US post-production and VFX company Company 3 has signed an agreement with Media City Qatar Film Board to launch a visual effects studio in Qatar.
The studio will be based in Qatar’s capital Doha and is the first step in a long-term partnership between Company 3 and the Film Commission.
Through this cooperation, the two institutions will enter into discussions on the creation of a post-production rebate scheme, in addition to Qatar’s production rebate announced yesterday.
Details of post-production rebates are still being worked out. As an unbound scheme, there is no requirement for production to take place in Qatar. Minimum spends are as low as $50,000, and rebates can be accessed on smaller films as well as larger titles.
Construction on the post-production studio facility is underway and is expected to be completed in approximately six months. The Film Commission will work with local stakeholders and government partners to ensure the facility contributes to Qatar’s broader creative economy.
With yesterday’s announcement of up to 50% production cash rebates, Company 3 will provide technical, creative and operational guidance in building out post-production services in the region, as Qatar looks to increase its acceptance of productions from abroad.
This guidance includes working with international film schools to introduce training programs in the region. Company 3’s facilities in Qatar will be staffed by a mix of the company’s foreign employees. New staff from the region will also be trained.
Company 3 will work on projects by American companies that have announced their expansion into Qatar in recent days, including Neon, Miramax and Department M.
participate
Headquartered in LA, Company 3 provides color grading, visual effects, and finishing services.
The company’s credits include blockbuster hits Wicked: For Good – Released worldwide this weekend through Universal – F1, superman, frankenstein And the upcoming final season on Netflix stranger things.
It was acquired by visual effects company Framestore in 2020, forming the Framestore and Company 3 group, which employs 6,000 people worldwide. The partnership with Qatar Film Board currently involves only Company 3.
Company 3 CEO Stefan Sonnenfeld said he had been discussing the partnership for almost two years after receiving a call from Sheikha Almayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, chairman of the Doha Film Institute and sister of Qatar’s ruling leader.
“I spent four or five days here, and it was a great experience,” Sonnenfeld said. “The MENA region is very exciting and booming, but we are not a part of it. We felt we had to come more, learn about this region and start collaborating with the people who are the creative force of this region, and Qatar represents that.”
“This partnership embodies Qatar’s vision to support the best creators from Qatar, the region and the Global South,” said Hassan Al Thawadi, Chairman of the Film Commission. The partnership is the latest deal to be announced at the Doha Film Festival’s Industry Days, directed by Al Thawadi.
“The Film Commission’s forward-thinking approach to developing a sustainable creative ecosystem aligns perfectly with our mission to empower storytellers through technology and artistry,” Sonnenfeld said. “This partnership represents the foundation for a new era of post-production excellence in the Middle East.”
Doha Industry Day continues tomorrow (Sunday 23 November) with a closed session with producers Barbara Broccoli and Nicky Bentham.
(TagTranslate)Company
