Twofour54
Media company in Abu Dhabi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
twofour54 is a media and entertainment production company setup by Abu Dhabi government and located in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.[1] Many major Hollywood productions have done production work in twofour54's facilities.[2]
- United Arab Emirates
| |
| Formation | 2008 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Government Backed Initiative |
| Headquarters | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |
| Location |
|
Parent organization | ADNEC Group (A MODON Company) |
| Website | twofour54 |
Location and area
twofour54 is located in and named after the geographical coordinates of Abu Dhabi (24° N, 54° E), capital of the United Arab Emirates.[3] The media free zone's main campus is located on the mainland (Yas Island).[2] It also operates a 300,000 square meter backlot in Kizad[4][5] and production studios in Mussafah,[6] with Yas Creative Hub on Yas Island.[7]
Background
The media free zone twofour54 was founded in 2008.[8] It falls under Abu Dhabi Development Holding Company's remit,[9][10] as a government-backed media and creative industries hub.[11] Former Universal executive Wayne Borg joined the company as chief commercial officer, a role in which he served until 2013.[12]
In 2012, twofour54 took over the operation of the Abu Dhabi Film Festival,[11] until its demise in 2015.[13]
In February 2015, twofour54 entered into a strategic partnership with Ericsson, under which Ericsson acquired twofour54's playout operations. As part of the agreement, Ericsson established a broadcast and media services hub in Abu Dhabi aimed at serving broadcasters across the Middle East.[14]
In May 2018, twofour54 organized the "Media Innovation Forum" in Abu Dhabi, highlighting the contributions of its partners in producing Arabic and English media content aimed at engaging the region's youth.[15]
In 2020, Michael Garin was appointed CEO of twofour54.[16]
The zone is home to a large number of international and local media companies,[17] and offers infrastructure and support, such as end-to-end production services,[18] government and travel services,[18] 100% business ownership,[19] and set-up and licensing.[20]
twofour54 houses media companies in the audio, visual, and print industries,[21][22][23] as well as news outlets and digital app creators.[24][25][26] Their facilities also host the first CNN Academy.[2][27]
As of 2020, more than 550 media companies and over 700 freelancers are based at twofour54, which has been involved in over 2,300 international major productions in Abu Dhabi.[17]
In June 2020, twofour54 Abu Dhabi provided support to the media industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, including rent relief and remote work facilitation.[28]
Notable films produced at twofour54 include Mission: Impossible – Fallout,[29] 6 Underground[30] and Bharat.[16]
In 2021, Stillfront Group acquired Jawaker from Twofour54 Abu Dhabi for AED 753 million as part of its expansion in the Middle East.[31]
In 2021, Twofour54 inaugurated the Yas Creative Hub, a purpose-built campus on Yas Island. It spans approximately 2.9 million square feet and it accommodates over 600 companies.[32]
In April 2022, twofour54 Abu Dhabi launched an initiative to support digital content creators in the Middle East through training, mentorship, and access to production facilities.[33]
In July 2022, twofour54 appointed Mark Whitehead as its CEO.[34]
In September 2022, Twofour54 Abu Dhabi launched "The Community Hub" at Yas Creative Hub, a space designed to support gamers, filmmakers, and content creators with collaborative facilities.[35]
In August 2023, Twofour54 announced plans to develop a new film studio complex in Abu Dhabi, scheduled to open in 2025. [36]
Past productions at twofour54 intaj
- 2010
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- Baby[40]
- Bang Bang![40]
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens[41]
- Fast & Furious 7[42][43]
- The Bold and the Beautiful[44]
- Top Gear[40]
- 2015
- War Machine[40]
- The World Keeps Spinning[45]
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025