Home / Process

How We Shoot

Seven steps from brief to delivery. Nothing is shot until you have approved the treatment.

bts studio lights
bts studio lights
bts set
bts set

The process

Brief to delivery

01

Brief

A 20-minute call. What are we selling, to whom, and where will it run?

02

Treatment & moodboard

Concept, references, shot list, cast, wardrobe and locations, in one document you approve.

03

Permits & recce

DFTC filming permits, venue bookings and a location recce for commercial shoots.

04

Shoot day

Director, DOP, light and sound crew, styling and BTS. Call sheet shared the day before.

05

Edit

First cut against the treatment. Two rounds of changes are included.

06

Colour & sound

A full colour grade (DI), music licensing or an original score, and a sound mix.

07

Delivery

Masters plus every platform version, with stills and reels in labelled folders.

Permits

Filming in Dubai, legally

Commercial shoots in Dubai need a permit from the Dubai Film and TV Commission. We file it, pay it and plan the schedule around it.

Do we need a filming permit in Dubai?

Commercial work such as ads, brand films and TV content needs a permit from the Dubai Film and TV Commission. We prepare and file it as part of production. Personal shoots such as pre-wedding and private events normally do not need one. Read our permit guide in the Journal for the details.

How far ahead should we book?

Two to three weeks is comfortable for most brand shoots. Campaigns that need permits, casting or government locations need four to six weeks. Smaller shoots can sometimes happen within a few days, so message us on WhatsApp.

What do we receive and when?

You get graded stills, a hero film and vertical reels sized for Instagram, TikTok and YouTube Shorts, depending on the package. We agree the delivery date in the quote before the shoot.

Tell us what you're shooting.

A director replies within one working day.