A new International Advertising Association UAE forum has been established to drive for specific goals related to the expansion and good practices of the film and video advertising production community in the UAE.

The forum was announced last week by Hani Ghorayeb, president of IAA UAE chapter.

“Professional content production is central to the requirement of a thriving advertising category,” said the IAA in a statement. “As the demand for content production across multiple platforms grows there is a clear need to have a team focused on raising industry standards, resolving industry issues and standardising best practices.” 

Over the last two terms the IAA UAE has diversified its board to include educationalists, clients, media, digital, integrated and traditional creative agencies.

Now it is extending its remit to support the needs of the advertising production community, which it says makes up a significant section of the membership it serves today.

The new body has been established with steering and working committees, who have been tasked with driving the IAA UAE Production Forum’s agenda forward.

Ghorayeb said: “The communications industry in UAE is a diverse and thriving sector. Having our production industry members focus on a specific agenda that promotes and expands their role in UAE is a very welcome and timely initiative, given the rise of content.”

The IAA UAE Production Forum is made up of IAA UAE individual members who are producers, location managers, production managers and aerial professionals.

The first steering committee leaders are: Karen Koetzee, owner andproducer at Central Films; Shane Martin, owner and executive producer at  Boomtown; Lyall Gardiner, owner and location manager at Fstop Locations; and Ali Azarmi, managing partner at Joy Films.

Coetzee said: “The IAA UAE-Production Forum is a first in the UAE and a perfect fit and launch pad for the film and television community to speak with one voice.”