In a market dominated by scripted television, Mazen Laham is making unscripted content thrive. Through Different Productions, he has produced some of the region’s most talked-about reality and factual series, including ‘Dubai Bling’, ‘It’s OK’, ‘Shark Tank’ Dubai and Lebanon, and ‘The Doctors’. BroadcastPro Middle East speaks to Laham about the creative processes and challenges behind unscripted shows.
Even if you’re not a fan of reality TV, chances are you’ve heard about Dubai Bling’s infamous confrontation between Ebraheem Al Samadi and DJ Bliss, or that unforgettable Shark Tank Dubai moment when chef Nouel Catis walked away from an AED 2m offer for his chocolate brand. Many Arab OTT viewers also remember tearing up as Lebanese pop icon Elissa bared her soul about her battle with cancer in It’s OK.
From extravagant parties in Dubai’s dazzling social scene to raw, tearful revelations, these moments feel too dramatic to be real. Yet Mazen Laham, the executive producer behind all these hits, insists otherwise. “Zero scripted,” he asserts. “We don’t change the lives of the cast. We don’t create the stories. What you see is what their lives are like. The marriages, children, drama – they are all real things.”
Visual spectacles like these explain how Laham has been able to make unscripted television, often dismissed as commercially unviable, into a profitable venture. As the founder and Managing Director of Different Productions, he has built a thriving business on reality storytelling. Shows such as MasterChef Arabia, Dubai Bling, Shark Tank Dubai, It’s OK, Chopped and The Doctors have proven that reality can be both credible and commercially successful.
Different from the beginning
For Laham, discipline is the most important part of the creative process. It’s a skill he acquired while interning at CNN London in 2002, the result of his prize-winning documentary at the Ibda’a Media Student Awards organised by Dubai Media City. “I wasn’t interested in news production, but I grabbed the opportunity for the exposure it offered. I learned a lot, especially discipline.”
At the time, he was working as a segment director for the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI). After his stint with CNN, Laham returned to LBCI, where he climbed the ranks, rising to the position of executive producer. “This was a huge deal back then. The MENA had no concept of an executive producer – the director was everything. But I was aware of the importance of this position.”
During his years at LBCI, Laham produced several shows in both international and local formats. A decade later, he was confident enough to go solo. “I wanted to do my own thing, and I wanted to do something different. That’s how I started Different Productions in 2014. The name defines our production values; it means quality. Whatever we do, even if it’s a 60-second video, we make sure it’s exceptionally good. We don’t compromise on quality.”
This commitment to quality has set Different Productions apart. The company has been the creative driving force behind several productions across the region, including MasterChef Arabia (2014), The Victorious (2016), Saudi Star (2018, the first singing competition filmed in Saudi Arabia), The Mall (2018), The Quest (2019), Astronauts S1 & S2 (2019 and 2022) and Chopped Arabia (2023).
The high production values of these shows caught the eye of OTT giant Netflix when it forayed into the Middle East, but despite initial interest Laham had to face several challenges: “Our pitches didn’t make the cut at the beginning. It took us some time to figure out what works for a platform like Netflix.”
The breakthrough came with Dubai Bling, the brainchild of Different’s Creative Director Marcel Dufour. “Our pitch for the show was simple: a circle of friends living in Dubai, with stories that continue episode to episode. It’s a non-scripted series that plays like docusoap.”
Navigating challenges
Making unscripted content profitable is no easy feat. Behind the drama and glamour of these shows is rigorous development that can take almost as long as production itself. For instance, casting for Dubai Bling took nearly eight months and production 12 months. “It’s more like headhunting,” says Laham. “Identifying people who fit into this kind of storytelling is the biggest challenge.”
In an unscripted series, he feels the scales always tip in favour of story versus personality. “The stories and relationships have to be genuine and ongoing. We are not interested in their past. We are more interested in what is happening in their life now, stories that we can capture on camera. Without that, there’s nothing to film.”
The next vital component is connection. “For cast-based shows there has to be some sort of connection between each member. That’s what drives the story forward.”
For Shark Tank, Laham’s biggest challenge is finding high-net-worth investors.
“The sharks have to be firmly established businessmen with their own money to invest. We cannot do the show with, for example, the finance manager of a company. Almost 90% of these investors don’t want to be in the spotlight. Moreover, all five sharks have to be homogeneous. The hardest step is to lock in the first shark, who becomes the point of reference for the other sharks joining the show. It’s also challenging to work out a schedule that suits all five sharks. They are extremely busy, and we have to find a way to get them all in the studio for 10 days.”
Driven by reality
For Laham, authenticity is non-negotiable. He points to Shark Tank Dubai, widely regarded as the region’s biggest reality business show.
“The entrepreneurs meet the sharks for the first time on stage,” he explains. “The sharks have no idea who’s coming in, so there’s no room for preconceived judgements. The reactions, negotiations and offers are 100% real. And we make sure there is no prior connection between them. If there is, they don’t make the cut. That’s our credibility.”
Scripted shows such as Friends or Modern Family can generate revenue for years. They can be sold to other networks and OTT platforms or dubbed and subtitled for new regions, creating several revenue streams. In contrast, explains Laham, “Unscripted series don’t have a shelf life – once they air, their shelf life is short with limited distribution opportunities.”
Most unscripted content – reality competitions, talent shows, game shows, talk shows – is tied to a specific moment, cast, or context. For example, episodes of talent shows like The Voice or Idol are only relevant during the period they are aired. Once viewers know the outcome, the incentive to rewatch disappears. Other than investigative documentaries or formats with repeated structures, very few unscripted shows have a shelf life.
Unscripted productions also face IP issues, says Laham. “In format unscripted shows, the rights usually belong to the global IP owners. Regional producers don’t own the show or have any say in its future use. Additionally, investing to produce original IPs is risky due to the shelf life.”
Despite these obstacles, Laham has managed to turn unscripted into a profitable venture – a testament to his astute business development skills.
Laying the foundations of a global hub
Even as MENA’s unscripted market shrinks, Laham is strategising how to expand the company’s footprint by positioning the UAE as an international hub for productions.
“I believe Dubai, and the entire UAE actually, can become the base for shows from around the world. The country is production-friendly. Acquiring permits and approvals is fast and easy and there is a continuous support from entities such as Dubai Media Council and the Dubai Film and TV Commission. It’s also very cosmopolitan. You can cast any nationality here without having to fly anyone in.”
He highlights how Different Productions has already cast over 30 nationalities in Shark Tank Dubai, and adds that the company has recently entered the Indian market. “We created the show for an international platform. It’s filmed entirely in the UAE with an Indian cast and is slated for release next year. Additionally, we are focusing on documentaries where we can own the IPs.”
Laham is also contemplating breaking into scripted production, but with a caveat. “I want to start with scripted, but I don’t want to do one and then stop. It’s either we do it big or not do it at all.”
Different Productions is currently riding high on the success of The Doctors, a dynamic talk show that delivers medical information through relatable social themes such as Gen Z lifestyles and mental health. “It’s a super-energetic show that presents medical information in the form of entertainment. It includes props, demonstrations and guest interactions.” At the time of this interview, Laham was also gearing up for the release of Shark Tank Beirut, a fully local adaptation of the global hit.
From Saudi Star to Dubai Bling, The Doctors and It’s OK, Mazen Laham has proven that unscripted television can be both credible and commercially viable when driven by authenticity and uncompromising quality. “Unscripted is the least priority for most platforms,” he admits, “but Different Productions has shown that it can be profitable and sustainable.”
