• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • TV/Radio Deals
  • Film partnerships
  • New appointments
  • Production
  • TV Channels
TreeHouse takes flight with helicam

TreeHouse takes flight with helicam

September 7, 2012
Dubai’s Malayalam radio station Hit 96.7 FM celebrates 21 years

Dubai’s Malayalam radio station Hit 96.7 FM celebrates 21 years

July 10, 2025
Ad 1
SES introduces new platform for live sports distribution

Dentsu launches sports analytics arm in MENA

July 9, 2025
Lockheed Martin welcomes 44 interns to tech internship in Abu Dhabi

Lockheed Martin welcomes 44 interns to tech internship in Abu Dhabi

July 9, 2025
Nokia, CST and partners launch 4.0 GHz neutral host network in KSA

Nokia, CST and partners launch 4.0 GHz neutral host network in KSA

July 9, 2025
Cinema Akil brings back ‘Summer of Classics’ season

Cinema Akil brings back ‘Summer of Classics’ season

July 9, 2025
Etisalat collaborates with Moonbug Entertainment

Moonbug releases report on what families truly expect from media and marketing

July 9, 2025
AFID awards celebrate Arab talent and storytelling

AFID awards celebrate Arab talent and storytelling

July 9, 2025
Spacetoon teams up with ALJ Sisters for animated series ‘Happiness Spreaders’

Spacetoon teams up with ALJ Sisters for animated series ‘Happiness Spreaders’

July 9, 2025
Maxar secures $205m deals to advance MEA sovereign capabilities

Maxar secures $205m deals to advance MEA sovereign capabilities

July 9, 2025
Hisense display technology powers VAR viewing at FIFA Club WC 2025

Hisense display technology powers VAR viewing at FIFA Club WC 2025

July 8, 2025
ESA selects five companies for first stage of European Launcher Challenge

ESA selects five companies for first stage of European Launcher Challenge

July 8, 2025
Exclusive – MediaCast launches second MCX experience centre in Dubai

Exclusive – MediaCast launches second MCX experience centre in Dubai

July 8, 2025
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Magazine Archive
  • Directory
  • Contact
Thursday, July 10, 2025
  • Login
BroadcastPro ME
  • News
    • All
    • Analyst Reports
    • AV
    • Cinema Theatres
    • Esports
    • Film partnerships
    • International News
    • Mergers/Acquisitions
    • New appointments
    • OTT/Video Streaming
    • Podcasting
    • Production
    • Satellite/Comms
    • TV/Radio Deals
    Dubai’s Malayalam radio station Hit 96.7 FM celebrates 21 years

    Dubai’s Malayalam radio station Hit 96.7 FM celebrates 21 years

    SES introduces new platform for live sports distribution

    Dentsu launches sports analytics arm in MENA

    Lockheed Martin welcomes 44 interns to tech internship in Abu Dhabi

    Lockheed Martin welcomes 44 interns to tech internship in Abu Dhabi

    Nokia, CST and partners launch 4.0 GHz neutral host network in KSA

    Nokia, CST and partners launch 4.0 GHz neutral host network in KSA

    Cinema Akil brings back ‘Summer of Classics’ season

    Cinema Akil brings back ‘Summer of Classics’ season

    Etisalat collaborates with Moonbug Entertainment

    Moonbug releases report on what families truly expect from media and marketing

    AFID awards celebrate Arab talent and storytelling

    AFID awards celebrate Arab talent and storytelling

    Spacetoon teams up with ALJ Sisters for animated series ‘Happiness Spreaders’

    Spacetoon teams up with ALJ Sisters for animated series ‘Happiness Spreaders’

    Maxar secures $205m deals to advance MEA sovereign capabilities

    Maxar secures $205m deals to advance MEA sovereign capabilities

    Hisense display technology powers VAR viewing at FIFA Club WC 2025

    Hisense display technology powers VAR viewing at FIFA Club WC 2025

    Trending Tags

    • broadcast
    • MENA broadcast
    • ConnecTech2019
  • Tech Features
    • All
    • CASE STUDIES
    • New Media
    • REVIEWS
    • TV/Radio Deals
    • Updates from FOMEX
    • Virtual Production Series
    Breaking free from the hardware cycle: Cloud collaboration in post-production

    Breaking free from the hardware cycle: Cloud collaboration in post-production

    Playing to win

    Playing to win

    The expanding role of AI in broadcast

    The expanding role of AI in broadcast

    The power of podcasts and audio streaming in MENA

    The power of podcasts and audio streaming in MENA

    Tech strategies for an evolving modern MENA media ecosystem

    Tech strategies for an evolving modern MENA media ecosystem

    SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part II

    SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part IV

    SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part I

    SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part III

    SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part II

    SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part II

    SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part I

    SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part I

    Transforming the entertainment experience with tech

    Transforming the entertainment experience with tech

    Trending Tags

    • Videos
      FOR-A’s award-winning HVS-Q12: A quantum leap in switcher design

      FOR-A’s award-winning HVS-Q12: A quantum leap in switcher design

      Ignacio Gonzalez-Nuñez on Eutelsat’s new offering and market leadership

      Ignacio Gonzalez-Nuñez on Eutelsat’s new offering and market leadership

      Francesco Cataldo on iKO Media Group’s CABSAT showcase and broadcast trends

      Francesco Cataldo on iKO Media Group’s CABSAT showcase and broadcast trends

      Deepraj Sandhar on Ross Video’s Middle East growth and broadcast tech trends

      Deepraj Sandhar on Ross Video’s Middle East growth and broadcast tech trends

      Reema Omari

      Reema Omari on Universal Satcom’s growth and connectivity solutions

      Mustafa Afifi

      Mustafa Afifi of Rivada Space on Outernet’s impact in the Middle East

      Don

      ST Engineering iDirect CEO Don Claussen on Mideast ties and satellite strategy

      KSASummit

      Transforming Arabic Content: Studios, Producers and Regional Impact

      Bringing Real-Time Audience Insights to Linear Broadcast TV – A First and Exclusive

      Bringing Real-Time Audience Insights to Linear Broadcast TV – A First and Exclusive

    • Opinion
      Survival of the Smartest: Cloud Playout as a Strategic Weapon

      Survival of the Smartest: Cloud Playout as a Strategic Weapon

      Bridging the Latency Gap with Broadcast in a Streaming World

      Bridging the Latency Gap with Broadcast in a Streaming World

      YouTube in Ramadan: The silent giant

      YouTube in Ramadan: The silent giant

      Evision’s transformation proves that business acumen and passion drive success

      Sport’s Growing Grip on MENA Media

      MEASA’s media and communications innovations set new benchmarks beyond regional boundaries

      MEASA’s media and communications innovations set new benchmarks beyond regional boundaries

      Integrate ME 2023 brings its inaugural edition to successful conclusion

      Empowering the next generation of content creation and live broadcasting with AV PRO

      Decoding the Ramadan Drama Phenomenon: What Makes a Winner?

      Decoding the Ramadan Drama Phenomenon: What Makes a Winner?

      Reviving cultural identity through native storytelling in Abu Dhabi

      Reviving cultural identity through native storytelling in Abu Dhabi

      Why it’s game on for broadcasters of live sport

      Why it’s game on for broadcasters of live sport

      Evision’s transformation proves that business acumen and passion drive success

      Saudi Arabia emerges as the epicentre of Media & Entertainment in 2025

    • Interviews
      • All
      • Lounge
      Sand, sweat and high stakes

      Sand, sweat and high stakes

      All eyes on AIUIa

      All eyes on AIUIa

      Grass Valley scales up with software and IP workflows

      Grass Valley scales up with software and IP workflows

      Breaking barriers, building futures: The new face of IABM

      Breaking barriers, building futures: The new face of IABM

      New Leadership, Same Strategy, Sharpened Focus

      New Leadership, Same Strategy, Sharpened Focus

      Creating Captain Shedeed: A superhero with Arab roots

      Creating Captain Shedeed: A superhero with Arab roots

      UAE Pro League flips the field

      UAE Pro League flips the field

      Bringing the wild to the Middle East

      Bringing the wild to the Middle East

      Shades of success

      Shades of success

      Navigating the news wave

      Navigating the news wave

    • Products
    • Magazine Archive
      • BroadcastPro ME Magazine
      • PRO Directory
    • Events
      • News from Events
      • Upcoming Events
      DICM

      DICM

      IBC Show

      IBC 2025

      MPTS

      CABSAT2025

      CABSAT2025

      NAB Show

    No Result
    View All Result
    BroadcastPro ME
    • News
      • All
      • Analyst Reports
      • AV
      • Cinema Theatres
      • Esports
      • Film partnerships
      • International News
      • Mergers/Acquisitions
      • New appointments
      • OTT/Video Streaming
      • Podcasting
      • Production
      • Satellite/Comms
      • TV/Radio Deals
      Dubai’s Malayalam radio station Hit 96.7 FM celebrates 21 years

      Dubai’s Malayalam radio station Hit 96.7 FM celebrates 21 years

      SES introduces new platform for live sports distribution

      Dentsu launches sports analytics arm in MENA

      Lockheed Martin welcomes 44 interns to tech internship in Abu Dhabi

      Lockheed Martin welcomes 44 interns to tech internship in Abu Dhabi

      Nokia, CST and partners launch 4.0 GHz neutral host network in KSA

      Nokia, CST and partners launch 4.0 GHz neutral host network in KSA

      Cinema Akil brings back ‘Summer of Classics’ season

      Cinema Akil brings back ‘Summer of Classics’ season

      Etisalat collaborates with Moonbug Entertainment

      Moonbug releases report on what families truly expect from media and marketing

      AFID awards celebrate Arab talent and storytelling

      AFID awards celebrate Arab talent and storytelling

      Spacetoon teams up with ALJ Sisters for animated series ‘Happiness Spreaders’

      Spacetoon teams up with ALJ Sisters for animated series ‘Happiness Spreaders’

      Maxar secures $205m deals to advance MEA sovereign capabilities

      Maxar secures $205m deals to advance MEA sovereign capabilities

      Hisense display technology powers VAR viewing at FIFA Club WC 2025

      Hisense display technology powers VAR viewing at FIFA Club WC 2025

      Trending Tags

      • broadcast
      • MENA broadcast
      • ConnecTech2019
    • Tech Features
      • All
      • CASE STUDIES
      • New Media
      • REVIEWS
      • TV/Radio Deals
      • Updates from FOMEX
      • Virtual Production Series
      Breaking free from the hardware cycle: Cloud collaboration in post-production

      Breaking free from the hardware cycle: Cloud collaboration in post-production

      Playing to win

      Playing to win

      The expanding role of AI in broadcast

      The expanding role of AI in broadcast

      The power of podcasts and audio streaming in MENA

      The power of podcasts and audio streaming in MENA

      Tech strategies for an evolving modern MENA media ecosystem

      Tech strategies for an evolving modern MENA media ecosystem

      SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part II

      SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part IV

      SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part I

      SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part III

      SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part II

      SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part II

      SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part I

      SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part I

      Transforming the entertainment experience with tech

      Transforming the entertainment experience with tech

      Trending Tags

      • Videos
        FOR-A’s award-winning HVS-Q12: A quantum leap in switcher design

        FOR-A’s award-winning HVS-Q12: A quantum leap in switcher design

        Ignacio Gonzalez-Nuñez on Eutelsat’s new offering and market leadership

        Ignacio Gonzalez-Nuñez on Eutelsat’s new offering and market leadership

        Francesco Cataldo on iKO Media Group’s CABSAT showcase and broadcast trends

        Francesco Cataldo on iKO Media Group’s CABSAT showcase and broadcast trends

        Deepraj Sandhar on Ross Video’s Middle East growth and broadcast tech trends

        Deepraj Sandhar on Ross Video’s Middle East growth and broadcast tech trends

        Reema Omari

        Reema Omari on Universal Satcom’s growth and connectivity solutions

        Mustafa Afifi

        Mustafa Afifi of Rivada Space on Outernet’s impact in the Middle East

        Don

        ST Engineering iDirect CEO Don Claussen on Mideast ties and satellite strategy

        KSASummit

        Transforming Arabic Content: Studios, Producers and Regional Impact

        Bringing Real-Time Audience Insights to Linear Broadcast TV – A First and Exclusive

        Bringing Real-Time Audience Insights to Linear Broadcast TV – A First and Exclusive

      • Opinion
        Survival of the Smartest: Cloud Playout as a Strategic Weapon

        Survival of the Smartest: Cloud Playout as a Strategic Weapon

        Bridging the Latency Gap with Broadcast in a Streaming World

        Bridging the Latency Gap with Broadcast in a Streaming World

        YouTube in Ramadan: The silent giant

        YouTube in Ramadan: The silent giant

        Evision’s transformation proves that business acumen and passion drive success

        Sport’s Growing Grip on MENA Media

        MEASA’s media and communications innovations set new benchmarks beyond regional boundaries

        MEASA’s media and communications innovations set new benchmarks beyond regional boundaries

        Integrate ME 2023 brings its inaugural edition to successful conclusion

        Empowering the next generation of content creation and live broadcasting with AV PRO

        Decoding the Ramadan Drama Phenomenon: What Makes a Winner?

        Decoding the Ramadan Drama Phenomenon: What Makes a Winner?

        Reviving cultural identity through native storytelling in Abu Dhabi

        Reviving cultural identity through native storytelling in Abu Dhabi

        Why it’s game on for broadcasters of live sport

        Why it’s game on for broadcasters of live sport

        Evision’s transformation proves that business acumen and passion drive success

        Saudi Arabia emerges as the epicentre of Media & Entertainment in 2025

      • Interviews
        • All
        • Lounge
        Sand, sweat and high stakes

        Sand, sweat and high stakes

        All eyes on AIUIa

        All eyes on AIUIa

        Grass Valley scales up with software and IP workflows

        Grass Valley scales up with software and IP workflows

        Breaking barriers, building futures: The new face of IABM

        Breaking barriers, building futures: The new face of IABM

        New Leadership, Same Strategy, Sharpened Focus

        New Leadership, Same Strategy, Sharpened Focus

        Creating Captain Shedeed: A superhero with Arab roots

        Creating Captain Shedeed: A superhero with Arab roots

        UAE Pro League flips the field

        UAE Pro League flips the field

        Bringing the wild to the Middle East

        Bringing the wild to the Middle East

        Shades of success

        Shades of success

        Navigating the news wave

        Navigating the news wave

      • Products
      • Magazine Archive
        • BroadcastPro ME Magazine
        • PRO Directory
      • Events
        • News from Events
        • Upcoming Events
        DICM

        DICM

        IBC Show

        IBC 2025

        MPTS

        CABSAT2025

        CABSAT2025

        NAB Show

      No Result
      View All Result
      BroadcastPro ME
      No Result
      View All Result
      AMT Ad ibc Ad
      Home Content Creation

      TreeHouse takes flight with helicam

      Staff Writer by Staff Writer
      September 7, 2012
      in Content Creation, Production Features
      ShareTweetPostEmail

      Hayley Doyle meets up with Hazem Amin, founder and managing director of TreeHouse, a Dubai-based production house that offers professional helicam services As new production houses begin to mushroom in an already saturated market in Dubai, we see some looking to distinguish themselves by bringing more specialised services to the emirate. One such production house […]

      Hayley Doyle meets up with Hazem Amin, founder and managing director of TreeHouse, a Dubai-based production house that offers professional helicam services

      As new production houses begin to mushroom in an already saturated market in Dubai, we see some looking to distinguish themselves by bringing more specialised services to the emirate. One such production house is TreeHouse, which claims to be the first in the Gulf region to own a ‘helicam’ and offer related services.

      TreeHouse, with a name which triggers a playful picture of seclusion and imagination, knew it needed to offer something special in order to stand out from the crowd.

      Sitting in the bright stylish, yet minimalistic studio based in Dubai Media City’s Shatha Tower, TreeHouse’s managing director Amin explains, “We decided to do specialised filming techniques and so, introduced the first professional radio-controlled helicopter in the region.”

      Although TreeHouse offers regular services from pre-production through to post-production, using industry-standard equipment, Amin explains that this was not enough. Looking back at his experience, one skill including 32 flying hours training with Emirates Aviation Services as a student pilot, Amin created a concept to merge all of this together to craft the unique selling point for his company.

      “My film background, my technical ability and my flying knowledge helped me to invest in the helicam. If you do not know how to fly, you won’t be able to fly the helicam; if you do not know how to film, you won’t be able to imagine what the helicam is doing up there or what camera settings to use; and if you don’t have the technical expertise, you won’t know how to fix it, how to put it together or how to make it function properly. That combination encouraged me to invest in such a platform.”

      The most common name for the helicam is an ‘octocopter’, and it is the first of its kind in the region.

      An unconventional helicopter with a total of eight propellers, it was designed in the US with German technology, assembled in the UAE at TreeHouse, and given the brand name Helicampro. A manually operated or fully operated GPS-controlled drone, Helicampro can be programmed to function alone or with a team of two people — a professional camera operator with a pilot’s licence, and Amin himself.

      It can fly as low as one metre above ground and up to 150 metres in altitude, with a 250 metre radius autonomously. With a maximum speed of 60 kilometres per hour, the Helicampro is obviously not your conventional helicopter. In addition to this service, TreeHouse has also invested in equipment for time-lapse professional filming.

      “A lot of people are undertaking time-lapse projects, but very few are doing time-lapse with a moving camera. We’ve got equipment that allows the camera to move on a track or on a tripod with a rotating head.”

      The Helicampro can support a range of cameras including the Canon 5D Mark II, Blackmagic, Canon 300C and 500C, and the RED EPIC among others. Its body is made of composite carbon fiber, making it light-weight to carry and to fly, with an approximate weight of 3.5 kilograms and a payload of up to an extra three kilograms. Using a 5D Mk II on one battery charge, the helicam has a maximum flying time of 10 minutes.

      The impressive buildings and architecture in Dubai are primarily seen by the human eye on ground level. According to Amin, we often see Dubai’s urban landscape from a height of 3000-4000 feet but when the camera levitates to 150 metres, we see a completely different perspective.

      “It shows you how beautiful the buildings are. It gives you a better idea of how they are put together and where you are going when you are walking,” he says.

      Amin has recently won a contract with Dubai Media Inc. to shoot all of its Ramadan fillers and has ongoing projects with the state broadcaster until 2013.

      Filming the latest project for DMI, Amin recalls the biggest challenge being the weather. Technology is usually developed in the West, or in areas where the climate is a little bit more moderate, so in Dubai there were a lot of helicam mishaps with overheating parts initially, he admits.

      “The helicam is a very delicate piece of equipment. We were filming in the desert in Hatta and it went haywire suddenly. We had to fix it on the spot and our expertise extends that far,” he explains.

      Amin and his team shifted the actual shot from day to night, completely changing the original daytime shoot. Since the operating temperatures were not normal for such a device, an improvised solution resulted in attaching an additional fan to cool that piece of equipment. Yet, they still managed to have it fly under these circumstances.

      Soumaya Bellafquih, who hails from Morrocco and heads production at TreeHouse says discipline is key to all productions.

      “You cannot make work happen if you don’t know what team work is, whether it’s a short documentary, corporate video, or a TVC. It’s the same discipline. You have to learn to accommodate needs and learn how to be creative within your budget. The process, however, is always the same.”

      TreeHouse has, thus far, undertaken productions in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan although the helicam has only been used in Dubai so far. It has been used to capture some of Dubai’s major world attractions including the Madinat Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab, Dubai Creek Park, the Palm, and Burj Khalifa. Amin adds that Dubai is one of his favourite locations to shoot.

      “A lot of people say there aren’t that many locations in Dubai if you want to find something old and rustic,” he says, “but you can find it, you just need to look. If Tom Cruise came to film here, it’s because of the uniqueness of this place. We live in a beautiful place that has a lot of offer.”

      TreeHouse was born out of Amin’s desire to launch his own production house and business. Born in Jordan and of Palestinian origin, Amin studied computer science at the University of Jordan, but grew up surrounded with media people — his father being a television presenter on Jordan TV and his mother a Radio Jordan broadcaster.

      That environment combined with his understanding of computers initially led him into the world of animation. But gradually, his fascination with lights and cameras led him to undertake courses in cinematography.

      This led to stepping away from animation and becoming part owner of Telemax, the biggest production company in Jordan. Amin moved on from Jordan eventually to MBC Group in Dubai, where he worked for more than five years before he left the corporate world for TreeHouse.

      Many people thought that Amin was crazy to start up his own business in August 2010, right in the middle of the financial crisis. However, he believes that thinking too much about a business model and overdoing calculations can result in never starting up at all.

      Although resources were not that abundant, they were more easy to acquire due to the crisis, and overheads were much lower than if it had been peak time.

      The company remains small, with just five full-time employees— a producer, sound engineer, personal assistant, driver and the managing director, and TreeHouse relies on all of the talented freelancers Dubai has to offer.

      Amin says “there are some really good talents, especially directors of photography and gaffers” in Dubai.

      A project is already lined up for TreeHouse to shoot a helicam scene for Al Arabiya, MBC’s news channel. Amin says he would like to see his company expand in several directions.

      Commercial production is not the only way for the helicam to display its usages, and there are plans to go into real estate, hospitality, events, fairs, and any production that can be covered from the sky.

      “Within five years, I hope to have a fully-fledged, sophisticated production house, capable of creating more room for creative people to produce,” says Amin.

      “We still want to go towards specialised filming and intensely invest in that, introducing reliable platforms that allow creative people to think in a different way.”

      Amin remains positive about the future of production in the Middle East.

      Although there are many assumptions about the limitation of creativity in the region with people being cautious in experimenting, he believes that the bar can always be raised and that production in this part of the world is heading towards a better future.

      “Independent filmmakers are becoming more abundant and people are expressing their ideas and creativity more. The Gulf, as a whole, has a very high purchasing power at the moment compared to the rest of the world. They are acquiring almost everything. British football teams are being bought, Dubai Ports owns half of the most important ports around the world, so people need to pay a little more attention to this region because of its power and how it is entering every other place in the world. The film industry is growing as much as the place is growing.”

      TreeHouse is aspiring to its name, reaching new and playful heights. We hope it continues to fly.

      Tags: Dubai production houseHelicamTreeHouse

      Related Posts

      Dubai’s EL° Films appoints new creative director

      Dubai’s EL° Films appoints new creative director

      July 31, 2018

      Related News

      Dubai’s EL° Films appoints new creative director

      Dubai’s EL° Films appoints new creative director

      July 31, 2018
      More Related News

      BroadcastPro ME

      • About
      • Advertise
      • Subscribe
      • Magazine Archive
      • Directory
      • Contact
      • Privacy

      Follow us on Social Media

      No Result
      View All Result
      • News
      • Tech Features
      • Videos
      • Opinion
      • Interviews
      • Products
      • Magazine Archive
        • BroadcastPro ME Magazine
        • PRO Directory
      • Events

      Welcome Back!

      Login to your account below

      Forgotten Password?

      Create New Account!

      Fill the forms bellow to register

      All fields are required. Log In

      Retrieve your password

      Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

      Log In