global Production Backdrops

  • 8:30 AM: Step out directly onto the active studio lot.
  • Morning Session:Atlas Film Studios Lot – Main Set Pavilion
    • 9:00 – 11:00: The Architecture of Illusion: Engineering Roman and Egyptian SetsTechnical walk-through of the colossal structures from Gladiator and The Mummy.
    • 11:00 – 11:30:Light Break on Set
    • 11:30 – 13:00: Anachronistic Materiality: How Local Artisans Shape Historic Textures from Modern MaterialsMasterclass with veteran studio construction managers and local artisans.
  • 13:00 – 14:30:Hosted Lunch and Collaborative Faculty Working Groups at the Oscar Hotel
  • Afternoon Session:Atlas Film Studios – Middle Eastern Backlots
    • 14:30 – 16:30: Plenary Field Study: Scale and Defensive Walls in Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of HeavenStructural analysis of medieval Jerusalem sets, evaluating timber, plaster, and camera-ready fortification lines.

Day 6: Saturday, May 22, 2027 – Module 4: Clay Architecture, UNESCO Heritage, and Fantasy Framing

  • 8:30 AM: Private coach transfer to the Ait Benhaddou complex.
  • Morning Session:Ksar of Ait Benhaddou – UNESCO Earthen Site
    • 9:00 – 13:00: Earthen Architecture as a Living Backdrop: The Visual Framework of Ait BenhaddouOn-site exploration of the earthen clay architectures utilized in Game of Thrones and Lawrence of Arabia.
    • 10:30 – 11:00:Light Break / Riverside Discussion
  • 13:00 – 14:30:Hosted Lunch and Collaborative Faculty Working Groups overlooking the Kasbah
  • Afternoon Session:Ouarzazate Production Corridors
    • 15:00 – 17:30: Technical On-Site Visit: CLA Studios and Alternative Special Effects EnvironmentsField breakout sessions examining green-screen desert integrations and indoor prop collections.

Day 7: Sunday, May 23, 2027 – Module 5: Spatial Lighting Dynamics and Higher Education Curriculum Integration

  • 8:30 AM: Main Studio Campus – Seminar Boardroom.
  • Morning Session:Atlas Film Studios Complex – Conference Suite
    • 9:00 – 11:00: Natural Lighting Mechanics: Capitalizing on High-Intensity Desert Sun for Global CinemaTheoretical lecture by a Senior Director of Photography and Lighting Consultant.
    • 11:00 – 11:30:Light Break
    • 11:30 – 13:00: Plenary Session: Curriculum Integration of Production Design and Environmental Studies for Higher EducationPedagogical blueprinting workshop led by a Senior Media Academic.
  • 13:00 – 14:30:Hosted Lunch and Collaborative Faculty Working Groups
  • Afternoon Session:Atlas Film Studios Complex – Main Set Lot
    • 14:30 – 16:30: Plenary Session: Shaping Academic Thoughts of Future Filmmakers and Visual ArtistsInteractive instructional methodology workshop on bridging practical set experience with classroom film theory.

Day 8: Monday, May 24, 2027 – Module 6: Ouarzazate Kasbah Culture and Localized Visual Media Operations

  • 8:30 AM: Private coach transfer to central Ouarzazate.
  • Morning Session:Kasbah Taourirt Historical Sector
    • 9:00 – 11:30: The Interior Horizon: Spatial Complexity and Intricate Geometric Patterns in Kasbah InteriorsVisual arts survey examining earthen geometric design, light pathways, and internal palatial networks.
  • 11:30 – 13:00:Hosted Lunch and Faculty Reflection Roundtables
  • Afternoon Session:Ouarzazate Craft Hubs
    • 14:30 – 17:00: Field Visit: Regional Craft Collectives and Localized Material Extraction SitesObservation of raw pigment gathering, hand-woven carpets, and textiles featured in international period dramas.

Day 9: Tuesday, May 25, 2027 – Module 7: Cross-Cultural Cinematic Synergies and Synthesis

  • 8:30 AM: Main Studio Lot – Open Air Pavilion.
  • Morning Session:Atlas Film Studios Complex – Main Auditorium
    • 9:00 – 10:30: The Desert Arena is a Canvas: Navigating Cross-Border Cinematic LandscapesLecture by an International Film Producer.
    • 10:30 – 11:00:Light Break
    • 11:00 – 13:00: The Image of Global Production and the Idea of Cross-Cultural Learning: Conclusions of the Study GroupClosing roundtable featuring the Faculty Panel, Moroccan Host Studio Managers, and Academic Area Coordinator for ARAMFO.
  • 13:00 – 14:30:Conferral of Completion Certificates and Closing Lunch Break
  • Afternoon: Free time for independent photography, script detailing, or program synthesis.
  • 7:00 PM: Official Academic Farewell Dinner — Reflective discussion on classroom applications, university partnerships, and structural insights gained.

Day 10: Wednesday, May 26, 2027 – Return Transit to the Atlantic Coast

  • Morning: Hotel check-out and final equipment packing.
  • Transit: Private coach transfer from Ouarzazate back across the High Atlas Mountains to Casablanca (Scenic transit with research stops).
  • Late Afternoon: Arrival in Casablanca and check-in at the terminal-adjacent hotel.
  • Overnight: Premium Upscale Hotel, Casablanca, Morocco.

Day 11: Thursday, May 27, 2027 – Program Conclusion and Departure

  • Morning: Hotel check-out and final luggage packing.
  • Transit: Group transfer from the hotel lobby to Mohammed V International Airport via private air-conditioned coach.
  • Afternoon: Board the return flight from Casablanca (CMN) back to JFK International Airport.

Please note that minor adjustments to the daily program timetable, specific set venues, or scheduled production speakers may occur due to active film shoots, media lot adjustments, or local environmental mandates.

The Program Cost is $5,500

Double Occupancy Base Cost: $5,500 per person  •  Single Occupancy Upgrade: +$650 (totaling $6,150 per person, subject to availability)

Program Cost Covers:

  • Academic Programming: The complete, curated academic workshop, masterclass series, and guided lot-access package directly hosted on-site at Atlas Film Studios and surrounding historic Kasbahs.
  • Air Transportation: International round-trip airfare starting from JFK Airport to Casablanca, Morocco (standard economy, without checked-in bag).
    (flights can be coordinated from other US states for an additional programmatic fee)
  • Accommodations: Stay at premium, highly rated upscale hotels in Casablanca and the cinema-themed Oscar Hotel located directly on the studio lots in Ouarzazate (double occupancy base).
  • Meals: Full hot breakfast every single day at the hotel, alongside hosted Welcome and Farewell dinners.
  • Ground Logistics: Dedicated airport-to-hotel and site transfers via a private air-conditioned coach, alongside daily private transportation to and from all scheduled workshops, sets, and excursions.
  • Excursions: All guided evening touring programs and site entry fees listed in the official itinerary.
  • Unless otherwise stated, transportation to and from scheduled program activities is included.
  • ARAMFO will arrange for one group transportation to and from the airport at a time when most participants will arrive in or leave the host country.

Cost Does Not Include

  • Travel and health insurance (mandatory for all international participants).
    (can be purchased from our partners here (International Travel Insurance))
  • Daily lunches and independent evening dinners not explicitly outlined in the schedule.
  • Personal tips for bus drivers, local tour guides, and hotel and studio hospitality service staff.
  • Checked baggage fees on any flights.
  • Airport transfers for arrivals or departures outside the main group schedule (available for an additional fee).
  • Optional activities and independent research excursions.

Funding Your Participation

We encourage you to seek travel and professional development funding from your institution. Many faculty members receive support through internal programs and offices listed below.

Common campus sources of funding

  • Offices of international programs or global engagement
  • Academic affairs or faculty development
  • Teaching and learning centers
  • Research and travel grants

Documentation ARAMFO can provide

  • Official invitation letter and program details
  • Confirmation of invited role such as presenter, panelist, session participant, or workshop contributor
  • Itemized cost overview to support internal funding requests

This educational trip may be funded out of pocket or through institutional support. Schools and universities may cover the full cost or offer partial sponsorship for faculty participation.

ARAMFO Payment Plan Options

We believe every participant should be able to travel without financial stress. The plans below provide flexible options to fit different budgets.

Option 1: Pay in Full at Enrollment (No Fee)

  • Pay the entire program balance at the time of enrollment.
  • Accepted methods: credit card, debit card, ACH, personal checks, and bank transfers.

Option 2: Automatic Payment Plan (No Fee)

Set up automatic monthly or bi-weekly payments with no additional fees. Payments are scheduled until 30 days before departure.

How it works

  • No enrollment or plan fees.
  • First payment of $300 due within 30 days of registration; credited toward your total balance.
  • Choose monthly or bi-weekly automatic payments.
  • At least $1,500 paid no later than 90 days before departure.
  • Final balance paid no later than 55 days before departure.
  • You may pay off your balance early at any time without fees.
  • Accepted methods: credit card, debit card, ACH, personal checks, and bank transfers.

Cancellation Policy

  • 50% of the paid amount refunded between 100 and 91 days prior to departure.
  • 40% of the paid amount refunded between 90 and 61 days prior to departure.
  • 30% of the paid amount refunded between 60 and 51 days prior to departure.
  • No refund within 50 days of departure.

Walk the Sets of Global Cinema — May 2027

This is a rare chance to study cinematic world-building from the inside. For eleven immersive days, you will stand where the epics were filmed — on the colossal lots of Atlas Film Studios, inside the UNESCO ksar of Ait Benhaddou, and along Casablanca’s storied avenues — learning directly from the set designers, construction masters, and production managers who build the worlds global audiences believe in.

  • Seven modules of masterclasses, plenary panels, and on-site field studies across Casablanca, the Atlas Mountains, and Ouarzazate
  • Direct dialogue with international set designers, veteran studio construction managers, and cinema experts
  • Technical site layouts, environmental imagery, and curriculum blueprints to bring back to your classroom
  • Conferral of completion certificates recognizing your professional development
  • Guided excursions to the UNESCO Ksar of Ait Benhaddou, Kasbah Taourirt, and regional craft collectives
  • Round-trip airfare from JFK, premium hotels including the on-lot Oscar Hotel, daily hot breakfast, and all program transportation included

How Registration Works

  1. Submit the form. Tell us who you are and what you would like to know — registering interest carries no payment obligation at this stage.
  2. We follow up personally. The ARAMFO team confirms availability and can construct an individual payment schedule tailored to your university’s financial disbursement cycles.
  3. Your seat is confirmed. We handle the flights, hotels, and academic programming — you prepare your questions for the studio masters of Ouarzazate.

Spaces for this specialized seminar are limited.

Register or request more information using the form — and remember that schools, departments, and universities are strongly encouraged to cover the full cost or offer partial sponsorship to their faculty members. The insights gained from this journey will enrich your research, your teaching, and your institution’s academic framework.

Trip# 1096-2027-Morocco  •  May 17 – 27, 2027  •  Ouarzazate & Casablanca, Morocco  •  $5,500 (+$650 single room)

Email info@aramfo.org

Trip# 1096-2027-Morocco

Questions? Email info@aramfo.org.