Dubai Studio City is continuing to accelerate the growth of localised content production in the region with 358,000 minutes of original content recorded across its interconnected ecosystem in 2023, the vibrant media, entertainment, and broadcasting hub announced on the side-lines of CABSAT 2024 held in Dubai on 21-23 May.

Reinforcing its role as the leading destination for content creation in the region, Dubai Studio City, part of TECOM Group PJSC and Strategic Partner of the 30^th edition of CABSAT this year, hosted 198 calendar days’ worth of shoots and recording sessions across its world-class sound stages as production activity levels continue to soar at the region’s largest facilities of their kind.

“The future of entertainment will be led by content creators whose voices and sensibilities are rooted in the local culture, and our industry has a moral responsibility to champion such creatives,” said Majed Al Suwaidi, Senior Vice President of Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, and Dubai Production City at TECOM Group PJSC.

“The Middle East has a rich and diverse cultural heritage that deserves to be celebrated and shared with the world, and investing in local talent and stories must be prioritised to create a sustainable ecosystem that is reflective of our unique identity on the global stage. Dubai Studio City is a proud platform for this transformation and unites the world’s leading content producers in our city, helping to unlock the goals of Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’ and Dubai Media’s vision to strengthen the local content creation economy. We are pleased to reiterate our commitment to highlighting the vibrance and richness of our region as Strategic Partner of CABSAT 2024.”

Dubai Studio City is home to notable film, TV, and radio production companies like Highend Films, Epic Films, and Big Kahuna, in addition to digital broadcasters PlaycoEntertainment and Bytedance (TikTok) and satellite TV broadcasting companies MBCand Al Dafra.

In January 2023, Arabic-language channel Al Mashhad TV launched a brand-new facility at the destination, with plans to develop and distribute adaptive, customised content and a focus on Gen Z audiences. MAP-Media Arts Production has also expanded its operations at a boutique office within Dubai Studio City. The expansion is aimed at enhancing the company’s production capacity and further contributing to its successful projects, including the renowned X-Factor TV series.

With a unique community experience curated specifically for the entertainment industry, Dubai Studio City is the region’s largest media and broadcasting hub that meets the creative needs of its customers with sector-specific infrastructure like backlots, sets, water tanks, production offices, and recording studios.

Leading Hollywood projects including ‘Vanguard’ and ‘Star Trek Beyond’ have been developed at the destination, and as part of TECOM Group’s Media Cluster, Dubai Studio City also provides a conducive environment for creative innovators from around the world through in5 Media, a start-up and entrepreneurship incubator dedicated to the media industry with a base at Dubai Production City.

TECOM Group’s Media Cluster unites global leaders of all sizes with the common goal of elevating the regional media value chain and catalysing the local content production industry. With more than 3,500 local, regional, and international customers and over 38,000 creative professionals, it is a hub of excellence for tomorrow’s media innovators, co-locating exemplary talents from Rise Studios and Blinx at Dubai Media City; Starzplayand Discovery Networks at Dubai Studio City; and Nadja Media at the in5 Media incubator in Dubai Production City.

As Strategic Partner of CABSAT 2024, Dubai Studio City is presenting a full calendar of networking and educational opportunities at stand AR-H40 of Sheikh Saeed Hall 1 at the annual event for the media, entertainment, and technology industry, including details of an upcoming white paper produced by sister destinations Dubai Media City and Dubai Design District (d3) on the prospects of the digital creative economy amid the emergence of positively disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality.

Leaders from a.k.a Media, Publicis Groupe, Startzplay, MBC Studios, and Rotana Media Services will be among the speakers during a panel discussion exploring the region’s rise as a global film production hub on Day 2 of CABSAT at Dubai Studio City’s stand, while Day 3 will feature a start-up concept discussion featuring in5 Media enterprises Lichi Studios, Iinfinitty, Glocal, and Grambell.

Podeo, the region’s leading podcasting platform, will feature LIVE shows on all three days of CABSAT, including with representatives from Dubai Studio City’s and in5 Media’s ecosystem such as Lichi Studios, Lexicorne Lori, Film Pudding, and Très Content, to shed light on the future of content production.

Dubai Studio City is part of TECOM Group’s portfolio of business districts, which include Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, Dubai Production City, Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai International Academic City, Dubai Design District (d3), Dubai Science Park and Dubai Industrial City.