What is the job of the film commission?
We have two broad aims: one, to help develop the film industry here in Abu Dhabi through talent initiatives, introducing people into the industry, some low-level financing of projects, and helping to help get films made. Secondly, it’s about promoting Abu Dhabi to the international film industry as a destination to come and film.
But don’t censorship laws hinder this?
Those kind of sensitivities we just have to respect really. The filmmaking community knows they exist. For us, working with producers, we try and inform them about those sensitivities and inform the National Media Council as soon as possible on some of the subject matter.
So, how are you helping to develop young filmmakers?
We’re working with some of the colleges and their media courses and trying to offer students, once they’ve finished their studies, a next step – a progression really. If they start to get the bug of wanting to be a filmmaker, or a technician, then the programmes we’ll be offering develop their talents a bit more.
How big a job is all this?
The film industry here is still in its development stages, so it’s a pretty big job. But with all the opportunities that are open, it is something that is exciting and achievable.
Other countries in the region are already well established. Aside from throwing cash around, how do you compete?
Morocco has had a well-established film industry for years, the same with Egypt, and from that come resources and infrastructure like studios and supply companies. But obviously, filmmaking activity will make more companies come over and more service companies set up here.
Can you bridge the gap?
Yeah, we’re a few years behind, but we’ve got ambition and arguably the resources to make those ambitions come to fruition. If producers come to film in Abu Dhabi, they have to bring resources and people to the city. This obviously comes at great expense. So if we can build up the talent pool, then they don’t have to fly those services in. Basically, we aim to make it more cost-effective.
Sounds pricey. Surely the global slowdown will affect these ambitions?
There is a solid commitment to the initiative here in Abu Dhabi, but interestingly, filmmakers from all over the world are starting to look to the Middle East because it is a stable offering. Hollywood studios are facing difficulties – some of the international banks who financed films in the past are not doing it anymore – so there’s a lot of interest in the Middle East from filmmakers looking to start up new relationships.
But what’s to stop Abu Dhabi simply becoming a honey pot?
The clear message that all the organisations are giving out to the industry is that, yes, we have a huge production fund and it gets a lot of interest, which is great, but we’re not interested in just working with productions for the sake of one big star name or company. Our question is: ‘What are you actually delivering to Abu Dhabi’s infrastructure and skills base?’ It’s been said in the past that we’re not a cash machine. Our message is clear: don’t expect to come here, get money and then film anywhere else in the world, if you’re not delivering back to us our objectives.
