It’s a great place for a horror film, sci-fi, romance and it’s a landscape audiences don’t know. So as a film producer constantly trying to be original, this is a very original place to be.
Jeremy Bolt, JB Pictures, producer of Desert Warrior
Filming in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is pulling out all the stops, investing billions to create an enticing and sustainable media sector across the entire Kingdom, as part of its Vision 2030 plan, with the intention of attracting audiovisual productions from all over the world. These efforts are already reaping the rewards.
In the northwest, more than 30 productions have already flocked to the new and innovative USD500 billion linear city of Neom, which is being built with no roads, cars or emissions and run on 100% renewable energy. The impressive new location is surrounded by 500 km of untouched coast line on the Red Sea, snow packed mountains and traditional desert.
At the heart of this is the huge, purpose-built Neom Media Industries facility for screen production, gaming, vocational training and infrastructure, just 30 minutes from Neom airport. It features four world-class sound stages in the Media Village across 12,000 sqm of production space, including backlots, and a further six stages are currently in progress, including a volumetric stage, which is launching in Q4 2023. There’s also a resort-style accommodation complex for 350 cast and crew, which is set to increase to 500 by the end of 2023.
“The final end-state media hub will sprawl across an expansive 1 million sqm within the strategic expanse of The Line. With an impressive array of 50 stages and studios, this integrated creative campus promises to redefine possibilities,” says Wayne Borg, MD of Media Industries, Entertainment and Culture at Neom.
One of the stand-out new projects to shoot in Neom is Oscar-winning screenwriter and director Terry George’s film Riverman, which is set during the war in Afghanistan and expected to begin principal photography in January 2024. Producers are Future Artists Entertainment, TMS Productions and Limelight CTL (The King’s Speech).
“The production team’s confidence in Neom is a real testament to our world-class offering of state-of-the-art facilities, great crews, the sheer breadth of diverse locations, and our globally competitive 40% production cash rebate incentive,” says Borg.
Other productions to use Neom as a backdrop include Rupert Wyatt’s Desert Warrior, starring Anthony Mackie and Sir Ben Kingsley; Dunki, directed by Rajkumar Hirani and starring Shahrukh Khan; MBC’s Exceptional, a 200-episode-a-year TV drama series; and the first regional reality television show Million Dollar Island.
“It’s a great place for a horror film, sci-fi, romance and it’s a landscape audiences don’t know. So as a film producer constantly trying to be original, this is a very original place to be. I really encourage any producers and distributors to look seriously at Neom,” says Jeremy Bolt at JB Pictures, producer of Desert Warrior. “The location is rapidly becoming a regional hub for features in the region and the ecosystem is developing, infrastructure is in place, and there is a young dynamic population of creatives eager and keen to learn all aspects of filmmaking.”
Dunki director, Hirani, adds: “When I saw these mountains, I was completely stunned. Neom by itself has set up a whole media hub where they have studios, excellent places to stay, and the whole media team made our life easy by supporting the shoot.”
Rise of The Witches, the region’s biggest-ever budget television show, also filmed in Neom, including at the Badjah Studios in the desert where a complete fantasy world set in 500 BC was created. The studios are next set to host Saudi director Abdulaziz Alshlahei’s latest feature Hobal, which starts shooting autumn 2023.
While local production outfit TELFAZ11 has partnered with Neom to shoot up to nine film and television projects in the region over the next three years, and will set up an office in Neom’s media hub (adding to their existing offices in Riyadh and Dubai).
Plus, Neom is invested in developing the next generation of media industry professionals, including through partnerships with the likes of the National Film and Television School in the UK.
ALULA APPEAL
Neom is not the only busy city in the northwest of the Kingdom though. AlUla is also going through a transformation and attracting several big productions.
Home to 200,000 years of history, including the ancient city of Hegra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, volcanic craters, oasis, untouched wilderness and vast sandstone canyones, AlUla is the ideal backdrop for a range of genres from historic epics to fantasy adventures and dramatic war movies.
Recent projects to shoot there include Ric Roman Waugh’s action film Kandahar, starring Gerard Butler, which involved some 450 crew; Anthony and Joe Russo’s Iraq war story Cherry, starring Tom Holland; and Norah, the first Saudi feature film to be shot in the city.
“We were looking for several locations for [Kandahar] in the Middle East. When I saw the photos of AlUla, my immediate response was; ‘Yes, let’s go shoot there.’ The photos do no justice, it’s a breathtakingly beautiful place,” says Roman Waugh.
US cryptocurrency drama series, Paper Empire, is also now set to shoot its third season in AlUla from the end of 2023. Produced by Robert Gillings Productions, Tadross Media Group and Inner Circle Films, the series boasts an impressive cast, including Kelsey Grammer, Wesley Snipes and Denise Richards.
“After visiting AlUla earlier this year, we immediately knew we had to film here. The incredible landscapes and incomparable scenery are a perfect backdrop for the narrative’s progression, as the stakes become higher and more suspenseful,” says Michael Tadross Jr, one of the series’ producers.
In a further boost for attracting productions, AlUla has just opened a new, environmentally friendly, state-of-the-art studio complex with two 26,000 sqft sound stages, workshops, hair and make-up rooms, wardrobe facilities, office space, dressing rooms and a 61,500 sqft backlot.
“Productions are also able to optimise the 40% cash rebate programme, Film Saudi, and additional support incentives through Film AlUla when using the studios,” says Charlene Deleon-Jones, executive director at Film AlUla, the film agency of the Royal Commission for AlUla, which provides support to incoming productions.
Film AlUla is also interested in developing new talent and boosting its film ecosystem by partnering with several bodies, including the UK’s industry-led Creative Media Skills Institute, and supporting filmmakers from the MENA region with financial production support and the opportunity to complete a portion of filming in AlUla. It also launched AlUla Creates to promote local talent, including female Saudi filmmakers.
STRIKING LOCATIONS
Elsewhere, there are plenty of other appealing, scenic options for filmmakers, including in the capital city Riyadh, which is often the gateway into the country, boasting stunning modern towers looming from the desert and 4WD cars populating the motorways. Many of the local production companies are based here and often required to help with getting permits to shoot.
There’s also the slightly more easy-going city of Jeddah on the Red Sea coast, with its historic Al-Balad district of bustling souks and coral architecture, as well as modern buildings like the new 250-floor Jeddah Tower that is likely to appeal to location scouts and filmmakers, plus desert spots and oasis settings.
Another increasingly popular location is Taif in the Mecca Province of southwest Saudi Arabia, which is cooler than other cities as it’s at an elevation of nearly 2,000 meters, with wide tree-lined streets, traditional architecture, bustling markets and beautiful surrounding scenery. Al-Hasa in the east is also cooler in temperature with green landscapes and is known for its oasis, including one containing three million palm trees.
Other locations of note include the Asir region; Dhee Ayn, a mountain village; Farasan islands, a picturesque marine area, and Dir’iyah, a World Heritage Site.
Climate
Saudi Arabia gets very little rain, with the annual total rarely reaching over four inches. While the climate is generally hot and dry, there are key differences from region to region. Desert temperatures reach over 110 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer periods, whereas the winter temperatures in the north and central parts of the country may drop below freezing.
average daily daylight
average daily sunlight
Directory
- Location Scout Spain - Jul 25, 2024
- Falca x Millimeter - Feb 26, 2024
- Central Films - Feb 26, 2024
- Creativa arabia - Mar 21, 2023
- Plot Film Productions - Jan 30, 2023
- Film AlUla - Sep 22, 2022
- INSIGHT STUDIOS - إينسايت ستوديوز - Aug 31, 2022
- Studio52 - Aug 22, 2022
- Studio52 Arts Production LLC Branch - Aug 22, 2022
- Nutritions galaxy for supplements and snacks - Aug 21, 2022
Forum
