Sharjah 24: At the Xposure International Photography Festival (Xposure 2024) Hans Fraikin, Head of the Abu Dhabi Film Commission, delved into his illustrious career, covering film funding, co-production, distribution, and commissioning during a talk, A Hollywood Film Executive’s Journey — Around the World. He also shared perspectives on navigating the intricacies of the global film industry and heading the Abu Dhabi Film Commission.
From his early days at 20th Century Fox in Hollywood, where he worked on iconic projects such as Titanic, The Full Monty, Braveheart, and more, to his pivotal role at Telefilm Canada and eventually as the Head of the Abu Dhabi Film Commission, Hans's journey is one of strategic vision and adaptability. "I have been a nomad all my life. I have worked in 15 countries, so the move to Abu Dhabi wasn’t daunting. It presented a challenge to bring the local film commission to global standards."
Hans has been instrumental in bringing international projects to the shores of the UAE. "My strategy in Abu Dhabi was to tap into and promote Arabic content, build exposure for Hollywood, and make inroads into India, not just for Bollywood, which produces films in Hindi, but regional cinema such as Telugu, which produces some great movies. So, I created three divisions in production services: one each for Arabic, English, and Indian content," Hans noted.
“The bread and butter, however, are the Arabic series, which keep on producing. We are getting more and more of such productions because we really did put together a reliable Film Commission that also offers a competitive tax credit and supports movie makers with a reliable permit division as well.”
The Abu Dhabi Film Commission is growing at more than 140 percent year on year.
Speaking about the challenges of adapting to different regions and ways of storytelling, Hans wittingly said, “Cinema is the only industry that hasn’t changed much in the last 100 years, unlike the aviation or the automobile industry, for instance. Cinema across boundaries still needs a script to start with; we need directors, producers, actors, distributors. So the basics are still the same. The difference is how you collaborate with people to achieve success.”
Hans emphasised that film distribution, often an overlooked middle part of the value chain, is one of the pivotal elements that determine the success of a venture.
Regarding the future of film commissions in the face of technological advancements, particularly AI, Hans offered an optimistic viewpoint. “We have leaders and industry people who are conscious of the detrimental effects of AI on the entire industry and labour. So there are guardrails being put and legislations being written to strike a balance between innovation and job preservation.”
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