Dina Butti is a writer and television presenter in Dubai.
What brought you to do Dubai?
My parents moved to Dubai while I was in university in Montreal, so during one of my summers off I interned here at INTV (now known as City 7) and at CNN Arabia - both of which allowed me to immerse myself in the world of news reporting and get a taste of what it’s like to be a part of the local media. During my next break, I was hired as a freelance reporter to represent CNN at the Dubai International Film Festival where I conducted my first ever celebrity interview - with none other than George Clooney! I had so many exciting experiences and fell in love with the city that it seemed like a no-brainer to move to the Emirates upon graduating.
Describe a typical day.
I recently became a mummy so my days are pretty much ruled by my little one. I wake up around 6am when I have my first feed of the day and get to hang out with the hubby before he heads out to work. The next few hours are usually a blur of playtime, household chores, somehow getting ready and answering emails while keeping my baby distracted. The afternoon is when I try to schedule in any work I have to do - so whether it be voiceovers, meetings, hosting an event or a shoot. My evenings are dedicated to family time and revolve around my husband and I attempting to cook dinner, get our mini Butti ready for bed and then the last (and most peaceful) hour is our chance to catch up on shows - whether it be Game of Thrones, The Good Wife or one of the other 500 shows we like to watch!
How did you get into this profession?
Following university, I moved to Dubai where I worked for MTV Arabia as a production coordinator, wrote music reviews for LIVE magazine and landed my first full-time job as the editor of a woman’s lifestyle magazine for the Jumeirah Group. I spent two years writing about 90% of the editorial, overseeing the design/layout of the publication and interviewing awesome people like Jamie Oliver, John Galliano and Celine Dion.
Following the closure of the magazine, I auditioned to be a television presenter at Dubai One. Although I wasn’t selected, I was asked to join the team as a researcher/writer. While working there, I continued to show up at every casting in hopes of picking up a few skills and improving my delivery. Eventually my persistence paid off and I was asked to be a ‘social scout’ on a show called City Wrap, followed by a reporter on Studio One, a relief host on Out & About and, finally, a presenter on That’s Entertainment.
Most recently, a bunch of former Dubai One presenters, recognised personalities and I joined forces to create an online channel called ‘Dubai ON Demand’ which has given me many first time experiences as a co-founder and ultimately been quite educational. It’s yet another reminder that if the opportunities you crave aren’t available, you should do your best to create them.
What is the best thing about your job?
The coolest part of my job is taking on various adventures - from working with hyenas and lions; acting on ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ to walking on fire - and having it all documented on camera. I also get to work with ridiculously inspiring people and I do love meeting celebrities who have truly made an impact in their industry. My favourites so far have to be John Travolta, The Jacksons, Tom Cruise and Gerard Butler.
However, to maintain your passion for anything I believe you have to keep yourself inspired. In my profession, I am lucky to continuously meet people who do just that. One of my favourite interviews to date was with a 25 year old man who has a hormone deficiency, which left him trapped in a 12 year old’s body. Despite having to deal with the constant, bizarre challenges that life brings, he was possibly the most content and gracious individual I’ve encountered.
And the worst?
Being on screen often means having to worry about your appearance. I do like dressing up and feeling attractive, but I get frustrated with how time consuming being camera ready can be and having to fuss over my weight when I am naturally someone who can be quite ‘meaty’. In fact, I’ve gotten at least as many messages commenting on what I’ve worn during an interview as on the content itself.
What was a standout moment in your career?
I would say my real standout moment would have to be presenting live from The Oscars and being in the midst of Hollywood heaven. Growing up, it was something I had repeatedly dreamt of doing and actually being there, surrounded by the best entertainment professionals from around the world, as well as seeing the biggest stars - from Brad Pitt to Oprah - in action was surreal.
What advice would you have for any young person wanting to get into your field?
Gather as much experience as possible before you start trying to audition - internships, shoot your own demos, whatever you have available… just make sure you have a reel! There’s a lot of competition out there, so you need to stand out. Also, as easy as it often looks to be in front of the camera, the most difficult thing for a news presenter to do is to be ‘natural’ on screen, so practice is key. And lastly, make sure you’re getting into presenting for the right reasons. Television can be misleading - there’s a lot of unglamorous long hours and hard work that goes into it. Oh, and work on thickening that skin. No matter how good you are, someone is always going to feel otherwise and they’re always the first to tell you about it.
Your motto
Have faith.