DISCOP Dubai is expecting to receive 2000+ delegates, and the first list of confirmed attendees will be made available five weeks before the event.
Organisers of the MENA-centric DISCOP Dubai content distribution and co-production market have announced an initiative to showcase homegrown film and television projects in advanced stages of development and funding.
A full-service lounge, the First Look Salon, will cater to the needs of independent MENA producers wanting to shop their projects to production and distribution partners, local OTTs and global streamers seeking non-English language entertainment content.
Speaking about the initiative, Patrick Zuchowicki Jucaud, Co-Manager of DISCOP Dubai, said: “Tomorrow’s transformative potential will come from allowing local creatives to tell stories about their own cultures and then distributing them truly internationally. Our ambition is to showcase +/- 20 projects, from romantic dramas, funny comedies, to action-packed thrillers, and help their producers fast-track development, funding and distribution.”
In the meantime, DISCOP Dubai and CABSAT have agreed to join forces and collocate their respective events, with the Discop Content Market, taking place within the halls of the Dubai World Trade Centre, alongside CABSAT’s broadcast tradeshow. The two entities will join forces in various aspects of the Broadcast/Content industry mega-event.
The two entities were brought together by HConsult, MENA’s specialised content market consultancy.
Heba Korayem, CEO of Dubai-based HConsult, added: “The MENA region is changing fast. Like everywhere else in the world, viewers’ habits are shifting radically and competition for the 18-34 tech-savvy demographic is fierce. The transformative impact of new technologies, data and artificial intelligence on the local media and entertainment industry was the primary driver behind the co-location of DISCOP Dubai with CABSAT.”
DISCOP Dubai expects to receive 2000+ delegates. Networking will be a top priority for both tradeshows. Research and matchmaking efforts have been reinforced with 600+ MENA platforms under the organisers’ radar.
The first list of confirmed delegates will be available five weeks ahead of time, and engagement between confirmed participants will then be activated. Keeping the Ramadan peak TV season in mind, networking efforts will double from May 2.
A jointly curated learning and networking component, the NextGen Content programme, will emphasise the Metaverse, co-production opportunities between the Middle East and Africa, and the importance of dubbing and content localisation.
Adnan Hamza, CEO of Dubai-based ABC Marketing and Distribution and Managing Partner of DISCOP Dubai, stated: “Getting the correct translation and dubbing is more important than ever for international rights holders with a focus on expanding into the MENA region. The demand for dubbed programmes has increased by more than 50% from 2020 to 2022. High-quality dubbing has powerfully attracted more viewers and gained significant interest from broadcasters and streaming platforms in the Middle East and North Africa.”
Turkey will be welcome as DISCOP Dubai’s guest country. As part of the programme, the best of Turkish television entertainment will be screened, and a National Pavilion will promote the country’s production capabilities and on-going initiatives to attract and nurture talent, international projects, and MENA partners.
