twofour54 and O3 Productions ink three year deal to grow Arabic drama productions in Abu Dhabi and the region
22 Nov 2015
300 days added to twofour54’s production schedule
twofour54 and O3 Productions have inked a three year deal that will secure an additional 300 production days a year to Abu Dhabi and see more Arabic dramas being made in the UAE’s capital destined to broadcast on MBC channels as well as the Gulf and Arab drama market.
The agreement, signed by twofour54 COO Maryam al Mheiri and O3 Productions General Manager Fadi Ismail, will see O3 undertaking pre-production, production and post-production in the Emirate and utilise twofour54’s government and travel services. In a further sign of O3’s cooperation with twofour54, O3 will also establish a base at Abu Dhabi’s twofour54 campus.
As part of the deal, for the first time twofour54 will establish a backlot for the production company’s use, which will further add to Abu Dhabi’s growing production infrastructure. Abu Dhabi’s production ecosystem already includes studios, post production and playout facilities alongside its production services and freelance talent pool. O3, which specialises in the production of original and innovative Arabic, Turkish and international scripted drama formats, will benefit from Abu Dhabi Film Commission’s 30% production rebate scheme and additional incentives available to drama productions.
In signing the memorandum of understanding, twofour54 COO Maryam al Mheiri said: “A core part of twofour54’s remit is to encourage quality Arabic content creation so this partnership with O3 is a great boost for our industry and for audiences of Arabic drama. It will also create more opportunities for UAE Nationals who are keen to work in the exciting and fast-paced world of media and creative industries. With a solid industry ecosystem of facilities and resources, Abu Dhabi’s appeal as an ideal base for production companies continues to grow and I’m delighted to welcome O3 as our next campus partner.”
Fadi Ismail, General Manager of O3 commented: “twofour54 has developed a strong offering for the production market that includes the right infrastructure, resourcing and incentives to encourage the growth of Arabic drama. We are looking forward to strengthen our cooperation with Abu Dhabi’s creative community and collaborating with twofour54 over the next three years and beyond on quality Arabic drama productions.”
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