Officially launched on May 15 2017, the IAA UAE Production Forum has quickly gone from strength to strength, establishing an effective management structure comprising of a steering committee and a series of working committees, each focused on a specific area of the production industry.

Bringing together both individual members and production-relevant companies across all areas of the UAE’s film industry, the IAA Production Forum is the perfect hub for UAE-centric production industry news, work and networking, as was reflected in the first meeting which was held in July.

Since this initial gathering, the IAA Production Forum has hosted many events aimed at keeping members updated and informed on the latest developments in the local industry through discussions, talks, and expert presentations.

The IAA Production Forum organised a free talk by prominent motivational speaker John Sanei, the acclaimed author of ‘What’s Your Moonshot’ who has been lauded as a champion of entrepreneurialism and future preparedness.

A core objective of the IAA Production Forum is to quantify the economic importance of the industry in order to help create a more conducive and cost-effective filming environment. To move closer to achieving this goal a research study is being commissioned in the first quarter of 2018.

Furthermore, the IAA Production Forum is assessing ways for industry freelancers to operate more smoothly in the UAE. Following a thorough research survey, we aim to propose a more effective and efficient system.

The IAA Production Forum has reached out to the International Live Events Association (ILEA) to help push forward the agenda for the freelance community, and has actively collaborated with ILEA on information sessions with VAT and legal experts, and is arranging future sessions with insurance experts twofour54 and TECOM.

the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) has been very supportive of the IAA Production Forum since its inception, providing a platform to DIFF visitors including a Q&A session, and presenting an excellent opportunity to network with both the local and international production community.

The IAA Production Forum will be publishing a series of interviews with its members, articles about the industry, and showcasing work produced by the members. The media rollout will begin in February 2018 across both print and online platforms.

Without question, 2017 has been a year of great success and progress for the new IAA Production Forum and it is well on its way to establishing itself as the accredited industry expert for all matters related to film production.