Film Production in Abu Dhabi: Inside twofour54’s Cinematic Backlot

Abu Dhabi is a growing destination for film production. twofour54, the emirate’s hub for media, entertainment and gaming, is boosting the emirate’s creative ecosystem by providing tempting incentives, diverse filming locations, help with sourcing locations, talent and equipment, and a wide choice of purpose-built studios and filming environments.

One of the most exciting and unique filming facilities in Abu Dhabi is the twofour54 backlot, an enormous, 300,000sqm space equipped with five standing sets, construction areas and onsite support.

Offering a gateway into multiple different worlds, this blog explores the benefits that the backlot provides for filmmakers, and how it is strengthening Abu Dhabi’s reputation as a film production hub and a sought-after film studio rental destination.

Versatile standing sets

Surrounded by the golden dunes of the Abu Dhabi desert, the backlot’s scalable and flexible standing sets allow it to be transformed into five realistic different scenes with ease and efficiency.

Used in iconic productions such as Emirati film Ghost, Bollywood hit Bharat, the action-packed 6 Underground with megastar Ryan Reynolds and many other Hollywood and Bollywood epics and TV dramas, it lets film makers travel the world and create a diverse array of different filming locations, all from the same spot in the UAE capital.

The backlot’s standing sets include:

• The Crossroads – This immersive city scene has represented countries as far flung as Iraq, Rome, Afghanistan and Paris.

• The Souq – A vibrant bustling souq inspired by the architecture of old Damascus.

• The Landmark – This realistic, two-floor Arabian hospital can be adapted to fit all kinds of compelling films and TV shows.

• Warn Torn City – Haunting and eerie, this realistic depiction of a city under conflict sets the scene for stories filled with struggles and bravery.

• Arabian neighbourhood – Completed with villas, a mosque and a main street, this set is filled with nostalgia.

Studio infrastructure

Along with its amazing standing sets, the other main element that sets the backdrop apart is its huge array of state-of-the-art facilities.

Offering the same technologies and infrastructure as a professional production studio, it also comes complete with every day essential facilities such as green rooms, make up studios, dressing rooms, canteens for the cast and crew, production offices and more.

Ready to help producers and filmmakers bring their biggest ideas to life, its facilities include:

• 219,000+ sqm of open land and construction space

• 5 standing sets

• Indoor areas such as make-up studios, dressing rooms and production offices

• Seven studios in different sizes, completed with advanced audio, video and lighting equipment

• A large canteen

To explore the full ecosystem of studios, backlot sets, and creative capabilities, producers can also utilise production facilities at twofour54, enabling seamless support throughout their film studio rental pipeline.

Production support

Every film maker knows that finding the perfect production team is just as important as sourcing the ideal filming location.

Production companies that use the twofour54 backlot also have the option to recruit from CMA’s network of 1,000 internationally experienced crew members.

Including Line Producers, Personal Assistants, Photographers, Camera Assistants, Make-Up Artists, Editors, Art Directors and more highly regarded professionals, it provides an easy way for companies to connect with the right people who can bring their project to life, and accelerate the filming process.

In addition to talent sourcing, the twofour54 team are also happy to assist with day-to-day logistics such as transportation and catering.

To further streamline the production journey, filmmakers working across Yas Island’s media cluster can also take advantage of the Yas Creative Hub ecosystem, connecting them to regional talent, events, facilities and support services that sit in the heart of Abu Dhabi’s creative corridor.

Help with permits and documents

Of course, before production on any film, TV show or commercial can commence, each studio or company must first obtain all the permits required to legally film in Abu Dhabi.

At twofour54, the Tawasol customer service team is constantly on hand to assist production companies with essential administration tasks such as securing visas and permits, liaising with government departments and getting script approvals.

They use their local knowledge, connections and experience to speed up these processes, and advise each production company about the paperwork and authorisations they need.

This ensures that nothing delays the production process, or prevents projects from being brought to life.

Exclusive cashback perks

Another huge advantage of renting the twofour54 backlot is that it allows production companies to apply for a generous cashback rebate of between 35 to 50 percent.

Offered by the Abu Dhabi Film Commission and proud to be the first production incentive of its kind in the region, it applies to all qualifying production spend in the UAE capital, including work on feature films, television dramas, commercials and music videos.

To find out more about the twofour54 backlot and film production in Abu Dhabi, please email produce@twofour54.com.