Research Visit

CIAC hosts international visit

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Samir Cheida, a graduate in Audiovisual Studies from the School of Communication and Arts at the University of São Paulo, is currently on a research visit at CIAC. He holds a specialization in Screenwriting for Cinema and TV from the Armando Alvares Penteado Foundation and a Master’s degree in Communication and Semiotics from PUC-SP. His master’s thesis explored transmedia strategies in the making of the series “The Walking Dead” (2010). Currently, he is pursuing his Ph.D. in the same program at PUC-SP, focusing on the creative process of Brazilian series released on streaming services.

He is currently working on adapting the life of sailor João Cândido, a leader of one of Brazil’s most significant revolts against racism, into a screenplay titled “Cândido,” which was a semi-finalist at the Guiões – Festival de Roteiro da Língua Portuguesa in 2023 and selected for the SESC New Stories Lab (a lab where important Brazilian films like “City of God,” “The Second Mother,” “Good Manners,” among others, had their beginnings). With a background in various audiovisual projects, Cheida directed the feature film “Bugrinos – O Filme do Guarani Futebol Clube,” screened on ESPN and in cinemas, as well as the web series “Um voto por uma vida melhor” for Natura and Co.

As an editor, Samir Cheida worked on award-winning short films like “A florista do outro lado da praça” and “A menina metalinguística e o garoto melancólico” by Guga Caldas, as well as television projects such as the first and third seasons of “Águias da Cidade”, produced by Mixer and aired on Discovery Channel, and the program “Custe o que Custar”, produced by Eyeworks Cuatro Cabezas and aired on TV Bandeirantes. He also served as editing coordinator for the São Paulo State Media Center, a transmedia project that broadcasted classes to public school students during the pandemic.

His current research focuses on the implementation of writers’ rooms, an American method of audiovisual writing, in the development of contemporary Brazilian series. With Brazil’s strong tradition in soap opera writing and the advent of international channels and streaming services, the country now employs various creation methods. For his research, Cheida will analyze the series “Rota 66” (2022), “O Rei da TV” (2022), and “Cangaço Novo” (2023).

CIAC, with the involvement of professors Mirian Tavares and Patrícia Dourado, plays a significant role in researching creative processes. During his stay in the Algarve, Samir Cheida aims to further understand the development of series, assisting in analyzing what happened in the writers’ rooms. His main goal is to advance his thesis development by incorporating studies conducted at CIAC into his research findings. Additionally, his stay in Portugal aims to produce academic articles in collaboration with researcher Mirian Tavares, integrating her perspective into the creation processes of Brazilian audiovisual narratives.

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