“NEOM Media Village” launches and its studios begin work

This week, NEOM announced the official opening of NEOM Media Village and Jeddah Desert Studios, which contain the largest sound studios and film production support facilities in the Kingdom.

The NEOM Media Village and the Jeddah Desert Studios witnessed the operation of three sound studios in response to the demand for regional and international productions for distinctive film facilities. During the trial run during the past 18 months, they provided support for about 25 television and film productions. Work is also underway to prepare seven new sound studios, with high technologies, to be ready in the first quarter of 2023.

Wayne Borg, director of the media production, entertainment, and culture sector at NEOM, said, “NEOM currently owns the first advanced audio studios in the Kingdom, supported by advanced infrastructure, skilled work teams with global expertise, and a thriving business environment characterized by ease of doing business, which is an important step to become a leading regional center in the production industry. media and providing a seamless production experience that confirms our capabilities and capabilities to support this industry.”

“This is a significant achievement in achieving our goal of becoming a hub for the media industry in the region,” Borg explained.
Wayne Borg: The media industry has a history of fragmentation in the Middle East, where the region is not quite right

The development of the media industry is one of the focal points of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan. Burg referred to the “vital role” that the media sector plays in creating job opportunities and innovation.

However, he said, “the media industry in the Middle East has a history of fragmentation,” as “the region is not getting to where we should be.”

He emphasized that this is partly due to “the fragmented nature that the industry has experienced over the past few decades, it is the lack of a focal point for the industry and practices.”
Borg considers that “media is the lifeblood of our modern age. We see the media and creative industries driving and catalyzing growth, and driving the reins of power in the world’s progressive economies and societies thanks to their contribution to GDP.

Add to this its important position in spreading knowledge and developing this field through creativity and innovation and creating platforms through which stories will be told that will later contribute to shaping the cultural identity of the individual and society.”
NEOM Media Village currently houses a typical 2,400-square-meter audio studio, which is available for production, with facilities including makeup rooms, green rooms, and production offices.

Three more studios are under construction, while Jeddah Desert Studios currently includes two dome-shaped acoustic studios, with an area of ​​3,000 square meters, which have already been commissioned. Four new studios are also scheduled to be operational by the end of 2022.

These studios will be home to world-class production facilities, including stationary production offices, décor stores, accessories and clothing stores, and all audio and sound effects facilities, as well as cameras, lighting equipment, heavy payload drones, cranes, elevators, and other major fixtures available at the two locations. In addition, 350 fully-serviced housing units will be provided, to ensure a comfortable and smooth experience for the actors and crews on the filming sites.

In conjunction with the completion of the audio studios and production facilities, NEOM has formed an international production team with long experience, to meet the needs and requirements of producers and work for crews and provide a smooth, efficient, and economically viable production experience.

“Our team, facilities, and diverse filming locations mean we can deliver a seamless, world-class production experience and use our capabilities to become a focal point of collaboration between talent, creators, and major contributors to the global media industry,” says Borg.

Saudi Arabia is turning into a leading regional center in the media production industry
Saudi Arabia is turning into a leading regional center in the media production industry
Several programs and films are currently being produced in the existing and temporary locations, including the fantasy series “The Resurrection of Witches,” one of the most important and largest television productions in the region, in addition to the new reality show “Million Dollar Island,” which ended filming last July. The production of the first local drama series is scheduled to begin in Neom this September.

It is worth noting that in 2021 NEOM hosted 20 major international productions, including the movie “Desert Warrior”, directed by Robert White, director of “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” and starring Anthony Mackie. Sir Ben Kingsley and Aisha Hart.

Several television projects have also demonstrated NEOM’s enormous potential and ability to support and host a range of mega productions simultaneously.

The “Hollywood Reporter” website said that the “Neom Media” village is pushing Saudi Arabia a further step forward to become a major center for artistic and film production.
NEOM announced the implementation of an incentive program for a financial refund of up to 40% to support the production of films and television works (drama, reality TV, documentaries…) in addition to commercial advertisements, which will constitute a great incentive for production managers to start their production business in NEOM.

The new media village in NEOM and the desert studios of Jeddah are likely to help increase the chances of an Arabic-language film winning an Oscar, says Borg.

NEOM’s media production, entertainment, and culture sector noted that countries with much smaller populations have already managed to win Oscars, noting that the Korean film “Parasite” won four awards during the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020 as the best film. Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film are an example to be replicated.