Desert Photoshoots & Film Productions

Anyone can point a client at a sand dune. The work that justifies hiring a production partner is the paperwork behind it: land access agreements, filming permits from the relevant municipality or Abu Dhabi Film Commission where applicable, and insurance that covers cast, crew and any animals on set. We hold standing access to our own Al Khatim land, which removes permitting entirely for shoots based there, and we file permits for public dune reserves and private land elsewhere in the UAE when a brief calls for a specific look we cannot offer on site.

Turnaround on a straightforward editorial permit is typically 48 to 72 hours. Commercial and film productions involving drones, multiple vehicles or larger cast lists need one to two weeks, because those applications route through additional review.

Our camels work regularly on shoots and are used to lighting stands, reflectors and crew movement close by, which is not something a camel sourced last minute for a single job can offer. Handlers stay in frame-adjacent position throughout, briefed on the shot list beforehand so they know when a camel needs to hold still versus walk a mark.

For fashion and commercial work we typically bring two to four camels so a director has options without waiting for the same animal to reset between takes. Veterinary welfare checks happen before every booking and shoots are capped at reasonable working hours for the animals regardless of client schedule pressure.

A single-model editorial for a fashion account might need a location, a camel and a two-person local crew for a half day. A commercial for a watch or automotive brand needs a call sheet, a generator bank, grip equipment, catering for a twenty-person crew and a producer on the ground managing the schedule against changing light. We scope both the same way: brief in, location and permit assessment, day-rate quote, and a single point of contact who runs the day.

We also support productions that only need part of the service, such as a camel and handler supplied to a crew that already has its own location and permits, or a location and permit package for a crew bringing their own animals and equipment.