Written by Kianna Best on Dec 5, 2022. Posted in Production News

Film AlUla's studio complex construction has begun

Film Alula, the film agency of the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), announced today the start of construction of their approximately 30,000 square metre studio complex. The first phase of construction is set to be completed in Q4 of 2023.

 

 

Charlene Deleon-Jones, Executive Director of Film AlUla, said: “AlUla is a thriving center for arts, culture and heritage. With the film and screen sector of central focus the first phase of this studio complex is carefully planned and part of a much larger programme of infrastructure development.”

 

Following 694 production days since Film AlUla’s opening in 2020, the region has seen a slew of projects including Ric Roman’s Kandahar ,the region's first major Hollywood feature shoot to shoot almost entirely in AlUla, starring Gerard Butler, Cherry, an Iraq war story starring Tom Holland and directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, as well as the first Saudi feature film to be shot in AlUla titles Norah, which made use of an all Saudi cast and 40% Saudi Crew.

 

 

As the region prepares for an expected influx of production activity, following its past project successes, AlUla will be well equipped with the building of the two soundstages, production support buildings, workshops, pyro/sfx building, catering facility and administration buildings. In addition the complex will include a 6.500 sq metre backlot and a sound recording studio. To follow up the start of this impressive space, the prospects for phase two will be revealed in Q2 of 2023.

 

 

“This complex will satisfy the growing demand from regional and international producers to shoot at AlUla, while also supplying an epicentre for our production ecosystem,” added Deleon-Jones. “The studio complex will diversify AlUla’s economy, in line with the objectives of RCU, as we build a home to nurture Saudi talent in the screen sector for generations to come.”

 

Located only 14 minutes from the Film AlUla residences, visitors are a short distance away from the 300 rooms, quality restaurants, recreational facilities and office spaces that are on offer at the venue. The residences are also only 20 minutes away from AlUla International Airport, whose flight path lies outside of the studio complex.

 

 

To ensure the utmost comfortability for the production experience at AlUla, the team engaged with US based live experience company Tait. This will also be useful when navigating activity during the summer months. In addition, the agency conducted a 10-month Environmental and Social Impact Assessment with some third-party environmental organisations in order to assess how the construction of this space will affect future generations.

 

Images courtesy of Film AlUla