May the funds be with you

Tom Cruise famously scaling the Burj Khalifa in
Dubai. (Image via Paramount Pictures)

It is nearly four years since the release of Tom
Cruise’s spy thriller ‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost
Protocol’.

The fourth instalment in a highly successful
franchise, it could be argued that it turned out as one of the best
global advertisements for the UAE.

Earlier this year ‘Furious 7’ hit theatres with
a major storyline set in Abu Dhabi; the upcoming ‘Star Wars Episode
VII: The Force Awakens’ has also been shot in the UAE capital; back
in May ‘Geostorm’ was shooting in the Emirate and currently Dubai
is hosting film crews for ‘Star Trek Beyond’ and ‘Kung Fu
Yoga’.

Earlier this year we wrote about how
startups in the region’s film industry were finding
more to fill their books, now there is more opportunity
opening up for international players to use the region’s
resources.

The increasing interest from the major Hollywood and
other international studios is doing wonders for the UAE’s local
film industry, said Jamal Al Sharif, chairman of Dubai Film and TV Commission,
and managing director of Dubai
Studio City.

“It’s not just about bringing film here, but it
is also about gauging the local industry and helping them by
developing the media sector,” he told Wamda. “A huge part of it is
about generating new businesses in Dubai.”

And the generation of that business comes down to
producers having to adhere to certain rules if they want to film in
Dubai. 

“It is part of our policy that they must hire a
local production company,” Ali Sharif explained. “For Jackie Chan’s
film [Kung Fu Yoga], they hired AlKatraz Production,
which is licensed in Dubai Studio City.

“Star Trek, meanwhile, hired Filmworks
Dubai. Could Paramount have come and filmed here
without Filmworks? Yes, they could have come and brought their own
equipment and hired their own crews, but we don’t allow this. We
want to give our local production houses the opportunity to
grow.”

Abu Dhabi has been hard at work attracting major
movie players to the region as well.

Ali Al Jabri, director of SANAD
– Twofour54’s
film fund for Arab filmmakers – explains: “Building a film industry
takes a long time, [but] the Abu Dhabi Film
Commission attracted many productions from
Hollywood, Bollywood and worldwide over the last three to four
years.”

According to the director this is down to the
locations, which he states are diverse, and skilled crew members.
“Of course the 30 percent rebate on all qualifying spend for
regional and international productions in the emirate,” is a huge
draw.

While this percentage is
in line with film incentives in other
countries, it is the first of its kind in the
region, making the UAE an attractive new destination for filmmaking
and production.

J.J. Abrams on the set of the new Star Wars film in Abu Dhabi.
(Image via Lucasfilm and AP)

Investing in Arab film

Both Al Sharif and Al Jabri agree that international
productions are doing wonders for local businesses. But just what
is being done to invest in the region’s filmmakers?

At the moment, the majority of funding “comes
from initiatives such as Twofour54’s SANAD Fund, Injaz at
the Doha Film
Institute, and the Arab Fund for
Arts and Culture,” explained Al Jabri.

“These funds have been able to fill the gap and
support the film industry in the region, which has been gaining
momentum over the last five years.”

There’s also the crowdfunding route. Director
Susan Youssef recently
completed a successful campaign on Kickstarter
where she raised $100,000 for her upcoming feature ‘Marjoun
and the Flying Headscarf’.

However, these funds are quite small and
therefore barely scratch the surface of the industry. Even SANAD,
for example, can only offer $500,000
in funding annually.

One big recent merger, however, is looking to
revolutionize the way investors look at the Arab
filmmaking.

In the first venture of its kind, Egyptian
production house Film Clinic
partnered with the Dubai-based private equity fund
Fortress
Capital Investments Group to launch Fortress Film
Clinic. And with the
fund’s starting capital being close to $25
million, it looks promising.

Fortress Film Clinic’s founder and managing
director, Mohamed Hefzy said that for the moment it is the
co-production of and investment in media projects for film and TV
drama, that is their focus.

“In the future, as the market in Dubai grows, we
plan to have a full operation with development, production, and
distribution.

“We believe that producing local films has still
not proven a profitable business and it will take some time for
companies to find the right business model.”

Palestinian winner of Arab Idol, Mohammed Assaf, had his story
made into a movie by Oscar-nominated director Hany Abu-Assad.
(Image via Abbas Momani / AFP photo)

With the aim of the venture to produce “quality
films that can travel”, Fortress Film Clinic have high hopes for
their first project. ‘The Idol’ is from Palestinian director Hany
Abu-Assad, a focus on the rise of
Arab Idol star Mohammed Assaf.

With a portfolio of mainstream Egyptian and
arthouse non-Egyptian cinema they can be set apart from other
production houses in the region. “I am not aware of any company
with the same type of profile and diverse portfolio as we have
created at Fortress,” said Hefzy.

Being able to delve into the mainstream Egyptian
market, while also making carefully selected co-productions, Hefzy
believes they are set apart from others.

Investors will increase

While the industry is on the rise, said Hefzy,
investors willing to give funds to Arab filmmakers still need a
little time.

He said that while there is interest
from investors in the MENA region it has still
yet to manifest as an organized and self-sustaining
market.

“The business is still focused on Hollywood and
TV series, and film is still seen as a cultural product that relies
heavily on government and festival support.”

A still from ‘As I Open My Eyes’, a recipient of the SANAD Film
Fund. (Image via SANAD Film Fund)

Additionally, quality pays a huge
role.

Al Sharif explained: “We need to see more
stories; stronger stories. Personal stories won’t appeal to the
general public; therefore filmmakers need to be able to explore
commercial strategy. A good idea that will make money will attract
an investor.”

Local distributors and theatres should also play
a part. “They are driven commercially, and they don’t give a chance
to UAE filmmakers, so it’s their duty to take a hit and allow local
filmmakers to be in the theatres for more than a couple of
weeks.

“The National Media Council should enforce
distributors to promote local films… that will help towards
investment and the industry overall.”