For the first time in the MENA region Stargate technology in virtual production and visual effects

Dubai, 3rd December 2012

In a groundbreaking deal and a first of its kind in the region, Dubai Studio City and MBC Group have signed a strategic partnership to equip the region with the state-of-the-art studios of international standards. The studios will be located in Dubai Studio City and will serve the entire Middle Eastern and North Africa region, as part of a longstanding partnership at the forefront of providing unique and enriching creative and cultural experiences with the latest in advanced digital camera technologies, LED lighting, motion tracking , real-time compositing, 2-D and 3-D imaging... and virtual sets.

Commenting on this partnership, Dr. Amina Al Rustamani, CEO TECOM Business Parks, said: "We are very confident that our long-standing partnership with a distinguished entity such as MBC Group, known for its remarkable success in the fields of content creation and production, is always one step ahead in the right direction of enhancing television production and techniques in the region. Through the new state-of-the-art studios, MBC Group will further enrich its journey towards premium content production in Drama and Television, thus reinforcing Dubai's position on the global "Media, Entertainment and Content" map".

From his side, Sam Barnett, CEO MBC Group stressed on the importance of this strategic move and described it as one of the major 'milestones' in MBC Group's history throughout its 21 years of success. He said: "Today, this partnership takes MBC Group and O3 Productions' capabilities and desired outcomes to new heights. The new studios and cutting-edge technology that Dubai Studio City has provided us with in the field of TV and Film content production will further enrich the region with the most creative content and pioneering technology".

It is also worth mentioning that MBC Group has recently established a groundbreaking partnership with Stargate Studios, the global award-winning production company specializing in virtual production and visual effects. The partnership entails the opening of Stargate Middle East which will consist of two full-service virtual production studios located in Dubai, UAE and Cairo, Egypt and equipped with the latest advanced digital camera technologies LED lighting, motion tracking, real-time compositing, 2-D and 3-D imaging... and virtual sets.

Fadi Ismail, General Manager, O3 Productions commented: "Our collaboration with Dubai Studio City has provided us with a unique opportunity to further succeed in the content industry with the availability of leading-edge studios and technology. Moreover, our team of highly skilled professionals and our recent partnership with Stargate, the pioneers in virtual production and visual effects; will both add to our success factors and raise the standards of our production outcomes".

The new studio runs on an area of 15,000 square feet and will be equipped according to the latest international standards and state-of-the-art technology. Moreover, work on two additional studios, each running on an area of 25,000 square feet, will be completed in late 2013. The studios will also encompass vast areas for storage, warehouses and offices, aiming to encourage new starters and established companies to re-locate their businesses to Dubai Studio City, further enhancing and developing the media infrastructure in the region. Additionally, this partnership will be responsible for boosting the human capital specialized in this field, particularly the "Freelancers", which is already being reflected in the multiplier of 10 times increase in the number of permits issued in 2012, versus what was issued in 2005. It is worth noting, that with this in mind, a new law was passed to establish The Dubai Committee for Film and Television Production which is aimed at further developing the media content production industry in the region.

-Ends-

About Dubai Studio City
Launched in Feb, 2005, Dubai Studio City (DSC), a member of TECOM Investments, offers a complete technical and community infrastructure catering to the film, TV, radio production and broadcast industries. Being built on an area of more than 20 million square feet . DSC aims to attract production and broadcast companies, as well as a wide range of support services, including providers for animation, dubbing, makeup, costume design, set design and construction, casting, telnet agencies, telecine, and laboratory facilities. DSC will feature pre-built studios, sound stages, workshops, backlots and stage areas, post-production studios, and satellite communication services. The cluster will also house film & television academies, commercial offices, entertainment & retail spaces, and hotels & residential facilities to accommodate crews and cast. DSC's Location Approval Services (LAS) provides a single window for applying for shooting permits.

About MBC Group
MBC Group is the first private free-to-air satellite broadcasting company in the Arab World which was launched in London in 1991 and later moved to its headquarters in Dubai in 2002. Over the past 21 years, MBC Group has grown to become a well-established media group that enriches people's lives through information, interaction and entertainment.  Based in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, MBC Group includes 12 television channels: MBC1 (general family entertainment), MBC2 and MBC MAX (24-hour movies), MBC3 (children's entertainment), MBC4 (entertainment for new Arab women), MBC Action (an indigenous Channel with local and homegrown productions), MBC Persia (24-hour movie channel dubbed in Farsi) , Al Arabiya (the 24-hour Arabic language news channel); Al Arabiya Al Hadath (an extension of Al Arabiya News Channel)； Wanasah (24-hour Arabic music channel);MBC DRAMA offers 24/7 Arabic Drama; and MBC MASR (general family entrainment channel geared towards the Egyptian family).The Group also includes two radio stations: MBC FM (Gulf music), and Panorama FM (contemporary Arabic hit music); as well as O3 productions, a specialized documentary production unit.   It has also several online platforms: www.mbc.net, www.alarabiya.net, www.shahid.net (the first free VOD and catch up portal in the Arab world) and www.actionha.net, among others. ActionHa is a unique destination targeting the Arabic male youth, specifically the 16-19 male age with over 22 million page views since the beginning of 2012 and has grown its monthly unique visitors by 67.7% year-on-year.

For further information please contact:
Ruba Al Ayed
Group PR Manager
MBC Group
Mobile: +971 56 6038358
Email: ruba.alayed@mbc.net
Website: www.mbc.net

© Press Release 2012