Construction of an ambitious studio complex in the AlUla region of Saudi Arabia has begun, with plans to complete the first phase by the end of 2023.
Film AlUla, the film agency of the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), announced that work is underway on the complex in the northwest region of Saudi Arabia that will cover approximately 330,000ft2 (30,000m2) in the first phase.
This will comprise two soundstages, production support buildings, workshops, a pyro/sfx building, catering facility and admin building as well as a backlot of 70,000ft2 (6,500m2) and a sound recording studio.
The complex will be located near 12km2 of dedicated outdoor shooting locations that include red, black, and yellow dunes, rock formations, mountains, riverbeds and valleys. The region features two mountain ranges, three volcanoes, and historic dwellings, such as the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hegra.
Plans for this studio complex were discussed with Screen at a recent event in Busan, South Korea. Phase two is in the planning stage and is set to be announced in the second quarter of 2023.
Major efforts are being taken to attract international productions to the country and a 40% cash rebate was announced by the Saudi Film Commission at Cannes in May.
Since opening in 2020, Film AlUla has hosted 694 production days. Five feature films have shot in AlUla as well as 35 TV series, 33 documentaries and 55 commercials. These include Ric Roman Waugh’s Kandahar, starring Gerard Butler, which is set for release in 2023 and was the first major Hollywood feature to shoot almost entirely in AlUla.
Further titles include the Russo brothers Iraq war story Cherry, for Apple TV+; and Cello, an upcoming English and Arabic language horror film starring Jeremy Irons and written by Turki Al Alshikh. The first Saudi feature to shoot entirely in AlUla was Norah, the directorial feature debut of Tawfik Alzaidi, which filmed in the region this year, featuring an all-Saudi cast and more than 40% Saudi crew.
TV productions to have filmed in AlUla include UK series Expedition With Steve Backshall and Nat Geo documentaries.
International guests at this year’s Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, such as UK filmmaker Guy Richie, were flown to AlUla last week to visit the region.
Charlene Deleon-Jones, executive director of Film AlUla, said: “AlUla is a thriving centre for arts, culture and heritage. With the film and screen sector of central focus the first phase of this studio complex is carefully planned and part of a much larger programme of infrastructure development.”
“This complex will satisfy the growing demand from regional and international producers to shoot at AlUla, while also supplying an epicentre for our production ecosystem. The studio complex will diversify AlUla’s economy, in line with the objectives of RCU, as we build a home to nurture Saudi talent in the screen sector for generations to come.”
The agency also said it had worked with US-based live-experience company Tait to ensure that the production experience at AlUla would be thoroughly uncluttered and comfortable, including during the summer months.
The studio complex will be 14 minutes from the Film AlUla Residence, which has 300 rooms, restaurants, recreational facilities and office space for industry professionals, and is 20 minutes from AlUla International Airport, which recently opened a hangar for private jets. The studio complex lies outside the airport’s flight path.
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