Alan Walker – with more than 50 billion streams of his music – chose a.ka. Media and the UAE to help him create stunning tune, set to be 2021’s summer soundtrack. New Alan Walker x Imanbek track, Sweet Dreams, is now available - by Yasser Obeid
From Cardi B via Rita Ora to Wiz Khalifa, many a global superstar has filmed their music video in and around Dubai. While we might be used to rubbing shoulders with famous people in the city, it’s worth asking why – and I believe there are dozens of good reasons why the international film making and artistic community is choosing to hit the UAE to make their visual mark. First up – and this is very important right now – Dubai and the UAE got its stuff together to launch an early COVID vaccination programme. Given the small size of the country, and the population, the international community feels safer coming to the UAE shores than many other countries. Dubai also opened its doors to travellers a lot earlier than many other countries. COVID health and safety protocols are in place but having one of the world’s most vaccinated populations is reassuring when assembling an internationally diverse crew.
Secondly, location, location, location. I’ve said this many times, but in all my years living and working with international crews in Dubai, they are always impressed. From the stark modernist architecture downtown, to the breath-taking beauty of the desert, mountains and beaches, all within short distances of each other, location spotting, and logistics are made easy. When it comes to creating the city of the future - we are the perfect spot. When it comes to ‘Mad Max’ post-apocalyptic style - we are the perfect spot. When it comes to desert - we are the perfect spot.
Secondly, location, location, location.Pointer
It’s easy to get around – and that might seem like a simple point, but if you have to move around a large crew, equipment and the talent, things can get complicated. The UAE’s road network is perfect, and transportation is still cheap compared to other places. I believe word has spread among the international film community that Dubai is open, safe, easy to do business, cost effective and, of course, a cool, fun, interesting place to be. We can source all sorts of technical equipment easily, there’s a ready, willing pool of highly experienced international crew and talent on hand, with many crew and artists based right here in Dubai. And, of course, let’s not forget the guaranteed sunshine and fantastic light all year round. Over and above all this, the government has been helpful in attracting foreign business in the sector, with a range of state-level and local programmes and incentives available, particularly for filming in Abu Dhabi. When working with superstars, it’s often possible to work on a collaborative basis for some locations and venues, too.
We have other interesting things here which are not really easy to get elsewhere – I’m reminded of the unique custom-made cars that we sourced for our recent Alan Walker shoot, (warning, the opening few seconds is a highly recognisable ear worm that will stay with you all day, sorry not sorry). Another recent epic shoot involved a 60-strong international crew hanging out in the Al Qudra desert to produce the latest futuristic music video for Max Barskih and Zivert, Bestseller. We needed to get hold of 18 1 x 2 metre tempered mirrors just to break them
We have other interesting things here
on camera, and we had to have people flying (the artists were rigged at heights of 5-6 meters at some point), exploding mirrors, surfing on a futuristic surfboard across the desert, laser beams and lighting drones – just another day in the Dubai desert, really… Dubai has always been a globally significant trading hub, and it seems to be a place where, with the right search we can find almost everything here any crew might need – and if something can’t be found we can produce it. Barskih and Zivert’s production is also a good example of how gaining permission for technical, complex and lengthy shoots is smooth. The government has streamlined the process, offers tax breaks for film production (in Abu Dhabi), and comparatively speaking, Dubai and the UAE are cost-effective places to shoot. Let’s not forget Cardi B’s tweet boasting that she paid just US$15,000 back in 2017 to film the video for her breakthrough single ‘Bodak Yellow’. Dubai has cache among the international jet set community. It holds serious interest for investors, for business, and for people interested in pursuing innovation. It’s a place where the creative imagination can run wild. The city makes everyone feel welcome, and that they can achieve their dreams here. Ultimately, the more people who see that productions have been done in the UAE, the more interested they are in the region and landscapes we have to offer. It’s kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Dubai has all the potential to attract more and more international artists to come and shoot in the UAE, and as we move into the post-pandemic world, the UAE ticks all the boxes for creative music video producers to make stunning content with everything they need to hand. From my perspective, it’s a very positive outlook, and a sector which we will see grow and grow over the next decade.
