Why, of all places, did JJ Abrams chose the Abu Dhabi desert to film scenes for his hotly-awaited Star Wars reboot? And why did both Hollywood star Vin Diesel and Bollywood’s answer Hrithik Roshan zoom sports cars down the streets of the UAE capital, for Fast & Furious 7 and Bang Bang, respectively?
For that, you have a horror movie to thank.
While watching this weekend’s exorcism thriller Deliver Us From Evil, make sure you’re not fiddling with your popcorn during the opening moments. As an army helicopter flies over rolling sand dunes, a title announces it’s Iraq in 2010. Except it’s not, really; it’s Abu Dhabi in 2013.
The fly-over footage of the desert and the following scenes of close-range battle in a palm grove were shot in the distant Liwa desert of the Western Region of the UAE in the first feature film production shoot under the Abu Dhabi Film Commission (ADFC)’s rebate programme, a programme that’s been so successful that it’s bringing ever more major productions to the country.
After all, people in Hollywood talk.
Only five international crew were brought in to shoot the film — made by Sony Screen Gems and Jerry Bruckheimer — and that’s a sign of the UAE’s film production strength, says Paul Baker, executive director of twofour54 intaj.
“The guys have gone back to Los Angeles, Los Angeles talks and clearly you can see from the other films that we’ve had in such a short time, that we are delivering. That really is testament that goes back to Sony Screen Gems and Bruckheimer, for taking that leap of faith that we could deliver.”
ADFC’s 30 per cent rebate — open to anyone making longform TV or film in the UAE, not just Hollywood big shots, by the way — puts Abu Dhabi onto the same playing field as other popular international locations such as New Zealand and the UK, says Baker. “As a producer have a very clear understanding of what it’s going to cost to produce in Abu Dhabi.”
And while it’s paying off for producers, the rebate has a very real financial impact for the UAE: According to a report by PWC on the first year of the rebate, for every dirham put into the rebate, Dh4.5 is going back in the UAE’s GDP.
Supporting the five international crew on the set of Deliver Us From Evil were members of the UAE’s film industry, both expats and locals.
“What we have to do through ADFC is make sure we have as much production as possible, because that’s what makes a sustainable industry. There’s a very important focus from our perspective about building up the UAE production environment. What will support them and is one of the primary factors of attracting US studios, is that young Emiratis get to experience what it is to work on a major Hollywood film, and hopefully those skills get transferred.”
The next experience they get is likely to be a Bollywood one, with three films lined up to film in Abu Dhabi this year, says Baker, including one starting in the next few weeks.
Bollywood filmmakers “traditionally went to South Africa and Thailand; now they are seeing Abu Dhabi as an option.” Bang Bang, the Roshan action film, releases in October and is “a showcase of Abu Dhabi”, adds Baker.
