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Dubai emerging as Gulf filming hub

The current market buoyancy, according to industry analysts, is being spurred by the creation of the Media City where a host of new production houses have set up operations. They estimate that the size of the film production industry in the emirate has risen from some Dh30 million to Dh70 million over the past couple of years.

Vishnu Gur, executive director at Rahbani Productions, said at the current pace of growth, it would not take too long for Dubai to upstage Beirut and Cairo as the number one filming centre of the whole Middle East. The estimated market size for the production of feature films and TV documentaries and commercials in Beirut is some Dh150 million. "While Beirut and Cairo will continue to cater for the Levant and North African markets, Dubai is positioned to be the filming capital for high-end commercials for the whole Gulf region. Saudi Arabia is expected to be the major target market for Dubai's production houses that have doubled to 30 from what it was three years ago," he said.

Announcing the Dubai-based Rahbani Productions's strategic partnership with FEG Enterprise, a leading Malaysian film support services company, Gur said Dubai has come of age as a sought-after commercial film production centre thanks to its worldclass infrastructure, progressive outlook and liberal business environment. "No less significant is the role being played by Dubai Media City, which has acted as a catalyst to promote this industry," he said.

"As the leading private production house in the UAE, Rahbani is committed to supporting Dubai's emergence and growth as a regional hub for commercial film production. "Through our partnership with FEG Enterprise, we hope to further enhance our own leadership in the field of commercial TV productions and encourage others to enter this exciting arena," he said. The tie-up would enable Rahbani to promote the use of exceptional quality film equipment in this region, he explained.

The latest camera and lens equipment for commercial productions that have been introduced in the region includes the ARRI 435E5, the Swing, Shift and Tilt Lens system, the T-PEX Superscope Multi-Directional Lens System and the Intelligent Motion Network system. "We have invested heavily to bring these systems. The high quality camera and lens systems that we have launched in Dubai today is among the most sophisticated audio-visual equipment and systems used by international movie studios and producers."

Al Kana, chairman of FEG Enterprise, said the new partnership would seek to create awareness about latest products and offer customers in this region easy access to the latest quality audio-visual production equipment and systems. "FEG Enterprise has a history of providing a range of world-class products that we will introduce in the Middle East through Rahbani Productions."