Service production
Production services in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and South Africa
a.k.a. Media is a service production company headquartered in Dubai, with offices in Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Cape Town and London. Since 2011 we have been the local partner for international productions, including two features now on Netflix, the Kinopoisk series Hostage, The Bachelor for TNT and films for BBC StoryWorks.
What we handle
Planning
01
Budget and schedule
A full local budget and shooting schedule from your script or boards.
02
Permits
Filming permits and location permissions in each territory.
03
Locations
Scouting, recces and location management.
Production
04
Crew
English-speaking heads of department and crew, hired locally.
05
Equipment
Camera, grip, lighting and specialist kit, sourced locally.
06
Casting
Local casting, extras and talent agreements.
Travel and delivery
07
Travel
Flights, hotels, visas and ground transport for visiting crew.
08
Post-production
Editing, grade and finishing with our in-house post team in Dubai.
09
Rebates
We prepare and submit rebate applications on your behalf, including Abu Dhabi's.
Where we shoot
United Arab Emirates
Our base. We are headquartered in Dubai Studio City with an office in Abu Dhabi, and have shot in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah.
Saudi Arabia
We work from Riyadh and have shot commercials there for Toyota, and in Jeddah and Riyadh for MG.
South Africa
Our Cape Town office opened in 2026 with producer Pieter Oosthuizen.
Rebates and incentives
Rates are set by each film commission and can change. We confirm the current terms for your project before you budget.
Some of the productions we have service produced
Hostage Zalojnik, 2026
Series for Lunapark and Kinopoisk. Shot in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah.
Chief Daddy 2 2022
Netflix feature film. Shot in Dubai.
The Bachelor 2018
Reality series for TNT. Shot in Dubai.
The Wedding Party 2: Destination Dubai 2017
Feature film, in cinemas and on Netflix. Shot in Dubai.
BBC StoryWorks: Water Desalination and Energy Transition
Two branded films. Shot in Dubai.
Voices of Vision 2022
Campaign for the BBC. Shot in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Alan Walker x Imanbek, Sweet Dreams 2021
Official music video for Kreatell. Shot in Dubai.
ACDelco, Make Cars Keep Up 2022
Commercial. Shot in Dubai and Sharjah.
Armani/Casa 2022
Commercial. Shot in Dubai.
Questions producers ask
What is service production?
Service production means a local production company runs a shoot on behalf of a visiting producer. The local company supplies the budget, permits, crew, locations and equipment, and the visiting producer keeps creative control.
Where does a.k.a. Media provide production services?
In the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. We are headquartered in Dubai, with offices in Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and Cape Town.
Do I need a local company to film in Dubai or Abu Dhabi?
Yes. Filming permits in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are applied for through a locally licensed production company. a.k.a. Media is licensed in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi and files every application for you.
Is there a rebate for filming in Abu Dhabi?
Yes. The Abu Dhabi Film Commission offers a 35% cash rebate on qualifying spend, rising to 50% for productions that score highly on its points system. It covers films, television and commercials.
Which international productions has a.k.a. Media worked on?
The features Chief Daddy 2 (2022) and The Wedding Party 2: Destination Dubai (2017), both on Netflix, the Kinopoisk series Hostage (2026), The Bachelor for TNT (2018), and branded films for BBC StoryWorks.
Can you handle post-production?
Yes. We have an in-house post-production team in Dubai for editing, grade and finishing.
Which languages does your team work in?
Our team works in Arabic, English, Russian, French, Tagalog and Afrikaans.
How do I get a quote?
Email hello@aka.productions with your script or boards, shoot dates and territory. We reply with a budget and schedule within two days.
Where do you want to shoot today?
Send us your script or boards, shoot dates and territory. We reply with a budget and schedule within two days.