NEOM, Saudi Arabia's $500 billion giga-project, hosted a remarkable event for 140 leaders in the global film and TV industry. The two-day showcase event introduced guests to NEOM's production support facilities, talent, crews, and stages while highlighting Saudi Arabia's production incentives. The event was a huge success, with attendees coming from Saudi Arabia, North America, the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, Portugal, the UAE, Turkey, India, and Morocco.
NEOM's Media Village now houses four operational sound stages, with the latest addition being an industry-standard, purpose-built 2,400m² sound stage, totaling 12,000 sqm of production space. Six more stages are currently under development, offering an additional 10,000 sqm of production capability, including a volumetric stage, set to open by the end of 2023.
The project’s facilities include resort-style accommodation for 350 cast and crew members, which are set to rise to 500 by the end of 2023. The event also included a tour of NEOM's production facilities before embarking on an excursion through the area's various landscapes, known for their natural terrain.
The second day of the event focused on the future of storytelling and production in the film industry. Wayne Borg, Managing Director of Media Industries, Entertainment, and Culture at NEOM, expressed his delight with the event, saying, "Our ability to attract the numbers and caliber of industry leaders we had at NEOM for our event demonstrates our offering is resonating and is competitive on the world stage."
NEOM's production cash rebate incentive of up to 40% for local and international producers shooting in the Kingdom was also highlighted during the event. Borg further added that NEOM's offering was "competitive on the world stage" and that their "globally competitive" production incentive program is just one of the many factors that make them a serious contender in the industry.
NEOM's impressive array of locations and varied landscapes, along with its state-of-the-art production facilities, have attracted global attention to the project. With NEOM's rapid and dramatic build-up in capacity and capability, the giga-project's intent and ability to compete internationally is clear. NEOM has positioned itself as a serious contender in the global film and TV industry.
