PROINTERVIEW
We have made a significant investment to prop up the film and TV industry in the UAE and the sound stage project is an essential part of that objective. We are committed to establishing a world-class filming hub in Dubai and have invested close to USD 272,257,000 (1 billion AED) to realise that vision. The investment has gone into infrastructure, boutique studios, office spaces and so on. Tell us about the other two sound stages. What do they offer and what are their highlights? The other two sound stages are also a commitment by TECOM to support the local film and TV industry. Their size and capacity makes them ideally suited for film shoots. However, they will be available for television shoots as well. Spread over an area of 50,000 sqft., these are the largest in the Middle East. An elephant door separating the sound stages gives flexibility to filmmakers to shoot two films simultaneously or use the entire space for a single shoot. The facility is sound proof and built with state-of-the-art technology to provide the latest facilities to filmmakers. Any amount of noise in the vicinity will not disrupt shooting in these facilities with 100% omissions of vibrations as well. Yet another highlight of these sound stages are the two water tanks — each of which is 8m x 20m. One of them is 41.2m deep, while the other one is almost 3m deep. This is the first time that such huge water tanks have been built indoors. negotiating more deals similar to the MBC deal. There have been enquiries for more such facilities from Egypt and Lebanon, and we are looking at these requests quite seriously. We are in talks for expansion plans to build customised studios for companies. There is enough room to build up to 14 sound stages of 50,000 sqft. capacity in Dubai Studio City. We have already engaged two investors to
“Now with the sound stage officially launched, MBC starts filming its second drama from September 1. It is a very interesting drama and will recreate another country right here in the sound stage. That’s all I can disclose at the moment”
Jamal Al Sharif, MD, Dubai Studio City
Tell us about the shooting schedules at these days of shooting facilities. Have you roped in Dubai including in any new companies? We will launch the TV series and second and third sound films in 2012 stages in September 2013, beginning with the shooting of a very large TV show. The facility has been booked already for 103 days and subsequently for another 95 days for a film shoot. We know for sure that there is a huge demand for these facilities but we are a little picky about who vWG2F?W6RF?V??vR&R??B??????rB???r?FW&??V6W2BF?R???V?B6?F?BF?Rf6??G??2f??&?RF???&RF????R6?????vRv?BWfW'???RF?&V?Vf?Bg&??F?V??B??B??BF?V?"66?RF??W7B??FgV??bV?F?F?W2???f7B?vR&R??F?R&?6W72?`??3c0??"???GV&?( ?2'V?W"?Bf?6R&W6?FV?B?B&??R???7FW"?bF?RTR??6?V????????VB&??&6??B???F?V??"??2&V??r'&?VfVB&?WBF?R?Wr6?V?B7FvR'?????6?&?b2?$2w&?W( ?26??&??v?VVB??'&?????????2???VwW7B#2?wwr?'&?F67G&??R?6?????#P???